5 Things We Love...

Only 5 days until the “day of love “ when St. Valentine reigns. Show and tell the one you love how much they mean to you with one of the five things we love!

#1 The all new Infinity Lyocell Buff.  It’s part infinity scarf, part chameleon…wear it as a wrap, shrug or head scarf it’s the perfect blend of fashion and function. Made from Tencel, a sustainable fabric, it’s also easy on the planet! $37-$57

#2 Two nesting GSI wine glasses, the Playty Preserve Wine Preserver and a bottle of wine for a mid-winter picnic or spring backcountry hike. $25

#3 For him…practical and stylish Patagonia boxer briefs $30

#4 A Solstice Outdoors Gift Certificate for a ski or snowboard tune and wax $20-$30

#5 A Princeton Tech headlamp...the Quad or the Remix will light up their world just like you! $35-$40

WINTER FUN

Rain, rain go away we need a snow day! It's time for some winter fun.

Thanks to our friend at Hired Lens Photography we now have some spiffy new posters for our ski and snowshoe rental and services. Thanks, Bob!

Got friends and family coming in to town and you're looking for something do to?  Rent some skis or snowshoes and go exploring. Prepare now for the white stuff.  Pull those skis out and get a tune up before mother nature gets the memo and starts dumping snow on the northland. 

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More Solstice Staff Picks

Jessica’s Wishlist…

Since I only work at Solstice on Fridays making my wishlist is a bit hard, because by the time I get to the store, there is always some awesome new thing that I would like to add to my list. But, alas, I will truncate my Christmas wishes (read: family take special note... Happy Holidays!

Down With It: It is a toss up here between the Patagonia Down With It Jacket… long - classy and keeps the back side warm, or the Vest - hard to pass up plaid. Both have yummy 600 fill down, really good for those cold morning when I slept in too late to warm up the car.

Ski Duds: Without a doubt in order to ski faster this winter, I am totally going to need new SmartWool thermal layers - both the full zip top and tights. Look at Jess go.

Gear: In about 2.5 months I will be dreaming of summer adventures, specifically my yearly canoe trip to the Boundary Waters. It would be awesome to lie on a new ThermaRest NeoLite and dream my summertime dreams about how my lighter my pack will be.

The Big One: So, if Santa was only to bring me one present this year, I would ask for a new set of Fischer Skis - Skate or Classic, I haven't decided yet.

Nori’s Wishlist…

Christmas is just around the corner and we are getting into the festive spirit here at Solstice Outdoors! Just look at our Christmassy window display.  Here are a few things that I have my eye on for Christmas!

We just got some awesome Haiku bags in, which I love! A girl can never have too many bags, am I right? They come in great colors and are a smaller size which is perfect for when you don’t want to lug around that small suitcase

All of the Pistil hats, please! Adorable styles and colors. I’ll take one of each.

Our CamelBak bottles come in great colors and are scientifically proven to increase the amount of water you drink with their Big Bite Valve. It practically does the drinking for you!These are perfect for even your most casual water-drinker

Mt. Ashwabay is opening this weekend which means it is time to break out the snowboarding gear! I am hoping for some SmartWool next-to-skin base layers so I don’t freeze my butt off on the hill this year. These lightweight tops and bottoms have odor control, moisture management, and temperature regulation all naturally built into the 100% merino wool.

Katie's Wishlist

Dear Santa…

First and foremost I wish for my family to be healthy and together this holiday season. As you know Dave and I host the holiday; although we’ll be busy Christmas Eve making many holiday wish lists come true there are just a few things I’ve had my eye on at Solstice… just in case you need a few hints of what to bring down our chimney this year.

*Since I’m a freeze baby I really could use one of the many cozy Royal Robbins sweaters or the PrAna Willow Duster that I’ve been eyeing up for the past couple weeks.

*To keep me warm skiing at Mt. Ashwabay or when I hit the ski trail in our field, I’d really like to be warm in a pair of the Smartwool Nordic Tights. They may also come in really handy if there’s also a winter yurt trip under the tree. Hint Hint!  

*Outdoor Research Adrenaline Mitts fit perfectly, breathe and still provide superior warmth. Dave would also like it if I had my own pair of good mitts so I wouldn’t keep stealing his.

*A GSI Coffee Mug…a one cup mug for my morning commute and a new GSI insulated French Press. Ours has been very well used and it’s time for a new one.

*Nothing is worst than cold or luke warm coffee, so I would also love an insulated Klean Kanteen bottle keeps anything warm for up to 6 hours.

*The classic green Stormy Kromer Carry All.  Enough said.

*Patagonia Re-Tool Snap T Pullover in any color! It’s super soft and will look great with jeans or a skirt.

*Salomon Emmy Boots have my name written all over them. Tall, warm and waterproof…not to mention easy to slip on all winter long.

Well, Santa these as just a few of my favorite things that you can find at Solstice Outdoors this winter.  Thanks for your good work and we’ll be sure to leave a little treat on the mantle for you and your reindeer on Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas!

Solstice Staff Picks

Sarah's Favorite Things... 

 So I’m all for whiskers on kittens and crisp apple strudels, but I also have a few Favorite things that can be had at Solstice Outdoors this season (sorry no strudel!)…

*First off I’ll take any pair of cute and supremely functional Smartwool socks, but I really love to cozy up in a classy pair of their Ultra Comfy Tights

*Water Bottles just met their coolest member with the Bamboo Bottle made of nearly inexhaustible resources of bamboo and glass. It’s safe and uber stylish!  Plus it comes apart with ease making cleaning a cinch

*My seasonal choice for a new winter outer layer is the Patagonia Nano Puff jacket.  A wind-blocking, moisture-shedding , 100% recycled polyester shell holds a low-bulk PrimaLoft insulation layer that would keep me super toasty and dry (Prima Loft, unlike down, doesn’t stop heating you up when wet) when skiing or snowshoeing round the Bay this winter

* Of course, I’m going to need to accessorize with my new Nano Puff jacket with pretty much any of the super cute winter hats by Pistil or Ambler.

* Also wishing for some beautiful mitts by Lost Horizons knitted by a guild of Nepalese women who gain a valuable source of income from this cottage industry.

*In the gear department I think a MSR Miniworks Ex Microfilter Water Filtration System would treat me well when out on the trail.  Its compact size and non-disposable ceramic element make it a packable and eco-savvy backcountry option for clean hydration.

*For a little trail luxury, I’m jones-ing for the Thermarest Fitted Sheet  Set.  Since the only time I can run a marathon is apparently in my sleep, a smooth and cuddly base layer on my sleeping pad would keep me resting comfortably when I’m twisting and turning the night away in tent overnight  expeditions.

*Lastly the Manduka Blackmat PRO is the Cadillac of mats and this yogini wants to test drive the joint-supporting thickness and superior wear that this blingy mat can provide!

Well folks these are just some of my top choices from Solstice Outdoors for the 2011 holiday season, but there’s lots more goodies in store so stop by and shop for yourself.

We might even be able to wrap it up for you in brown paper packages tied up with string!