2023 Breakfast Club Gift Guide

10 gift ideas for creatives on the move.

Welcome back. It’s holiday season and time for our third annual gift guide. This is gear I loved, curated for outdoorsy folks with an intellectual streak. Rest assured: no company paid to be featured.

Quick aside: if you enjoy reading gift guides, as I do, you’ll love this essay from

em seely-katz

on Black Friday and the rise of the online gift guide, featured on

Avery Trufelman

’s fabulous Articles of Interest.

Bleak Friday

Without further ado, here’s the list!

Outside gifts

1. Near Earth Distance Runner Sock
   Race-sock stocking stuffer

   

   Lightweight and minimalist, the Near Earth sock is great for races and everyday training runs. Form-fitting, the sock has just enough cushion to pad your sole without bunching around the toes. I wore these for short 5Ks, rainy 50Ks, and slow morning jogs. Through it all, they were very fine.
   $24 | Shop at Near Earth. East Bay locals can get a pair at Renegade Running.
   
   

2. Tracksmith Eliot Runner
   For the runner worth splurging on

   

   The main feature of Tracksmith’s debut training shoe is the silly high price. That said, it’s a solid set of trainers. The main perk is an understated design. Indeed, a couple colorways are snappy enough to wear to the office, making this a true crossover .
   $198 | Shop at Tracksmith
   
   

3. Brooks Launch
   An all-rounder you won’t mind getting dirty

   

   If you have enough sense to skip paying two-hundred bucks for a shoe, opt for the beloved Brooks Launch. A neutral shoe at a deflationary price point, the Launch works for everything from track intervals to marathon races. The latest iteration tinkers only slightly with the shoe’s proven formula.
   $110 | Shop at Brooks
   
   

4. Storchenwiege
   For new and active parents

   

   If you’re looking for a child-carrying solution, the Storchenwiege rocks. Manufactured in Saxony’s Upper Lusatia, the sling fabric is sturdy but flexible. Figuring out the ties takes a few attempts, but of multiple carriers, our 4-month-old seems most comfortable in the Storchenwiege.
   €84/$92 | Europeans can order direct from the company. US folks can find them at WovenWraps.
   
   

Inside gifts

5. Decomposition Notebook
   For journaling types

   

   I’ve used simple composition notebooks for my running logs since college (more on that here). While there are infinite digital options to help optimize your sporting life, I find value in the manual ritual of writing with intention about my workouts.
   
   Lately, I’ve opted for the Decomposition Notebook, which has sturdier paper than your typical composition book. The covers feature lovely sketched designs from the natural world.
   $11 | Buy at Decomposition
   
   

6. True Grit by Charles Portis
   For the teenager destined to wander
   How did it take me so long to discover this fantastic adventure?! I loved this tale of the Wild West, narrated by Mattie Ross, a determined teenager seeking justice for her father’s murder. I’d seen the latest movie remake, but found Portis’s original novel a charming page-turner. Indeed, the story is so fun, I kept wishing I’d come across the book in high school. There are intense situations and violence, but the book felt fine for folks over age 13, perhaps younger for precocious kids.
   $8 in paperback | Get at your local bookstore
   
   

7. Casio A158
   For the eccentric middle-manager

   

   I like watches, but am not into luxury pieces and would rather dunk my head in motor oil than get Slacked via smartwatch. I love the norm-core vibes of Casio. The A158 is a svelte digital timepiece of polished steel that works across skin tones and gender. Featuring a retro interface that evokes the dashboard of a 1984 Toyota Cressida, it’s a watch for the sophisticate uninterested in conspicuous consumption.

   
   With enough sheen for formal wear, the A158’s stopwatch can also serve for a post-work training session in a pinch. The $0.50 replaceable battery will probably outlive you.
   $22.95 | Shop at Casio.
   
   

8. On Trails: An Exploration by Robert Moor
   For the humanities major in hiking boots
   I’ve mentioned Moor’s book in two posts this year, so I may as well add it to the list. It’s a delight for anyone who hikes, backpacks, camps, or trail runs. Like taking a forest walk with a thoughtful friend, On Trails the winding history of the footpath. After reading, you’ll never see a trail the same way.
   $18 in paperback | Order from your local bookstore.
   
   

9. Karas Retrakt V2 Pen
   For journaling folks

   

   Lately, I’ve reached for this machined pen. I especially like the micro-texture etched near the click mechanism, which is great for when I’m feeling fidgety in meetings. I’ve got a two-tone model of silver and black aluminum with a Pilot G2 setup that provides a productive friction against the page. You can also use the Retrakt with a Schmidt Easyflow cartridge for a pen stroke that is oh so buttery smooth.
   Starts at $70 | Shop at Karas Pen Co.
   
   

10. Breakfast Club Gift Subscription
    For thinkers on the move

    

    Get 20% off paid subscriptions to this newsletter until January 1. A paid subscription gets you The Ramble, a bonus post of personal reflections. Plus you’ll get a Fractal Breakfast Club cap—awesome for hiking, running, and travel. If you know someone who should be in our club, sign them up! If you’ve been waiting to join, now’s the time.

Thanks as always for reading. As we begin to wrap up the year, I’m ever grateful you’re here. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful, safe, and restful start to the holidays.

Cheers,
Sam