HOLIDAY GIFTS Give these ideas a sporting chance

By MARC LEE
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
On Christmas Eve you're asleep in your chair; visions of skateboards dance in the air. Then on the roof comes such a clatter. Lo, it's St. Nick! But ... hey! What's the MATTER with you, pal?
Hey, Santa, wake up. It's not sugarplums we're dreaming about this holiday season. It's gear. Gear for riding. Gear for sliding. Gear for surfing. Gear for whatever rhymes with surfing.
So we've put together this list, and you better check it twice. If you bring us anything else, it's not gonna be nice.
We want kayaks, golf clubs and a baseball glove. Hiking poles, sleeping bags -- who cares if we've been good?
Naughty or nice, we've paid our rent. And what we need now are backpacks, skate shoes, maybe even a tent.
We've worked and studied hard all year, and now we're ready to play. So jump up that chimney and go back to your sleigh.
Dig deep in your bag, all the way up to your hood. And don't you come back 'til you find something good!
FOR THE TOTAL SPORTS ENTHUSIAST
Boeri Kameleon Helmet, $90 -- This snowboard/ski helmet has the correct styling to make you look cool at the snow park, and it has tons of features. It's fully padded inside with removable vented earflaps. And the padded chin strap, rugged snap loop for attaching to your pack and seven top vents give function to the form. www.boeriusa.com.
Ocean Kayak Yak Board, $319 base model -- This classy sit-on-top polyethylene kayak was made for playing in rough surf, but it's refined enough for flat water. It even has molded-in drink and cooler holders. The size and shape of a surfboard, the Yak also features foot wells, a threaded drain plug, bow spray deflector, multiple accessory eyelets, self-bailing scupper holes and adjustable gear straps. www.oceankayak.com.
Axis Ace and Raptor skate shoes, $79.99 and $69.99 -- Skate shoes designed by the Heely people with input and testing from real skaters. Both feature tough leather or suede uppers with Air Shock Technology in the heels. The Ace features an abrasion-resistant toe and tri-density sock liner. The Raptor has a reinforced ollie area. www.skateaxis.com.
Mysterioso Nylo-Prene short, $40 -- Take the chill out of water sports with these shorts that combine a 0.5 mm layer of neoprene with stretchy nylon and Lycra Spandex fabric. Side gussets allow freedom of movement while flat raglan stitching eases chafing. Combine the shorts with either a long-sleeve ($60) or a short-sleeve Nylo-Prene top ($57) and you've got a mid-temp-water wet suit. www.mysterioso.com
FOR STYLISTICALLY AND DIRECTIONALLY CHALLENGED SNOWBOARDERS
Tierney Rides T-Board, $199 -- Looks like a skateboard, but it's not. For one thing, it's got only two wheels. For another, you can carve turns that no mere skateboard can duplicate. Both U.S. and Canadian Olympic snowboarding teams use the T-board as a training board. Comes in either 38-inch or 41-inch wood deck with rubber or urethane wheel sets and four different torsion ring sets. www.tierneyrides.com
Garmin Rino 110/120, $194/$268 -- Next time you're hanging out, wondering where your buddies are, you'll have no problem finding them if you have one of Garmin's new GPS locator/wireless radio units. Each receiver has 22 talk channels with a range of 2 or 5 miles (depending on the band), multiple routes and waypoints, area proximity with audible alarms, a celestial information page, hunting/fishing calculator and a boatload more. The 110 has 1 MB of built-in memory, and the 120 has 8 MB. www.garmin.com
Sugoi TechniFine Plus 21 Windows Downhill T, $65 -- Sugoi's cycle jersey features a comfortable baggy cut, long sleeves, hidden zip front and three back pockets. To keep you warm and dry in the winter, the Downhill T is made with TechniFine, a two-layer moisture management system that wicks sweat to the jersey's surface. www.sugoi.ca
FOR THE OUTDOOR NUT
REI Kilo Plus 0, $239 -- When you need a bag that's lightweight and warm, this 2-pound, 13-ounce, 700 fill-power goose-down mummy bag enclosed in a Pertex nylon breathable shell will do the trick. Stretch box baffling and vertical baffling keeps the down from shifting, and the contoured hood, insulated muffler and full-length draft tube keep out drafts. Throw in a roomy foot box, differentiated draw cords that keep you from fumbling in the dark and an ultra-light compression sack, and you've got quite a bag. www.rei.com
REI Talus 35, $80 -- With a maximum of 2,800 cubic inches inside and enough webbing and straps to carry skis, snowboards or an ice ax, you can pack all you need into this bag for a long weekend and still have room for extras. The main compartment has a zippered pocket with key clip and a hydration pocket. The outer shell includes dual ice ax loops, two side gear loops and a daisy chain. Padded shoulder straps, hip belt and lumbar pad are lined with wicking air mesh that will keep you dry while they keep the pack stable. The rip-stop polyester bag and a ballistic nylon bottom make it tough. www.rei.com
Leki Super Makalu Cor-Tec Positive Angle Trekking Poles, $129 -- Uphill, downhill or side-hill, Leki's triple-shock, 7075 aluminum three-section poles get you where you're going. Select various compression settings or totally lock out the shock. Cork and rubber composite rips are positioned at an ergonomic angle, and the Turbo Disc makes wrist-strap adjustments easy. Carbide tips have respectable wear, and interchangeable baskets fit any season. www.leki.com
Nutshell by Marmot, $249 -- Savor starry nights or blank out a rainstorm in Marmot's two-person Nutshell tent. A wide swath of mesh lets in starlight and venting breezes while water stays outside, thanks to the rain fly and a "bathtub" floor, which also eliminates the need for a ground tarp. Locking pole tips, pole clips and sleeves make setup a breeze. And interior pockets, a vestibule and a "burrito sack" provide plenty of places to stash gear. www.marmot.com
FOR THE KID IN YOU
Razor Scream Machine, $199 -- Remember the Big Wheel and the Green Machine? Didn't think so. Razor's Scream machine may look like those 1970s toys, but it's a lot tougher. With rubber wheels, a caliper brake and a steel frame, this thing can take all the abuse your kid can dish out. The rear axle has room to stand on and the front has a freewheel system. Razor also sells helmets and pads to protect gung-ho riders. www.razor.com
Heeling Sports Ltd. Heely Grail, $109 -- You liked your first pair of wheels-in-the-heels Heelys. But soon you became jealous that, unlike skaters, you couldn't grind down a stair rail and smash your face into the cement. Weep no more, because the Grail comes with two nylon sliding rails that'll have you grinding on public property all over the city. And while your nose may be bleeding, your feet will look red-hot in the brushed leather and mesh upper, molded insole, abrasion-resistant outsole, removable sock liner, shock-absorbing heel pad and "Fats" wheels. www.heelys.com