| Does the thought of buying a gift for a friend or | | | | gear you can afford. Nothing derails good times in the |
| relative make you smile or does it stress you out? Is | | | | great outdoors like bad gear. |
| there a hiker or camper on your gift giving list? What | | | | Step 3: The Right Way to Give Certificates. Gift |
| can you give to the someone who already has | | | | certificates can be an excellent choice for a gift. |
| everything? The secret of gift giving is not always | | | | Here’s a great use of a gift certificate - I was |
| the what. Many times the why, when and | | | | fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of this |
| how make an ordinary gift the Perfect Gift. | | | | story. A friend living across the country knew I loved |
| Continue reading to discover 5 sure-fire steps to | | | | to hike. He also knew from his own experience that |
| giving the perfect gift to the outdoor enthusiasts in | | | | you can’t just buy a backpack for someone |
| your life. | | | | else. Backpacks are a very subjective purchase. |
| Step 1: Do Your Homework. This is the toughest of | | | | Instead of buying a me a pack and giving me the |
| the 5 steps. Doing your homework means thinking | | | | task of returning it in order to get the right one, he |
| about your outdoor enthusiast and what he or she | | | | sent me a gift certificate AND he told me what to |
| likes about being in the backcountry. Are there any | | | | buy with it. So now I get the backpack I want and |
| current or past outdoor interests? Perhaps he likes to | | | | my friend has proven once again how well he knows |
| fish or she likes to climb. Maybe you overheard the | | | | me. I loved the gift. When giving gift certificates, tell |
| comment I remember when I used to go | | | | the recipient what to buy with it. |
| camping every long weekend. I miss those days. | | | | Step 4: Seek Out Customer Friendly Retailers. This is |
| Our personal shopper service receives hints like this all | | | | especially important when purchasing a gift on-line. |
| the time. Chances are you already know their | | | | Make sure you are purchasing from a store with |
| interests, so take a few minutes to think prior to | | | | visible customer satisfaction and return policies. If |
| shopping. There are loads of great outdoor gifts | | | | your gift recipient needs to exchange or return a |
| available. | | | | piece of gear, the process needs to be hassle-free. If |
| Another part of your homework is to understand the | | | | the return procedure is clunky, the perfect gift just |
| relationship between you and your gift | | | | became imperfect. |
| recipient’s outdoor hobbies. Last year I was | | | | Step 5: Timing is Everything. The best time to get |
| camping with a dear friend who got mildly lost. After | | | | the birding binoculars I always wanted, is not |
| about an hour, he showed up in camp a little | | | | on your birthday or at Christmas time. The best time |
| embarrassed — but safe. So the perfect gift | | | | to get them is just before you go birding. The new |
| for him before our next trip was a GPS unit. I also | | | | backpack is a more thoughtful gift just prior to hiking |
| included a hand written coupon good for one free | | | | the Grand Canyon than it is for graduation. The value |
| lesson and an extra set of batteries. The relationship | | | | of a gift is greatly increased when given at the right |
| we had allowed me to have a little fun with the gift | | | | time. Surprise someone with a perfectly timed |
| giving. I did provide him with a quality gift and he | | | | present. |
| uses it all the time. | | | | Giving the Perfect BackCountry Gift is easy to do. |
| Step 2: Speaking of High Quality. The best way to | | | | Determining what to give is important, but so |
| get the most enjoyment out of our backcountry | | | | is knowing why, when and how to give. Make |
| experiences is to have good gear. When giving a | | | | your next gift giving experience a good one. The |
| backcountry gift, be sure it’s high quality. | | | | outdoor enthusiast in your life is counting on it. Use |
| There are two gear buying rules to live by. First, only | | | | this information and you’ll Get It Right The |
| give gear you would use. And secondly, buy the best | | | | First Time. |