’Tis the season of generosity and overindulgence. Address both with a magnanimous gesture toward wellbeing in the year ahead. We’ve rounded up some of the best fitness and wellness gifts that will make healthy living a seamless part of anyone’s day. What better way to spread some cheer—and help someone special get a jump on those New Year’s resolutions.
Future Fitness App
Future
If you want to avoid sending your loved ones to an actual gym in the midst of a very dynamic public health crisis, that’s understandable. The Future fitness app brings its subscribers one-on-one training sessions with licensed personal trainers from the comfort of their own homes. And it’s not just a Zoom workout: the app keeps track your weekly workouts, even the ones you don’t do with a trainer, to fine-tune and update your regimen in real-time.
Stuart & Lau Regimen Gym Bag
Stuart & Lau
Of course, if you know someone who prefers checking into their local health club, perhaps a gym bag is the way to go. Hands down the best one on the market is from Stuart & Lau. The company’s Regimen bag is cut from a sleek waterproof fabric called Duralite and lined with antimicrobial fabric. It features a separate compartment for shoes, room for a change of clothes and, in a nod to our on-the-go realities, a special pocket that can accommodate a 16-inch laptop. It also slips over the telescoping handle of a rolling suitcase, so it can do double-duty as a carry-on duffle, too.
Sensate 2
Sensate
Stimulating the vagus nerve has been shown to help people feel calm—and to help the body mitigate the effects of stress. Sensate, which comprises a device that sits on your sternum and an app that plays soundscapes that sync with the device’s vibrations, is designed to bring its users instant relaxation. If you’re shopping for someone who’s particularly stressed out, it’s a great option.
Vuori Banks Short
Vuori
There are running shorts, bike shorts, yoga pants and all manner of lower-half coverings designed for specific kinds of exercise. For a pair that can do it all, reach for Vuori’s Banks shorts, which are both adaptable and eco-friendly. Each pair is made from between four and five recycled plastic water bottles.
Triggerpoint Grid Vibe Plus
Amazon
There’s a reason foam rollers are such popular recovery tools: they work. But this option from TriggerPoint ups the ante by adding four vibration modes, which amplify its soothing powers.
Nike Apple Watch
Nike
If there’s a runner on your list who doesn’t have an Apple Watch, this is the year to get them one of the tech company’s wearable collaborations with Nike. Built especially for people who love logging miles—or aspire to love logging miles—the Apple Watch Nike edition has Nike’s Run Club app built in, which will keep runners both motivated and focused to keep up their workouts.
Therabody Recovery Air
Therabody
They might look like moon boots, but these pneumatic compression devices are designed to help you recover from your workouts faster than simple stretching. By constricting your muscles and promotinc circulation, the Recovery Air system reduces delayed onset muscle soreness so you feel less fatigued even after your hardest days at the weight rack.
Lululemon Yoga Mat
Lululemon
Lululemon’s newest yoga mat isn’t just anti-slip. The raised ridges on its surface are designed to help you feel grounded during your yoga practice, so you can stay centered—and focused on poses—without having to look down to see how your feet are positioned.
Tom Dixon Brew Coated Stainless Steel Cafetiere Set
Mr Porter
For the caffeine addicts who prefer coffee to pre-workout, this six-piece set from Tom Dixon is the ultimate gift. Like a multi-step skincare routine, making coffee with these tools every morning feels ceremonial.
Lahgo Silk Sleep Mask
Lahgo
Sleep is important for everyone, but especially for people who want the best results from their diet and exercise efforts. Help the guy on your list get into his REM cycle faster with this luxe silk sleeping mask.
Maapilim Hand Sanitizer
Maapilim
Cold and flu season is upon us, and if the past two years have taught us anything, it’s that hand sanitizer is non-negotiable. Our favorite is this great-smelling option from Maapilim, which also has a pleasing gel texture that won’t dry out your hands.
SurfaceSoap UV Wand
PhoneSoap
PhoneSoap’s line of products—which cleanse and sanitize your electronics, keys, credit cards and more using UV light—became best-sellers during the pandemic, and now the company is help you take your tech on the road with you. The recently launched SurfaceSoap UV is a portable, easy-to-use wand that, when flashed over surfaces, kills 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses in seconds, helping to improve sanitation and disinfect high-touch areas.
Hidrate Spark Steel
Amazon
It’s hard to stay fit (or get fit, or fall asleep, or help your body operate the way it’s supposed to) if you’re not drinking enough water. The Hidrate Spark water bottle features a ring of colorful lights that illuminate to remind you to drink up, and connects to an app on your phone that tracks optimal water intake.
Theragun Pro
Theragun
If the prospect of taking on a soreness-inducing new exercise regimen is daunting, the Theragun Pro may literally and figuratively soothe that worry. The new and improved model has been retooled so that it’s quieter and more powerful than its predecessors and can massage any aches and stiffness away with customizable power levels. You also get a free live digital training course that’ll teach you how to maximize the device’s benefits.
Bose Sport Earbuds
Bose
Designed to resist both sweat and rain—and to fit snugly and comfortably in your ears for even long workouts—Bose’s latest sport earbuds are some of the best you can get. The controls are simple to use and the sound is remarkably lifelike. It’s worth noting that these headphones block ambient noise instead of canceling it completely, which will keep you aware of your surroundings during outdoor workouts.
Asystem TotalBody
Asystem
We’ve written about Asystem, a company that offers monthly subscriptions of vitamins and men’s grooming products, in the past. You can buy all of its best-selling products in one package, the TotalBody Optimization System. It includes the brand’s Superhuman Supplements (which include fish oil capsules and a focus-enhancing multivitamin), as well as its face wash, daily SPF moisturizer and night cream.
Technogym Bike Personal
TechnoGym
If aesthetics matter when it comes to your workout space and gear, then Technogym’s Personal line of fitness equipment is probably already on your radar. The most recent release from that collection is the Bike Personal, a sleek stationary bike that will look as at home in a living room or study as it will in a private gym. Designed by architect Antonio Citterio for the Italian brand, it’s a sculptural beauty. Just like your recipient will be if he or she rides it all the time. It’s fully connected, so they can track rides and health data over time as well as check Instagram feeds and binge-watch favorite shows.
Peloton Tread+
Peloton
This beautiful machine has very little in common with the kinds of treadmills you might find at a typical gym. While the brand is known for its livestream classes—yes, there are even classes for a treadmill—what is often overlooked is the sheer quality of the machine. And this one is pretty outstanding. It isn’t something to tuck into the corner of your home—this baby needs a more dedicated space—it’s large and has a screen as big as some high-def televisions. Making it all the more easy to feel part of those classes if that’s your thing. We enjoyed the gorgeous scenic routes—red-hued canyons in Utah, for one—you can pull up for your run or even hike. The Tread itself is stable and grippy. We also loved tracking our data onscreen for the workout as well as the week. And there’s even a handy little zippered cargo area to stash weights and a yoga mat for some of the livestream and recorded classes. The only thing it doesn’t have—yet—is a VR and smart glasses option for joining that class or hiking that forest trail. Operation requires a $39 per month membership.
Tonal
Tonal
This digital wall-mounted strength-training system was created by supercomputer engineer Aly Orady to help busy people like him get fit. In place of weights, resistance is created by an electromagnetic field controlled by algorithms; adjustable arms let you get a full-body workout without needing to change machines. Following a 10-minute assessment, the software creates a workout based on your goals. A built-in AI trainer demonstrates the correct movements and coaches you through each curl, squat, lift and press.
Mirror
Mirror
For those short on time, Mirror is an interactive home gym that requires just two feet of wall space and enough room for a yoga mat to reap the benefits of a cardio class, boxing ring, yoga studio and more. Created by Brynn Putnam, a former pro ballerina with the New York City Ballet and founder of NYC’s Refine Method fitness studio, Mirror lets users stream a variety of workouts (like kettlebells, bootcamp or barre), join a group class in real-time (thanks to an embedded camera and speakers) or work out with a personal trainer. This is for self-disciplined A-types who want a varied, killer workout when they want it, whether that’s in the morning, evening, between conference calls or chauffeuring the kids.
