CHRISTMAS is nearly here and like any disorganised shopper we’ve left out gift guide until the very last minute.
But if you’re out of luck and need to find the perfect gift for your sporty mum or distant cousin – we’ve got you covered.
Star Wars edition darts, £249.99
We’ve scoured the web and the deepest corners of local markets to help you find anything and everything from stocking fillers to showstoppers.
Not long until Christmas now, so here here are some of the best presents for sporty friends and family and fitness fanatics.
- Target darts sets and boards, prices vary – BUY NOW
- Pure2 chipping net with target, £19.99 – BUY NOW
- Pulsio Air massage gun, £69.99 – BUY NOW
- Family Croquet set, £65 – BUY NOW
- Strikesphere Soccer Dash, £39.99, BUY NOW
- Bloxx backpack, £99.99 – BUY NOW
- SunGod Forty2 sunglasses, £110 – BUY NOW
- Runderwear base layer, £49 – BUY NOW
- Les Mills Smartstep £204.99 – BUY NOW
- Fanzone football trivia game, £19.99 – BUY NOW
- FitSleeps sleep alarm, £64 – BUY NOW
- Bulldog skincare gift set, £16 – BUY NOW
- Quella cycling helmet, £49.99 – BUY NOW
- Innermost Strength collection, £74 – BUY NOW
- Threads golf mug & sock set, £10 – BUY NOW
Target Darts (various)
The World Darts Championship has just started with Luke Littler and Co putting us right in the mood to take up the sport and test our own skills at the Oche.
Target is the market leader in the game, making arrows for the likes of Littler, Phil Taylor and a host of other top stars.
Target Cryo 11 soft tip darts, £69.95
They also provide brilliant boards and any other gadgets you might be able to think of.
They also have darts for all age and skill levels – beginners can get going from just £12, while special edition Star Wars themed dart boards are going for £599.99.
We enjoyed using the Cryo 11 soft tip darts during our test, priced at £69.95.
Pure2 Improve Chipping Net
Golf fans love their gadgets and this handy little net is an inexpensive way to get players improving their chipping.
This net works indoors or outdoors and is easily assembled as it pops open into place.
It also comes with a carry bag to allow for easy movement around the house or garden.
Pure2 Improve chipping net, £19.99
Pulsio Air / Air Pro massage gun
All I want for Christmas is to wake up without any aching muscles – and it looks like Santa was listening.
The Pulsio Air massage gun blasts away knots that seemed set in forever thanks to its four different heads, including a ball, a “bullet” and a “fork”.
Pulsio Air massage gun, £69.99
The slick bit of kit, which resembles a James Bond weapon with its neat storage box, also has four power settings reaching up to an exhilarating – yet still quiet – mini tremor.
Unlike other flaky massage guns though, the aircraft-grade aluminium case means it’s robust enough to really go full throttle on concrete calves and steel shoulders and has 12 hours of battery.
The Air Pro comes in at nearly double the price but offers more power and less noise.
Strikesphere Soccer Dash / Ball Counter
Strikesphere’s Soccer Dash is guaranteed to keep football-mad kids happy beyond the 12 Days of Christmas and through gloomy winter weekends as it can be played indoors and out.
It’s essentially a very clever talking football that guides players through six different games, involving dribbling over four reactive coloured cones.
Strikesphere Soccer Dash, £39.99
Kids can play and perfect their skills on their own or together, and the electronic voice and sounds meant even my five-year-old daughter who doesn’t like football loved the challenges.
The Ball Counter will have your kids – or you – ready to audition for the F2 Freestylers in no time.
It provides instant audio feedback with every successful touch, and when you reach key milestones, Counter Ball’s motivational voice delivers words of encouragement.
FitSleeps Wake Up Alarm
MAny of us have trouble getting to sleep and waking up after a poor night of sleep.
One of the least restful noises known to mankind is that of your phone vibrating and playing an incessant jingle on the side of the bed.
FitSleeps wake up alarm, £64
The FitSleeps bracelet allows you to solve that issue – and to put your phone away well before bed time for an even better night’s sleep.
The bracelet is a silent vibrating alarm clock that will allow you to wake up more naturally and gently, and without disturbing the person sleeping next to you.
SunGod Forty2 sunglasses
Named after the 42km marathon distance, SunGod’s Forty2’s range are a smart choice for anyone from a Saturday parkrunner to ultra-marathon enthusiasts.
Designed with input from the McLaren F1 team, cycling team INEOS Grenadiers and ultra-marathon runner Tom Evans, these lightweight shades tick all the boxes anyone pounding the pavements on a regular basis could ask for.
SunGod Forty2 sunglasses, £110
The no-bounce frame does exactly as it says on the tin, even during harder efforts on tricky terrain and on gloomy, autumnal mornings these glasses didn’t steam up once, thanks to small vents.
SunGod Forty2’s are by no means a budget by at £110 per pair, but the sleek sunglasses are built with performance in mind – something that generally comes at a cost.
Historic Newspapers – History of Chelsea
Take it from us, there is still plenty of value in newspapers, and this book preserves some of Chelsea’s finest moments and immortalises them in a unique package.
Other clubs are available too – Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester United, Liverpool and many more.
The History of Chelsea book, £69.99
The book is well structured and includes cutouts of all of a team’s finest moments. Whether you’re interested in finding out some the earliest golden moments of your team’s history or need a reminder of some of your happiest memories, this book has it all.
Perfect for any fan as a coffee table-style book.
Bloxx backpack
Is there anything worse than needing to grab your charger out of your bag then realising it’s stuffed right at the bottom underneath your Tupperware of lunch, gym gear and that jumper you needed when you left home before getting on the train sweating?
Oh, and don’t forget your work laptop is stuffed in there, too. Well, not anymore – thanks to the brilliant Bloxx Bag.
Bloxx backpack, £99.99
The name is no accident, given the waterproof backpack has no fewer than SEVEN different compartments – plus the main section is split into three surprisingly spacious and generous sections as well as a laptop sleeve.
This is the perfect rucksack for those of us who need to balance what we pack for work, sport and leisure – or a football match or even enough for a weekend away – into one high-quality, comfortable piece of versatile luggage.
Quella cycling helmet
Ideal for city commuters on their fold-up Bromptons or Lime bikes, the helmet is smart, lightweight and safe.
It has a one-size-fits-all adjustable bezel and chinstrap, while the built-in red light on the back is fully adjustable.
Quella rechargeable cycling helmet, £49.99
The helmet has a very eye-catching design – although it’s definitely designed for those riding to work rather than for those looking for aerodynamics – and comes in a smart matte grey look.
The light is also rechargeable.
Bulldog skincare gift set
A Christmas stocking is incomplete without a decent gift set and Bulldog offer some of the best skincare products on the market.
This one, which comes with a handy blue washbag, includes shaving gel, face wash and moisturiser.
The moisturiser is a particular favourite and one of the best sellers in the UK, with a pleasant smell and much thicker cream that feels longer lasting.
Bulldog skincare gift set, £16
Uber Games
No, the ride-hailing app has not branched out into Christmas gifts.
Uber Games offers a variety of handcrafted games and activities for indoors and outdoors – the giant chess set with 1m high pieces for the garden looks like a lot of fun.
Uber Games family croquet set, £65
We tested the family crocquet for outside and found it was really well made with a lovely wooden design and the crazy cricket set that can be used indoors.
It was my son that smashed that glass, honest. A lot of variety and a lot of fun.
Use the discount code SUN10 for an extra 15 per cent off.
Les Mills fitness equipment
We’ll be looking to work off that Christmas turkey and all the snacks we had over the festive period in the coming weeks – and the Lee Mills Smartstep is the way to go.
The all-in-one innovation adjusts to three heights and can even be used as an incline bench, so it caters to all workouts.
Les Mills Smartstep, £204.99
The integrated risers and click-to-rise functionality means you get more from this than your bog standard gym step at the same time as being incredibly durable.
Whether you’re looking to do an athletic cardio workout or strengthening your core, the Lee Mills Smartstep is designed to respond to your movements and helps you train while feeling less of a strain on your body.
The Smartband is made of much more durable stuff than other smartbands we’ve tested, and had our abs, bums and legs looking well toned after a few uses.
Runderwear
We all know we’re going to stuff our faces with too much turkey, too many roast potatoes and a litre of gravy.
Luckily, when January hits we’ll all be either at the gym or pounding the pavement to try and shed that excess Christmas weight.
Runderwear base layer, £45
Runderwear offer some of the best gear around for those just trying to do something (anything) after the festive season, as well as those already in training for the Marathon.
The base layer and anti-blister socks both proved to be winners.
Fanzone football trivia game
The perfect present for any football nerd willing to test their salt as a true know it all.
Bound to cause arguments around the dinner table and to really, really annoy any non-football fans in your household.
Fanzone football trivia game, £19.99
There are more than 500 questions to get stuck into and the age settings can be switched between 7+ and 14+ depending on how tricky you want to make things.
There are also different game types and it can be played by up to six people at once.
Innermost Strength Collection
This collection of protein powders and supplements helps aid muscle growth and recovery.
It offers an all-you-need set of nutrients to help in your fitness goals.
Innermost strength collection, £74
Whether that is increasing muscle mass or helping with your pre and post-workout diet.
The set gives you more than £10 off what you would pay for the set individually and there’s also £10 off for first-time buyers.
Threads golf mug and socks
No Christmas gift guide is complete without this kind of stocking filling set.
Golf fans will love the mug and the socks as a worthy addition to their kitchen and underwear drawer.
This kind of set even works for people who don’t like golf – we all need new crockery and new socks from time to time.
Threads golf mug and sock set, £10
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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