The top ten gifts for Rowers this Christmas
If you have a Rower or Gin Lover in your life, then you might like to know the top ten gifts for Rowers this Christmas. Charlie and I have put our heads together and come up with a list that may help.
- Rowers Gin and Rowers Pale Ale - The number one gift is our Rowers branded drinks. The best gin gift, Rowers Gin can be shared between Rowers and non-Rowers. It is inspired by all rowers out there, coastal, river and ocean. Those who do it for fun, for the physical and mental challenge, or for the records. This unique gin is hand crafted with botanicals found in our seas and waterways including Meadow Sweet from the riverbanks, Rock Samphire from the coast and Sugar Kelp from the sea. You can also buy cans of Rowers Pale Ale brewed with Harlequin and Endeavour Hops. Both are available at The Adventurers Drinks Company
- Rigger Jigger – When most rowers join a club, they use club boats which they are expected to maintain. To this end the most important item a rower or sculler can possess is a rigger jigger. A double-ended spanner for tightening and loosening bolts used to attach the riggers to the boat. Size 10mm at one end and 13mm at the other. Over a rower’s career they won’t be able to remember how many rigger jiggers they have lost so this could easily become an annual gift! Buy at Putney Rowing club or Amazon
- Water Bottles – Hydration is key to a rower being at their best on water or on an Erg (concept2) after all circa 60% of your body is water. With Ocean Bottle you get a great bottle and become part of the solution to the ocean plastic crisis. With the sale of every bottle, they fund the collection of 11.4kg of plastic equivalent to 1,000 plastic bottles before they enter the ocean. Buy at Ocean Bottle When it comes to what water to drink, rather than just tap water you could go for Actiph Water developed by endurance rower Jamie Douglas Hamilton. Buy at Actiph Water
- Hats – All rowers need a hat to keep them warm and dry in the winter and protect them from the sun in the summer, and to help them look pretty cool all year round. In the future who knows the Adventurers Drinks Company may be selling its own rowing caps but for now Crewroom is a good choice with its range of visors,caps, beanies and headbands. Buy at Crewroom
- Seat Pads – A comfortable seat is essential. Everyone’s back side is different and it’s how our bones and muscles are positioned on the seat that’s important. For this reason, many people use seat pads or cushions. For ocean crossings you can’t go too far wrong with the bespoke design developed by Ocean Rower Steve Sidaway on his Atlantic crossing, layers of yoga mat with carefully cut out holes, joined together with Soudaflex and with just a hint of Soudocrem in the air. But if you are after a seat for your river rowing boat then there is an amazing choice out there and as we all have different rear ends it’s about you finding the right one for you. The choice is yours, Buy at Godfrey Crewroom 2K Fit Citius
- Sunglasses – It’s all about looking good and looking good. Fashion as well as eye protection and vision. If you want an answer to the question should you wear sunglasses for rowing and if so which ones then do read the views of the Girl on the River If you want to look good and be protected, then Oakley’s more than fit that bill and the Radar® EV Path® is a good choice but Just make sure you spend a little on some lanyards There nothing less cool than scrabbling in the water for over-board sun glasses. Buy at Oakley
- AIOS – I am sure that one thing that puts off people taking up rowing, particularly later in life, is the All in Ones (AIOS). It ok when you are young, and everything is sort of in the right place, but I can tell you there is nothing forgiving in the Tyne ARC Master Men AIOS design. So, you could join a club based upon its AIOS design and branding or just train in a top and shorts and keep the AIOS for race day putting on a gilet as soon as you get off the water, which is what I do! As to where to get AIOS Buy at Godfrey and Stitch
- Sculling Boats – Is anyone going to buy someone else, especially a loved one, a sculling boat for Christmas? Well, it’s unlikely but there may be the odd person treating themselves at Christmas. It’s a pity the Claspers aren’t still running as boat builders. After Geordie Harry Claspers success on the Tyne in the 1850’s his son did set up a boat yard in London, but I think it’s now used as a boating shed. So if you fancy a scull made in the UK Buy at Carl Douglas, Janousek and Stampfli or Glide
- Boat Trestles – if you are luckily enough to have your own boat then a must have is your own trestles to use on away race days. It’s a pain taking the clubs old heavy wooden ones to regattas so a nice easy fold metal set is a must have this Christmas, please! Buy at Oarsports, Rowing Centre Neaves and H2O Kayaks
- A Smart Watch – Almost all rowers, regardless of skill level like data. They don’t always know what it means but they like it anyway and talk about it all the time. So, a smart watch is a must have at Christmas. The online magazine the Watch Ranker says on which brand to pick for tracking rowing data, “It’s really all in the Garmin. They say they have everything necessary for tracking rowing data and more and it’s tough to choose among them. But after some consideration, they have concluded that if you prefer one with advanced maps and navigation tools in addition to all the other important features one needs for rowing, the Garmin Fenix 5X Sapphire is the one for you”. Well Garmin are now producing a 7X so it’s a struggle to keep pace with the innovation in smart watches. For me, I have the Forerunner®745 but hopefully after posting this article, once Santa has decided I am on the nice list, Garman will be calling! Buy at Garmin
I hope you have enjoyed reading this list. No brand or company has encouraged us in anyway to be on this list of “What to buy a Rower for Christmas”, apart from the Adventurers Drinks Company. After all it's only our views. Happy Christmas everyone.
