Wondering what to get your loved ones this holiday season?
Fear not! We’ve gathered a list of all of our favorite products that will make for perfect gifts. The Mirr Ranch Group Gift Buying Guide shows you what products our brokers love when it comes to gear, clothing, travel, and local foods. While there are some well-known brands on our list, we tend to be attracted to local companies committed to conservation and sustainable practices.
And just so you know, these are just companies and products we dig; we were not compensated for any of these recommendations.
So finish up your holiday shopping, all while supporting local/small businesses and conservation!
An Outdoorsman’s Gift Buying Guide
Clothing
BEST MID LAYER: Arc’teryx
TRY OUT: Atom LT Jacket Men’s
Light, packable, and proven, the Atom LT is a performance warming layer for backcountry adventures, alpine ascents, and downtown commutes. Refined for its next-generation, Arc’teryx elevated its performance and extended its versatility.
BEST BASELAYER: VOORMI
TRY OUT: Men’s Baselayer Shirts
The fine-micron wool construction of Voormi’s men’s baselayers features a thin inner layer of high-performance wicking yarns designed to pull moisture off the body and disperse it onto the outer-facing surface of the fabric.
HARD SHELL FOR HUNTING: Stone Glacier
TRY OUT: M7 Jacket
The M7 Jacket is a top-of-the-line outerwear piece for late-season hunts. The fleece backer gives it the added insulation needed when the temperatures drop and their proprietary windproof and waterproof, HydraSheild SS™ tech will protect you from any late-season elements.
BEST GLOVES: Give’r
TRY OUT: Frontier Mittens
The Frontier Mittens are designed to endure all of life’s challenges and enable seamless transition between work, play, and everything in between. Featuring an all-leather, 100% waterproof design, the construction includes a breathable, waterproof Hipora membrane, Thinsulate insulation, and an all-leather exterior. They are built to withstand everything from grabbing a burning log from a campfire to ice-fishing in -40 degrees.
BEST WORK BOOTS: LaCrosse
TRY OUT: Alphaburly Pro
Built from a proud tradition of innovation, the Alphaburly Pro is a premium hunting boot. Combining high-quality, scent-free rubber with naturally insulating neoprene, the Alphaburly Pro can handle the cold, harsh terrain, and grueling hunts.
BEST JACKET FOR HUNTS: Sitka
TRY OUT: Jetstream Jacket
One of the original SITKA designs, the Jetstream Jacket was built for active mountain pursuits in cold weather. A workhorse of a softshell, this jacket features strategically located seam lines to shed water while a Gore-tex laminate will stop heat sapping winds while moving sweat and moisture through the system to keep you focused on the hunt.
Local Artisans
BEST CUSTOM KITCHEN KNIVES: Heartwood Forge
Heartwood Forge creates carbon steel kitchen knives using found and recycled materials that will grace your kitchen for generations. While you can commission a custom knife anytime, be sure to sign up for their newsletter as this is where they will announce their quarterly sales.
BEST TOTE: Lagom Leather Mini Tote
What we love about Lagom Leather is that they use leather sourced from farms and ranches practicing regenerative agriculture, as this practice results in soil regeneration, increased productivity, and biological diversity, as well as social and economic well-being.
BEST SHIRT: Rockmount Ranch Wear
Rockmount Ranch Wear has been a staple in Colorado since Jack Weil purchased its main headquarters in 1946 in downtown Denver. Since then, this family-run business has stuck to its roots and maintained Jack’s original Western shirt design while bringing it to a larger global audience. Check out their flagship store in Denver or make last-minute orders online!
BEST CUSTOM HAT: Greeley Hat Works
Since 1909, Greeley Hat Works provides not only a service but an outlet of personal expression for anyone interested in wearing a hat. From politicians and celebrities to ranchers and fashionistas, they provide the highest quality products and impeccable customer service to all walks of life.
BEST SCARF: Kit Santa Fe
Inspired by the founder’s cowgirl-equestrian background and life in the Southwest, their bandanas and wild rags can be “worn against the sun, wind, snow, and dust from the Patagonian pampas to the cobbles of old Europe to the rangeland of the American west.” All of their scarves are American made.
Fishing Gear
BEST FISHING BAG: Fishpond
TRY OUT: Blue River Chest / Lumbar Pack
Fishpond makes wonderful products for the modern fisherman, but we can’t rave enough about this bag. It can be worn as a lumbar, chest pack, sling pack, or mounted onto the company’s Switchback Wading Belt System. Regardless of how you wear it, everything is right at your disposal when you need it, and out of the way when you don’t.
BEST REEL: Ross Reels
TRY OUT: Evolution LTX
The ultra-smooth drag found in the Evolution LT has a long and revered history. The drag debuting with the LTX is over four times stronger than its predecessors’. This allows it to perform not only as a perfect trout reel but also has the power to take on saltwater game fish like Redfish, Bonefish, and Snook.
BEST WADERS: Simms
TRY OUT: G3 Guide Waders – Stockingfoot
Utilizing the new GORE-TEX® Pro Shell, the G3 provides the optimal balance of reliability, breathability, and all-day comfort. The G3 has all the in-river essentials you need, with legendary Simms durability. 3 chest pockets provide ample storage and hand-warming zones, while sore feet are a thing of the past with anatomically designed neoprene stockingfeet with a funk-fighting anti-microbial finish.
BEST NET: Fishpond
TRY OUT: Nomad Emerger Net
Nomad Nets are constructed with carbon fiber/fiberglass composite material. The result is a very lightweight and durable net. Nomad Nets are built for the conditions that prevail where great fishing exists; they are waterproof, UV protected, and float like a cork.
BEST ROD: Orvis
TRY OUT: Encounter 5 Weight
Ideal as an all-around rod for trout and light bass fishing, the Encounter is the perfect rod for any fly angler. This is a great first-time rod or an excellent back-up option.
Hunting Gear
BEST TENTS: Davis Tent
TRY OUT: Antelope Camp Tent Package
Based out of Denver, Davis Tent is a 3 generation family-owned business known for its quality. Paying special attention to the construction of their tens, they reinforce all stress points to ensure many years of enjoyment and service. We especially like that they are a 2% for Conservation brand, a certification that ensures the future of hunting and angling by creating an alliance of businesses and individuals that give their time and money to fish and wildlife conservation.
BEST KNIVES: Rewild Gear
TRY OUT: Gasper 4 Knife
Making products designed for adventure is Rewild Gear’s specialty. Resistant to corrosion, the Gasper 4 Knife has a no-slip grip that gets tacky when wet, and an edge that will hold longer than most types of steel. Like David Tent, these guys are also certified members of 2% for Conservation, giving at least 1% of their time and 1% of their money to fish and wildlife conservation.
BEST BAG: Filson
TRY OUT: Camo Sportsman Dry Bag
In the duck blind, at sea or on the range–wherever you need to keep gear organized, protected and dry, the Camo Sportsman Dry bag does the job. Built with materials and construction used for whitewater-rafting gear and equipped with a customizable insert that protects optics, sensitive electronics and other gear, no matter how wet or harsh the conditions.
BEST SCOPE: Maven Scopes
TRY OUT: RS1.2 – 2.5-15X44 FFP
The Maven RS Series represents our elite line of rifle scopes, designed to fit your specific needs, delivered for a fraction of the cost to comparable rifle scopes and stacks up with the most celebrated and expensive scopes in the world. Our modern sportsman inspired designs paired with the best available materials and state-of-the-art technology create an uncompromising optic that meets the demands of the modern hunter.
Outdoor Gear
BEST SLEEPING BAG: Big Agnes
TRY OUT: Diamond Park 0°
We like this bag, as its unique quilt-like construction turns your bag into a backcountry bed plus it has a zip-off option to create a quilt or mummy bag. Also, Big Agnes is committed to making their gear from the most sustainable materials possible, minimizing their impacts on the environment, protecting our valuable public lands, and partnering with organizations making meaningful change. We can get behind that!
BEST CAR MOUNTS: Rocky Mounts
TRY OUT: SplitRail LS
This Grand Junction company has been making solid, well designed, and dependable racks to get you to the next ride, destination, or big adventure since 1993. This particular rack goes beyond just a hitch rack with a balance between aesthetics and functionality that is best in class.
BEST SKI POLES: Grass Sticks
TRY OUT: Bamboo Ski Poles
Made by “ski bums and river rats” in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Grass Stick makes beautifully handcrafted, high-performing, eco-friendly gear. Using bamboo, these ski poles are featherweight, incredibly durable, and completely custom.
BEST GOGGLES: Glade Optics
TRY OUT: MagFlight Goggle Set
This goggle is the total package, especially for those who want multiple, highly specialized lenses. Lens swaps happen in seconds and the bombproof magnetic system locks the lens in place quickly and securely.
BEST ELECTRIC HUNTING BIKE: Bakcou
TRY OUT: Any of their ebikes
Founded by sportsmen in Ogden, Utah on the principle of enjoying the backcountry with minimal disturbance to wildlife and their habitat through quiet and non-pollutant means, these electric bikes will allow you to climb higher, go farther, and explore more without adding more stress to the environment.
Travel
BEST PATAGONIA TRIP: Explora
Known for their award-winning lodges, Explora crafts one-of-a-kind explorations so you can experience genuine immersion into the remote, from start to finish. After three decades of traveling the South American continent, they are “committed to being an active force in the protection of the environment, in the fight against climate change, in the care of the people and communities that accompany us in each of the territories where we are. “
BEST AFRICAN SAFARI: Uncharted
Ken’s trip to Africa in the late ’80s inspired him so much, he returned with his grown kids recently. The Mirr family can’t rave enough about the experiences Uncharted (formerly Outside Go) arranged for them. Upon her return, Haley wrote about their trip and what she learned about international conservation in The Guidebook.
BEST LUXURY ADVENTURE: Eleven Experience
Eleven Experience is an adventure travel company with 13 properties around the globe. At each destination, comfortable lodging and delicious, seasonal food are combined with guided outdoor adventures on mountains, in the backcountry, and on the water for guests of all ages and skill levels.
BEST COMFORT AROUND THE GLOBE: Ispirato
An Inspirato subscription grants you access to a full portfolio of luxury vacation homes, five-star resorts, and boutique experiences, as well as a dedicated Care team of travel experts and on-site staff when you arrive.
BEST TOP DOLLAR LUXURY: Aman
Meticulously designed to frame their natural settings, Aman destinations are renowned for space and privacy. Each welcomes guests as if to the home of a close friend, instilling a sense of peace and belonging amid some of the most diverse natural and historical landscapes.
BEST LOCAL ESCAPE: Dunton Hot Springs
Just across the mountain from Telluride, Dunton Hot Springs is a romantic 1800s ghost town set in an extraordinary alpine valley. The resort offers a variety of day and overnight packages, and the entire town can be rented exclusively for corporate retreats, family reunions, and weddings.
Colorado Meat
BEST COLORADO GROUND BEEF: Rocking R Beef
Rocking R Red Angus allows consumers to buy beef directly from the Rancher. The Reardon family owns and operates the business and offers everything from singular cuts to larger ranch boxes filled with steaks, brisket, hotdogs etc.
BEST COLORADO LAMB: Knott Land & Livestock
This Steamboat Springs ranch is conserved by our friends at Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust. Five generations take care of this high elevation ranch and promote conservation through agriculture. In addition to grass fed lamb, they offer grass-fed beef, hunting and fishing, habitat and scenery, and hospitality.
BEST COLORADO BEEF BRISKET: Flying Diamond Ranch
The Johnson family has been running the Flying Diamond Ranch in Kit Carson, Colorado since 1907. True pioneers in sustainable agriculture and holistic management practices, the ranch produces some of the best beef products out there.
BEST COLORADO CHICKEN & EGGS: Sunshine Mesa Farm
Located in the North Fork Valley, Sunshine Mesa Farm is committed to ethically raised meat and humane treatment of their chickens. The farm offers fresh eggs, layers and roosters, and some broilers in the fall.
Wyoming Meat
BEST WYOMING GRASS-FED BEEF: Lonetree Ranch
Admittedly, we’re a little bias since we sold this ranch to the Taylor family back in the day, but their organic, grass-fed beef is to die for. Be sure to try this one out for yourself or buy it for a loved one.
BEST WYOMING PORK: Case Custom Meats
Case Custom Meats enjoys raising happy, healthy beef, hogs, and lambs in a non-confinement setting with lots of sunshine and open spaces. They are a family-based operation that is hands-on!
BEST WYOMING LAMB: Johnson Livestock
Johnson Livestock runs a small herd of quality registered Southdown, crossbred ewes, and goats to not only produce great lamb meat but to compete in the show ring.
BEST WYOMING BUTCHER SHOP: Mill Iron L Meat
Small scale custom butcher out of Wheatland WY that sells locally raised beef fed and raised by the owner of the shop.
BEST SELECTION OF CUTS IN WYOMING: Meriwether Farms
Rooted in the heart of Wyoming, Meriwether Farms empowers local farmers and ranchers, and offers a range of beef products that are not only superior in quality but also contribute to a more sustainable future for our communities.
Cheeses
BEST COWMILK CHEESE: Haystack Mountain Creamery
Handmade and free of additives and preservatives, Haystack Mountain partners with Longmont Dairy to create some of the most delicious cheeses made from cow’s milk and cow/goat milk blends. May we recommend the Funkmeister?
BEST GOAT CHEESE: Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy
Located in Buena Vista, Colorado, Jumpin’ Good Goat Dairy hand-crafts a variety of creative artisan goat cheeses. The owner aims to combine her love for goats and cheese-making while bringing sustainable food to her local community.
Spirits
BEST WINE: Epoch Estate Wines
With wines that are carefully crafted from Rhone, Zinfandel, and Tempranillo varieties, this Paso Robles outfit utilizes carefully managed, non-invasive farming to bring the complex character of the winery’s vineyards and their terroir into each bottle.
BEST WHISKEY: Stranahan’s Whiskey
With an origin story out of Woody Creek, Stranahan’s has been making a single malt right out of Denver, Colorado for over ten years. They use only the finest ingredients and Rocky Mountain snow melt to craft every batch.
BEST GIN: Leopold Bros
As the only Colorado distillery to malt, mill, mash, ferment, distill, age, and bottle spirits on-site, Leopold Bros offers two dozen unique spirits. We recommend the summer gin for a night out on the patio or cocktail near the fire.
BEST SUSTAINABLE SPIRIT: Split Spirits
Instead of filling traditional white oak barrels, Split Spirits inverts the process by placing wood right in the bottle to capture unique and delicious flavors. The result? Delicious whiskey that uses 93% less wood than is required to barrel age the same volume.