From kitesurfing to skateboarding and rock climbing to skiing, more and more of us are taking up adventure sports. Killian Fordefinds some of the hottest accessories to give this Christmas
A decade ago the sight of mature adults standing on two-and-a-half-metre pieces of wood in the Atlantic in midwinter would have resulted in a call to the RNLI. The discovery that they were there of their own accord - and, even more oddly, enjoying themselves - would have prompted one to the men in white coats, too. But these days our little island is peppered with adventure addicts who get a buzz from pitting themselves against nature. Come Friday evening, bankers, civil servants and other office staff turn into weekend warriors eager to struggle against water, wind and gravity.
Be it through kite surfing on North Bull Island, kayaking around the Saltees, mountain biking across the Mournes, rock climbing on Achill or surfing in Sligo, our rain-sodden-bog-with-pubs of an island has become an adventurer's playground.
Róisín Finlay, editor of Outsider magazine, says that some of the biggest factors in opening up Ireland to year-round watersports are the advances in the price and quality of wetsuits. Gerry Collins of the Great Outdoors shops agrees, adding that "the development in new materials, such as neoprene, has made protective and outdoor sports clothing and equipment much more affordable and user-friendly."
Ireland's shift from an agricultural to a service-based economy has changed our view of the land. No longer seen as the "factory floor", it has become something to engage with for fun. This runs parallel with an increase in disposable income and a workforce, as Finlay points out, "that wants to make best use of its limited time off".
Immigrants, returning migrants and foreign students brought the knowledge, skills and equipment to pioneer some of the newest outdoor activities. In addition, according to Amy Hamilton of Onboard, perhaps Ireland's coolest outdoor shop: "Students who took a year out and travelled to the likes of Australia and New Zealand got a taste of adventure that a bit of rain wasn't going to stop them trying at home."
There are no solid statistics about how many people participate in these activities. What is measurable is the explosion in retailing; dozens of shops have opened to cater for what was once a niche market. New national associations, local clubs, schools and websites all indicate the level of interest. Even local authorities are being forced to get involved. Not so long ago North Bull Island was the most deserted spot in Dublin city for nine months of the year. Now the council has had to designate areas for kitesurfing, kitebuggying and other sports along the island's huge beach.
We have scoured the country's outdoor and adventure shops to find the hottest presents this Christmas.
ROCK CLIMBING
The sport is booming, with about 25 indoor climbing walls on the island in addition to the thousands of outdoor routes - particularly in Cos Clare, Donegal and Wicklow - that climbers can twist themselves up.
Ken Fitzpatrick of Outdoor Adventure Store, which has branches in Dublin and Cork, says: "No climber will ever say no to a good chalk bag." His company and Great Outdoors, in Dublin, have good collections of Lowe Alpine and La Sportiva bags (€15-€20) that will keep climbers' chalk safe. Fitzpatrick also points to great training toys, such as a slack-line kit (€62.50), for improving balance and agility, and the wall-mounted Wood Grips fingerboard (€140), for developing your upper body.
For a range of clothing you could also try 53 Degrees North, in the Dublin suburbs of Carrickmines and Blanchardstown, whose range of fleeces includes the Berghaus Choktoi Pro (€200).
Outdoor Adventure Store, Upper Liffey Street, Dublin 1, 01-8725177, and MacCurtain Street, Cork, 021-4504389, www.outdooradventurestore.com
Great Outdoors, as above
53 Degrees North, Retail Park 3, the Blanchardstown Centre, Dublin 15, 01-8249156, and Unit 3, the Park, Carrickmines, Dublin 18, 021-2149352, www.53degreesnorth.ie
KAYAKING
With our exceptional scenery, great coastal accommodation, sheltered western bays and fairly placid eastern sea, Ireland is ideal for leisurely exploring. There is no better, or greener, way to tour the Cork and Kerry peninsulas, for example, than by kayak.
The Perception Horizon sea kayak costs €1,249 at Great Outdoors. As it's for two people, with storage fore and aft, it could be the perfect present for an active couple who want to spend their weekends paddling. For beginners, a one-person Robson Waikiki kayak (€625 from Bantry Bay Canoes) offers good value.
Accessories include Peli Case waterproof casings (€35-€110), Onboard's funky sailing bags, custom made by Corkonian sailmaker Des McWilliam of UK-Halsey Ireland (€83), and a pair of SeaSpecs (€69) from Pure Magic, in Dublin.
Tuition or supervision is essential for kayaking. You can buy gift vouchers for guided tours and lessons from Seapaddling.com, in Co Waterford, and Shearwater Sea Kayaking, in Howth, Co Dublin.
Great Outdoors, as above
Bantry Bay Canoes, Murnane & O'Shea Complex, Lahadane, Bantry, Co Cork, 027-55623, www.bantry-bay-canoes.com
Onboard, as above
Seapaddling.com, the Bushes, Islandtarsney South, Fenor, Co Waterford, 051-393314
Shearwater Sea Kayaking, c/o Eileen Murphy, Manor Kilbride, Blessington, Co Wicklow, 087-9885658, www.shearwaterseakayaking.ie KITING
The sport has three main disciplines. Landboarding involves standing on a large skateboard as the kite pulls you along. Kitebuggying involves sitting in a three-wheeled buggy. Kitesurfing is a bit like windsurfing, except that the sail is at the end of a rope, in the sky, rather than on the board. That so many Irish cities are near long, sandy and windswept beaches means the sport will probably continue to grow.
Kitesurfing can be expensive to take up - you'll need about €2,000 for a kite, board and wetsuit - so some taster lessons could be a good gift. Pure Magic, in Clontarf, offers beginners four lessons for €395, including equipment rental. A small Flexifoil Buzz trainer kite (€69.95, from Jamie Knox Watersports in Co Kerry) will help novices learn how to control a kite.
Pure Magic has a slim-fit Mystic Lightning drysuit (€400) should enable kitesurfers to snatch opportunistic outings without needing to change out of their clothes. Surfdock, in Dublin, has a large range of kitesurfing kit and accessories.
For landboarding, you can buy a starter kit of board and kite for about €500 from Pure Magic.
Pure Magic, 326 Clontarf Road, Dublin 3, 01-4875157, 085-1056344, www.puremagic.ie
Jamie Knox Watersports, Brandon Bay, Castlegregory, Co Kerry, 066-7139411, www.jamieknox.com
Surfdock, Grand Canal Dockyard, South Dock Road, Ringsend, Dublin 4, 01-6683945, www.surfdock.ie
WALKING, TREKKING AND RUNNING
If it's not yummy mummies with their MBTs (€200 from Arnotts) and iPods, it's grandparents walking the Wicklow Way or couples jogging along Sandymount Strand: everyone seems to enjoy being out in the fresh air. That means lots of accessories have been developed for them.
Hillwalkers who like to photograph what they see might appreciate the ingeniously simple Leki Sierra Fotosytem (€105 from Great Outdoors), a combined trekking pole and camera stand. The range of heart-rate monitors will be on the Christmas wish lists of lots of runners. From the F11 (€170) to the RS800SD (€520), these wrist-worn gizmos can also calculate calories burned, temperature, air pressure, distance travelled and speed. Kelly Jordan of Star Fitness, in Dublin, expects them to be huge this Christmas.
If you're buying a gift for somebody who likes picnics, how about some ingenious Orikaso fold-flat tableware? It's like origami in plastic. You can get a set of a full-sized cup, plate and bowl, which will flatten to fit easily into a small backpack, for about €15 from most camping stores.
Arnotts, Henry Street, Dublin 1, 01-805044, www.arnotts.ie
Great Outdoors, Chatham Street, Dublin 2, 01-6794293, www.greatoutdoors.ie
Star Fitness, 4 Castle Street, Bray, Co Wicklow, 01-2828212, www.starfitness.ie, and at Arnotts, as above, 01-8045825
SKATING, BMX-ING AND SKATEBOARDING
They probably don't appreciate being lumped together, but all of these sports use the growing number of skateparks. With almost 40 built or funded, Ireland has finally realised, after two decades of Nimbyistobjections, that skateboarders are not members of some evil sect intent on global destruction.
Eight-inch handlebars (€40-€50) are what all self-respecting BMXers will need this year. Eoin at Cycleways in Dublin suggests a starter bike from the We the People range (from €320).
Skaters who need to upgrade their rollerblades for sliding and grinding tricks could go with Roces 5k Aggressive inline stakes with grinder (€220), as recommended by BLVD in Dublin.
Skateboarders are spoiled for choice, with shops selling boards, clothes and accessories dotted around the country. One of the newest is Wreckless, in Gorey, Co Wexford, whose stock includes the Alien Workshop Czar ribbed peaked beanie (€30). Or how about a subscription to Sidewalk magazine (€68)? See www.sidewalkmag.com.
Cycleways, 185-186 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, 01-8734748, www.cycleways.com
BLVD, South William Street, Dublin 2, 01-7071677, www.blvd.ie
Wreckless, John Street, Gorey, Co Wexford, 053-9430838, www.wreckless.ieSURFING
If you know someone who likes to use one of Ireland's more than 60 great surfing beaches, Great Outdoors stocks a wide selection of boards, accessories and clothing, including wetsuits. It might be hard to fit it into a stocking, but the Take Off Mini-Mal 7ft 6in board (€440) is ideal for novices. For people already dabbling in surfing, the FCS roof rack (€62.50) is a practical way for them to transport their boards. The Stormrider Guide: Europe box set (€50 from Onboard) is a seductively photographed atlas and surfing guide that will appeal to more experienced - or just curious - surfers.
If you're trying to coax a reluctant partner or child into the water, try a wakeboard (from about €40) or (from about €60). They're available from most outdoor and surf shops, including Wet n Wild, in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, and Lahinch Surf Shop, in
Co Clare. These short boards give a taste of the fun of surfing but are easier to master.
Great Outdoors Watersports, Clarendon Market, Dublin 2, 01-6727154, www.greatoutdoors.ie
Onboard, Creation Arcade, Duke Lane, Dublin 2, 01-6728767, www.onboard.ie
Wet n Wild, Ballyraine Retail Park, Letterkenny, Co Donegal, 074-9125118
Lahinch Surf Shop, First Lane, Lahinch, Co Clare, 065-7081543, www.lahinchsurfshop.com
SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING
Up to 100,000 people will leave Ireland to ski and snowboard this winter, making them our fastest-growing outdoor activity.
One of the best-value places to buy clothing is TK Maxx - although it's also the nearest many of us will get to looking for a needle in a haystack. You never know what its 19 Irish stores will have in stock, but beyond the unwearable and unsellable there are usually some great finds. The last time we looked it had a junior-sized Poivre Blanc all-in-one for €64.99.
Arnotts will be stocking the must-have accessory this season: Oakley snow goggles with a built-in MP3 player and video (about €250).
If your loved one is an image-conscious snowboarder, you should ask Onboard for help, as its staff are happy to give advice. Its Billabong pants (€125) and jackets (€225) are great presents at reasonable prices.
An extremely practical present would be a Binatone two-way radio kit (€99 from Great Outdoors). With four handsets and a three-kilometre range, it could be cheaper than keeping in touch on and off the pistes by making international mobile calls.
TK Maxx, Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, Dublin 2, 01-4757080, Castle Court Shopping Centre, Royal Avenue, Belfast, 048-90331151, and 17 other branches, www.tkmaxx.com
Arnotts, as above
Onboard, as above
Great Outdoors, as above
STILL STUCK?
Don't forget old reliables such as Swiss army knives (€20-€90), flasks - the Sigg range (about €23) is very now - a Mac-in-a-Sack (€25) or a gift voucher.