Boots, cameras, let's play

Need some Christmas ideas for your outdoors enthusiast?

Here they are, presented by local stores:

GoPro and Contour brand sports video cameras that can be worn or mounted have tons of wow for those looking to buy a memorable gift.

They can be mounted to a helmet, skis, surfboard, motorcycle, bike, fishing pole, kayak or whatever. They come with a waterproof case.

"Then you can go home and watch what you've been doing, and show your friends how big of an idiot you were," said Carla Grieser, assistant store manager at Tri State Outfitters.

The quality of the video is really clear.

They cost $200 to $400, and they are selling fast at Tri State, Grieser said.

Also at Tri State, the Moon Boot is back, and they're better than ever.

They are super lightweight and have more comfortable soles than the 1980s version.

"We were trying these on and they are so warm," Grieser said.

Prices vary from about $85 to $120, depending on how much bling.

Get the kids outside with a Bounty Hunter junior metal detector for $60, said Brian Knoll, of Black Sheep Sporting Goods.

"It's for kids or anybody wanting to start out in treasure hunting," Knoll said. "It seems with the advent of the gold shows on television everybody's into it."

For people who can't get enough of the outdoor lifestyle and hunting, videos might make a great gift.

"They just enjoy the lifestyle," Knoll said. "They like to prepare for it, they like to scout, they like to think about it, they like to talk about it. I think videos make a nice Christmas gift."

Black Sheep was a wide selection of videos, including some that are educational and others that are just fun.

There are how-to videos on processing game, calling trophy moose, catching trout, dog training, tuning bows, and many other topics.

There is also a selection of videos of celebrity hunters on the hunt.

"They can kind of get their fix that way until the next season," he said. "It's relatively inexpensive and makes a real nice gift for people."

The videos range from $7 to about $25.

Knoll said GPS units have become huge, and Black Sheep is working to meet the demand.

"We carry a series of simple, easy to use, easy to understand GPS units from Bushnell," he said. "There are literally only two buttons. It's really, really difficult to mess this up."

The price is $60.

Game cameras also make a great gift, for both hunters and those who would like to use them for security.

The cameras are motion activated and take pictures silently both during the day and night. The cameras use infrared lights to see at night. Some of the new cameras can operate for a year on a single set of batteries.

"For hunters it's a really interesting way to get a new view on your favorite hunting plot," Knoll said. "Game cameras have become wildly popular, not just for scouting game, but for security too."

Both Wholesale Sports and Black Sheep have wide selections of the cameras. The cameras run from $70 to $200 or more.

Dave Ball, store manager at Wholesale Sports, said a good gift for youngsters is a BB gun, for those who just aren't old enough for a .22-caliber rifle.

His store also has youth bows for beginning archers. The Diamond Atomic bow is great for youngsters who are still growing. It can be adjusted from a 12-inch draw length to 24 inches, Ball said.

At Cabela's, a hot seller is the store's Dangerous Hunts 2013 video game recommended for teens and older. Players can have the thrill to "fight for your life."

The bundled packages cost $80 for PS3 and XBox and $60 for Wii.

"If your heart rate goes up, your accuracy goes down," Cabela's Spokesman Pete Marion said. "You've got to keep a cool head."

The game was new this year and has been upgraded for 2013.

For the infants and toddlers, camo clothing is popular, Marion said. They come in pink for girls and green for boys.

Jackets run $34, bib overalls $30 and pajamas $20.

Women's hooded sweatshirts with the "Realtree" design cost $30 and are selling well.

"Women are getting into the outdoors more and more," Marion said.

For anglers, the Cabela's ice shelter is a new item. The shelters with 600-denier fabric and internal pockets run $160.

"We're just getting into ice season," Marion said.

The Cabela's all-in-one gun cleaning kits are popular for hunters and run $40.

Another new product is the Work Sharp electric knife and tool sharpener for $100.

"You can sharpen everything from arrows to lawnmower blades," Marion said. "You can do a knife in 3 or 4 minutes."

Marion said sales have increased over last Christmas season, but he didn't have a percentage.

"The economy is a little better and we've gotten more aggressive with our marketing," he said of reasons behind the increased activity. "We had more than 3,000 people waiting to get in before we opened on Black Friday."