For those of you who have a hard time with Christmas ideas, I’ve got some for you. I went to a couple of local outdoors toy stores -the Ski Rack and Cadillac Mountain Sports – pen in hand, to compile a list of gift ideas for the outdoors person in your life. The range is from practical to eye-popping.

Less than $50

Here’s some of the practical ideas.

Anyone venturing out on the waters or into the backwoods could use an audible signaling device. For around $5 there’s the Fox 40 Whistle. This is a little featherweight, plastic, pealess design that will attract attention from afar. It’s unaffected by water making it good for use by canoers and kayakers, as well as hikers or anyone who wants to attract attention.

Brad Ryder, owner of Cadillac Mountain Sports in Bangor, suggests you check out a fleece neck gaiter at $7.95 or the credit-card sized Smudge Buster lens cleaning cloth for glasses or goggles at $4.95, or a glasses strap to keep your favorite lenses from falling overboard ($10 or less).

For a little more money, Ryder suggests a bomber-style fleece-lined Capelene cap to keep winter at bay for around $15.95. There are various style fleece caps and neck gaiters for less than $30.

Or how about a carabiner or two for clipping gear to your pack or for climbing. Individual prices range from a $8 to $17. If you have a climber on your list, see if you can get a hint on the style he or she might like.

Another practical idea is a fanny pack. They come in handy for all seasons and reasons, and you can spend from about $12 to more than $70. You might need some coaching from the intended recipient.

One of Christmastime’s staples is a new pair of socks. But like everything else outdoors, buying a pair requires knowing an intended use. Thorlo, for example, makes styles for about every sport and prices per pair are around $13. Another practical idea is a magazine subscription to say Backpacker or Outside or Bicycling or Canoe and Kayak or other specialty publications for around $25 for a year.

Another staple is underwear, but not the standard white cotton type. Try something like moisture-wicking Patagonia Capilene (around $30-$43 per piece).

If you have a runner on your list, how about a reflective vest so he or she can be seen during those evening jogs.

Does your kayaker have a bilge pump for about $20? Campers could always use a candle lantern (about $20) or an outdoor skills book like the Camping and Wilderness Survival Guide ($24.95).

To see or be seen at night there’s an array of lights on the market. Dave Behany at the Ski Rack enlightened me on several in the PrincetonTec line which work as well underwater as over. There’s a Tech 20 ($14.95) hand-held flashlight which uses 2 AA-size batteries that will run a couple of hours, the Quest headlamp ($19.95) which operates up to 8 hours with a halogen bulb on 2 AA’s down to 2,000 feet, or the 4 AA-battery Vortec ($37.95) headlamp which comes with a carrying sack, two reflectors (wide and narrow beam) and two bulbs (Krypton and Halogen) which can provide up to 14 hours of use with Lithium batteries. It too will operate down to 2,000 feet.

I bought one this summer and I use it all the time – whether it’s paddling, walking, puttering around a campsite, looking for something in a pack. It leaves your hands free. You direct the beam simply by moving your head. I don’t For those who want a visual warning or distress signal, consider a strobe light. The $34.95 Auqastrobe by PrincetonTec, for example, runs on a single AA battery and comes with its own band to attach it to your clothing. If you have a hiker, runner, walker, paddler or bicycler on your list, this is a wonderful piece of safety equipment.

And speaking of safety equipment, does your bicycler have a flashing tail light or a headlamp (Vistalite set about $29)? Or how about a beefy tire pump such as the Trak Pump Max for mountain bike tires (around $42)?

Need an idea for a gadget? Try the Leatherman Micra multi-tool at $20-27. It’s keychain-small and 1.8 ounces it won’t burden you down. It does not have pliers. Instead it has spring-loaded scissors along with tweezers, fingernail file, a fine screwdriver which fits screws on your glasses, and a blade and bottle opener. If you want keychain small pliers try the Sebertool. Folded, they are about the size of a silver dollar. Unfolded there are sturdy Phillips and flathead screw drivers and a wire cutter/stripper. It folds up and snaps onto a key ring.

Clip either of these onto an Omega keychain carabiner ($5 or Clip either of these onto an Omega keychain carabiner ($5 or less) along with your keys and you’ll never lose it or your keys. Look for these handy ‘biners near the checkout counter.

And almost anybody could use one of those nifty folding camping chairs like the Crazy Creek Chair. They are light, comfortable, simple and relatively inexpensive at $44.95.

Under $100

Check out some trekking poles. They resemble ski poles but they are really a four-season walking aid, good for any kind of outing from a walk along your favorite trail to cross country skiing or snowshoeing. You see them everywhere. If you want to try before you buy ,try the loaner program that Leki has through its dealers.

There are various makes and styles and prices range from around $60 to about $120. Leki makes one model that backcountry skiers ought to consider. The two poles join together to make an avalanche probe around 9 feet long. Other models come in two or three sections (depending on how compact you need for packing purposes). Some are shock absorbing. Grips vary.

For the backpacker or camper how about a lightweight stove or a water filter/purifier? MSR’s Whisperlite stove is around $65 while the Dragonfly model sells for around $99. Got a new family member? How about something like the Kelty Kid Carrier, a backpack rig for parents who don’t want to give up the trail (about $99).

Winter-weather hiking or climbing items might include: a pair of goggles (about $50), a mountaineering ax (about $85), climbing helmet (about $75), gaiters ($30-$50) or an lightweight insulating vest like the new model Patagonia calls Puffball ($94.95).

Does your favorite kayaker have a compass? Richie makes a nice kayak model for around $65.

$100 to $300

Here’s some items for the less financially challenged.

In the past few years the hand-held two-way radio has become the rage. The tiny, palm-size units are made by the likes of Kenwood, Motorola, Radio Shack and others. The battery-powered units use a selection of FM bands which provide clear communication for up to 2 miles. They are great for family members or friends who are on different parts of a ski mountain, hiking different parts of a park, cross country skiing on different sections of a trail, fishing different sections of a stream. You get the idea. Add a waterproof bag and you can use them canoeing or kayaking. Bahany said he has used them all over Sugarloaf and except for a few low spots the reception is great. Prices range up to around $150 per unit.

Does your recipient get cold hands? Try a pair of North Face down mitts ($130). Want a high-tech base layer? Try a Marmot Dri Clime windshirt ($119). Got a snowboarder on your list? How about a 2,000 cubic inch Dana Design Slider snowboard pack for around $140? Maybe you want to get into snowshoeing. There are models ranging from less than $100 per pair to more than $275. You will need some help picking the appropriate pair.

Sky’s the limit

OK, so you’ve got money to burn. How about a kevlar sea kayak? See your favorite outfitter and plan to drop more than $2,500. Or you could go crazy and pick out a mountain bike at your favorite bike shop. Depending on how foolish you want to get you could drop thousands.

The exotic

If you need to be different and are picky about your weight, how about some titanium goodies? MSR makes a fuel bottle (117 grams or about 4 ounces) for $68.95, a cup that barely tips the scales (29 grams or 1.02 ounces) for $26.95, a 22-gram spoon and fork set ($18.95) and a .85 liter tea pot (114 grams or about 4 ounces) for $44.95. Talk about nothing for something. If you buy all of these items you’ll have about 10 ounces of gift for around $159.80. That’s about $255.68 per pound.

And that’s where I quit.

Jeff Strout’s column is published Tuesday and Thursday. He can be reached at 990-8202.