Shopping for the guy who lives at the gym is harder than it looks. He already has the basics, and he has opinions about all of it. The good news is that the most useful upgrades aren’t the expensive ones.
These fitness gifts come in under $50 (or right around it), from supplements and protein to training gear and gym-ready apparel. Each one is something a lifter, runner, or weekend warrior will reach for again and again, not something that ends up in the back of the closet by February.
Supplements and Protein
Quince
Quince Certified Organic Plant Protein
Price: $40
Not every lifter wants whey, and Quince makes the plant-based route easy. Each scoop packs 21 grams of complete plant protein, plus probiotics and enzymes to help with digestion. There’s no added sugar, artificial flavors, stevia, or sugar alcohols. It comes in Chocolate and Vanilla Bean, with 30 servings per bag. It works in a post-workout shake or stirred into morning oatmeal.
GAT Sport Creatine Chews
Price: $29.99
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements out there. The hard part is remembering to take it, especially on the road. GAT Sport’s chews deliver 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per serving, so there’s no tub or shaker to pack. Each bag has 30 servings, in Blue Raspberry, Grape Cotton Candy, Fruit Punch and Lemon Lime. They fit easily in a gym bag or carry-on, too. Oh, and they’re delicious!
Dymatize ISO100 Hydrolyzed Whey Isolate
Price: $42.48 (20 servings)
Dymatize ISO100 is a gym-bag staple: 25 grams of protein and about 110 calories per scoop. What makes it a fun gift is the flavor lineup, which goes well past chocolate and vanilla. Options include Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles, Birthday Cake Pebbles, Dunkin’ Glazed Donut, Dunkin’ Cappuccino, Mint Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel, Cookies & Cream, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and Fudge Brownie. Prices vary by flavor, and many sizes come in under $50.
Feral Supplements
Price: $52.95 for Feral Whey (just over budget); $44.95 for Stimmed As F*ck
Feral’s whey protein lands just slightly over $50, but it’s worth the stretch for the guy who wants a premium protein with a full ingredient label. If you want to stay under budget, Feral has other options. Stimmed As F*ck is its high-stim pre-workout ($44.95 on sale), and its creatine monohydrate is $27.50 for 100 servings.
MTN OPS Ignite
Price: $34.99 (25 servings)
Ignite is MTN OPS’ energy and focus drink mix, and it’s a favorite not just among the fitness gurus, but with hunters and outdoorsmen. Each serving has 200 milligrams of caffeine, plus L-citrulline, L-arginine and a nootropic “Brain Blend.” Flavors include Huckleberry Lemonade, Tigers Blood, Pink Lemonade and Mayan Mango. MTN OPS also makes a pre-workout and creatine, which are good add-ons for a bigger gift.
Gear and Apparel
Stanley 20 oz. Vitalize Shaker Bottle
Price: $40
A shaker bottle is every gym guy’s must-have, and most of them smell like last week’s protein. Stanley’s version is made of double-wall vacuum-insulated stainless steel. It keeps drinks cold for up to 8 hours, or iced for up to 30. The rounded interior makes mixing and cleaning easier, and there’s a removable strainer and measurement lines inside. A 3-ounce base container stores a scoop of powder for later, and the Tritan lid is leakproof, so it can go straight into a bag.
Gymreapers Quick Locking Weightlifting Belt
Price: $34.97
A good belt gives a lifter extra core support on heavy squats and deadlifts. Gymreapers’ belt uses a rolling steel buckle, so it’s quick to lock in and release between sets. No fiddling with prongs. It’s built for weightlifting, Olympic lifting and functional fitness, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty. It comes in several colors, including green and black.
DMoose Dual-Wheel Ab Roller
Price: $26
The ab roller is one of the simplest and most humbling pieces of gym equipment. DMoose’s dual-wheel version has an extra-wide 3.2-inch base, which cuts down on wobble for more controlled rollouts. Its stainless steel shaft is rated to 440 pounds, and the EVA grips are non-slip. It works the abs, obliques, shoulders and hips, and it takes up almost no space at home.
Gymshark Arrival 7″ Shorts
Price: $26
You can’t go wrong with a good pair of gym shorts, and Gymshark’s Arrival shorts are a reliable pick. They’re a slim fit with a 7-inch inseam, made from lightweight, sweat-wicking fabric. They’re designed for lifting, running, and HIIT, so they work for whatever’s on the training plan that day.
The best fitness gifts don’t need a big price tag. They just need to be something he’ll actually use. Whether that means a protein that tastes like breakfast cereal, a belt that locks on in a second, or a shaker that doesn’t smell, every pick here comes in at or around $50. That leaves room in the budget for a gym membership gift card, too.
