A Passel of Gift Ideas for Cowboys

If you're like me, there is a cowboy in your life for whom you struggle to buy original holiday gifts every year. He spends the majority of his day in a pickup, in a tractor, on a horse or ATV, or fixing fence. He has no use for many of the high-tech gift options out there and would laugh you out of the barn if you gave him a necktie or a gift certificate for a facial. I have compiled a list of gift ideas for the working cowboy, both presents I have given and ones I hope to give. I hope you will find the perfect gift idea for your cowboy in this diverse list.

Western Statues
Some of the most recognizable western art are the bronze statues created by Frederic Remington and Charles Russell. Reproductions are widely available, at varying costs. World of Bronze (www.worldofbronze.com) offers different sizes of many Remington and Russell statues. If you have someone on your shopping list who has always admired Remington, you could give them their own 13-1/2" statue for under $200.

MP3 player
Disregard, for a moment, my above remark about high-tech gift options. A laptop, a cell phone with Bluetooth capabilities, a Blackberry-I cannot imagine my husband needing or using any of these. However, last year I bought him a 512 MB Cowon iAudio mp3 player, and it has gotten more use than I could have imagined. He spends many days alone in a saddle, tractor, or pickup, and appreciates having his own music available.

I decided on a flash-based player, as opposed to one with a hard drive, because they are purported to be sturdier. I chose the Cowon iAudio because, after scouring consumer and industry reviews of flash-based players, I found it had the best feedback. It is tiny, about the size of a small pack of gum and has been tough enough to withstand all abuse my husband has heaped on it. Adaptors allowing you to hook up the player to your car (or tractor) stereo are also available.
If your gift recipient isn't computer-savvy, then you might volunteer to help him load the player with his favorite music.

Ride the Outlaw Trail
For the board game lover, consider the western board game, "Ride the Outlaw Trail," available from Outlaw Enterprises for $49.99 (www.ridetheoutlawtrail.com). It is based on the adventures of Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. Also offered are an eight-piece set of collector cowboy game pieces and a collectors' edition of the board game.

Silver Cufflinks
While not practical for a cowboy's everyday wear, western cuff links make a sharp accessory for special occasions. Be-Decked has very affordable silver cufflinks sporting stars and U.S. coins ($35-58; www.bedecked.com).

Tools
For any man who spends a lot of time working with his hands, whether repairing pickups and tractors or working on projects around the house, there is at least one tool he dreams about getting. For my husband, it is a super-heavy-duty pipe wrench he raves about every time he visits the local John Deere dealership. I would have gotten it for him by now, but my eyes glaze over in boredom as soon as I hear the words "pipe wrench" and I forget all the details. I have sworn to write it all down next time so I can surprise him at Christmas this year.

Whether he is dreaming of a decent pair of fencing pliers, a fancy new Leatherman, or that pipe wrench down at the John Deere dealership, the cowboy in your life has probably mentioned a tool that he would love to have. Won't he be surprised when he finds it under the tree and realizes you were actually listening this year?

Silk Long Underwear
Long underwear are a necessity in some parts of the country, especially for those who work outdoors year-around, as working cowboys do. Many proclaim silk long johns to be the warmest option. And quite frankly, they fit better under snug Wranglers than other types of long underwear. Check out Cabela's selection; they offer several different fabric weights (www.cabelas.com).

Custom Cowboy Hat
Two years ago, I had a cowboy hat custom-made for my husband by K bar F Hatters in Salisaw, OK (www.beavercowboyhats.com). Starting at $140 for a basic 5X beaver, these hats are well-made and reasonably priced. There are a multitude of possible colors and styles to choose from. You can order from the website, but if you have any questions at all, I would recommend calling their store. They were extremely helpful with me.

The trickiest challenge for this option is getting measurements for the hat without getting caught. I suggest measuring his current favorite hat for the size, crown height, and brim width. I also sent a photo so they would know how to shape the hat. It was perfect.

The other challenge is wrapping the hat. It comes in a big study hatbox. Hatboxes are fairly distinctive, so when K bar F e-mailed me a picture of the completed hat, I printed off the picture and wrapped it up. I hid the hatbox until Christmas Day when he opened the photo. He was completely surprised.

My husband loves, loves, loves the hat. I have been unable to top this gift, but I will continue to try.

Good luck with your shopping and Happy Holidays!