It’s almost Christmas, folks! If you’re anything like me, gift-shopping can be an intimidating experience – Who do I have to shop for? What to buy? Where to go? How to avoid all those other shoppers? When can I go home already? What if my friends and family don’t like the presents? How much do I have left in my bank account? Oh my God, is it too early for a glass of wine?
Runners, you’re not always easy to shop for!
Runners in particular, can be a notoriously difficult group to shop for. My partner never fails to tell me so each Christmas and birthday, so I know this to be true. The one fail-safe gift – running shoes – is also impossible to buy as a surprise present. There’s size to verify, brand, model and colour to choose from, and of course, with a hefty pricetag, it’s not the sort of gift one really receives (or dare to ask for) from anyone save the closest of family.
From my own experience, the types of gifts people default to upon learning that I’m a runner, tend to be the small-and-practical types of things. Think running armbands for my phone. Technical socks. Caps. Water bottles. I even once received a AA battery-operated handheld light, in case, you know, I got lost running in the forest at night or something, and needed a thin beam of visual aid… Also, earphones. So many earphones.
So, what to do when you’re working with a budget, but wish to do better than earphones?
SleekTags: Beyond the Practical
A while ago, JustRunLah introduced us to the SleekTag. It’s stylish, it’s affordable, and it could save your life in emergencies. Worth reiterating: with up to five lines for details, you could engrave your name, emergency contact details, allergies, blood type, or other useful information you can think up of. In case the unimaginable happens, SleekTag carries all the information people would need to assist you. SleekTags also come in SleekTag Lite for children and a Pet Tag, for a complete peace of mind.
That said, with a choice to engrave whatever you desire, you’re not limited to announcing details like your spouse’s mobile number and the fact that you’re allergic to prawns and bees. You could put whatever you want! If it’s going to be a corporate gift, engrave your company’s logo. Sports club? Use your team’s slogan. Family? Write a personalised message of love. Be creative!
What I love: how comfortable it feels
What I use it for: a constant reminder of why I run.
My Two Cents’ Worth
My SleekTags arrived in the post after only a couple of days; I wasn’t expecting them for a while yet. The SleekTag Prime is lightweight, the silicon feels pleasant against the skin and the stainless steel tag and clasp are of solid quality. It took me a little while to figure out how to cut the thing down to size, but the website does explain how to do it. I’ve also included a tutorial below.
Once on, it looked and felt great! It really is a statement piece to complement your running outfit, and if you love yours as much as I do mine, you’ll never want to take it off. I’ve even worn it out to lunch. It’s not a piece of jewellery that would draw admiring glances from strangers, but if the message on it is done right, it’ll give you the warm fuzzies just putting it on.
A Tutorial On Sizing Your SleekTag Prime
For those who have already received a SleekTag, hooray! Depending on which model you got, you may be able to pop it straight on. If that is the case, lucky you! Now what are you waiting for? Go run! If you got the SleekTag Prime, you will need to customise your gift just a little bit more, to suit your size. Although the SleekTag website provides instructions, I’ve taken some photos while fiddling with mine and popped them on here, just to save you some time on waiting for another page to load. You are welcome.
Run happy and safe!
