GeekMom’s 2014 Gift Guide of Clothes and Household Stuff

It’s Black Friday! Today, we have a hodgepodge of items to recommend for the geek on your holiday shopping list. Anything from something to use in the home to wearables are included in this list. (Oh, there’s even a tasty drink, too.)

Since it is Black Friday and there are internet deals to be had, you may want to check out our other gift guides…

Gift Guide of Movies
Gift Guide of STEM Toys and More!
Gift Guide of Geeky Gadgets
Gift Guide of Video Games and Apps
Gift Guide of Table Top and Board Games
Gift Guide of Lego Bricks
Geeky DIY Gift Ideas

And now for today’s guide…

Things to Wear and Bags:

Dakine Grom 13L 14S. Dakine Grom is a great backpack for your day-to-day needs. One GeekMom uses hers to carry daily essentials including Pride and Prejudice, an iPad mini and keyboard case, a journal, a wallet, and backup drives for work. Each bag is made 100 percent from recycled plastic bottles and comes with a lifetime warranty. $35

Minecraft Creeper Backpack. Would you like to adopt a Creeper to be part of your family? A character who is known for blowing up may not sound appealing, but this backpack holds about as much as you might think a bag of holding can handle. It’s also super-cute, too. GeekMom Cathe adopted one! $39.99

Scottevest Multi-pocketed Clothing. Free up room in your carry-on or even leave the extra bag at home. Scottevest’s products have almost endless, specially-designed pockets to hold all of your gadgets, activities, and reading material. Varies

Dalek A-line Dress. It’s too late for Halloween, but this Dalek dress is still fun to wear at holiday parties and family gatherings. Pair it with a long-sleeved shirt and leggings for the cold and you’ll be ready to “exterminate” some homemade pumpkin pie. $39.45

Isotoner Gloves. Isotoner’s SmarTouch gloves, for both men and women, come in a variety of styles and prices for tech-savvy folks who don’t want to remove their gloves to interact with their touch devices, including phones. Keeping you warm and comfortable while you stay connected, Isotoner gloves have been popular for decades, with good reason. Varies

ThinkGeek Backpack of Holding. If ThinkGeek’s traditional Bag of Holding isn’t right for you, if you need more of a rucksack-type of bag but still want to carry a laptop, then the new Backpack of Holding has got you covered. With a few handy-to-access exterior pouches and some internal pockets, most of this bag is one big space to hold your overnight clothes, shoes, and toiletries, or perhaps your hearty food and supplies for a day hike. And there’s a padded sleeve, of course, for the ubiquitous laptop. $49.99

Misfit Flash. Misit Flash is a Bluetooth activity tracker that doesn’t require any charging. It’s the sister product to the Misfit Shine and is made for the sports enthusiast. $75

Chico Reusable Bags. Practical gifts can be pretty and fun, too! Now is the time to stock up on the sturdy reusable bags that wad up into tiny pouches and are easy to take with you anywhere. Some varieties come with a carabiner clip that is easy to snap onto the outside of a purse or diaper bag. ChicoBags make it easy to say “no” to plastic bags and are a handy way to always have a bag nearby when you need one—for groceries to library books to kid gear. The holidays are the perfect time to gift this practical item to a favorite friend, teacher, or family member. 4/$20

Edible:

Friday Afternoon Tea. Do you know a tea geek? Even if you aren’t geeky about tea, Friday Afternoon offers many geek-themed flavors of tea that are sure to please any pallet. With Harry Potter, Pirate, and even Cylon-themed teas, these sweet and savory flavors are a wonderful addition to any gift. $12 and up

For the Home:

WeMo LED Light Bulb Starter Set. Connected home light timers begone! The WeMo LED Lighting system will allow you to program lighting in your house while you’re there or away. Have lights turn on when the sun goes down or at certain times. You can even change your mind with a tap of a finger. $99.99

FitBit Flex and Aria Scale. Combine a FitBit Aria Scale and a Flex (or any of FitBit’s other pedometer-type products) to keep track of your fitness and weight. Completely integrated together, these products help you reach your goals in a way that any data lover will adore. $99.95 and $129.95

Polaroid Cube. For the action-cam enthusiast without the cash for a GoPro, the PolaroidCube is a great option. What we love about this camera is how tiny it is without sacrificing quality in terms of video and picture. $99

Piper Home Security and Smart Switches. Piper is a home security solution for those who like to keep an eye on things when they are out and about. With an Android or iOS device, you can check in on your home and even yell into the device to get a pet’s attention. Piper also makes a selection of smart switches that let you program them to turn on or off while you’re away. Staying out late, but forgot to leave the light on? Use the free Piper app to turn a light on remotely. $199

3D Déco Lights. 3D Deco Lights make for fun and geeky nightlights. One GeekMom has a Raphael up in her office at work, while her husband and son enjoy the Transformers line at home. They are battery-operated and give just enough light be a proper nightlight. $49

WeatherFlow Wind Meter. The WeatherFlow Wind Meter is not just for weather enthusiasts, but also for any hobbyists who depend on accurate wind data, from R/C craft operators to windsurfers. Simply plug it into your favorite iOS or Android device, download the WeatherFlow app, and you’re on your way. At only $34.95, this wind meter is not only affordable, but rugged for many outdoor activities. $34.95

Oregon Scientific Weather@Home Bluetooth Weather Station. Oregon Scientific has been making affordable, user-friendly home weather stations for decades; it’s a trusted name in the industry. The Weather@Home series of products allows users to easily access their weather station information using a smart device’s Bluetooth Low Energy connection along with the Weather@Home app. This weather station has an outdoor transmitter so you can access outdoor and indoor temperatures in one convenient location. It’s a great gift! $60.21

Goal Zero Solar Chargers. This is one of the very best items on the market for solar charging. It’s a great beginner kit that pulls power from the sun to be used to charge phones, cameras, and other electronic devices, as well as store energy in a small (included) power tube that fits into a pocket. The flat charging panels are lightweight and easy to attach to a campsite tree or hang off the back of a hiker’s backpack. One GeekMom writer charges hers on the back porch and always has “power to go.” $120

Goal Zero Rechargable Flashlight. If you’re tired of never having a flashlight that actually works and buying expensive batteries that you can never find when you need them, pick up a few of these rechargeable flashlights. Lay them in a sunny window during the day and get hours of useful light at night. It’s a great gift for kids (bedside table for nighttime power outages) and teens. A few in your glove box wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. The price is right to stock up, especially when you subtract the cost and hassle of buying batteries. $14.99

Goal Zero Lighthouse Lantern. Meet the lantern that can do it all. Charge it with a Goal Zero solar panel, USB, or hand crank, and get hours of light, using no batteries. The lantern can be set on a dimmer light to extend lighting time, as well as charge cell phones and other small electronic devices. This will prove to be the most useful device you own, in a home power outage or family camping trip. Kids might even love “camping” with it while playing in their bedrooms after daylight hours. $79.95