For the outdoor enthusiast, assembling a wish list is never difficult. Narrowing down what one needs versus what one wants is the hard part.

Good gear makes for a better experience and I am constantly keeping an open eye and perked ear for something that doesn’t break the bank, yet still serves an important purpose. The holiday season is upon us and that means that gift buying and receiving is most likely on our minds. To assist folks who feel out of place wandering up and down retail aisles, instead of up and down hills, I’ve once again assembled a register of gifts I believe would be suitable for the outdoorsperson on your list and can be found in most major outdoor retailers or catalogues.

Dead batteries in tech devices such as GPS units, cell phones and walkie-talkies can turn a good trip into a bad or sometimes dangerous expedition. When hiking and camping, weight is always a consideration and it isn’t feasible to pack a dozen batteries that must be lugged around with other essentials. Goal0 recently introduced its new Nomad 7 solar charger, yet, the product seems to be a real winner. Solar chargers small enough to be packed by outdoorsmen have been quite pricey until the Nomad 7. Therefore at $100, I feel a charger that harnesses free energy from the sun is an obtainable gadget for those of us who forget spare batteries or cannot afford the extra heft. Unfold the 13-ounce Nomad, drape it across a tent, backpack or canoe seat and in two hours a GPS unit, camera battery or cell phone is charged.

Wet, cold feet spoil many outings and it seems no matter how good the pairing of boots and socks or waders are, they still get moist inside after a long day trudging fields or fly-fishing streams. At $45, the Peet boot and wader dryer is a simple device with a corner reserved in everyone’s utility room. Boots, gloves and neoprene waders that would normally takes days to dry out can be ready for the field and stream again after a few hours over the Peet’s plastic sleeves, which circulate warm air through the garment or shoe.

The Can Cooker has taken an old method of food preparation and made it fun again for the no-frills camp chef who needs an easy way to organize large portions of grub in a short amount of time. Place the Can Cooker on top of hot campfire charcoals or a Coleman stove and the meal is steam-cooked to near perfection with little intervention from the chef. For around $80, the Can Cooker looks to be built like it will be a piece of tackle that can be passed on from one generation to the next.

At the conclusion of successful fishing trips or hunting ventures is the worthwhile chore of cleaning the fish or game, and the Outdoor Edge Game Dressing Kit is the finest I’ve seen for across-the-board quality. The kit has everything packed in the hard case essential to cleaning the catch and harvest from the field to the freezer without having to scavenge around constantly for another knife, whetstone, cutting board or saw. A friend of mine paid about $70 for his and claims it was one of his best investments in equipment. After seeing the kit in action, I agree. An endless array of products awaits the masses this Friday, but hopefully these suggestions will help out those who need it.

— Geordon T. Howell is outdoors columnist for the Daily News. He can be reached by e-mailing highbrasshowell@yahoo.com