Most Christmas gift lists are someone’s opinion. Or advertiser driven. This one isn’t. It’s based on maths. Every fitness gift pick below had to be recommended by at least two independent reviewers who tested it, rated 4.3 stars or better by its owners, and sold in Australia. Together, these 12 gifts carry more than 190,000 owner ratings. At the end there’s one more, picked a different way: MFO Recommends, a gift we have tried and tested ourselves.
Updated 27 October 2026. Prices are what each retailer showed on that date and can change; we’ll recheck them through to Christmas. Some links are affiliate links: as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Expert tests: named as a pick by at least two independent reviewers who tested it (CNN Underscored, Garage Gym Reviews, GearJunkie, iRunFar, BarBend and others), linked on every card.
Owners: 4.3 stars or better, and normally 500+ ratings; brand-new models are flagged.
No catches hidden: nothing that needs a subscription to work, and every card lists its main downside.
Australian: sold by an Australian retailer at the price shown, checked on the date above.
The best Christmas gifts for men
The picks with the strongest reviews across every budget.
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 headphones
They sit in front of the ears, so he still hears traffic on a road run, and they stay put.
- Experts
- CNN Underscored: best open-ear running headphones; iRunFar: best bone conduction; SoundGuys: best bone conduction
- Owners
- 4.4/5 from 12,605 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Bone conduction sounds thinner than in-ear buds
AeroPress Go coffee maker
Good coffee anywhere: camping, the 5am session, the office with only instant. Packs into its own mug.
- Experts
- Gear Patrol: best coffee maker for camping; CoffeeGeek: highly recommended
- Owners
- 4.7/5 from 12,760 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Makes one cup at a time
Garmin Forerunner 165 GPS running watch
Bright AMOLED screen, accurate GPS, heart rate and built-in training plans. The newer Forerunner 170 costs $150 more for small gains.
- Experts
- Forbes Vetted: best for beginners; Tom’s Guide: beginner pick
- Owners
- 4.7/5 from 5,206 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Replaced by the Forerunner 170 (A$479) in May 2026, which is why the 165 is $100 under its RRP
MEATER+ wireless meat thermometer
A wireless probe that tells his phone when the steak is done: the summer BBQ gift.
- Experts
- Bob Vila: 9.5/10; The Gadgeteer: tested
- Owners
- 4.4/5 from 45,466 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Some owners report dropouts through steel BBQ lids and walls
Gifts for gym lovers
Recovery, fuel and hydration for the man whose week revolves around the gym.
Theragun Mini (3rd gen) massage gun
The strongest expert backing on this list: a proper massage gun that fits in a gym bag.
- Experts
- Fortune: best mini massage gun; Garage Gym Reviews: best mini for athletes; TechGearLab: best value
- Owners
- 4.6/5 (Amazon AU. New model: ratings still building)
- The catch
- About 150 minutes of battery and only three heads
Hydro Flask 32 oz Wide Mouth bottle
Keeps water cold through a whole session and a summer day at the beach.
- Experts
- GearJunkie: best insulated bottle overall; Product Review Crew: best overall
- Owners
- 4.7/5 from 7,343 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Heavier than a plastic bottle
Owala FreeSip 40 oz bottle
Sip through the straw or swig from the spout: the bottle half the gym seems to own.
- Experts
- GearJunkie: best budget insulated bottle; Yahoo Shopping: best hybrid
- Owners
- 4.5/5 from 41,334 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- The lid is hand-wash only
Ninja CREAMi (NC300)
Turns a frozen protein shake into something close to ice cream.
- Experts
- NBC Select: best ice cream maker overall; Real Homes: tested
- Owners
- 4.5/5 from 501 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Loud, pints need a 24-hour freeze, and some owners report parts breaking
Gifts for runners
Two of the best running gifts are already above: the Garmin Forerunner 165 and the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2.
Injinji Run Lightweight No-Show toe socks
Separate toe pockets stop blisters between the toes on long runs.
- Experts
- iRunFar: best toe sock; Yahoo Health: coach-tested pick
- Owners
- 4.6/5 from 4,190 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Toe socks take a few runs to get used to
Check out our free running guides
All free PDFs. Shoes need fitting, so pair a plan with a running-shoe gift card.
Stocking fillers for men under $30
Small, cheap and backed by the same reviews as everything else.
Body Glide Original anti-chafe balm
Amazon AU, checked 27 October 2026Every runner and cyclist needs it by February.
- Experts
- Outdoor Life: best anti-chafe stick overall; NextGait: tested for runners
- Owners
- 4.6/5 from 37,718 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- None worth mentioning at this price
Gymreapers lifting straps
Amazon AU, checked 27 October 2026Grip stops being the limit on heavy deadlifts and rows.
- Experts
- BarBend: best lifting straps overall; Fitness Volt: best overall
- Owners
- 4.6/5 from 25,515 ratings (Amazon AU)
- The catch
- Lasso straps, not figure-8s, so not for max-effort pulls
MFO Recommends: tried and tested
This is the one gift on the page we have used ourselves, and owners rate it just as highly.
Sharkskin Mobile Phone Dry Case
A soft phone case rated IPX8 waterproof that keeps water, sand and dirt out. The clear window gives the camera a porthole for photos and video in shallow water, and the screen and buttons still work through it, in the water or out. Comes with a lanyard.
- Why it’s here
- Tried and tested by MFO. It’s from Sharkskin, an Australian water sports brand, and comes in seven colours.
- Owners
- 4.9/5 from 93 reviews (verified buyers on sharkskin.com.au)
- The catch
- Check your phone fits first: the product page lists the sizes.
Disclosure: Sharkskin sent us products to trial.
What didn’t make the list
Smart rings: the Oura Ring 4 needs a monthly membership for most of its data, and the subscription-free rings we checked rate below 4.3 stars. Weighted vests and kettlebells: the expert picks aren’t sold in Australia with enough owner reviews to judge. We’ll add them if that changes.
Christmas gift FAQ
What do you buy a man for Christmas?
Something he’ll use every week. The best-reviewed gifts for men this year are a running watch (Garmin Forerunner 165), open-ear headphones (Shokz OpenRun Pro 2), a portable speaker (JBL Flip 7) and a mini massage gun (Theragun Mini).
What’s a good Christmas gift for men under $50?
Gymreapers lifting straps ($17.99), Body Glide ($26.19) or Injinji toe socks ($36.94), all rated 4.6 stars by thousands of owners.
How did you choose these gifts?
Every pick is recommended by at least two independent reviewers who tested it and rated 4.3 stars or better by its owners, and is sold in Australia. The sources are linked on each card. The one exception is clearly marked: MFO Recommends, a waterproof phone case we have tried and tested, shown separately and not ranked.
Coming in November: gifts for dad, for your husband or boyfriend, for the man who has everything, and for surfers, swimmers, cyclists and hikers, chosen the same way.