Silva Compasses

(Prices vary; silvacompass.com)

In an age of mobile GPS, compasses can seem like an affectation -- except when traveling where a mobile phone or car can't go. That's where something like the small, sturdy design of a Silva Compass comes in handy: The colder months bring their own set of challenges when hiking or exploring on foot, but they can bring rewards as well.

After the holiday, spend the next few months prepping to hike the Appalachian Trail in Georgia, at its southern end, just as spring approaches in early March. There will still be a chill in the air as you, and your compass, point north.