PluggedIn: Last-minute gadgets for your hiker, biker or skier

By Paul Thomasch

NEW YORK, Dec 23 (Reuters) - For anyone who has put off shopping until the last minute -- or is looking ahead to post-holiday sales -- here's a list of some top gadget gifts for the hiker, biker, skier or runner in your life.

List prices range from $9.99 to $1,800, but watch for big markdowns on the items below, all of which should appeal to someone eager to hit the slopes, trails or open roads armed with the latest high-tech gadget.

The choices are based on reviews from some top magazines and websites, including Consumer Reports, Outside Magazine and Men's Journal.

** Start with a GPS to find your way to and through a hike, cross-country ski trip or any other adventure. A modern day map, compass and altimeter rolled into one, it's the closest thing there is to a must-have gadget this season.

Men's Journal says Garmin's Oregon 400T, which sells for about $600, "has everything you could want from a handheld GPS" including a touch screen, topographic maps, 3-D maps, and an altimeter, not to mention customizable features.

** Cameras are always winners, if you can sort through all the choices to find the right one to put under the tree.

For the adventurer in your life, consider the Pentax Optio W60, which Outside magazine calls "the ultimate adventure point-and-shoot." The 10 megapixel camera sells for $330, works in subfreezing temperatures as well as under water to a depth of 13 feet, and includes a movie mode feature and a glare-proof screen.

** What to do with all those photos? Check out Samsung's 8-inch SPF-85V digital frame, which retails for around $230. "Front touch controls are easy to use and a rechargeable, nonreplaceable battery lets you view pictures without remaining tethered to a wall outlet," says Consumer Reports.