With the obvious exception of skiers and snowboarders, winter is the time of year that the vast majority of extreme sports enthusiasts hate the most, especially in the UK. Have you ever tried skateboarding on ice, riding a bike in a blizzard or surfing in ice-cold water? It’s no fun.

The one winter bonus for extreme sports fans is Christmas, so at least get them something they’ll actually appreciate. But if, like most, you don’t know your bearings from a your bindings or your dropouts from your dry suits it’s probably best to play it safe and go with something they’re guaranteed to appreciate – an action camera.

Recording a ride, be it in the air on water, snow or dirt, is becoming an increasingly common and popular activity amongst extreme sports fans and the advancements in camera technology have made the HD camera the ideal ‘extreme gift’.

There are a number of cameras on the market and it can be hard to choose between them but it’s safe to say there are three brands you should consider above all else:

GoPro – the GoPro HD is one of the most desirable and popular cameras on the market. It may be at the larger end of the camera spectrum but what it lacks in discretion it more than makes up for in quality.

If you’re buying for someone who already owns a GoPro camera, or just want to give your gift that extra wow factor, why not treat them to the GoPro BacPac - a neat detachable LCD screen that can be carried around and snapped on to the camera anytime allowing them to watch recorded footage on the go.

Drift - the Drift HD is the newest camera in the Drift range and is ideal for mounting on the side of helmet due to it’s size and streamline design. If you’re looking to treat someone who rides with a full-face helmet, then this could be the camera for them. If you want extra brownie points on Christmas day then throw in a suction cup mount.

Contour – with so many great products in the Contour family it’s hard to highlight just one, so here’s two. The latest model from Contour is the much anticipated Contour Roam, a slick bullet camera that boasts a neat one-step recording feature that allows you to film instantly with the single flick of a switch.

Another exciting product in the Contour range is the Contour GPS, which tracks the exact location that your photo or video took place. This is a great camera for those who travel large distances such as mountain bikers, skiers or snowboarders.

Bullet cameras are small, rugged and waterproof and designed to fit onto the rider’s helmet, body, frame or board safely and securely. There are a number of different mounts available depending on filming preference and riding style, so be sure to look at what mount would best suit the person you're buying for based on what and how they ride.