What’s the most wonderful time of the year? Ski season, of course! Oh, that whole holiday gift-giving thing is going on, too.
Let’s get ready for both!
So much new ski and snowboard equipment is on the market right now. From industry (and life) changing ski boots to high-tech gadgets you never knew you needed, ski and snowboard gear has gone way beyond boots and skis making these sports more accessible and enjoyable than ever.
If you’re looking for some stocking stuffers for your spouse, kids or self, here is THE LIST for the 10 BEST this season.
Gregory Nano and Nano Mini Waist Packs
Fishing your camera or lip balm out of your coat pocket is never easy, and the last thing you want to do on a blustery day at 10k feet is take off your gloves, unzip and reach inside for your mid-shred snack.
The solution—and a terrific gift—is the Nano Waist Pack ($39.99, on sale for $19.99) or Nano Waist Pack Mini by Gregory Mountain Products. An industry leader in high-performance backpacks, Gregory has shrunken the packs without sacrificing performance. With durable nylon shells, padded backsides, recycled polyester linings and large-looped zipper pulls, the Nano and Nano Mini are built for your big day on the mountain or the park. Both feature a slim profile that is perfect for high-energy movement with still enough room inside to pack lunch.
BootCap
For decades, Mike Thorpe has fitted boots for racers and recreationalists at Salt Lake's Sports Den, and while snug boots provide greater warmth, he kept trying to discover additional ways to keep toes toasty in order to ski more comfortably and ably. Understanding the materials and mechanics of liners and shells, he developed BootCap ($49.50), a high-density foam toe cap that can be affixed to the exterior of a ski boot that keeps the interior 20+ degrees warmer without the aid of additional (and much more expensive) battery-operated or electronic devices.
Simple and elegant, and it comes in five fun colors (yes, we know you coordinate your kits). If you already have internal heaters or heated socks, BootCap provides additional warmth allowing users to lower the temperature to increase battery life. Unlike affixing the ‘old duck tape to the seams, BootCap provides insulation as well as water resistance allowing skiers to stay warmer and ski longer.
Hestra Gloves and Mittens
There is no bigger name in ski gloves and mittens than Hestra. For a century, Hestra has been the go-to for European timbermen to big mountain skiers and snowboarders. It even has a line for the groms. With a broad range of sizes, materials, cuts, styles, prices and colors, Hestra gloves will keep your hands and fingers warm while providing dexterity when you need it. So, hold on! Grab a pair of Hestra mittens for enjoying your deepest snow day or just building snowmen with the kids.
Lone Pine Custom Skins
For backcountry enthusiasts, skins can make or break your adventure and, sometimes, your wallet. You don’t buy ill-fitting skis or clothes; don’t rely on off-the-rack skins.
Lone Pine Gear Exchange, the online and brick-and-mortar outdoor consignment store owned by Utah locals Katy Jackson and Ben Johnson, cuts custom skins to fit your backcountry skis providing tip-to-tip and side-to-side coverage and adhesion for a great price. Its grippy, teal and pink cheetah print skins or slicker black Mohair blend skins ($179 and $189.95, respectively plus $30 for custom cut and fit) will take you to the Wasatch’s highest peaks day after day. While you’re there, definitely check out the incredible deals on new and used ski clothes and gear.
Daymakers and Tekdapters
Some play with erector sets when they’re young; others continue to build and create their entire lives. Mechanical engineer and professional skier, Giray Dadali, founder of Daymaker Touring and co-founder of J Skis, keeps building gear to get more people on more of the mountain. Here in the Wasatch, he wanted to design a device for the backcountry curious or those who don’t want to invest in or travel with another set of skis and boots.
The original Daymakers Classic ($279.99) looks…like an erector set but provides state-of-the-art engineering to convert alpine ski boots (in a wide variety of sizes) and bindings into all-terrain powder hunters. The nostalgic appearance complements the OG backcountry aesthetic as well as its ease of use (You just want to play with it! Check them out atSki 'N See Sandy in Sandy.): pop in, pop out, pop the entire Daymaker off at the top and toss into your backpack before slaying. For backcountry or hybrid ski boots with pins, Dadali created Tekadapters ($279.99), the carbon easily-adjustable version that, like all the best toys you get in your stocking, allows your friends or spouse to play with it, too.
MountainFlow Eco Wax and Infrared Waxer
Beside just about every Sun & Ski Sports counter (and many other shops along the Wasatch) is a box of MountainFlow Eco Wax ($19.95). Grab one for you and another for a friend this holiday season. Available for variable temperatures, you might just grab a couple! Even if you’re just renting skis or snowboards, a good wax can make a good day epic by allowing your gear to glide across the snow.
New this winter, MountainFlow has introduced an improved version of its popular portable Infrared (IR) Waxer ($249.95), making it even easier to give your skis or boards the love they need throughout the season. Gone are the days of just a preseason tune at your local shop or messing up your girlfriend’s kitchen. Lightly, even sparingly, “color” the base of your skis or snowboards with Eco Wax. Then, hover the Infrared Waxer across to melt the wax into the base. No need to scrape (yeah, that’s the mess the girlfriend isn’t happy about); just brush and go!
Handcrafted Wasatch Woolies
Gorgeous, affordable and functional are the concepts behind the Wasatch Woolies ($60). Made of authentic Pendleton wool fabrics, Utah local Lolly Vuz of Lockwood Concepts handcrafts each scarf, lining them with a soft luxe fleece or a fluffy lining for even extra warmth.
The multi-colored geometric patterns coordinate with men’s and women’s ski or apres ski ensembles making them the perfect holiday gift. Warning: Everyone you know or meet on the ski lift will stop you to ask where you got it.
ClipStic
Walking to and from the lifts with skis and poles is never easy. Add your kids’ gear, and disaster awaits. ClipStic ($31.95) allows you to “clip” skis and poles together, allowing you—or even the little ones—to carry gear with ease.
ClipStic is a ski strap with a built-in clasp to hold the poles, too. Simply tie the Clip-Stic strap around your poles, and pop each ski pole into the built-in ridges. It’s that easy! As any parent knows, this is a gamechanger for storage, too.
SnoStrip by RigStrips
You’re in the parking lot taking out your skis and snowboards and stop. There is always something else to do before heading to the lift…or when you get back. Where do you put your stuff? Don’t damage that paint job (even if it’s a rental), and definitely don’t put them on the ground where someone can trip or drive over them!
Pop the magnetic SnoStrip ($49.95) by RigStrips onto the side or back of your car or truck and lean all of your winter gear (or fishing rods, paddles and hiking poles in summer) into its rubbery waterproof grooves to protect your gear and your ride.
Gift Cards to the Best of the Wasatch
You can’t go wrong stuffing a holiday stocking with gift cards for some of skiing’s best experiences. The Ski Utah Interconnect Tour — skiing up to six resorts in one day from Deer Valley to Snowbird — is a bucket list item for even jaded local skiers. The Stein Eriksen Lodge Cellar Tour is one of those hidden gems tucked inside one of the world’s best resorts. If you don’t know your recipient’s plans, a Delta gift card will make skier or snowboarder happy, and one to Squatters or High West Distillery and Saloon will make their après dreams come true.
