Stop! We’re not talking about booze (those recommendations are here).
Instead, we found a couple outstanding gear items that literally help keep you warm inside and out after a long day of skiing (or even a short afternoon of playing in the snow with your puppy).
Glerups Boots
Calling these boots is a bit of a stretch, but no matter: The Glerup footwear earns our praise as the most comfortable driving boot / house slipper / cabin footwear we’ve ever found. Dense-but-soft wool felt uppers provide incredible warmth, with good breathability. The wool felt is thick and structurally firm. But it is 100-percent wool, with all the benefits wool provides: Warmth, moisture management, odor control (wool is naturally anti-microbial so your spouse won’t be complaining about ‘stinky feet’ when you slip them off next to the bed). The fit is loose but secure, creating comfort around performance.
Glerups offers a few different outsoles – including leather, black natural rubber, and honey-colored natural rubber – but for maximum versatility, we favor the light-colored natural rubber soles. These provide modest traction when traversing compact snow-covered parking lots or sidewalks, and won’t leave marks on tile or hardwood floors.
The Glerups Boots are offered in European sizing 36-47, which translates to US Women’s sizes 5-16 and US Men’s sizes 7-13.5. $155 in assorted color. Buy Now.
Kuju Coffee
After a day of skiing, the last thing anyone wants to do is fight through the crowds in the lodge to grab a simple cup of coffee. Fortunately, a simple all-in-one stove such as the new Jetboil Stash (review to follow soon) gets you all the hot water you need in the cab of your ski rig. And Kuju Coffee makes the perfect pour-over coffee packets to get you a hot cup of joe for your drive off the mountain.
The Kuju single-serve packets feature a simple tear-top opening and folded paper ‘wing’ system that suspends a coffee-filled sleeve over your travel mug. Just pour in the hot water to create your cup of fresh brew.
We found the coffee itself perfectly roasted for a rich, flavorful cup without any bitterness. Kuju offers a wide range of blends as well as single-source coffees. The Kuju Starter Kit provides a good introduction to the brand and its products. The kit includes six pour-over packets (three blends, three single-source) as well as an enamel camp mug. $20. Buy Now.