Bugaboo II Fleece Interchange 3-in-1 Jacket
Portland’s own Columbia Sportswear is celebrating it’s 80th anniversary this year, and their dedication to keep him “warm, dry, and protected” is at the core of their products. The original Bugaboo jacket was introduced in 1986, and put Columbia on the map. This, updated version, incorporates some of their top proprietary technology like Omni-Heat, a heat reflective lining material, and Omni-Tech waterproofing. This 3-in-1 jacket is comprised of a removable fleece liner and an outer shell making it versatile enough to go from the slopes to the lodge and many places in between.
Capilene Lightweight Long Underwear Crew Top
New base layers are always a great gift idea, and these may reward you as well thanks to their Polygiene permanent odor control treatment (my wife will attest to the effectiveness). The Capilene line has been a stalwart in the Patagonia lineup due to their great wicking, and lightweight comfort. You can’t go wrong with these.
Fall Line Gloves
On a cold day, the first things to freeze are fingers. Hestra makes warm, durable gloves that will keep fingers toasty, even in single digits, while still affording the dexterity needed while burning laps off the summit chair. They’re a bit pricey, but whoever you buy these for will hardly be able to repay you.
Electrochromic Snow Goggles
Goggles are an essential piece of gear for hitting the hill, and can make all the difference in varying weather conditions. These new electrochromic goggles from Spy have a high tech twist. With the touch of a button, he’s able to easily adjust the tint of the lens to adapt to changing light conditions. The built-in lithium ion battery allows for all day operation. And unlike some high-tech goggles that use inset displays or other cool, but unnecessary (and sometimes dangerous) tech and info inside the lens — these pack a practical and useful feature set.
Revent+ Amid Helmet
Featuring AMID (Atomic Multi-directional Impact Deflector) technology and Holo Core padding, this comfortable and stylish helmet will keep your guy comfortable and safe on the slopes. And weighing in a just under one pound, it won’t weigh him down when boot packing up for some freshies.
Burnet Mid Polarized Sunglasses
Kaenon’s Summit Series is specifically designed to block out sun reflecting off of ice and rock. And their durable SR91 lenses provide the ultimate in clarity. BTW – SR91 stands for Steve Rosenberg (Co-founder), 9 ingredients, 1st try. Who says you can’t succeed on your first try, and these help you look good doing it!
Everett Ragg Beanie
I prefer a hat with a fleece liner, and this one from Chaos fits the bill. Perfect for him while hanging on the deck at aprés or tracking up deep pow this one will look good and keep him cozy.
Clyde II Boots
Forsake makes waterproof boots that look good enough to go from the ski hill parking lot to the lodge, to dinner, and out for the night — without looking like a lumberjack. These Clyde’s were one of Forsake’s first models blending outdoor capabilities with skater shoe design. These things rock — I’ve worn mine into the ground.
Chemical Snow Pants
Flylow makes some of the cleanest, functional ski gear out there. Their no-nonsense design and colors lend themselves to all types of mountain riders. I’ve skied all my downhill in Flylow pants for the past eight years, and don’t have any plans to change my ways. This is the bomb-proof stuff you need if you’re going to ski 100 days, or at least look like you do.
Heli Pro 24L Snow Pack
The Heli Pro pack is perfect for lift, cat, or heli served days. It features diagonal, or a-frame carry capabilities for skiers, vertical snowboard carrying capabilities, multiple functional pockets including an insulated hydration bladder area. One review on REI.com gushes about what a great Xmas gift it was ending with “Thanks babe.” — enough said.
Ultralight/Watertight .7 Medical Kit
Even if you’re like me and didn’t make it much past cub scouts, it’s good to be prepared. This medical kit has everything he may need when out on a powder mission or just turning out laps in the resort. It contains common medications like ibuprofen & antihistamine, as well as bandages, moleskin, tape, and antibiotic ointments. It’s waterproof, compact, and lightweight at only 1/2 a pound. This is the kind of gift you hope they won’t need.
Tracker2 Avalanche Transceiver
BCA makes a full line of backcountry safety equipment from shovels and probes to airbag float packs. If your guy is going outside of the resort boundary at any time, he should be carrying one of these (and a shovel and probe). I like the Tracker 2 due to its ease of use and uncomplicated interface. Make sure he knows how to use it by gifting him (and maybe yourself too) an avalanche education course from https://avtraining.org. For more info check out our recent Intro to Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding Gear.
Vibe Long Leg Boxer Briefs
In the world of men’s underwear, in my opinion, Saxx reigns supreme. Their patented pouch, and maximum comfort fabrics will keep him focused on making tracks while on the mountain. I like this longer leg model to grant a little bit more protection from a cold chair lift seat or the snowy bench at the mid-mountain lodge.
Sherpa 100 Power Bank
Goal Zero has upped the game with their new version of the Sherpa 100. It’s slimmer, it’s lighter and has the AC inverter built right in! It’ll charge his laptop, it’ll charge his phone five or six times. I take it with me when I travel overseas, and it replaces the need to use an adapter on trips of a week or less. If you’re looking to wow someone on your gift list with the best travel capable, portable power bank with a wall outlet built right in — this is the one.
Monkey Man Fleece Jacket
Featuring Polartec High-Loft fleece material, the Monkey Man is perfect for a crisp drive up to the hill, a night out to the pub or just running errands around town. It’s a quality item he’ll use for years to come.
Coffee Flask
Sometimes coffee is a must on the way to the ski hill, trail, or, god forbid, work… This little guy keeps beverages hot for up to six hours — and cold drinks cold for up to 24. I’ve had a Hydroflask full of coffee with me on the drive up to the hill, only finished half, and at the end of the ski day returned to a hot cup of coffee for the drive home. These insulated bottles work.
FatCat 6 EVO Ski/Snowboard Mounts
If you’re tired of putting the seats down, cleaning up dirty snow from the back of the car and making the backseat an unusable mess — get a rack. This aerodynamic rack from Yakima will fit up to 6 pair of skis or 4 snowboards. And it’s universal mounting system will work with most car/suv roof racks.
Base Camp Duffel
If you’re planning a winter getaway, this is the luggage to get you there. It’s absolutely bomb proof. It has handles for carrying like a duffel, and adjustable straps to wear as a backpack. It has cinch down straps to compress your load, and plenty of handles and attachment points in case you find yourselves traveling by sled or snow cat. The pictured large size holds 95 liters while there are also medium, x-large, and xx-large sizes available. And if you get them in the Summit Gold color (pictured above), they’re really hard to miss on a luggage carousel.
Denali Mountaineering Socks
He can use these for skiing, climbing, hiking, camping, you name it. Their merino wool is soft, naturally bacterial resistant, and they’re cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And you’re supporting American farmers since the wool is provided 100% by farmers in the USA.
Super Tune Kit
If he’s a do-it-yourself type guy, this is a slam dunk. This kit has everything he’ll need to put a solid tune on his board or boards. It’s got wax, p-tex, files, scraper and more. If he already does his own tuning, the adjustable temp iron included in this kit will not only work better than the household iron, it’ll prevent more wax stains on the clothes…
Gear Subscription Box
Don’t know exactly what to get for the avid outdoorsman in your life? Get them the gift of random new gear from Cairn, the most popular monthly subscription based curated outdoor boxes. Even if it seems like they already have everything, this will deliver stuff they may not have thought to buy. Even if they get a duplicate item that’s a new backup, or an upgrade! And if they already have a Cairn subscription, this will extend it. One month starts at 29.95 — you can give up to a year of monthly boxes, or opt for their high-end Obsidian Box for 249.95 per quarter.