If you have a skier (or snowboarder) in your life, you may be wondering what to gift them as this Winter season approaches. As an avid skier for my entire life, I feel as though I have a good idea of the types of gifts one would appreciate receiving. Some of these are a bit predictable, but some are pretty unique gifts that you may not have thought of. So, without further delay, here are some of the best gift ideas for skiers, ski lovers, or snowboarders in your life!
Now, the best presents for a skier would probably be some of the obvious – a ski jacket, a lift ticket – or even better – an Ikon or Epic ski season pass, which includes access to many ski resorts within one pass. If this isn’t in the gifting budget (I’m guessing it’s not for most people reading this list and looking for a quick gift), you can also purchase a gift voucher towards this purchase. Although, be warned, if you’re looking to buy a gift for the holiday season, the cut off date to purchase one of these passes is usually in early December.
If you’re looking for a more thoughtful gift and want to buy something a little more personalized, keep reading for my ultimate skiers gift guide.
The Best Ski Gifts for Skiers and Ski Lovers
Heated Ski Gloves
There’s nothing better on a brisk ski day than a heated pair of gloves. Now, if you’re someone who doesn’t have cold hands on a normal day you probably won’t need these, but for those of us who have cold fingers on a regular Wednesday, these are a god send. Although they are a bit pricy, they are an excellent choice for those with big budgets and are the best solution for keeping those chilly hands and fingers warm.
Hestra Mittens
If heated gloves aren’t in the budget, Hestra mittens have been proven to be the warmest on the market. I’ve worn the same pair of Hestra’s for over 10 years and have nothing but good things to say about them (and this is from someone who’s fingers are cold on a daily basis).
Rolling Travel Ski Bag
If your skier plans on flying to their favorite destination this year, do them a favor and buy them a travel ski bag with wheels. There’s nothing worse than having to lug a heavy ski bag laden with several pairs of skis through an airport. The workout should start once you get to the slopes – the journey there should be the easy part.
Athalon Ski Boot Bag
If you don’t care about brand names, this boot bag comes very highly rated (and in 35 color ways!). It’s a versatile backpack with many 5-star reviews on Amazon and is perfect for your favorite skier to carry their gear to all their ski trips – whether they be at a local mountain or a plane ride away.
Heated Vest/Jacket
These heated vests and jackets make great mid-layers for those super chilly days. They come with a rechargeable battery pack so these can be used seamlessly for multiple days in a row. Their thousands of 5-star ratings on Amazon prove this is a perfect gift for any person in the ski scene, even if they’re just looking to sip hot chocolate and stay warm in the lodge.
Massage Theracane
These make great gifts for anyone athletic – skier or not! I’ve bought these for every single member of my family and everyone loves them. And it guarantees whoever I visit has one on hand in case I need it (I’m not kidding when I say they’re the best!). This serves a slightly different purpose from a TheraGun (which is also a great gift btw!) because this device can get directly into hard-to-reach muscles that the guns can’t.
Boot Dryers
If you plan on skiing for consecutive days, a boot dryer is your best friend. These heaters insert directly in the boot and dry them with gentle warm air. Because no one wants to put on damp, wet ski boots the next day!
Travel Humidifier
If you plan to visit any of the mountains in the Rockies or Western parts of North America this year, please be warned that the air at these mountains is extremely dry. (As a native Vermont skier I was not prepared for this the first time I skied out West!). This combined with the high altitude makes for an extremely rough breathing situation for your nose! Painful breathing while trying to sleep is really not ideal when you’re trying to wake up early to catch the first chair, and it leads to a very tired morning. I love this travel humidifier which will add moisture to the air and make breathing (especially at night) much easier and pleasant.
Kari Traa Base Layers for Female Skiers
A warm and cozy base layer top and pants are a must, no matter what your outer layers are. I love that Kari Traa is designed by women for women, and their fun patterns and colors never disappoint. Their pieces are made from merino wool so they are proven to keep you warm even in the coldest temps. In my personal experience, the fit is a slim European cut so I would advise to size up if you have any curves or are in between sizes.
Go Pro Camera & Accessories
If you have an adventurous skier in your life, there’s a good chance they have this action camera on their wish list. This kit comes complete with a 50 piece accessory kit, including a helmet mount to capture all the action on the mountain.
Insta360 Selfie Stick
If a camera helmet mount isn’t your style, I also find videos made with these invisible selfie sticks to be super cool. The technology within this selfie stick allows the stick to completely disappear from footage, leaving a clean, device free video behind.
Hydrapack Water Bottle
Skiing at high altitudes can easily lead to dehydration. Carrying one of these collapsible water bottles solves the problem of having a sip of water handy at all times. And when you’re done drinking it easily shrinks to fit in your jacket pocket. We love a practical and sustainable option!
YakTrax
These are a fun stocking stuffer idea for those who are extra careful about not slipping on ice – either in the driveway, ski area parking lot, or icy steps. They slip onto the front of your shoe or boot and create a layer of traction to prevent slips and falls. My mom has a pair and they work great – they’re a best seller on Amazon for a reason!
Whiskey Glasses
One of my favorite ski themed gifts, I have always found these drinking glasses extremely cool. My boyfriend got them as a Christmas gift last year and they are one of our favorites!
Avalanche Kit
For the backcountry enthusiast, an avalanche kit is a must-have. Matter of fact, some trails won’t even allow access to avalanche terrain unless you’re carrying the proper avalanche equipment. This kit would make a great gift for any thrill seeking extreme skier.
Ski Tune Up & Wax Kit
If you like to wax and tune your own skis at home, this gift is perfect for you!
Patagonia Duffel Bag
I bought this for my brother a couple Christmases ago and his bag is still going strong! Super durable, roomy, and waterproof, you can throw all your ski gear in here (helmet included) without worrying about running out of room.
Ski Straps
An easy way to carry a pair of skis (or pairs of skis if you have a quiver) are these ski straps. If you’re a ski family with little kids these straps also can hold everyone’s poles in one compact bundle. These definitely make a great stocking stuffer for under $10 – I got some in my stocking this year!
‘The Man Behind the Maps’ Book
If you’ve ever looked at a ski trail map, you’ll recognize the art of the man who makes them. This is such a great book and you don’t have to be a professional skier to appreciate this unique ski gift. It would also make a cool coffee table book for anyone who owns their own ski house or cabin.
Hand Warmers
When all else fails, disposable hand warmers make the perfect stocking stuffers for cold days and provide hours of heat within your gloves.
Yeti Waterproof Bag
If you know someone who carries around electronic hard warmers, or anything that needs to be protected from wetness, this waterproof Yeti bag is the perfect gift idea.
The North Face Thermal Booties
These booties come highly rated and will keep your feet warm and cozy even in freezing temps. Made from a waterproof rip stop fabric upper and a durable rubber outsole, these will prevent slips on icy Winter terrain. And while you probably won’t need these on warm Spring days, they do come in handy for cold Winter temps.
Fur Trapper Hat
This fur lined hat will keep your noggin and ears toasty in any weather.
Fleece Helmet Hood
Keeping your head warm is key to prolonging body heat. A fleece hood is a great way to show your style on the mountain, while maintaining your core temperature.
Walkie Talkies
When cell phone service on the mountain is non-existent, and you still want to communicate to your crew, these walkie talkies come in handy. The range works up to 3 miles so even if you’re at the top of the mountain you can still reach someone sipping a beer in the base lodge.
Phone Tether Strap
I highly recommend one of these cell phone straps that attaches to your jacket. If you’re the type to hit jumps or the terrain park, this will keep your phone where it’s meant to be – safe in your pocket.
Thermal Phone Case
As seen on Shark Tank! If you have an iPhone you know that cold temps make that battery percentage drop faster than a bad habit. A thermal phone case will protect your phone from these freezing temps and will help to preserve the battery life by up to 3x.
Barebells Protein Bars
For a great snack on the lift, the Barebells protein bars are my favorite. Their macros are great and they don’t taste bland, grainy, or give a weird aftertaste like many artificial sweeteners do. My fave flavors are the Chocolate Dough (which tastes like a brownie) and the Salty Peanut (tastes like a Snickers!)
Nuun Electrolyte Tablets
I feel like I don’t hear these talked about enough. I prefer these over the super salty electrolyte mixes like LMNT and Liquid IV – they taste great without any weird aftertaste. Just drop one in a glass of water before you go skiing each morning to keep hydrated throughout the day.
Thermal Ski Print Pajamas
I adore this whimsical Winter ski print on these flannel pajamas. Would make a great gift for a family!
Customized Ski Gift
There are some really fun and unusual ski gift ideas out there that can also be easily personalized to the gift recipient. I love these posters which feature custom names, words, or phrases on the ski mountain of your choice.
Ski Poster
If you have a favorite mountain, this seller makes custom ski resort prints. The selection is vast, so check to see if your fave is listed.
Wall Mounted Ski Bottle Opener
Shot Ski Gift
The best part of skiing is arguably apres ski, and if you have a crew who likes to partake in the apres ski activity of drinking, these shot skis are a next level gift! Made from old skis, these shotskis can hold 3-4 shot glasses. You haven’t experienced a proper apres ski until you’ve done a shot ski.
I hope this helped on your journey to find the best gift ideas for skiers and ski lovers in your life. And if none of these strike your fancy, I’m sure gift cards are always appreciated at places like REI, Evo, and Backcountry.com.
If you have any other ideas to add to this list, send me a DM on Instagram!
If you liked this post please consider checking out my other posts, like this one on the best Ugg boot dupes, to keep your feet warm & toasty this season.
Xx
