Somehow Christmas is right around the corner again and so too is the 2018/19 ski season. So what better time to show the mountain-lover in your life how much they appreciate them with some of these epic Christmas gifts for skiers. Whether you are buying for an expert freeride fan, a skier off on their first foray or a park-loving seasonaire, we’ve got you covered. Plus, with our top stocking fillers rounding off the page, we have something for all budgets and all gift types. What are you waiting for, get reading, and most importantly, shopping!
For the Backcountry Expert
Arcteryx Rush LT Ski Jacket
The Rush LT Jacket is designed to meet all the demands of the backcountry and it definitely delivers on this. Light, durable, and featured for long uptracks and aggressive descents. It’s incredibly light, weighing in at just 405 grams, but with GORE-TEX Pro protection and a number of technical features enabling it to fully withstand any and all backcountry adventures. www.arcteryx.com
Ortovox Avalanche Kit 3+
Good avalanche safety gear is essential for anyone heading off piste in the mountains and with Ortovox’s Avalanche Kit 3+ the highest quality avalanche rescue gear in one box. You will get he tried-and-tested 3+ avalanche transceiver with patented smart avalanche technology, the ultra-light BADGER aluminum shovel and the ALU 240 AVALANCHE PROBE with quick-lock tensioning system. You also receive the Safety Academy Guide Book which gives detailed instructions of how to use all the equipment and provides important background information about avalanches. www.ortovox.com
Floa Baselayer
This innovative new baselayer is designed exclusively for the backcountry skier who likes to perform at a high level in off-piste environments. The Backcountry baselayer is a highly technical garment designed to keep you warm and dry whilst hiking up, whatever the weather, and at the same time, providing you with power and support for your descent. Using the latest technologies and manufacturing techniques, this is a baselayer that will help expert skiers take their riding to that next level. www. floasports.com
For the Performance Focused Female
Blizzard Black Pearl 88 Ski
It’s been one of the most popular women’s all mountain skis around for a few seasons now and the 2019 Black Pearl 88 is no different. Confidence inspiring, versatile and extremely good looking, this is definitely a gift that an intermediate to advanced female skier is going to love. An 88mm waist and a female specific Carbon Flipcore W.S.D. construction give the Black Pearl 88 an incredible energy no matter where you are on the mountain. The lightweight construction, camber and early rise tip and tail allow great float in powder whilst fantastic edge hold keeps you feeling very confident ripping up the pistes. www.blizzardsports.com
Rossignol Alltrack LT Elite 100 W Ski Boot
A beautifully designed, high performance ski boot which is ideal for skiers who want an enhanced experience both hiking up as well as skiing down the mountain. This is a free-touring boot that does not compromise on any aspect of performance. In a narrower 98mm ‘skinny fit’, this boot is ideal for those with slimmer feet who still want to benefit from the utmost in performance. Weighing just 1690g, they are incredibly lightweight, but still have fantastic rebound and energy transmission, with an optimised axis-of-rotation to ensure best freedom of movement for ski touring. www.rossignol.com
For the Trendy Teenager
Friski Flo 2.0 Technical Hoodie
Sitting somewhere between a casual hoodie and a lightweight ski jacket, this is a Christmas gift perfect for a teenager who wants to spend all day skiing in comfort and style. This is a garment that can be worn straight from the slopes to the bar, with a relaxed riders fit and classic logo designs. Additional technical features include a zippered kangaroo front pocket with media port, high neck, ribbed cuffs with thumb holes and a DWR coating. There’s even a secret lift pass pocket in there, something which many tech hoodies seem to lack. With the RRP at just £90, this is definitely a gift that will get you in the good books. www.friskiwear.com
Slug North Goggle
Providing exceptional value for money, the new Slug North goggle combines a stylish frameless design with high quality, easy-change lenses to create the perfect Christmas gift for a teenage skier. The flexible TPU frame is lined with breathable, tri-layer foam to mould to the shape of your face and provide enhanced levels of comfort. Meanwhile, the magnetic lens allows for easy lens changing in less than 5 seconds, which is ideal for young adult skiers who don’t want to faff about with complicated lens changing systems. Lenses are available in a fantastic range of colours, from bright purple to green or orange and each pair comes with an additional overcast lens. All this for just £75? It’s a treat for the bank of mum and dad too! www.slugoptic.com
AfterJam Headwear
This new British brand is making huge waves within the seasonnaire and university ski scenes, with stylish hoodies, tees and outerwear. However, our favourite of their ranges is their headwear, from beanies to 5-panel hats, snapbacks and boonies. If you’re reading this thinking ‘what on earth is a boonie?’, it’s pictured below and it’s a hat that is becoming all the rage with ‘steezy’ park skiers, whether at the après bar or chilling in the sun at Spring park sessions. All of their headwear feature the distinctive AfterJam logo and are made using high quality materials to keep your head warm and comfortable on the slopes. If you’re looking for a gift under £20 for the young skier in your life, AfterJam’s headwear is definitely one to check out. www.afterjamcollective.com
JBL Speaker
The JBL Pulse 3 waterproof speaker is a gift that will make you very popular with a teen or young adult this Christmas. A portable Bluetooth speaker that combines 360° sound with an epic customisable 360° LED lightshow. The JBL Pulse 3 won’t be ruined by the snow either thanks to its IPX7 waterproof housing. The built-in rechargable battery provides 12 hours of playtime and JBL’s Connect+ technology means that you can wirelessly link your speaker with up to 100 other JBL Connect+ speakers to really amp up the fun. www.uk.jbl.com
For the Après-Ski Legend
WhiSki Poles
They’re kicking up a storm on social media with après-ski fans and it’s clear to see why. WhiSki poles are high-performance ski poles with an integrated flask within the pole so that you can enjoy a unique drink post-ski. Made using the strongest and lightest aluminium available, WhiSki Poles are all-mountain poles, which offer top performance and durability, as well as a lot of entertainment for the dedicated après-skier. With a sleek black matte finish, they will also be the best-looking poles at the bar! www.whiskipoles.com
Oneskee
I don’t know about you, but we feel that the vintage, colour-block onesie, whilst often seen on the après scene, has been somewhat overdone in recent years. So when we first saw Oneskee’s range of technical, modern one pieces, we were immediately sold. Reinventing the traditional ‘retro’ onesie, Oneskee have designed a line of high quality, great looking, statement one piece ski suits, which will be sure to stand out on the après scene whilst also providing the highest level of performance on the slopes.
These suits are highly functional, with a number of technical features and innovative technology giving skiers head to toe protection, no matter the conditions. Great quality, providing the best performance, protection, comfort and style for men and women, Oneskee are certainly going to be a popular choice on the mountain this winter. www.oneskee.com
For the Tech-Savvy Skier
Carv
Claiming to be ‘your digital ski coach’, Carv is a wearable technology that speaks to you as you ski. It’s a really thin smart insert that slots into your boot and connects wirelessly back to your smartphone to give you feedback into your headphones in real-time. Inspired by Olympic technology, Carv measures your motion and pressure distribution and allows you to use this information in your own way. Casual skiers will enjoy simple, actionable feedback while advanced skiers will benefit from detailed analysis. It’s a revolutionary way to see exactly what’s going on when it comes to your skiing technique and is definitely a good choice for skiers that like to be at the forefront of technology! www.getcarv.com
Cab9 The Edge Sunglasses
The Edge’s polarised lens features not only feature full UV protection but also patented InfraShield™ technology, which acts as a heat shield for the eyes, providing an additional layer of protection from the sun’s harmful rays while at the same time reducing eye fatigue. The frame is made of TR90 material, which is durable and incredibly flexible, meaning you don’t ned to worry about accidentally snapping! This flexibility means that the fit moulds to your head, with no uncomfortable pressure points. Of course, it helps that they are great looking too, with lenses available in a variety of colours. www.cab9eyewear.com
Stocking Fillers for Skiers
Stance Ski Socks
Stance ski and snowboard socks are made using a natural wool fusion blend, with a Toe Box Oven™ to keep your toes warm and toasty no matter the conditions on the mountain! Available in a variety of funky designs and featuring a number of technical features such as FEEL360™ technology, left/right foot engineered arch support, air channel cushioning and breathable performance mesh for enhanced comfort. A real treat for your feet! www.stance.eu.com
Gone Skiing Pillowcases
The perfect smaller gift for the skier in your life! Make a statement and bring a chalet feel into your home as you prepare for this winter’s ski holiday with this super cute pillowcase set. www.johnlewis.com
Butta Essentials Ski and Snowboard Service Tin
We love this retro style servicing kit, which can be easily taken with you on this year’s ski trip. Packed with all the essentials you will need to keep your gear in tip top condition and neatly packed into a funky Butta tin. This kit contains a 160-200g wax block (suitable for around 10 waxes), Butta Structure Brush, Small Scraper, Butta Branded Towel and 60ml Green Stuff Cleaner. www.absolute-snow.co.uk
Bawbags Underwear
Designed for enhanced comfort, the Cool de Sac boxers from Bawbags use a special fabric containing Technical Wicking Active Technology to keep you feeling fresh and dry all day on the slopes. This fabric draws moisture away from your skin, to keep you performing at your best even when you’re at your most active skiing or snowboarding. Tested by a number of athletes, the Cool De Sac premium boxer shorts are a great stocking filler choice. For extra ‘cool parent points’, they’ve even got a special design by the one and only James ‘Woodsy’ Woods, British freestyle skier. www.bawbags.com
