Skier Christmas Gift Ideas
The Christmas season is well behind us, but if you have skiers and snowboarders on your naughty and nice list here are some skier Christmas gift ideas to make your Christmas shopping for them easier, less expensive, and less of a hassle.
- Start Soon!
- No Need for Big Ticket Items
- No Need for Big Ticket Items
Skier Christmas Gift Ideas
Skier Christmas Gift Ideas — Start Soon
I suggest starting for next Christmas right now, in fact one bad thing about shopping for winter sports enthusiasts at Christmas time is the Christmas season coincides with the ski and snowboard gear peak purchasing season and therefore it is harder to find deals and closeouts. But now is the time to listen to your skiing and snowboarding family and friends and find out what they are lacking, require upgrade on, or desire.
Skier Christmas Gift Ideas — No Need for Big Ticket Items
No, you do not need to go out and buy the big ticket items. In fact, it would be a good idea not to do that since you may not know all the factors your recipient is weighting on a big ticket purchase. However, there are many small and medium ticket items skier sand snowboarders can use that make ideal Christmas gift purchases.
What are these items?
Skier Christmas Gifts — No Need for Big Ticket Items?
Clothing
One of my favorite skier Christmas gift ideas are clothing items. Skiers and snowboarders are constantly looking to pickup more clothing to help keep the cold out. Now, don’t go running out to purchase the latest $400.00+ parka, but instead focus on base and mid-layer clothing. Socks, base layer items, wool sweaters, maybe a fleece, a flannel shirt, and the like.
Like all clothing these items wear out and require periodic replacement. A good pair of technical ski socks also cost more than a pair of plain socks so this is an item it is best to go slow and easy on acquiring and that makes them an ideal gift not just for one Christmas, but nearly every Christmas. Some good brands to look for are Smartwool, Patagonia, Dakine, Underarmor, Euro Socks, Armada, and others.
Avoid cotton clothing especially for base layers and socks! Wool and synthetic materials are definitely the way to go for these clothing items.
Goggles and Eyewear
I have given goggles too. These are good gifts but one goggle does NOT fit all both optically and by sizing. By that I mean the light conditions vary and it pays to have either multiple goggles with varying lens shades and tints or to have a goggle with interchangeable lens and have a set of lenses. I suggest going with goggles that have the interchangeable lenses.
When purchasing goggles makes sure to get and include a gift receipt as the skier or snowboarder you are purchasing for has specific needs such as the need for oversized goggles (think those who need to wear glasses) and goggles need to fit with the recipient’s face and helmet, and this leads us to the next idea.
Suggested goggle brands would be Smith, Scott, Oakley, Spy, POC, and Shred.
Helmets
Helmets make great gifts and can help provide extra safety to the ones you love. Again, make sure you have a gift receipt when you give helmets as sizing is critical and the recipient may need other feature. If the recipient is reluctant to wear the helmet you give them, this leads to yet another gift idea tune drops.
Suggested helmet brands are Giro, POC, Bern, and Smith.
Tune Drops
Tune drops are earphones that fit into the helmet’s earflaps and plug into one’s music device. These are a big improvement over ear buds. Be aware tunedrops tend to be specific to helmet brands and even models so again, it is a good idea to get that gift receipt. Tune drops are also a subtle way of encouraging helmet use!
As noted above, it is important to match the helmet your gift recipient owns, so subtly ask them before shopping.
Lift Tickets
Lift tickets you have to wait, most resorts offer their pre-season discounted lift tickets only in the fall. However, season’s passes go on sale now and often allow the holder to ski on them starting now. Another benefit of owning a season’s pass is the holder can often get a few days of “free” skiing at other resorts (usually far off ones).
However, be careful about purchasing season’s passes not just because they carry a high cost but because your recipient may not like the resort or may have ski plans that block their ability to utilize the ski pass. This is the big advantage of waiting for the fall and purchasing single day lift tickets.
Skier Christmas Gift Ideas — Where to Get?
Stop off at your local ski shop and help them out, they do not want to carry that gear over to next year and would rather have the cash. Mind you, I spend quite a bit of my life working to support a significant E-commerce effort so I would be remiss in not suggesting a couple of sites. I have purchased gear from the following: Back Country and Skis.com. Both purchasing experiences were smooth and very problem free.
Hurry now, gear is on sale and will not last forever!
Please share some of your skier Christmas gift ideas!
You speak the truth on the end of season sales Mr. Ski Man as well as the financial help it gives to your favorite gear store so they can ready up for the next season. Less skis are needed for the incoming bikes on the sales floor. It is a great time to pick up some warm gear if only just to have an extra pair of gloves/hats/mitts in the vehicle for the next winter possible break down/emergency. “Safety first, then teamwork.”
Where is my REI member dividend check and 20% off coupon Mr. Skin Man Sir? It’s taking forever and restricting my end of season ski gear buying. Mia’s Daddy needs a new Balaclava (spelling?) and or total face mask for future -10 shredding. My nose was slightly exposed in the Porkies and it almost froze off my skull.
Sorry, I meant Ski Man, not Skin Man.