Thinking of the winter sports fanatic in your life? Whether they’re skiers, snowboarders, ice climbers, fat tire cyclists, or just someone who likes walking along a snowy trail, everyone who plays in the cold needs winter gear to make it comfortable. But there are so many options out there — how do you choose the right gift?
Here are some of our favorite gift ideas for winter gear and apparel, from down ponchos to ski goggles, puffy jackets, mittens, and more. They range in size and price, but they’re all functional gifts that offer that special someone plenty of use all season long.
We’d be stoked to receive any of these items as gifts. The winter lover in your life will be, too.
Be sure to check out all of our gift guides for more ideas to suit every adventurer on your list!
Winter Gift Ideas for 2025
Backcountry Cedars RWS Merino Lightweight Baselayers
Made with merino wool, the Backcountry Cedars RWS Baselayers are soft against the skin and extremely comfortable. With new silhouettes, waistbands, and necklines, they’re designed to hug the body, wick moisture, and keep you warm. Nylon threads enhance the Cedars RWS Baselayer’s durability, while spandex provides a slight stretch. For active outdoor use, this is a perfect kit to outfit the winter sports enthusiast in your life.
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Timberland Siberian PRO Boots
Work doesn’t stop just because it’s winter, and you need boots that will help you get the job done. Timberland’s waterproof Siberian PRO Boots feature 600 g of insulation. An OrthoLite O-Therm aerogel-infused footbed creates a thermal barrier underfoot for added warmth.
These boots are certified for temperatures as low as -40 degrees and feature both oil- and slip-resistant all-weather TPU outsoles. This is a sturdy work boot built for the toughest jobs in the harshest winter conditions.
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Women’s Flylow Lucy Jacket
This three-layer waterproof winter shell is seam-sealed and DWR-treated for total protection from the elements. A removable powder skirt is there to keep snow out on the deepest days, and a plethora of pockets makes it easy to store everything you need on your person.
Flylow has been crafting some of our favorite ski and snowboard outerwear, and this shell is a prime example of the quality it brings to the table. It’s bombproof, fits great, and looks good, too.
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Helly Hansen Men’s Alpha LIFALOFT Insulated Ski Jacket
Insulated with Helly Hansen’s proprietary LIFALOFT insulation, this jacket brings warmth and weather protection in equal parts. Underarm vents allow the wearer to dump heat when they’re working hard, and both the hood and powder shirt are detachable for more versatile use.
Helly Hansen included one of its insulated LIFE POCKETs, which helps preserve phone batteries in cold conditions, as well as a pass pocket and a goggle shammy. This is a fully featured resort skiing jacket.
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Seirus Heatwave Baselayer
This reflective baselayer leverages some high-tech fabrics to generate more heat than your standard long johns. The garments turn movement into heat, which it then reflects back onto the wearer, creating “amplified heat,” according to the brand. The result is a baselayer that warms you up the more you move in it.
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Alaska Gear Company Bunny Boot VBX MAX
Built for brutal sub-zero temperatures, the Alaska Gear Company Bunny Boot VBX Max is fully waterproof, has multiple layers of insulation, and has vented, hydrophobic, ergonomic insoles.
Don’t let the cute “Bunny” name fool you. These are hardcore winter boots for arctic conditions and heavy use. For casual city wear, they’d be overkill — but for serious winter excursions, they become an MVP.
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Carv Digital Ski Coach 2.0
Ski lessons can be an expensive, one-off gift. Carv is comparatively pretty cheap and is a gift that keeps on giving. These digital sensors attach to ski boot straps and use six-axis motion gyroscopes and accelerometers to measure a skier’s balance, speed, and motion. That information is then run through the AI algorithm to determine your Ski:IQ, which gauges how well you’re doing on every metric the sensors measure.
The Carv app allows you to see your Ski:IQ, and breaks down every run and your average turns. The amount of data these devices generate is astounding. And for every data point, they also provide useful tips and advice for improving your form. Short of paying a private instructor every time you hit the hill, this is one of the best ways to improve and dial your skiing. It’s also far cheaper.
Check out our full review for a deeper dive into the technology and how it works.
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Thurston Power Wool Beanie
Most beanies and winter caps are all built the same, but that’s not true of Thurston’s hats. The founder once worked at Polartec, and when he moved on, he took all of his fleecy knowledge and built his own brand with it. Now he’s slinging some of the warmest and most comfortable beanies you can find anywhere.
The Power Wool Beanie uses thick Polartec Power Wool, which isolates merino wool on the inside, making it exceptionally soft on the head. The high-stretch technical knit on the outside blocks wind and traps heat. It’s a fantastic companion for winter exercise, camping, hiking, and everything in between.
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Party Shirt International Sun Hoodie
When you’re outside, having a good time, and working up a sweat, you need clothes that match the vibes — and your performance needs. That’s where Party Shirt International comes in. This brand sells both stretch-tech button-up shirts and sun hoodies featuring the most fun, wacky, and wild patterns and color options you’ll find anywhere.
We’ve tried the Stretch Tech button-ups before and love them for spring ski days, bikes, and hikes. This year, though, we got a chance to use one of the brand’s Sun Hoodies. Not only do they look awesome and block harmful UV rays, they’re made with some of the softest material we’ve encountered in any garment.
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CMH Heli Skiing Day
If you’re looking to splurge on the skier or rider in your life, why not go big and buy them a bucket list experience? Heli skiing is the penultimate way to get fresh turns deep in the backcountry, and it ain’t cheap. When you start shopping around, it can be easy to spook yourself with price tags in the $10,000-15,000 range.
But, CMH Heli-Skiing & Summer Adventures offers unique single-day heli ski experiences that start around $2,100 per person per day for groups up to eight. The brand is one of the oldest heli ski operations in North America. It has access to over 3 million acres of backcountry terrain across multiple locations in Canada. It also offers special deals and rates for Ikon pass holders through its partnership with Alterra Mountain Company.
And you don’t have to be an expert skier or rider to enjoy it. Your CMH guides will cater to your skill level and can take you to terrain to match it.
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Nikwax Hard-Shell Outerwear Care Kit
Waterproof hard-shell fabrics such as GORE-TEX perform best when they’re clean. Washing helps remove dirt, oils, and/or sweat, which in turn, reactivates and rejuvenates the garment’s breathability. It also improves its lifespan.
That’s why Nikwax offers a Hard-Shell Outerwear Care Kit. The cleaner and waterproofing duo pack is the perfect pre–ski-season stocking stuffer for the active winter athlete in your life. It helps clean, re-waterproof, and revitalize the fabric’s breathability.
Just be sure to follow the instructions that come with it.
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DownWool 270 Insulated Jacket
Having a down jacket you can rely on, that looks good, is comfortable, and is designed with responsibly sourced materials, is a big ask. The Ortovox DownWool 270 Jacket delivers all of that. The insulation is a unique blend of duck down and wool that improves the jacket’s breathability and loft. It also helps if the jacket gets wet, as the wool will still provide insulation even if the down is soaked.
Ortovox designed the DownWool 270 for skiing and riding in cold conditions. It’s lightly water-resistant and windproof, and has a slim profile that fits well under a shell and covers the wearer’s butt. It’s a good-looking jacket that is capable of being worn during higher output activities or around town for more casual use.
In testing, our reviewer called this jacket his “comfort blanket for chilly days.”
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Folkrm Pahto Ski Poles
Usually, when it comes to skiing, a pole is a pole. But the Folkrm Pahto backcountry ski poles challenge that generalization. These are some sweet sticks. They’re made from aircraft-grade 7075 aluminum alloy, which is extremely lightweight (8.1 ounces). The ski straps are beefy and comfortable for uphill travel, and the shaft can be adjusted from 105 to 135 cm.
Of course, the most distinctive feature of these ski poles is their grips. The “Classic Long Grip” is a characteristic feature of Folkrm’s poles. They allowed our tester to adjust his grip on the fly based on the angle of the slope they were skiing across. They also just look cool and feel very ergonomic in your hand.
The Pahto poles are also something of a conversation starter — expect people to ask you about them on the chairlift.
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Ombraz Refugio Sunglasses
While we tested the Ombraz Refugio sunglasses, mountain biking and hiking in Colorado, they are perfect for winter activities, too. Not only does the wraparound, windshield-style lens block out peripheral glare, but as with all Ombraz, they’re armless. That makes them very comfortable to wear under a hat or ski helmet. It also makes these sunglasses less prone to damage when they’re tossed into your ski pack or stuffed in a pocket.
If you take a spill, these sunglasses will hold onto your noggin better than most. They also don’t create pressure points on your skull, are hard to misplace (since they’re strapped to you), and are more hug-friendly than standard sunglasses on a croakie.
The Refugio is the only windshield-style sunglasses that Ombraz makes. The lens is exceptionally clear and doesn’t distort the wearer’s field of view. You can choose from several different lens tint options, as well as a handful of frames.
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Smith 4D MAG ChromaPop
When you’re skiing or riding down a mountain, peripheral vision is extremely important. Being able to see shapes or movement from the corner of your eye helps avoid obstacles and improves reaction time. That’s the whole idea behind the Smith 4D Mag ChromaPop goggles. These high-end goggles use a folded lens shape that enhances the wearer’s peripheral field of view. That, in turn, improves their perception and performance.
Beyond the unique lens shape of the 4D Mags, the ChromaPop lens provides sharp clarity and color. They reduce glare and make colors pop for a brighter and clearer picture.
The 4D Mags are also just a comfortable pair of ski goggles. The layers of foam Smith used on the back are extremely soft and don’t rub or irritate the skin. In testing, we found them to be “one of the most comfortable goggles on the market.”
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Swany Ventos Gloves
When you find that perfect pair of winter gloves, you never want to switch. That’s been our experience with the Swany Ventos. These gloves are made from weather-treated goat skin leather, which is creamy soft to the touch. The colors are muted and natural (which look great with just about any ski or ride outfit). When you slip them on, your hands are swaddled in a cozy fleece lining.
Of course, when it comes to gloves, the most important factor is warmth. The Ventos bring it to the table with a Triplex insulation system that uses PrimaLoft Gold insulation. If you manage to get your Ventos gloves soaking wet, the insulation will still work to keep your hands and digits warm. These are a heavy-duty and effective pair of gloves that will last for many seasons of hard use.
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Smith Method MIPS Helmet
Helmets are the one piece of winter gear that you don’t need until you really need it. However, many people neglect to wear one because they don’t think it looks cool, or they find them too expensive.
The Smith Method MIPS Helmet addresses both of those issues. It’s got a sleek, low profile that is stylish and subdued. It comes in some cool new colorways. Most importantly, it’s also got both Koroyd protection and MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System). The cherry on top? This slick-looking helmet is just $140. That’s why it earned the title of “Best Budget Helmet” on GearJunkie’s guide to the Best Ski Helmets.
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Stellar Equipment Stellar Shell Jacket 2.0
The ski shell market can be hard to break into, but when Stellar Equipment launched into the U.S. with its no-frills Stellar Shell, people noticed. The pared-down three-layer waterproof jacket is a bombproof shell for cold-weather action. It isn’t bedecked with bells and whistles, features, functions, and extras. It’s a fairly basic ski shell made with a clean design that’s billed for freeriding, ski touring, and sidecountry skiing.
Outfitted with two-way zipper pit vents and a helmet-compatible hood, this shell is dialed to protect you from the elements on the slopes. It’s made with 100% pre-consumer recycled Japanese nylon fabric and a Dermizax NX membrane that provides wind and waterproofing. Elastic cords in the hood, collar, and hem make it easy to adjust the fit based on what you’re wearing and the conditions you’re riding in.
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Fjällräven Singi Overshirt
A classic button-down style made with a durable, heavy-duty G-1000 fabric blend, the Fjällräven Singi Overshirt is designed for enjoying cold-weather adventures in style. The shirt’s relaxed fit promotes breathability and room for movement during outdoor activities.
Tailored design elements — chest pockets and adjustable cuffs — give a more polished look and timeless style. Layer this versatile piece with a T-shirt or base layer for a complete, ready-for-adventure outfit. Or throw the shirt over a sweater as a light jacket. The Singi Overshirt comes in men’s and women’s versions and various colors.
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Outdoor Research Cirque III Pants
This is a true bang-for-your-buck value item. These pants get bonus points for coming in 16 different sizes to fit a variety of body types.
Outdoor Research designed the Cirque III with a “simpler is better” ethos. The streamlined silhouette includes a narrow lower cuff to accommodate mountaineering boots, trail runners, or hiking boots — part of what earned them multi-season, workhorse acclaim from our reviewer. They also praised these shell pants for fit and range of motion on the slopes.
The fabrics balance breathability and durability with some reinforcements in high-wear areas. The water resistance isn’t there for wet conditions, but is good enough for soft-shell duty.
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Helly Hansen Odin Everdown Hooded Down Jacket
The Odin Everdown Hooded Jacket is Helly Hansen’s lightest-ever performance down jacket, made to perform on long, intense mountain days. Helping achieve this is the unique insulation of 85% goose down and 15% polyester. Thindown sheet insulation doesn’t use a traditional baffle construction and thus doesn’t put thousands of pinholes into the 10-denier ripstop face fabric.
Other minimalist features include elastic in the hood, hem, and cuffs to retain heat. It also has a RECCO reflector for added safety and searchability.
The jacket’s use of Thindown insulation and recycled, Bluesign-certified materials already earned this jacket an ISPO award.
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Rocky Talkie 5-Watt Radio
GearJunkie has tested a lot of radios over the years, and many of them have similar performance. But the Rocky Talkie 5-Watt Radio is far and away leading the pack, with incredible audio clarity over an impressive 35-mile range and a long-lasting rechargeable battery. The 5-Watt Radio provides 11 weather channels and NOAA weather alerts. It is also IP67-rated for waterproofness.
GearJunkie tested these radios on ice climbing trips in Alaska, elk hunting in the Colorado Rockies, and backcountry skiing in Wyoming, Colorado, and Canada. They consistently impressed our testers with their durability and performance over long ranges and in cold conditions. One tester concluded, “I’m never going back. These radios were gladiators against poor treatment and environments.”
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Sockwell Graduated Compression Ski Socks
Compression socks have become popular among athletes for their reputed ability to reduce fatigue and soreness, minimize swelling, and help soothe tired feet and legs. They work by promoting improved blood flow by gently pushing blood up within your legs. That also works to keep your feet warmer during activities like skiing and riding.
Sockwell’s compression ski socks are some of the best we’ve come across — and unlike most on the market, they’re made from bamboo.
The Sockwell Ski Socks use Accu-fit Technology to fit the wearer’s feet, ankles, and calves perfectly. They are comfortable even though they’re made from bamboo, they’re unrestrictive despite being compression socks, and they’re ideal for anyone who likes to spend long days out on the slopes. They have several styles for both men and women, varying in cushion and weight.
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The Paka Hoodie
Paka’s bestselling pullover isn’t your average hoodie. This artisan sweater is handcrafted in Peru from start to finish. Locally sourced and dyed alpaca wool gives the hoodie an ultra-cozy, incredibly soft feel that rivals cashmere. The naturally thermoregulating and odor-resistant fibers make this hoodie a workhorse for multiple wears between washes.
Plus, the casual, unisex style makes this hoodie a go-to for everyone and any occasion. Wear it as a midlayer for a day on the slopes. Then, seamlessly transition to a dinner out or lounging by the fire.
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Fractel L-Series ‘BLIZZARD’ Edition Fleece Legionnaire Hat
This brand makes an exciting range of outdoor hats, but the Legionnaire hat is a winter go-to for hikes, runs, ski tours, and day-to-day use.
The Polartec Pro fleece legionnaire hat wraps around your face and noggin, keeping them warm while wicking sweat. It’s long in the back to warm your nape and protect it from the sun.
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Zeal Optics Selkirk Glacier Sunglasses
These are a good gift for anyone who plays on top of snow in the winter, not just mountaineers. Zeal makes these stylish glacier goggles with plant-based resin frames and glare-blocking Ellume Polarized lenses.
Side eye protection is a must on alpine ascents, but there’s no reason not to enjoy this level of eye protection anywhere the sun hits iced-over snow. The side shields fold in with the arms and snap into place when they’re open. It’s a timeless look in a classic shape, made with bio-based materials. What more could you ask for from a pair of active eyewear?
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Women’s Patagonia Silent Down Jacket
One of the softest jackets in the Patagonia lineup, the Women’s Silent Down Jacket is designed to be as cozy as it looks. The jacket has a stretchy polyester outer shell with a DWR finish to protect against moisture. Plush 700 fill, 100% recycled down insulation helps retain body heat and gives the coat a luxe-casual look without straying too far from a classic down style.
But this design isn’t just made for looks. Thoughtful features — a center-front reverse-coil zipper, stand-up collar, drawcord hem, and handwarmer pockets with snap closures — make the Silent Down Jacket a go-to for utility and everyday wear.
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Ibex Woolies Pro Tech Base Layers
OK, base layers are not the most exciting gift you can receive. But the right pair of base layers can add a lifetime of comfort and peace of mind. Anyone who knows the outdoors knows Ibex. The vaunted leader in merino wool apparel from back in the day all but disappeared before rising like a phoenix from the ashes, resurrected by employees who loved the brand that much.
So, to say the Woolies Base Layers are built with love is an understatement. But love isn’t the magic ingredient, it’s NuYarn — and there’s no way to explain materials science without sounding boring. But the key here is that NuYarn yields stronger, more thermally efficient materials that combine to make Ibex’s lightest-weight base layers ever. So, in short, they’re lighter, tougher, and warmer than ever.
Anyone who thrives in (or fears) winter will thank you.
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686 Waterproof Hooded Puffer Blanket
Puffy blankets are cute but reserved for inside use when it snows. This waterproof blanket shields from snow and winds while sitting by the fire or tailgating.
This 686 blanket is heavyweight and made from the same two-layer waterproof, breathable fabric as the brand’s snowsports outerwear. A deployable hood covers your head while wearing it more like a poncho, whether you’re seated or standing.
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BlackStrap Hood Balaclava
Made with performance in mind, the BlackStrap Hood Balaclava balances warmth and breathability for the ultimate protection from the elements. The design features moisture-wicking, anti-odor, and freeze-resistant fabric that minimizes chafing and delivers a comfortable next-to-skin feel, even with all-day wear.
Whatever the weather, the Hooded Balaclava has you covered with a wind-rated PERFA lining to minimize windburn and UPF 50+ rating to protect against the sun. The one-size-fits-most design works for most adults, thanks to the four-way stretch material. Choose from more than 20 colors to match every style.
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Big Agnes Full Moon Camp Booties
Down booties are one of those things that you don’t realize you need until you have them. And then, suddenly, you’re using them for everything from hut trips to après skiing or just as slippers around camp or at home. They’re warm, easily slip on and off, and pack down well.
Big Agnes’ Full Moon Booties impressed us when we tested them. The brand, known for its ultra-lightweight tents and camping equipment, came out with these in 2023. And they’re some of the warmest and most durable synthetic insulated booties we’ve come across.
Our tester concluded, “For hanging out in a hut, cabin, ski chalet, or backcountry camping during cool nights, the Big Agnes booties are perfect.”
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How to Shop for Winter Gifts
If you want to buy someone in your life something for winter but don’t really know where to start, you should first consider what that person likes to do.
Are they a skier? Are they a snowboarder? Do they climb ice? Or do they just prefer easy winter hikes on mellow, snowy trails? Answering that question will tell you what section of the store or website to start searching in.
Next, you should identify a budget before getting lost in the shopping. Outdoor gear can be very expensive, and narrowing your search by price helps weed out a lot of options.
We’d also encourage you to do some research. There are a lot of brands out there that offer similar products with totally different features (for example, down versus synthetic fill) or levels of quality.
And some people are very particular about their outdoor gear. You don’t want to buy something nice for someone only to discover, upon gifting it to them, that it’s not a brand they trust, or it’s a model that has issues. A few simple internet searches can help avoid that. Talking with people who work at an outdoor retailer like REI or Moosejaw can help a lot as well.
Why Should You Trust Us?
Between winter camping, backcountry skiing, and downhill skiing, GearJunkie’s ski and snowsports editors spend well over a hundred days a season on snow. So, trust us when we tell you that having the right gear is an absolute necessity for having fun outdoors in the winter. There are few feelings more comforting than crawling into a warm sleeping bag when it’s freezing out or making blower powder turns in a bombproof ski jacket.
The gear we chose to include in this guide is gear we’ve personally used or interacted with and given our stamp of approval to. We know better than almost anyone how disappointing it can be when you get gear or apparel that fails to do its job. That can be downright dangerous in the wintertime. We want to help you (and your loved ones) avoid that when buying winter gifts.
The products we included in this guide are all high-quality items that will perform when (and how) you need them to.
Want more gift ideas? Check out our other gift guides and buying guides.
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