Panicking about what to get for your skiing or snowboarding friend or family member? We've got you covered with the latest gadgets and useful skiing-related items. Here are some great gift ideas to make this the easiest person on your Christmas list!
One of the most inconvenient parts of a ski holiday is trying to dress for the weather. You work up a sweat skiing down a difficult piste, only to freeze to death on the windy chairlift. The solution? A balaclava or neck warmer which you can easily roll up or down. Buff makes a variety of neck warmers in fun designs that are sure to please any skier or snowboarder on your list!
Phone batteries seem to die super quickly on the slopes - a side-effect of the cold, and of whipping the phone out every two seconds to snap photos of those irresistible Alps! Save the day with a portable charger so your skier friend can charge on the go. Or get them the Phoozy Thermal Phone Case, which takes it one step further by shielding your phone from the cold, extending your battery life by up to 3 times.
Hand warmers are such a lifesaver on chilly days, but they can seem like a luxury if they're for single-use only. The solution? Reusable hand warmers. Just drop them in boiling water and enjoy warm hands for the next hour and a half.
For the music lover on your holiday gift list, why not buy helmet headphones so they can take their favourite tunes to the snow park? No more fiddling with wires dangling down to their phone - this makes it easy to ski or snowboard while listening to music. Just remember to check that the headphones are compatible with their helmet, and remind them not to turn the music up so loud that they can't hear what's happening around them.
Yes, socks are the ultimate boring Christmas gift, but I'll let you in on a secret: we skiers love good ski socks. Most of us don't have 7 pairs of socks for all 7 days of our ski holiday, and although merino wool has a reputation for not being smelly, after 7 days on the slopes some of us beg to disagree! Good-quality woollen ski socks not only help keep the feet warm, they also come in all sorts of funky designs.
Ah, manky boots... one of the perennial struggles of being a skier! That's why this banana boot dryer might just be one of the best things we've ever heard of. Specially formulated to suck all the moisture out of your boots without heat, it will make them more comfortable to put on in the morning and will help dry them out before the long summer months so you don't start off next year's ski season with mouldy boots.
It's not glamourous, but your skier friend will thank you for getting them a boot bag this Christmas, saving them the hassle of coordinating two heavy, ungainly items on top of all their other ski gear.
Every skier and snowboarder dreams of seeing themselves on the big screen! With the gift of a GoPro, you can help them document all their latest tricks. If your budget doesn't extend to the latest GoPro, there are plenty of cheaper options that are almost as good.
Ok, yes, they do have those finicky little metal bits that are meant to keep them together, but sometimes skis always seem to fall apart when you're carrying them. That's when ski carry straps can come in handy. Just wrap them around your skis, sling them across your shoulder and you're good to go!
Those mountain restaurants can be an expensive place to grab a tipple, but some genius has invented the ultimate workaround - a flask embedded in your ski poles to keep your spirits up (pun intented). The cleverly named Whiski Poles can hold a pint per pole and are actually suitable for skiing with. Remember, always ski responsibly!
If you really love them and it's in your budget, why not gift a ski holiday? Sunweb has surprisingly reasonable prices on packages including accommodation and lift pass. Find out more >
Born and raised in the ski paradise of Vancouver, Canada, I learned to ski before I can remember, balancing precariously on my parents’ skis as they sailed down the hill. I started snowboarding in my teens and am now delighted to be exploring everything Europe’s ski scene has to offer!
