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 will offer that special someone plenty of use all season long. We’ve personally tested or interacted with everything on this list and given it our official GearJunkie seal of approval.
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 suite every adventurer on your list!
Winter Gift Ideas for 2024
Fjällräven Singi Overshirt — Men’s & Women’s: $150
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.
Outdoor Research Cirque III Pants — Men’s & Women’s: $179
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 good enough for soft shell duty.
Helly Hansen Odin Everdown Hooded Down Jacket — Men’s & Women’s: $450
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.
Raide Research 40L Pack: $399
Raide perfected the ultralight expandable backcountry ski pack with this debut 40L. You can remove the frame to reduce its weight. A roll top expands the capacity to enough for multinight hut trips. Our review called it “one of the most fully featured and carefully designed backpacks I’ve ever interacted with.”
The pack has easy access to avi tools. The removable back support doubles as a sit pad or medical brace. It’s made of waterproof Dyneema, is available in two colors, and is sexy as hell. Plus, you’ll get more than a couple of nods from other Raide Research fans whenever you wear it into the backcountry — this brand already has a cult following.
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.
The Paka Hoodie: $139
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.
Fractel L-Series ‘BLIZZARD’ Edition Fleece Legionnaire Hat: $65
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.
Zeal Optics Selkirk Glacier Sunglasses: $179
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?
Patagonia Silent Down Jacket — Women’s: $269
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, standup collar, drawcord hem, and handwarmer pockets with snap closures — make the Silent Down Jacket a go-to for utility and everyday wear.
Ibex Woolies Pro Tech Base Layers: From $115
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.
686 Waterproof Hooded Puffer Blanket: From $76
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.
Leki Patrol 3D Gloves: $130
Many know Leki for its hiking poles, but the brand also makes some killer gloves and mittens. The Patrol 3D is a goatskin leather ski glove with synthetic PrimaLoft insulation. These gloves are warm and have great dexterity thanks to the supple leather and built-in finger waves that make them feel broken in right off the shelf.
These gloves also sport Leki’s proprietary trigger system. If used with Leki Trigger S or Trigger 3D ski poles, a small loop between the thumb and the forefinger snaps into the handle of the pole. Then, there’s no need for ski straps.
To release, simply press the trigger on the pole grip, and the loop will come free. Check out our review of the Leki trigger system for more info.
Big Agnes Full Moon Camp Booties: $70
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.”
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.
