Gifts for Skiers and Snowboarders

By the Which Gift editorial team How we choose gifts

  • 20 gift ideas
  • From under $25 to $100 and up
  • 9 niche picks
Paper-craft ski goggles, helmet, mittens, skis, neck gaiter and wrapped gift on lilac

Good gifts for skiers are gear that makes a day on the mountain more comfortable: goggles, a helmet, a boot dryer, rechargeable hand warmers or merino layers. For tinkerers, try a home tuning kit or rub-on wax. These 20 ideas suit skiers and snowboarders, from beginners to backcountry fans.

Quick picks

The best gifts for skiers and snowboarders fix the small annoyances of a ski day: foggy goggles, cold hands, damp boots and a long walk from the car. We picked gear that a regular rider would recognize, with a few specialist tools for people who wax their own skis.

The ideas are grouped into goggles and helmets, warm gear, tuning and waxing, carrying and storing gear, and books. For skiers who also hike or camp, Gifts for Hikers has more outdoor ideas.

Ideas 1 to 3

Goggles and helmet gifts for skiers

Eye and head gear for all-weather riding.

1 Smith goggles with ChromaPop lenses

Best for: Skiers and snowboarders who ride in all weather

  • Typically $100 and up

Smith's ChromaPop lenses boost contrast in flat light, which helps a skier or snowboarder read the snow on gray days. They suit riders who ski in all weather. Check how the goggles fit with their helmet, and note that colors are listing options. Colors are listing options, so ask which tint they like or choose a neutral one.

Tip: Check how the goggles fit with their helmet.

2 OTG goggles for glasses wearers

Best for: Skiers who wear glasses

  • Typically under $50
  • Niche pick

Over-the-glasses goggles leave room for prescription frames, so a skier who wears glasses can see clearly without switching to contacts. It is a thoughtful gift for glasses wearers. Check the fit over their frames before you order. They are a considerate choice for any skier who wears glasses on the mountain.

Tip: Check the fit over their frames before you order.

3 A MIPS ski helmet

Best for: Skiers in an old helmet

  • Typically under $100

MIPS is a liner system now common in snow helmets, and the Giro Ledge pairs it with a simple, adjustable fit, which suits a skier using an old helmet. Ask head size first and match the helmet to their goggles. Replace any helmet after a hard hit.

Tip: Ask head size first; sizes and colors are listing options.

Ideas 4 to 10

Warm gear gifts for skiers

Boot dryers, hand warmers and layers for cold days.

4 A boot dryer

Best for: Skiers who start the day in damp boots

  • Typically under $50
  • Niche pick

Ski boot liners stay damp overnight, and a gentle boot dryer gives a skier warm, dry boots every morning of a trip. It suits a skier who starts the day in damp boots. It is also useful at home between days on the slopes. It also helps a skier who rents a lodge or a cabin and wants dry boots for the next morning.

Tip: Handy on a ski trip and at home between days.

5 Rechargeable hand warmers

Best for: Skiers with cold hands

  • Typically under $25

Rechargeable warmers slip into mittens on cold chairlift rides and recharge for the next day, which suits a skier whose hands get cold. A 2-pack lets them warm both hands. Check that they have a USB charger. They are small enough for a stocking, and a skier can keep a pair in a pocket for lift lines.

Tip: A 2-pack covers both hands; check they have a USB charger.

6 A fleece neck gaiter

Best for: Skiers who hate wind on the lift

  • Typically under $25

A fleece gaiter blocks wind on the lift and pulls up over the chin on cold runs, which suits a skier who hates wind on the lift. It packs small and fits in a jacket pocket. It is a low-cost stocking stuffer. It is light, so a skier can keep it in a jacket pocket or wear it all day.

Tip: A small stocking stuffer for any skier.

7 A merino balaclava

Best for: Skiers in cold climates

  • Typically under $50

A thin merino balaclava fits under a helmet and covers the face on the coldest days, which suits a skier in cold climates. Merino wool is a classic cold-weather material. It is thin enough to wear under a helmet. It is a good gift for someone who rides in cold weather and wants to add warmth without bulk.

Tip: Check it is thin enough to fit under their helmet.

8 A merino base layer

Best for: Skiers in cotton or synthetic layers

  • Typically under $100

A merino base layer suits a skier wearing cotton or synthetic layers under their jacket, and it is a good basic for a multi-day trip. Ask size first. A women's version is listed separately from the men's one. It works as a gift for a skier who wants something they will wear on every trip, so ask for the right size first.

Tip: Ask size; men's and women's versions are separate.

9 Ski socks with targeted cushion

Best for: Skiers wearing regular socks in boots

  • Typically under $25

Ski socks are thin where boots press and padded on the shin, a difference a skier notices after a few runs. They suit skiers wearing regular socks in their boots. Ask size, and pair with a base layer for a set. They are a practical gift that a skier will wear all season, and a good match with a pair of new boots.

Tip: Ask size before you buy; pair with a base layer.

10 Leather three-finger ski gloves

Best for: Skiers with worn-out gloves

  • Typically $100 and up

Hestra's Army Leather Heli is a warm, durable leather glove, and the three-finger design keeps fingers warmer than five-finger gloves while still gripping poles. It suits a skier with worn-out gloves. It is a bigger purchase, so ask size. A durable leather glove suits a skier ready to replace a worn pair.

Tip: Ask hand size; fit matters for gloves.

Ideas 11 to 14

Tuning and waxing gifts for skiers

Home waxing and tool gifts for skiers who tinker.

11 A home tuning kit

Best for: Skiers who want to wax at home

  • Typically under $100
  • Niche pick

Waxing and edge tuning at home keeps skis or a board fast and grippy, and this kit includes the iron, wax and tools to start, so it suits a skier who wants to wax at home. It is a good beginner step into home tuning. Pair it with a ski vise.

Tip: Pair with a vise to hold skis steady.

12 Rub-on wax for the slopes

Best for: Skiers and riders on spring snow

  • Typically under $25
  • Niche pick

A rub-on wax fixes sticky snow mid-day without an iron and fits in a jacket pocket, which suits skiers and riders on spring snow. It is a small, low-cost gift for a snowboarder or a skier. It works for skis, snowboards and Nordic skis. It takes seconds to apply, so a skier can use it at the lift or in a parking lot without any tools.

Tip: Works on skis, snowboards and Nordic skis.

13 A ski and snowboard multi-tool

Best for: Snowboarders and skiers who tinker

  • Typically under $25
  • Niche pick

The Dakine Torque Driver fits binding screws on skis and snowboards, handy for adjustments on the mountain, which suits a snowboarder or skier who tinkers. It is a small tool that fits in a pocket or a pack. Check it suits their bindings. It is small enough for a pack or a jacket pocket, so it fits a rider who likes to adjust on the mountain.

Tip: Check it fits their bindings.

14 A ski vise for home tuning

Best for: Skiers who wax and tune at home

  • Typically $100 and up
  • Niche pick

A ski vise holds skis steady on a bench for waxing and edge work, the piece that turns a tune kit into a real home setup. It suits skiers who wax and tune at home. It adjusts from 40 to 100 mm, so check it fits their ski width.

Tip: Adjusts from 40 to 100 mm; check their ski width.

Ideas 15 to 18

Gifts for carrying and storing ski gear

Bags, carriers and racks for travel and the garage.

15 A padded ski bag

Best for: Skiers who fly to the mountains

  • Typically under $100

A padded bag protects skis and poles on flights and road trips, which suits a skier who flies to the mountains. It is water-resistant. Check the ski length against the bag sizes before you order. A padded bag is a good gift before a ski trip, and a single bag holds one pair of skis and poles.

Tip: Check ski length against the bag size.

16 A heated boot bag

Best for: Skiers who dread cold boots

  • Typically $100 and up
  • Niche pick

A heated boot bag warms boots on the drive up, so they go on warm and soft at the trailhead. It suits a skier who dreads cold boots. It is a splurge, and the power options are on the listing, so check how it charges.

Tip: Check the power options on the listing.

17 A ski and boot carrier strap

Best for: Skiers with a long walk from the lot

  • Typically under $25
  • Niche pick

A shoulder strap carries skis and boots together from the car to the lodge, leaving hands free for poles. It suits a skier with a long walk from the lot. It is a low-cost gift that rides in the car all season. It is simple and light, so it fits in a stocking, and it saves a trip back to the car for a skier with gear.

Tip: A low-cost add-on for any skier.

18 A wall rack for skis

Best for: Families with a pile of skis

  • Typically under $100

A wall rack gets skis off the garage floor and keeps edges from banging into each other over the summer, which suits a family with a pile of skis. This one holds 8 pairs. Check the wall space before you order. It is a good gift for a family with several skiers, and it frees floor space in a garage or a basement.

Tip: It holds 8 pairs; check the wall space.

Ideas 19 to 20

Books for skiers

Stories and safety reading for skiers.

19 Warren Miller's memoir

Best for: Skiers who grew up on ski movies

  • Typically under $25

Warren Miller's ski films shaped American ski culture, and his memoir tells the story behind them, which suits a skier who grew up on ski movies. It is an easy, low-cost read for a ski lover. A thoughtful gift for someone who loves the sport's history.

Tip: A good read for skiers who love ski movies.

20 Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain

Best for: Skiers curious about the backcountry

  • Typically under $25
  • Niche pick

Bruce Tremper's guide is a standard read for skiers heading into the backcountry, best paired with an avalanche course. It suits a skier curious about the backcountry. It is a book, not a substitute for training. It is a thoughtful gift for a skier thinking about touring, though the reading is a start rather than a replacement for a course.

Tip: Best paired with an avalanche course.

Frequently asked questions

What are good gifts for skiers?

Look for gear that fixes small annoyances: goggles with good lenses, OTG goggles for glasses wearers, a boot dryer, rechargeable hand warmers or a fleece neck gaiter. A merino base layer and ski socks suit multi-day trips. Ask for sizes before you buy clothing.

What are good gifts for snowboarders?

A rub-on wax, a Dakine Torque Driver multi-tool, goggles, a helmet and a neck gaiter all suit snowboarders as much as skiers. A boot dryer and rechargeable hand warmers help on cold trips. Check helmet and glove sizes first.

What are good gifts for skiers who have everything?

Try specialist gear: a home tuning kit with a ski vise, a heated boot bag, a Dakine Torque Driver or a leather three-finger glove. Warren Miller's memoir suits a skier who loves ski films. Check what they already own.

What are good Christmas gifts for skiers?

A neck gaiter, rechargeable hand warmers or rub-on wax fit a stocking. Goggles, a boot dryer or a merino base layer are mid-size gifts, and a heated boot bag or a ski vise are bigger ones. Ski season is now, so order early.

What are good gifts for skiers who tune their own skis?

A tuning kit with an iron and wax is a starting point, and a Swix ski vise holds skis steady on a bench. A rub-on wax is a small extra for the pocket. Check the vise fits their ski width.