Holiday Gift Guide 2021

Relaunched by, former POWDER Managing Editor, Mike Rogge in 2020. Mountain Gazzette is a favorite of ours here at Gear Institute. The large format (11×17) beauitfully printed magazine is filled with long-form stories, poetry, essays and stunning photography. Get a subscription for the mountain lovers in your life — and maybe pick up one for yourself while you’re at it.

The new Five Ten Trailcross GTX is the first ever flat pedal shoe that features GORE-TEX durably waterproof, breathable technology for the mountain biker in your life. If your giftee rides in rain, mud, sleet and snow — these will keep them dry and comfortable. The ankle-height shoe features a waterproof, breathable upper, and a flexible, neoprene, hook-and-loop closure that ensures no debris, water or snow sneaks down into the shoe. This bike & hike shoe is designed for all day comfort on the bike and the trail – even if your route is full of puddles or muddy from snowmelt.

This award winning novel from Chris Kalman explores a dilemma adventure can present. What if a place is so beautiful, so awe inspiring it attracts crowds that lead it toward ruin. This is a question Kalman explores in his third book that just recently won the Mountain Fiction & Poetry section of the Banff Mountain Book Competition. Kalman expertly weaves a vivid story through complex characters and unexplored places for the reader to enjoy. Purchase his beautifully hard-bound book via his website using the button below.

Goggles are an essential piece of gear for hitting the hill. I was knee deep in powder on a slope in Nesiko, Japan when my googles started fogging & freezing. Thankfully, my ski partner that day had an extra pair of these in his pack. They saved the day, and a lot of pow turns! Do you friends or family a favor and upgrade their goggle game this year with these Smartefy’s from Shred (Ted Ligiey’s company).

Flylow makes some of the cleanest, functional ski gear out there. Their no-nonsense design and colors lend themselves to all types of mountain riders. I’ve skied all my downhill in Flylow pants for the past ten years, and don’t have any plans to change my ways. Check out their men’s and women’s bibs that are loaded with extra pockets, vents, and ensures that snow stays out.

Everything they need to wax their board(s) at home. This kit includes a wax iron, 1 bar of Cool Glide wax, 1 bar of Warm Glide wax, wax brush, wax scraper and a travel bag. And MountainFLOW is eco-friendly & biodegradable — no more leaving a trail of crude oil byproducts in the snow pack.

Columbia Sportswear is known for its proprietary tech. They come up with innovations that drive their goal for you to “Stay outdoors longer.” The latest iteration of their Omni-Heat reflective technology is Omni-Heat Infinity which, through a new expanded pattern of gold dots, reflects more of your body heat to keep you warm – while maintaining the breathability of the fabric. The result is top performing outdoor gear without the bulkiness of extra insulation. Check out the Omni-Heat Infinity products using the link below – and no, this is not a sponsored post.. it’s just great gear.

As a fairly avid poker player, this would be at the top of my stocking stuffer list! This kit includes all-weather playing cards, 120 chips in three different colors/denominations, all enclosed in a handy little tin case.

Even if you’re like me and didn’t make it much past cub scouts, it’s good to be prepared. This medical kit has everything they may need when out on a powder mission or on a weekend camping trip. It contains common medications like ibuprofen & antihistamine, as well as bandages, moleskin, tape, and antibiotic ointments. It’s waterproof, compact, and lightweight at only 1/2 a pound. This is the kind of gift you hope they won’t need.

I know – socks are not an exciting gift… but perhaps you’ve never tried Bombas. Back in the old days of Gear Institute, I was just the lowly sock tester – so trust me when I say I’ve tried just about every sock out there. Bombas are the best. There are others that are good, and certainly it’s a different story when it comes to ski socks, but for everyday socks, running socks, and hiking socks – nobody beats these. Plus, for every pair you buy, a pair is donated to those in need… it’s a big win-win.

In the world of men’s underwear, in my opinion, Saxx reigns supreme. Their patented pouch, and maximum comfort fabrics will keep him focused on running, biking, hiking or whatever adventure he’s on. I like this longer leg model to grant a little bit more protection from a cold chair lift seat or the snowy bench at the mid-mountain lodge.

Goal Zero has, probably, the best portable, laptop powerbank in their Sherpa 100. It’s slim, it’s light and has an AC inverter built right in! It’ll charge a laptop twice, it’ll charge a phone eight times. I take it with me every time I travel overseas, and it replaces the need to use an adapter on trips of a week or less. If you’re looking to wow someone on your gift list with the best travel capable, portable power bank with a wall outlet built right in — this is the one.

If you’re planning a getaway, this is the luggage to get you there. It’s absolutely bomb proof. It has handles for carrying like a duffel, and adjustable straps to wear as a backpack. It has cinch down straps to compress your load, and plenty of handles and attachment points in case you find yourselves traveling by sled or snow cat. The pictured large size holds 95 liters while there are also medium, x-large, and xx-large sizes available. And if you get them in the Summit Gold color (pictured above), they’re really hard to miss on a luggage carousel.

Sometimes coffee is a must on the way to the ski hill, trail, or, god forbid, work… This steel, insulated mug keeps beverages hot and cold drinks cold for hours. I’ve had an Otterbox mug for years now – they make more than just phone cases! These insulated mugs work great and stand up to just about any kind of abuse.

If you’re tired of putting the seats down, cleaning up dirty snow from the back of the car and making the backseat an unusable mess — get a rack. This aerodynamic rack from Yakima will fit up to 6 pair of skis or 4 snowboards. And it’s universal mounting system will work with most car/suv roof racks.

On a cold day, the first things to freeze are fingers. Hestra makes warm, durable gloves that will keep fingers toasty, even in single digits, while still affording the dexterity needed while burning laps off the summit chair. They’re a bit pricey, but whoever you buy these for will hardly be able to repay you.