Here’s a range of cool Christmas gifts for skiers to suit all budgets (for pics of all of ‘em go to the websites listed).
OPINEL ‘3 CONTINENTS’ LIMITED EDITION KNIFE www.whitbyandco.co.uk £89.95
Celebrating its 125th anniversary, Opinel has released a special edition of its world famous pocket knife to mark the occasion.
The No. 8 pocket knife retains its classic shape and robust design with the added attraction of a beautifully crafted handle shaped from African black ebony, American rosewood and European boxwood, whilst the blade is made from polished stainless steel. It’s available in a limited quantity of 4000 and each is engraved with its own unique number, so get your order in quick!
BLACK DIAMOND ION HEAD TORCH £25 www.blackdiamondequipment.eu
The Black Diamond Ion headlamp offers 80 lumens of light and is tiny enough to pop in your pocket. There’s a touch-control housing which lets you switch from full power to dimmed, strobe or red night vision lighting at the swipe of a finger. Ideal for everything from ski touring to late-night-staggering-home-from-the-party.
PATAGONIA POWDERTOWN BEANIE £35 www.patagonia.com/eu
You gotta have a beanie in amongst the Christmas gifts…
This offering from Patagonia is soft, snug and thick enough to keep you warm in the depths of winter, as well as having a cool pattern. What’s not to like?
PRO-FEET GIFT VOUCHERS www.profeet.co.uk
The classic gift for the lazy or unimaginative shopper! But a Pro-Feet gift voucher could be worth its weight in gold since these are the ‘go to’ dudes for comfy ski boots, warm feet and the like. Vouchers available for various prices (a custom ski boot fit costs £169.95).
BLACK DIAMOND MOJI LANTERN £20 www.blackdiamondequipment.eu
The Moji is a pocket-sized lantern ideal for everything from camping to putting on snow chains (which always seems to be something you do at night, in a blizzard) A streamlined, single-piece design houses a frosted globe for even distribution of the LED, which emits 100 lumens at max setting. A dimming switch provides adjustable brightness, and a collapsible double-hook hang loop makes it easy to suspend.
PACKTOWL TOWELS £9.00-25.00 www.packtowl.com
If you’re on a self-catering ski holiday and have to take your own towels, this is a great option as not only are they exceptionally soft and smooth, they pack away very compactly and are available in a range of sizes. Also great for camping, watersports, the gym etc.
E-CASE PHONE CASES £8 – £30 www.cascadedesigns.com/e-case
E-case offer a range of waterproof cases for most generations of smartphones and other e-devices. They are 100% submersible meaning they will lock out snow and water and you can text, talk, listen to music and take pics with the case on.
PIEPS 30° PLUS £49.99 www.pieps.com
The 30° Plus is an electronic inclinometer that attaches to your ski pole and allows you to quickly and easily check slope angle – very useful if you’re skiing in the backcountry and want to avoid potential avalanche terrain. It also comes with a thermometer for current air temperature.
LEKI HOT SHOT S SKI POLE £119.95 www.leki.com
This really is one for the skier who has everything – a ski pole with a ‘beverage compartment’. You unscrew the grip, pour in 75ml of your favourite tipple with the help of the built-in funnel, screw the grip back on and away you go. Perfect for those long, cold chairlift rides…
HYDROFLASK BOTTLES £23.95 for 21oz version www.hydroflask.com
Hydroflask produce a cool range of stainless steel flasks with funky designs which will keep your coffee hot or your beer cold – or just prevent your water from freezing on very cold days.
ROXY BIOTHERM COLLAR £21.99-£25 www.ellis-brigham.com
The fleece lining of this neck warmer/face mask is impregnated with skin saving Biotherm moisturising technology to avoid chapping and windburn – and no, it doesn’t feel greasy or sticky…
ZARDOZ WAXER £11 www.ellis-brigham.com
It sounds like a Dr. Who villain, but Zardoz is actually a very useful ski waxing gizmo. Just dampen the puck, and rub it on the base for superfast gliding; it’s really useful on wet snow, and you can carry it with you in your pack or pocket.
SALOMON QUEST ACCESS CUSTOM HEAT BOOTS £380 www.salomon.com
The first custom ski boots with built-in heaters, the Quest Access has a fully-integrated Thermi-Ic heated liner which is guaranteed to keep your feet warm no matter how cold the weather. Not cheap, but you’ll be glad of them on seriously sub-zero days.
PATAGONIA SYNCHILLA SCARF £32 www.patagonia.com/eu
A traditional Christmas gift that works as well in town as on the mountain, the Synchilla scarf is soft, snug and warm, just as a good scarf should be.