Hopefully, we will be able to ski and snowboard on Scottish snow this season, or perhaps even get away for a European trip. For the skier or snowboarder in your life, these are 19 (or more!) ideas for a great Christmas gift, or two.
Lonely Mountain Skis: The Sneachda
Lonely Mountain handcrafts skis in Perthshire, Scotland. Not only are they lovingly made of wood but they also look fantastic and they ski beautifully (according to many people’s reports). The Sneachda ski is an ISPO 2016/2017 Gold Award winner and as happy being pushed hard on steep descents or doing laps of the piste. Note: Unless already in stock, the skis are made to order and take three to five weeks to manufacture. from the time of purchase.
£1250, LMS Sneachda skis
Bataleon Camel 2 snowboard
New for 2021, Bataleon have added the Camel 2 to their range. With a range of features including Pow Triple Base Technology (3BT),it is the next step in all-mountain directional riding.
RRP £429.95, Absolute Snow
Black Crows Men’s Corvus Freebird Backcountry Skis 2020
Back country skiing – also called ski touring – is a fast growing activity and it is perfect for Scotland. You can get away from the busy resorts and explore according to your own experience. There are plenty of skis to choose form, but these are possibly the prettiest. The are described as: “Floaty and playful in soft spring snow”. Plus “the blend and length of tip/tail progressive rocker make it great through all turn shapes and styles”.
£469 (as I published this), Ellis Brigham
Salomon S/PRO 120 Ski Boot
These boots are built for male skiers looking for high performance. A top-rated fit is possible thank to a MY CUSTOMFIT 4D liner and customisation shell. A bespoke fitting service is available at Ellis Brigham stores.
£390, Ellis Brigham
Scarpa Women’s Gea RS Backcountry Ski Boots 2021
Many ski brand make both on-piste and off-piste ski boots. Scarpa is a favourite of mine. The Gea RS is female-specific and has achieved legendary status among freeriders and tourers thanks to its lightness and uphill comfort along with firmness and control on the downhill.
£520, Ellis Brigham
Scott Women’s Ultimate Dryo Jacket
The Scott Women’s Ultimate Dryo Jacket combines warmth and waterproofing with great style.
£290, tiso.com
Maier Sports Coral Flash ski jacket
Made for women, the Coral Flash ski jacket provides waterproofing and breathability plus mTHERM insulation. It is sold in three different colours with a choice of 10 sizes. The brand also sells men’s ski jackets. There is a MT.CHEGET M jacket for the same price.
£269.95, www.maier-sports.com
Maier Sports Coral ski pants – new for 2020-21 season
Coral ski pants, to match the jacket, are waterproof, breathable and nicely insulated, too. There are two colour choices and an impressive 20 sizes.
£179.95, www.maier-sports.com
Planks Women’s All-Time Insulated Jacket
Designed with RIDEdry 15 waterproof fabric, the All-Time Insulated Jacket can handle tough conditions. It also has a great stretch and super-soft feel, as well as an array of pockets and details such as glove loops and brushed tricot chin protection.
£179.98, Wild Bounds
Floa Backcountry baselayer top
Whatever your style of skiing, whether on-piste, off-piste or back country, a baselayer is vital for warmth and reducing dampness from sweat. The award-winning Floa merino base will make a great gift. Male and female fit.
£99, floasports.com
Picture Anna Mitts
The Anna Mitts are warm and waterproof with strong eco-credentials, including recycled polyester outer fabric, plus a waterproof and breathable membrane, and recycled Thermal Standard insulation.
£60, from Ellis Brigham
Burton Burke hood
Burton’s Burke hood is a warm and comfortable hood with a built-in face mask that will keep you protected from the elements while skiing or snowboarding. The Dryride Ultrawick Fleece construction provides warmth, moisture management and breathability.
£29.95, Absolute Snow
SunGod ski goggles
Sungod Vanguards are a great buy and can be customised for colours and lenses. They are excellent wrap-around lenses. See my review.
£110, SunGod.
GogglesCover: Protective ski and snowboard goggles cover
Avoid the otherwise inevitably scratched lenses when the goggles are not in use with a fitted stretch fabric cover.
£10.99, Amazon
Ortovox Zoom+ avalanche safety kit
This package from Ortovox has been pre-selected to include everything you will need for any backcountry adventure. It includes an Ortovox Zoom+ Avalanche Transceiver, Ortovox Alu 240 Avalanche Safety Probe and Ortovox Badger 2.5 Avalanche Safety Snow Shovel.
RRP: £229.95, Absolute Snow
Mons Royal Lift Access Sock
A mid-weight ski sock designed for everyday comfort with integrated ankle and arch support. Made with a blended merino yarn, it’s light and temperature regulating.
£25, tiso.com
Whitby Hand Warmer
This would be a great stocking filler. Beautifully designed and highly practical, it will keep hands warm for up to 12 hours and can be re-used 90 times before requiring a new burner. You re-fill it with fuel for each use.
£19.95 at www.whitbyandco.co.uk and £18.83 at Amazon
HONOR GPS Pro watch
A tough sportswatch that features a rugged design, touchscreen, altitude barometer and supports GPS tracking. It is useful for a wide range of activities, such as walking, running and swimming, and now boasts a new skiing mode to automatically track skiing exercise.
RRP: £319, www.hihonor.com and various product options on Amazon.
Sidas Pro Drywarmer
Ski and snowboard boots end up very smelly if they are left to dry on their own, or, worse still, not dry out. The Sidas Pro drywarmer will prove useful for all kinds of outdoor boots.
£26.38, Amazon
- I receive a small commission for the sale of some items through various platforms. This helps to support me to be able to write blogs and reviews.