Ascent & Après

Gift Guide · Holiday 2026, $100 to $350

For the one who actually goes out

Off-white card reading For the one who actually goes out, Gifts that get used in weather, above the Ascent & Après logo

This one is for the person who is out before the lifts open and back after dark. Everything here is technical, and everything here also looks right at the bar afterward. Each piece names what it is made of and where it falls short, because this person will find out on the first cold day anyway.

How these were picked

Gear we would trust in weather, in black where we could find it. Avalanche safety gear is left off on purpose: it needs training to go with it, not a bow.

Prices as listed by each store on September 23, 2026. They move, especially after Thanksgiving.

Hands

Gloves 2

The gift they will notice every single day.

  1. Leather gloves Hestra

    Army Leather Heli Ski, 5 finger, black

    Army goat leather with Triton polyamide, G-Loft insulation, removable liner. Comes with leather balm.

    Hestra says plainly that this glove has no waterproof membrane. Keep the leather balmed and it handles dry snow well. Hestra also makes a women's cut, the Heli Ski Female.

    $185 Shop at Hestra

  2. Work gloves Give'r

    4-Season Give'r Gloves

    Grade A cowhide finished with beeswax, Hipora membrane, 40 g Thinsulate and fleece.

    Shoveling, splitting wood, skiing. Give'r says it changed its sizing recently, so check the chart. Keep them away from direct heat to dry.

    $119 Shop at Give'r

Layers

What goes under the shell 4

  1. Merino base Ortovox

    185 Rock'n'Wool Long Sleeve W, Black Raven

    100% merino wool, 19 micron.

    A pure merino base from a German mountain brand. The page does not say where it is made.

    $130 Shop at Ortovox

  2. Synthetic midlayer Arc'teryx

    Atom Hoody Women's

    Nylon ripstop with DWR, Coreloft Compact insulation at 60 g/m², stretch fleece side panels.

    Warm when damp, which down is not. Water repellent, not waterproof. Check the colors on the day you order.

    $300 Shop at Arc'teryx

  3. Down Patagonia

    Women's Down Sweater Hoody, black

    800-fill RDS down, recycled nylon ripstop with DWR. 343 g. Made in Bangladesh, Fair Trade Certified.

    Packs into its own pocket and goes over everything. Reviewers say the inside drop pockets have no sewn bottoms, so do not trust them with a phone.

    $345 Shop at Patagonia

  4. Down Rab

    Microlight Alpine Down Jacket, women's, black

    700-fill recycled down with a hydrophobic finish, Pertex Quantum shell. 13.22 oz.

    A little heavier and warmer than the Patagonia, with a shell that sheds light snow. Pick one of the two, not both.

    $325 Shop at Backcountry

Head and eyes

Helmet, goggles, light 3

  1. Helmet POC

    Obex BC MIPS, Uranium Black Matt

    MIPS Evolve, RECCO reflector, NFC medical ID chip. 530 g in M-L.

    Built for backcountry days, with a RECCO reflector that rescue teams can find. A helmet should be fitted, so include the receipt.

    $300 Shop at POC

  2. Goggles Smith

    I/O MAG Snow Goggles, black frame

    ChromaPop lens plus a bonus low-light lens, magnetic lens change, anti-fog.

    Swapping lenses at the top of a flat-light run takes seconds. Low-bridge fit is sold separately, so ask which they need.

    $295 Shop at Smith

  3. Headlamp Petzl

    Swift RL, Black/Orange

    1,200 lumens, reactive lighting, USB-C rechargeable. 92 g.

    For dawn patrol and the walk out after dark. Rated IPX4, so it is weather resistant, not waterproof.

    $134.95 Shop at Petzl

Before you buy

Where it falls short

Fit matters more than price

Gloves, helmets and goggles all depend on fit. Gift the receipt with them.

Down or synthetic

Down is warmer for its weight and useless when soaked. The Atom stays warm when damp. For a wet climate, pick the Atom.