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17 Ski and Snowboard Essentials for Your Next Trip to the Slopes

The gear you need to stay warm, dry, safe and ready for whatever the slopes, and the weather, toss your way.

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By Hayley Helms, Steve Mazzucchi, and Jack Seemer

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Whether you’re carving groomers, chasing powder or still learning your pizzas from your french fries, the right gear can make or break a day on the mountain.

Here, we’ve collected over a dozen essentials to keep you warm, dry, safe and ready for whatever the slopes, and the weather, toss your way.

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This story is part of the 2025 Gear Patrol Outdoor Awards, which collects our top recommendations across more than 80 categories. See the full list.
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Beige bib-style snow pants with multiple pockets and black adjustable shoulder straps, worn over a cream-colored fleece pullover with a high neck and a small logo on the chest. The outfit is completed with a brown and black tiger-striped beanie.686

Best Ski Bib

686 Gore-Tex Dispatch Shell Bib

One of the few bibs that feels so well-designed and comfortable, you’ll almost forget you’re wearing it. It just so happens to be perfectly pocketed and pretty much bombproof too.
Blue and black Tecnica ski boot with orange accents, featuring four black and orange buckles, a black strap with "TEC" branding, and an orange padded interior. The boot has "Tecnica," "MV," "Mach 1 MV 120," and "CAS" text on the side.Tecnica

Best Ski Boots

Tecnica Mach1 MV 120

One of the best-selling expert-level ski boots of all time now features a snappy T-Drive rear spine and new, anatomically-shaped performance liner.
Pair of black knee-high socks with gray and blue geometric patterns, featuring a small white logo near the top cuff. The socks have reinforced areas around the heel and toe for added durability.Smartwool

Best Ski Socks

Smartwool Ski Over The Calf Socks

“Dang, these feel really good” is what you will be thinking after pulling on these max cushioned, breathable, body-mapped merino wool ski socks.
Pair of Nordica Enforcer 99 skis with a dark base color featuring blue geometric mountain designs and red accents. The skis have a rounded tip and a slightly tapered tail. The model name "ENFORCER 99" is printed in white on the skis, along with size details "185 cm" and dimensions "133-99-121" in red. The Nordica logo is visible near the tail in white.Nordica

Best Skis

Nordica Enforcer 99

The Enforcer’s 2025 design update injects playfulness into this stable ski. Increased tail rocker and a livelier character result in a more responsive ride.
Black insulated mittens with a quilted exterior and leather palms, featuring adjustable wrist straps and connected by a black and white branded cord.Oyuki

Best Snow Mitts

Oyuki EZO GTX Mitt

Like little down jackets for your hands, these well-made mitts include 750-fill recycled goose down, PrimaLoft insulation and a Gore-Tex waterproof membrane. Plus, they look nice.
Ski goggles with a wide, curved lens featuring a green to blue gradient tint. The frame is black, and the adjustable strap is black with the brand name "SMITH" written in white.Smith

Best Snow Goggles

Smith 4D Mag

Smith’s largest field of view (25-percent more than other lenses) ChromaPop lens and crystal-clear optics come together in one comfy package.
Matte pink and black Salomon ski or snowboard helmet with multiple ventilation slots, a black adjustable chin strap, and a rear adjustment dial. The helmet features a sleek, angular design with active ventilation and a secure fit system.Salomon

Best Snow Helmet

Salomon Husk Pro MIPS

Minimalist design, say hello to meet top-notch safety, ventilation and comfort. The adjustable fit offers instant comfort and better hearing.
A snowboard with two views shown: the top side features a central vertical strip with a mountain and abstract design in shades of red, blue, and black, bordered by solid black edges; the bottom side is mostly black with a gradient of red, blue, and green along the edges and a mountain logo near the top.Jones

Best Snowboard

Jones Mountain Twin

This quiver-killer features a surfy design that will have you bringing high vibes to every turn. Camber in between the bindings and rocker in the tip and tail combine power and playfulness.
Black and dark brown Vans snowboarding boot with a high ankle design, featuring a strap closure at the top and a lace system. The boot has a rugged sole with "Ultracush" branding and a beige Vans side stripe detail. The upper material appears to be a mix of leather and synthetic fabric.Vans

Best Snowboard Boots

Vans Hi-Country

Ride all day and still stay comfortable with this classic boot, redesigned with a superior moisture-wicking liner, supportive PowerCuff strap and an improved thermal retention layer.
A teal and black Ortovox Switchback 32 backpack with padded shoulder straps, a hip belt, and multiple compartments. The front panel features the Ortovox logo and the model name "Switchback 32" in white text. There is a yellow zipper pull on the side.Ortovox

Best Touring Pack

Ortovox Switchback 32

Meet the unrelenting demands of the alpine with this technical, lightweight ski touring pack, which includes quick access features, ergonomic design and a separate safety compartment.
Navy blue and gray YETI tote bag with two gray handles and a rectangular YETI logo patch on the front. The bag has a sturdy, structured design with reinforced stitching on the handles.Yeti

Best Gear Hauler

Yeti Camino

An ultra-tough, all-purpose bag built to handle every adventure’s dirty work. Far more versatile and organization-friendly than typical totes … if you can find it in stock. The bag’s popularity has made it a hot-ticket item.
Black waterproof hooded jacket with a front zipper, two zippered side pockets, and adjustable wrist cuffs. The jacket features a small logo on the left chest.Arc’teryx

Best All-Around Mountain Jacket

Arc’teryx Beta AR Jacket (Revised)

This classic maintains its workhorse mentality and streamlined aesthetic while upping its sustainability and durability.
Long-sleeve crew neck shirt in solid navy blue with a subtle textured pattern and a small logo tag near the bottom hem.Patagonia

Best Base Layer

Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight Crewneck

This breathable baselayer with built-in odor control is proof basics don’t have to be boring.
Black neck gaiter with a contoured top edge and a small white robot logo accompanied by three vertical colored bars (orange, blue, and yellow) near the bottom edge.Smartwool

Best Neck Gaiter

Smartwool Active Fleece Neck Gaiter

Merino and polyester play well together in this cozy, protective and breathable neck gaiter.
Compact black and dark blue walkie-talkie with a short antenna, an orange carabiner attached at the top, and a black carabiner connected to a coiled cord at the bottom. The front display shows "ROCKY TALKIE" and channel 128 in green digital numbers.Rocky Talkie

Best Walkie Talkie

Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio

Designed with climbers and skiers in mind, this rugged radio has a range of up to 35 miles and a four-day battery that’s cold-rated for -20 degrees Fahrenheit. It also comes with a built-in carabiner and is ready to use right out of the box.
Garmin Fenix smartwatch with a round titanium bezel, black silicone strap, and a digital display showing the time 10:10, date Sat 1, battery at 100%, step count of 15k, and other fitness metrics.Garmin

Best GPS Watch

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro

The Fenix 8 Pro might be the most capable smartwatch across Garmin’s entire roster, now with satellite connectivity to compete with the likes of the Apple Watch Ultra 3. While its AMOLED display already leads the industry in terms of brightness and visibility, the Fenix 8 Pro also comes with a MicroLED option for unparalleled legibility — even on the brightest days.
Black folding shovel with a serrated edge on one side, compactly folded with a handle at the top.SOG

Best Backcountry Shovel

SOG Entrenching Tool

Stay prepared for anything with SOG’s folding shovel, designed with a tempered steel blade with teeth cut in for cutting and slashing. Folded up, you’ll barely notice it.
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