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Check out all the fine mountain goods and gear which has ‘piqued’ our interests. Whether you are a dirt bag climber that needs the quintessential do everything jacket to last a lifetime or a mountain fashionista looking for the latest color ultra-micro downy we feel that any of these finds amongst the cruft will pique your mountain lifestyle perfectly.
1 / Puff It Up
We’re loving this season’s lightweight puffy jackets, especially Eddie Bauer’s Microtherm 1000 down jacket, which features 1000–fill power RDS (Responsible Down Standard) goose down, packs into its own chest pocket, and weighs nine(ish) ounces. We’ve never experienced so much warmth from a jacket that weighs about as much as a roll of quarters. Outdoor Research’s Helium Down Hoodie weighs more but is warmer and features an abrasion-resistant exterior; waterproof fabric on the shoulders, hood, and sleeves; and 800-plus–fill power RDS goose down, and it still weighs less than one pound. EB Microtherm 1000: $399; available at Eddie Bauer (55 S. Cache St.); OR Helium Hoody: $279, available at Wilson Backcountry Sports (1223 Ida Dr., Wilson)
2 / Happy Feet
Smartwool picked the brain of pro ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin to construct its new PhD Pro Ski Race sock, but you don’t have to be a racer to appreciate the socks’ durability (especially in the toes), contoured shin cushioning, and arch support. Available in unisex and women’s-specific fits. If cold feet plague you, check out Swiftwick’s new Pursuit Twelve ski sock. We’ve found its fine-gauge merino wool keeps our feet warm on the coldest of days. The comfort and security of its four-inch cuff is extra credit. Smartwool: $30.95; Swiftwick: $34.99, both available at Hoback Sports (520 W. Broadway)
3 / Looking Good
In the 1970s, Jean-Claude Killy and Wayne Wong, among others, made ski aviator sunglasses cool. Now Vallon, based in Verbier, Switzerland, has brought the iconic style into the twenty-first century. Vallon’s Ski Aviators feature a frame made from cellulose acetate—a strong, durable non-petroleum-based material. The mirrored polyamide lenses are lightweight and impact resistant. $107, available at vallon.store
4 / Social Distance Style
Since we might be après-skiing outside this winter due to the pandemic, we’ve invested in warm one-pieces. Members of the first American expedition to summit Mount Everest in 1963 wore Eddie Bauer down underwear. We’re wearing the updated version of it—the streamlined one-piece Down Camp Suit—while eating charcuterie and drinking beers with friends in the parking lot at the end of a ski day. Rated to minus-twenty degrees and available in black, the suit melds form and function. Melding function with fun, Selk’bag’s 6G wearable sleeping bag comes in colors from blue puffin to purple evening. Because it’s made from synthetic insulation, it’s heavier and bulkier than the EB option, but it has a hood and detachable booties. Down suit: $179, available at Eddie Bauer (55 S. Cache St.); Selk’bag: $169, available at sellkbagusa.com
5 / Don’t Slip
Kahtoola’s new EXOspikes are traction monsters. As comfortable on icy roads as on hard-packed trails, EXOspikes are elastomer harnesses that easily slip over pretty much any shoe or boot and feature twelve tungsten carbide–tipped spikes per foot to keep even the clumsiest among us from slipping and falling. When you don’t need them anymore, pull them off and they’ll fit in a pocket or purse. $59.95, available at Teton Mountaineering (170 N. Cache St.)
6 / Freeride Perfection
For the first time in its history, Stio has partnered with Gore-Tex. And the results are their most innovative, protective collections to date, whether you’re riding the lifts or touring in the backcountry. For women, it’s the Credential Collection; the men’s version is the Objective Collection. Both include pants and a jacket that feature Gore-Tex 3L, a waterproof/breathable material that has stretch. The women’s jacket also has a soft, brushed, flannel-like interior. Both the men’s and women’s pants have large thigh vents positioned at the back of the leg and oversized, zip hand pockets. $529 (pants), $599 (jacket), available at Stio Mountain Studio (10 E. Broadway Ave., Jackson)
7 / Parking Lot Picnic
Because no one knows what on-mountain dining at ski resorts will look like this winter, we invested in Yeti’s Rambler One Gallon Jug and Lowlands Blanket so we’re prepared for a parking lot picnic if required. Spread the Lowlands Blanket out behind your car—it has a waterproof utility layer and an insulated interior to keep the cold and wet at bay—sit down, and enjoy hot soup or chili from the dishwasher-safe Rambler Jug. Jug: $129.99; blanket: $199.99, available at Teton Ace Hardware (120 S. Main St., Driggs, Idaho)
8 / Ultimate Fire Pit
We thought a smokeless portable fire pit that produced minimal ash sounded too good to be true. We’ve never been so happy to learn we were wrong. You won’t take Solo’s Bonfire fire pit backpacking—it weighs twenty pounds—but it’s portable enough for pretty much every other time you might want to enjoy a fire; we’ve brought it to drive-in movies, car camping, and après-ski tailgates. The pit’s design doesn’t just limit smoke but also minimizes the heat transferred from its base to the surface beneath. It’s a fire pit miracle. $349.99, available at solostove.com
9 / Let There Be Light
If you wanted a headlamp and a flashlight, it used to be you needed two different things. Then 5.11 Tactical introduced the powerful Response XR1 Headlamp, which pushes 1,000 lumens of light and can be used as a headlamp or a right-angle flashlight. We keep it in our car for emergencies, unless we go for an evening hike or fat bike ride—then we put it into headlamp mode and are on our way. $79.99, available at 511tactical.com
10 / Just a Bite
When you’re not really hungry but need an energy boost, dive into a bag of Honey Stinger’s Mini Waffles, which sandwich honey between two bite-sized waffles. When skiing, we’ll share a bag with friends. At home, we’ll enjoy a waffle or two and then put the resealable bag back into the pantry. $7 for a 5.3-ounce bag, available at Jackson Hole Sports (7720 Granite Loop Rd., Teton Village)
11 / A Treat for Your Feet
We take our Glerup felted boots off when it’s time to ski and sleep; otherwise, they are the only shoes we’re wearing this winter. Made of 100 percent natural wool—a combination of Gotland wool from Denmark and white wool from New Zealand—these boots come in a variety of colors with rubber or soft leather soles, and are the most comfortable things to ever grace our feet. Also, they don’t smell, even when we wear them without socks (thanks to wool’s natural self-cleaning properties.) Shoes and slip-ons are also available. From $95, available at Mudroom (3275 Village Dr., Teton Village)