The second in our series of Gift Guide posts for skiers on your list.
One of my favourite kinds of gifts to give is the one everyone in the family is going to enjoy. Give it to your own family, to a friend opening their ski chalet for your clan or as a unique gift at a Christmas party. Regardless, these picks will spread the love over multiple people over and over again. That’s a lot of giving to feel good about.
DryGuy Force Dry
One guarantee with families and snow is wet gloves and boots. Drying it all out at the end of the day is vital, but space and energy consuming. This little unit helps. Prop gloves or footwear on the two stacks and turn the unit on. Perforations in the arms sends dry, warm air right inside drying them faster, in about an hour. A timer means you don’t have to worry about wasting energy.
$50; https://dryguy.com/product/Force_Dry
Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket
A technical blanket? Yup, this is the down jacket of the snuggly blanket world. Made a lot like a backpacking sleeping bag, it packs small and unfurls into a super warm blanket. Chuck it in a car for emergencies or napping on the way home (not the driver, obviously!). Keep it in the TV room or by the fire for getting cozy after a chilly day on the slope. Or take it outside – the ripstop exterior is water resistant – to keep warm by a bonfire.
$100; https://www.rumpl.com/products/puffy-blanket
Yakima FatCat EVO
This is the slick, aerodynamic evolution of the clam-rack. Universal mounting and a simple twist locks it on. It’s fast enough on and off to make removing it for weekday city driving a no brainer. The rack opens wide for easy loading. With the four I fit two pairs of all mountain skis and a wide snowboard perfectly. The six ski model can fit six skis or four boards. A ratchet system automatically adjusts the width of the rack to the widest sticks, keeping its profile as sleek as possible. It comes with locks.
$329; https://www.yakima.com/ca/fatcat-4-evo
Whitewater Cooks More Beautiful Food
An easy choice for the family that likes to entertain or that great cook who you want more dinner invites from. This is the fifth cookbook from Shelley Adams, the former co-owner of Whitewater Ski Resort. While her husband ran the outdoor operations she turned the cafeteria into a world famous restaurant, redefining ski area eating. Adams says this one is full of simple, easy to prepare recipes and a lot of history of skiing at Whitewater.
$35; https://whitewatercooks.com
RYAN REPORT is a frequent web post by Ski Canada magazine’s technical editor, Ryan Stuart.
