I'm a lifelong skier whose family is full of professional skiers and ski gear designers, so naturally, I'm one of those people who can't wait for the lifts to open. I also test ski gear for a living, which means I've been tracking gear launches and price drops well before the actual ski season kicks off. Trust me when I say that Amazon's Winter Gear sale is pretty much the last chance you'll get to save on ski gear before the spring,
Skiing is an expensive, gear-heavy sport, but take it from someone who's been on the slopes her whole life: Investing in the right equipment from the start will save you time and money in the long run. It's important to choose wisely, since some gear could even serve you for life. The challenge is knowing which products are built to last, which ones you'll like, and which have features skiers actually need-from thoughtfully placed pockets to hoods that fit comfortably over a helmet. That's where Travel + Leisure's team of powder hounds comes in. Made up of both novice and expert skiers, we put hundreds of ski pants, ski jackets, goggles, gloves, and bags to test in a range of climates and conditions.
Every ski trip starts with a deceptively simple question: What do you really need to bring, and what's smarter to rent? After years of traveling to ski mountains with friends, I've learned that the right ski and snowboarding gear strategy can really transform a trip. And with resorts updating rental fleets, shops offering seasonal packages, and online reservations making ski lodge pickups effortless, choosing wisely is about more than saving moneyit's about maximizing time on the slopes, true comfort, and safety in every regard.
While I've been daydreaming about fresh tracks and bluebird days, I've also been hunting for the best ski gear deals from Amazon's Black Friday sale, which is already underway. It's no secret that skiing can break the bank, so I've handpicked discounted jackets, pants, bibs, goggles, helmets, gloves, and more to help offset the cost of your lift ticket. Ahead, you'll find tons of gear on sale for under $50, like this Moerdang waterproof ski jacket and these SkiGear insulated ski bibs.