Christmas Gifts For Your Family That Will Come In Handy During Skiing Season
If your family loves to go skiing during the winter, then a great idea for Christmas gifts would be skiing equipment. You can surprise your spouse and kids with their own equipment. This is really cool if your family likes to take skiing vacations. You can forgo the rental lines and the hassle of finding ski equipment that fits when you get to the mountain and simply hit the slopes. So here are some suggestions. They include big gifts, as well as some little stocking stuffers.
Skiing Boots
One of the easiest things to bring along with you on ski vacations are your own personal ski boots. They fit easily in a bag, so you don't even have to worry about a roof rack like you will need with skis. When you choose a pair of boots, make sure to choose a company that will let you exchange them if the size is not correct. The most important aspect to consider is "flex". If you and your family ski beginner or intermediate slopes (greens and blues) then you want a stiff boot. They have less flex and are better designed at keeping your foot stationary. Of course, if you and your spouse are more advanced and happen to go off and ski black runs (diamonds) then you will want to get boots with more flex. These will let you better handle the wild turns, moguls, and twists that come with advanced slopes.
Skis
Of course, if you're looking for a really impressive Christmas gift, then you should get skis for your spouse and kids. You should consult a ski size chart. This will match up your height with the ideal ski length. Other factors (how wide or thin the skis are) are a matter of personal choice. Some skiers prefer a slimmer ski because they believe that they handle better on fast slopes. Others prefer a wider ski because they will offer more stability. So, that part is up to you. However, what you will need to do is match up your spouse's and kids' heights and choose accordingly. Find a ski supplier that offers a full line of skis for all ages and then use your spouse's height and your children's height to pick out the nicest pair.
Gloves and Goggles
These make great stocking stuffers. If your spouse and kids don't have dedicated ski gloves, then definitely think about getting some. You don't want to use regular winter gloves because they don't have the special padding and grip support that skiing gloves have. Likewise, you should also get some ski goggles. You should make sure that they have anti-fog design as well as vents. Also, it is important to choose ski goggles that have the proper tint. The general rule of thumb is that you want a color that is dark enough to protect your eyes, but still light enough to let you see if you ski on overcast days. So a copper or amber tinted lenses is a good choice. Some people will have special dark lenses for super bright days ("bluebird days" in skier's parlance), so if your spouse or kids are hyper sensitive to bright lights (perhaps they have pale blue eyes) you might want to get them a brown-tinted pair as well to bring along on your vacation for those days with clear blue skies with tons of sun.