Our Favorite Gear Under $50 at Outdoor Retailer

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The Outside gear editors are on the floor at the 2019 Outdoor Retailer and Snow Show this week in Denver. A lot of snow-sports equipment costs more than a season pass. But not everything. Here are our editors’ favorite picks under $50.

Designed by pro skier Cody Townsend, this is the first sock developed specifically for ski touring. Made from a blend of merino and rayon, it’s extra thick around the toes to keep them warm and lacks any compression, allowing blood to move freely throughout the foot. Finally, welded silicone strips in the heel and upper cuff help lock in your foot and prevent the sock from slipping down. 

—Ben Fox, affiliate reviews manager

Hooray for wilderness-ready collapsible chopsticks—you know, for all that backcountry ramen. These are made from bulletwood with brass threads that unscrew for easy packing. It doesn’t hurt that they come with a fabric case and look good, too.

—Emily Reed, assistant editor

For those who are new to skiing, shelling out hundreds of dollars on gear for a sport you may not stick with is hard to swallow. Even experienced skiers may not want to drop a lot of cash on goggles that are bound to get scratched up. In 2020, Spy is releasing goggles for the masses. At just $50, the Crusher Elite is in line with some of the cheapest goggles on the market but it doesn’t sacrifice quality (like many others in its class) and has triple-layer foam and HD lenses.

—Ariella Gintzler, assistant editor

Fix Manufacturing out of Laguna Beach, California, caught our eye as we wandered Outdoor Retailer’s Venture Out section, where many of the smaller brands are posted up. The company makes belts with buckles that house sets of snow-sports and bike tools. So if you’re heading out for a day of skiing, pop in the Powder Pliers. Then before you hop on your bike, swap those out for the Wheelie Wrench. Our favorite combo in the Roundhouse: a corrosion-resistant steel-alloy tool that includes screwdrivers, a bottle opener, and pliers stowed in an aluminum buckle on a stretch-nylon belt. Think of it as an all-purpose insurance policy that lets you wrench on things at the campsite and also keeps your pants up.

—Will Egensteiner, senior gear editor