The BlackSheep Canadian Holiday Wish List 2025
Autumn arrives with changing leaves and a rush of new gear. As the flakes start flying, the lifts begin spinning, and the holidays creep closer, you head to your gear closet, shed, garage, or that plastic tote you’ve been digging into for the last half-century—and realize it’s all spent. Time to re-up on new gear for you and your loved ones. Christmas is inbound, and fast.
This year, we’re highlighting some fantastic gear made by great Canadian folks. Whether you’re elbows up or just taking advantage of the Canadian dollar, we think you’ll love these picks for holiday 2025.
Beaver Wax
No other wax touches my board. It’s that simple. Hand-poured by Matt Turner in Squamish, BC, BeaverWax makes dam fast waxes for all temps. No more scootch leg on the skin track or hitting the knuckle in the park. Beaver Wax has you covered for all conditions. Their new graphene-infused wax is the peak of speed tech, so you’ll be blowing past your friends on the cat track without even trying. This is the year you enter the Legendary Banked Slalom and go for the win!
BeaverWax is environmentally friendly, PFC-free, and the bars make awesome stocking stuffers. Hit up your favourite shred shop and you’ll find a bunch of different scents, too. Don’t be late to dinner this year—grab some BeaverWax.
If your loved one is waxed and ready for shreddy, Beaver Wax has you covered with some logoed soft goods as well. Personally, I’m hoping Santa leaves a camo Tight Knit roll Up beanie under the tree for me this winter.
Pro-Standard Push Button Quick Release
Legendary Canadian snowboarder Ken Achenbach has spent more than 40 years shaping snowboard technology and culture. He co-developed the first true twin-tip snowboard—pioneering a board shape now standard for freestyle riding—and was instrumental in opening the world’s first snowboard shop in Canada. More recently, Ken launched Pro Standard, a company best known for creating the Grill Mount—a mouth guard-like mount for action cameras that delivers unique first-person perspectives.
Over the last two years he has worked alongside another Canadian snowboard legend and engineer, Justin Lamoureux, to create the Push Button Quick Release for Step On bindings.
The Push Button Quick Release moves the release lever from low on the heel cup to above the top of the highback, switching the lever release action from a push to pull. The result? A much easier release—less bending down, more convenience. It also means you’ll skip squatting down to your ankle to pop your back binding—just reach to the top of your highback, hit the Quick Release button, and step out.
Ken and Justin have made the easiest binding on the market even easier.
Passage Hat Company
Passage Hat Company started on the skin tracks of coastal and interior BC, Canada. Frustration with the state of headwear not keeping up to the rest of backcountry gear advancement led Steven, Chris and Chris to launch Passage Hat Company. Technical hats designed for the skin track, sewn in Vancouver, and can be worn wherever you want to wear a hat!
This winter marks the first time Passage Hat Co. has divided their line into three models: the Tantalus, Monashee, and Kluane. The Tantalus (softshell) and Monashee (insulated) add new Trucker versions with a looser fit and more street-friendly design.
Switching up the hat game at Passage Hat Co. is the Kluane 5 panel. Building off the success of the Monashee with its fleece lined softshell material, flexible brim and PFAS free DWR by adding a shock cord for adjustability and the piece de resistance, earflaps!
We’ll be testing the entire Passage range this winter so keep a look out for that review!
Coast Optics
Coast Optics is what happens when two Brits move to Whistler to pursue mountain bike dreams and take control of their own destiny by offering high-performance, sustainably sourced, quality glasses and goggles with a minimal environmental impact. Their Nita 2 and Nita XL use a TR-90 frame made of 50% bio based materials and come in three different colors with lens options from clear to photochromatic to suit every need.
Realizing that their shades work well on the snow, so they have also introduced side shields for their glasses to keep out any extra glare.
We’ll be testing the Nita 2 and Nita XL this winter so stay tuned for our upcoming long term review.
Wolverine Snowsticks
We featured Wolverine Snow Sticks on our Snowboarder’s Christmas guide a few years back and in that time have met quite a few Wolverine Stick fans. Their reviews have always been great and the DIY spirit of Wolverine means we couldn’t help but talk about them again. It helps that fellow ACMG guide Joey Vosburgh and Revelstoke local and shredder Chris Payne hand make all of their sticks in Revelstoke, BC. It can’t get more Canadian than that!
Wolverine Snowsticks have two kinds of poles: 2-piece and 3-piece. Both styles come with either foam grips or standard single grips, and the 3-piece “Split Sticks” use the same grip options. They’re available in lengths that work for a really wide range of skiers and snowboarders.
What if the shredder in your life already has some new poles? Chances are they don’t have pink or purple baskets that are 120mm! Oh they do but somehow still sink in the pow? Get them the ludicrously large 130mm baskets and they truly will move on the snow like a Wolverine.
Fix Bindings
Snowboard legend Jason Broz features on the list more than a few times, and for good reason, he”s snowboard royalty. His binding company, Fix Bindings, has been around for 11 years making arguably the best bindings on the planet.
I’ve been riding Fix bindings for a few years now and I have not had a more reliable set of binders. The RB-1 has been my mainstay for the last two seasons and shows no sign of letting up. They have the most comfortable straps I’ve ever used
This year’s new collection promises to be even better. How sure is Fix that you’ll like their bindings? Fix is the only company offering a lifetime warranty on every part of the binding, not just the baseplate.
Rux
All this gear, and your going to need a way get it back and forth to the mountain. You could end up with a grip of bags or just get a Rux 70L or Soft Cooler.
Started in Squamish by Andre, Tony and Trina, Rux aims to make the most agile system possible for storing and moving gear for all your adventures. After testing their 70L Waterproof Tote Bags and Soft Coolers for the past year, we 100% agree. The 70L is a fantastic haul all capable of taking any amount of snow, water, or dirt saturated gear. The Softcoolers not only keep drinks cold but also act as waterproof cases. I use the small soft cooler as a camera case when I know travel is going to get rough and a little damp.
Rux is the ultimate storage solution for the gear hound on your Christmas list.
Nation Made
Jason Broz is back at it again, this time with the newly launched Nation Made snowboards. All handmade by the man himself in Squamish, Nation Made keeps it Canadian as can be with Canadian made wood cores and epoxy. Current models pay homage to some very Canadian themes, the Hoser and Brockton stand out with their true twin shapes while the Hat Trick keeps it Canadian with a distinctly hockey themed name.
For the backcountry enthusiast, look no further than the Solitude and Solitude Carbon. Splitboards sure to keep the shredder in your family on a high.
Skyline Outerwear
Skyline Outerwear was started by Freddie Ansara, Burton pro-rider who felt that the offerings from major brands just weren’t cutting it and so began Skyline Outerwear. His current offerings are designed with intention and made for those who want outerwear for big mountain riding. According to Freddie, this is outerwear with no compromise.
Skyline eschews the use of Gore-Tex in favor of Toray Dermizax which is more waterproof than Gore-Tex Pro and made with 80% recycled materials. Stay drier, look steezy and harm the environment less while keeping it Canadian. What more could you want from a Christmas present?
Their new Fuse 3L Guide Jacket and Faze 3L Guide pant look fantastic. Strong enough to last seasons of guiding but stylish enough to fit right in at the lift line.
Looking for a bespoke splitboard? Then look no further than Spline Snowboards. Each and every Sline board is Handmade in Squamish by Canadian Half-pipe legend turned backcountry legend turned splitboard guide Justin Lamoureux.
Personally, we’re hoping to get in some pow laps on the Tatsu. A board inspired by Japow that carves corduroy just as well! If you don’t see the exact shape or size you want, reach out to Spline and I am sure they will get you what you need.
