The Best Kids’ Snow Gear of 2026

There’s no better way to raise adventurers than getting them outside when they’re little. That’s why quality kids’ snow gear and apparel matters so much. We never regret a day spent outside with our children — but we will definitely take help when we can get it.

Not only is this gear for our little ones the first line of defense from the bitter cold, but it also enables parents to get outside more. For our most recent 4-month test period, gear expert Heather Rochfort covered 200 hours on snow with her daughter. In 5 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit, they tested snow gear across 40 days in the Aspen ski mountains, Italian Dolomites, Spring Gulch Nordic ski area, and uphilling at Buttermilk.

Start with a base layer followed by a midlayer. To shield against weather, you’ll want to snag an outer layer — like the Reima Stavanger Snowsuit — or a pants and jacket set. Result: happy kids, happy parents, and more days outside.

Editor’s note: We updated our Kids’ Snow Gear guide on August 20, 2026, to include the new Flylow Youth Chemical Snow Pants, Akova Elevated Hardshell, and Woolx Kids Explorer Base Layer Top and Bottom. We added extended product ratings.

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Other Awesome Kids’ Snow Gear

While these seven products didn’t receive accolades in our number one spots, they each reserve a hanger in our kids’ gear closet.

Kids’ Snow Gear Comparison Chart

Scroll right to view all of the columns: Price, Sizes, Materials, Waterproof.

Kids Gear	Price	Sizes	Materials	Waterproof
Reima Stavanger Snowsuit	$195	2T – 10 years old	Regular and recycled polyamide, regular and recycled polyester, Fellex insulation	Yes
L.L.Bean Kids’ Down Jacket	$120	Little Kids 4 – Big Kids 18	Ripstop nylon, polyester fleece, and down insulation	No
Hootie Hoo Pinnakle Insulated Jacket and Insulated Bibs	$185, $165	4-12, Small-Large	Recycled polyester, recycled nylon, Primaloft Silver recycled insulation	Yes
Town Hall Mountain Town Winter Jacket & Winter Bib	$220, $180	XS-XL (for both)	100% recycled polyester twill on the exterior, 75% undyed recycled nylon and 25% recycled polyester on the liner, and 100% recycled polyester insulation	Yes (10K waterproofing)
Town Hall Down Town Puffy	$175	XS-XL	Recycled polyester, recycled nylon	No
Patagonia Infant High-Loft Down Sweater Bunting	$179	Newborn – 24 months	Recycled polyester, recycled nylon, and recycled down insulation	No
WeeDo Ohdeer Deer Snowsuit	$280	XS- L	Polyester and recycled polyester	Yes
Akova Elevated Hardshell	$210	4-16	100% polyester outer, polyester and spandex skirt and mesh	Yes
Flylow Youth Chemical Pants	$230	XXS (4) – XL (14)	100% recycled polyester; Primaloft Black Eco insulation	Yes
Woolx Kids Explorer Base Layer Top and Bottom	$119 each	XXS – XLG	100% Merino wool	No
Patagonia Midweight Capilene Crew & Bottoms	$45 each	XS-XXL	Recycled polyester	No
Gordini Easy-On Mittens	$30	XXS-XL	Ripstop nylon, Megaloft synthetic insulation, Dri-Max waterproof insert	Yes
Obermeyer Snoverall Bib	$110	1-8	Polyester	Yes
Patagonia Baby Reversible Tribbles Hoody	$115	3 mos. – 5T	Recycled polyester and recycled polyester taffeta	Yes

How We Tested Kids’ Snow Gear

Our Expert Testers

Our primary tester for the winter season is based in Carbondale, Colorado, Heather Balogh Rochfort is an avid outdoors person with decades of experience in mountain snowsports, like backcountry skiing, downhill skiing, uphilling, and cross-country skiing. She is also a mom to a vivacious 8-year-old who routinely logs more than 50 days at the local ski hill during the ski year — and has since she was in kindergarten.

Rochfort also tracked more than 50 days for the ski season, including boot packing Highlands Bowl. Not only does her daughter enjoy weekly full-day downhill ski lessons at Snowmass Ski Resort, but she also participated in weekly Nordic ski lessons, making her a prime tester for all kids’ gear and apparel. Her daughter also enjoys sledding after school.

Contributor and mother Chelsey Magness was a foundational tester who helped kick off the original version of this guide in 2020. She’s based in the Pacific Northwest.

Our Testing Grounds

In addition to deep category research, we put this gear directly on our own kids all winter. They tested every piece while downhill skiing, Nordic cruising, hiking trails, wading through streams, and spending full days outside at all-weather forest school.

Our Testing Process

We evaluated essential winter layers — base layers, midlayers, jackets, pants, snowsuits, and gloves — for durability, fit, affordability, sustainability, and washability. We prioritized kid-friendly functionality, like easy closures for quick dressing, alongside styles older kids actually want to wear.

While toddlers don’t really care about what they’re wearing, older kids definitely have opinions. It’s important for children to like their snow gear, so we took style and trends into consideration. 

Our Kids’ Snow Gear Rating System

Beyond the overall score, we evaluate each product on a scale of 1–10 across four core performance pillars:

1. Warmth & Thermal Insulation: Insulation loft/weight, microclimate regulation, thermal efficiency, and real-world cold resistance.
2. Weather Protection & Waterproofing: Waterproof membranes (e.g., 10K/20K ratings), taped seams, DWR coatings, and moisture-wicking capability.
3. Durability & Build Quality: High-wear area reinforcements (knees/seat), tear resistance, laundry durability, and multi-season hand-me-down longevity.
4. Fit, Mobility, & Growth Adaptability: Range of motion, ease of entry for fast potty breaks, and growth features like extendable grow system cuffs.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Kids’ Snow Gear

Choosing kids’ ski clothing is daunting because you’re looking at a number of items and factors. However, here are the most important criteria to consider no matter what type of item you’re considering.

Waterproofness

Contrary to what you may think, not all kids’ gear and apparel is waterproof, nor does it need to be. Items like the L.L.Bean Kids’ Down Jacket or the Town Hall Down Town Puffy are only water-resistant, which means that a light rain for a short period of time won’t cause any problems.

However, a jacket like the Patagonia Everyday Ready Jacket or kits like the Hootie Hoo Pinnakle Insulated Jacket and Insulated Bibs are completely waterproof. This means that water resistance is enough to keep out driving rain or — in this case — total saturation when a child is sitting in a snowbank for 2 hours. 

If you know you’re looking for waterproofing, it’s good to know that there are varying levels of water resistance. These are called waterproof ratings, and they are measured in millimeters. During this testing process, a one-inch by one-inch cylinder is placed over the tested fabric.

The cylinder is then filled with water. The height that water reaches before the fabric leaks — known as the water column — is where the waterproof rating comes from.

• 0-5,000mm: Minimal to no water resistance. 
• 6,000-10,000mm: Rainproof and waterproof under light pressure. 
• 11,000-15,000mm: Rainproof and waterproof unless under high pressure.
• 16,000-20,000mm: Rainproof and waterproof under high pressure.
• 20,0000mm+: Rainproof and waterproof under very high pressure.

For most external kids’ snow gear, you’ll want waterproof ratings that minimally fall between 6,000-10,000 mm.

It’s also a good idea to understand where waterproofing comes from, as most fabrics aren’t naturally waterproof. To get this waterproofing, most apparel uses either a laminate or a coating. A laminate is similar to wallpaper in that it provides full coverage with the best level of waterproofing.

It costs more and is frequently made from polyurethane (PU). Unlike wallpaper, a coating is painted on in a similar fashion to how we paint a wall. While this is more affordable, it doesn’t offer as effective waterproofing. 

Most outerwear uses Durable Water Repellent or DWR. This is an added chemical finish that allows the moisture to bead up on the surface of the garment. Historically, DWR was a toxic concoction packed with “forever chemicals” called polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAs. These days, many brands like REI and Patagonia are taking a stand against these toxic chemicals and using PFA-free DWR that is better for the environment.

Final note: while most outdoor brands would disagree, there really isn’t such a thing as “waterproof-breathable” fabric. The more waterproof a fabric, the less breathable it will be; that’s the inherent tradeoff. Materials like rubber are 100% waterproof, but we don’t often wear them skiing because we would overheat immediately. That’s why most kids’ snow gear uses “waterproof-breathable” materials like GORE-TEX. They breathe better than impermeable materials like rubber, but still offer decent waterproofing.

Insulation

Insulation is the ingredient that keeps you warm, but it comes in a variety of forms and fibers. 

Down

Down insulation comes from ducks or geese, but it’s not the feathers. Instead, it comes from the plumage, that soft and fuzzy layer that sits beneath. This plumage lofts up inside the garment and traps heat in the air space between all of the fuzzy stuff.

Found in items like the Patagonia High-Loft Down Sweater Bunting, down is often considered the gold standard since it provides the highest amount of warmth with the lowest amount of weight. But it’s not without its drawbacks. Down doesn’t dry quickly, so when it gets wet, it loses its loft and, thus, its warmth. It also costs more than synthetic insulation.

Synthetic Insulation

Synthetic insulation goes by a number of names since many brands make their own proprietary version. In general, synthetic insulation uses some type of human-made, compressible fibers to warm us up. Unlike down, these are water resistant, which makes synthetic insulation a better choice in wet environments.

Synthetic insulation is often heavier and less packable than down, but it often costs less money. It can be found in a ton of kids’ ski and snowboard clothing like the Patagonia Everyday Ready Jacket, the Patagonia Baby Reversible Tribbles Hoody, or the Reima Stavanger Snowsuit. It’s also the common choice for mittens and gloves.

Alternative Insulation

While down and synthetic insulation are the most popular forms of insulation, there are many other alternate options for fibers that keep us warm. Columbia uses the brand’s proprietary thermal reflectivity, a series of silver dots, inside the clothing that reflect your body heat back at you to maintain warmth. 

Windproofness

Windproofing may not immediately be something you consider when buying kids’ snow gear, but it’s an important factor. If an item has low windproofing, wind can rip through the warmth. 

In general, kids’ ski and snowboard clothing will fall into one of two categories: windproof or wind-resistant. Any item that is waterproof will also be fully windproof since the barrier blocking the rain and snow is also blocking the wind. Simultaneously, a water-resistant item will also be wind-resistant.

The tradeoff with wind-resistant items is that they are more breathable than windproof gear, making them great choices for high-output activities like cross-country skiing. That’s why some gloves are only wind-resistant; they are very breathable for Nordic skiing.

Breathability

As we mentioned before, breathability is the game changer when it comes to water or windproofing. While it’s great to be dry and safe from the snow and rain, no one wants to go skiing inside a portable sauna. That’s where breathability comes in.

In science terms, breathability is the transfer of water vapor from the inside of the fabric to the outside. This happens because opposites attract: Your warm, sweaty body heat is drawn to the cold and fresh outside air. The more efficient this process is, the better you feel without getting cold or clammy. However, breathability is much easier when there isn’t a waterproof or windproof barrier blocking the path of the vapor transfer.

Snow gear like the Obermeyer Snoverall Bibs will have less breathability but perform far better against wet and snowy weather.

Reinforcements

It’s no secret that children are tough on gear. That’s why kids’ snow gear often has reinforced sections to add durability in high-wear areas. For kiddos, these areas are often the knees, elbows, butt, and hem of snowpants or snowsuits. The fabric of the reinforcement varies but is often a high-denier polyester, Cordura, or ballistic nylon.

Adjustability & Growth System

Kids grow like weeds, and it’s the parents who have to shell out cash every year to buy the next size. That’s why adjustability and growth systems are a key element to most kids’ snow gear. Brands like Columbia Sportswear, Obermeyer, and WeeDo all have similar systems that allow parents to remove some stitching or undo a snap to release 1-2 inches of added length in the arms or legs. This allows kids to wear items longer and get more use out of them. 

Other brands like Reima intentionally make a roomy product so that it lasts longer. If your child wears a size 4T in the Reima Stavanger, he will likely find it big at first. This is intentional because Reima wants the snowsuit to last for more than one season.

Hood & Collar

The vast majority of kids’ snow jackets have some type of hood. That’s because we lose the majority of our heat through our heads, and a hood is a great way to keep your kiddo warm. 

However, there are various types of hoods depending on how you plan to use the jacket. A fixed hood is one that is permanently attached while a removable hood (like the L.L.Bean Kids’ Down Jacket) is one that is attached via a zipper or snaps. This means your child can take it off during a warm day or if they are wearing a beanie and don’t need it. Hoods can also be lined, unlined, or insulated.

Insulated hoods are warmer and are best for sedentary activities in cold weather. A lined hood has a second layer of fabric sewn into the interior, which adds a little more warmth but is mainly a nicer aesthetic.

Kids’ snow gear doesn’t have as many collar options as adults, but you’ll still see options varying from unlined to fleece-lined. When possible, opt for a fleece-lined collar since that warm coziness goes a long way toward keeping your child comfortable.

Pockets

Pockets are equally important for adult ski jackets and kids’ winter jackets, but zippered pockets are especially crucial for our littlest rippers. At a minimum, look for kids’ gear and apparel that has at least two zippered hand pockets for children to use for warmth or to stash away secret treasures.

Snow pants go above and beyond by adding Velcro cargo pockets on the side of the leg. Butt pockets are less essential for kids — especially toddlers — since they spend so much time sitting on their rears.

Sustainability

Gone are the days when we don’t pay attention to the fibers our children are wearing. When possible, opt for natural fibers like the Merino wool. While wool is more expensive than synthetic options, natural fibers are not derived from the fossil fuel industry and degrade at the end of their life cycle. 

If you can’t swing the cost of natural fibers or it doesn’t make sense (like with waterproof outer layers), try to choose kids’ ski clothes made from recycled materials like those found in the Patagonia Kids Capilene Midweight Crew and Bottoms. While these still struggle with degradation at the end of their life cycle, they are less reliant on fossil fuels since we are only dealing with a single extraction. 

For insulation, it’s also a good idea to make sure your down is Responsible Down Standard (RDS) or Global Traceable Down Standard (GTDS) certified. This means that the plumage is coming from a reputable source with high standards for animal welfare and a transparent production process.

Price & Value

Kids’ snow gear runs the spectrum when it comes to pricing; some items simply cost a lot more than others. An expensive item doesn’t necessarily mean it is better than an affordable alternative. However, sustainable fibers and eco-friendly manufacturing do come at a cost; you’ll pay more so the planet pays less. 

Budget

Mittens for kids will be one of the more affordable items you buy and will typically range from $20 to $60. Base layers are a necessity for your children and you can expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $60 per item.

The Patagonia Kids Capilene Midweight Crew ($39) is priced in the middle of the spectrum. While it still uses synthetic materials, they are all recycled and that adds to the cost. 

Mid-Tier

Midlayers look very different from kid to kid and brand to brand, and the cost is commensurate, ranging from $50 to $120.

The L.L.Bean Kids’ Down Jacket ($109) sits at the top of the spectrum because it offers more warmth and weather resistance than any of the other midlayers.

Premium

Outer layers like snow pants, ski jackets, and snowsuits will be the most expensive item you buy since they offer warmth and all-around weather protection. For ski jackets and snow pants, the price range is vast: $80-250.

The Obermeyer Snoverall Bibs ($100) are next on the list. The Patagonia Baby Reversible Tribbles Hoody is at a similar price point ($109). While it also has waterproofing and insulation, you’ll also get a host of recycled materials. 

The Patagonia Infant High-Loft Down Sweater Bunting ($179), Hootie Hoo Pinnakle Insulated ($180), and Insulated Bibs ($165) are all near the premium end of the pack in regard to price.

While it can be used as a midlayer or exterior layer, the Town Hall Down Town Puffy ($175) is also near the top of the spectrum. While each of these products is completely waterproof and fully insulated, they’re also constructed by brands with an ethos rooted in sustainability — and the materials show that.

Finally, the Reima Stavanger Snowsuit ($195) sits on the highest end of the spectrum. This is a full snowsuit, so you’re getting both a jacket and snow pants with waterproofing and tons of insulation. Beyond that, you’re also getting a lot of attention to detail with kid-specific features that no other brand has. If you and your child spend a lot of time outside, the added cost may be worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions