Chaos - Steamboat Springs

The Goods: Hats

The Deets: On the slopes or in the city, these guys know the chaos of your winter world, and they've created everything from sassy earflap hats to technical thermal regulation gear.

In Our Closet: Worldbeat Frenzy hat, chaoshats.com

Where We Use It: Cross-country skiing on Aspen's Nordic Trail System

Astis Mittens - Denver

The Goods: Mittens

The Deets: Inspired by the smartly designed Cree Indian aesthetic that uses fringe to shed moisture, fleece to keep warm, and leather for durability, these puppies are hand-stitched with beads or a cowhide pattern that demand envy from everyone in the lift line. 

In Our Closet: The Messner, astismittens.com

Where We Use It: Anywhere cold, steep, and deep

FlyLow Gear - Denver

The Goods: Ski Apparel

The Deets: A hybrid of mountaineering-tough, resort-style freeride gear that gets you from first chair to back bowls to aprés-ski, effortlessly. 

In Our Closet: Chemical Pant, flylowgear.com

Where We Use It: Moonlit Loveland Pass lap‚ and the victory PBR toast that follows

Fat-ypus - Breckenridge

The Goods: Skis

The Deets: The dudes at Fat-ypus grind out twin planks that beautifully handle  booters and backcountry alike, with models as versatile as our terrain.

In Our Closet: The A-Lotta ski, fat-ypus.com

Where We Use It: An 18-inch powder dump on Breck's Windows run

Venture Snowboards - Silverton

The Goods: Snowboards

The Deets: In a world of loud logos and in-your-face graphics, Venture wins with its minimalist, keep-it-simple approach that's tested at Silverton, one of Colorado's most technical mountains.

In Our Closet: Storm-R Split Board, venturesnowboards.com 

Where We Use It: Ripping through the stashes in the San Juan Mountains

Mile High Mountaineering - Denver

The Goods: Backpacks

The Deets: Over-obsessive attention to detail has paid off for the two best friends who in 2009 founded MHM, which specializes in technical hiking backpacks. 

In Our Closet: The Divide 55 pack, mhmgear.com

Where We Use It: Hut trips in the Vail backcountry