The Best Men’s Après Apparel of 2024

Published October 18, 2023 09:58AM

There’s much debate about who invented the “après-ski” ritual. Was it cold-hardened Stone Age Scandinavians? Perhaps a group of upper crust Swiss shredders in the 1950s? Whoever it was, Americans have latched on to the tradition, hard. And we’re better off for it. Thanks to our fore-bearers, it’s now the norm to cap a day of skiing and snowboarding, two of the most fun winter activities out there, with dancing, music, and great food and drink. To help you on your journey—and to honor those early après-ers—we’ve tested apparel built for recovery, warmth, and style to find the very best after a hard day of carving.

The Winners at a Glance

The Reviews: The Best Men’s Après Apparel of 2024

Cotopaxi Fuego Down Overalls ($285)

Size: S-XXL (men’s), XS-XL (women’s)
Pros: Significantly warmer than down pants
Cons: Bulky

If there’s a piece of clothing that screams “après!” these overalls are it. Packed with 800-fill down and a water-resistant DWR-finished shell, the overalls created an entire force field of cold-weather protection when matched with a thick jacket and were our go-to for the most bitter post-ski evenings. Thanks to a roomy cut and full-length side zipper, they were a cinch to get on and off and felt like a body-mapped down blanket. Max Halbach, a nomad who sometimes lives in his Toyota van and knows a thing about needing to stay cozy during winter, said the overalls were the “apex of warmth and comfort.” Like all things Cotopaxi, the Fuego overalls come in a variety of wild and fun colors, which only enhanced the party vibe.

Flylow Bear Jacket ($350)

Flylow designed this jacket for backcountry skiers who need an ultra-warm piece they can pull on for lunch in the wind, or a cold descent into a steep couloir. Lead tester Jakob Schiller used it in the Utah backcountry and found that the Flylow excelled in both those scenarios. But because the jacket is so warm, it became his après go-to as well. The sustained warmth comes from 133 grams of Primaloft Gold insulation, which kept him toasty while standing around cooking food, but also breathed exceptionally well while he danced badly in the parking lot. A performance DWR on the outer 20-denier fabric came in handy when liquids were spilled, and the jacket dried quickly each night, prepping it for another skiing/après combo mission the next day.

Topo Designs Fleece Cap ($39)

Size: One size
Pros: Versatile
Cons: Beanie heads will think it’s dorky

As soon as your ski helmet comes off and you sit down in the parking lot to have your first beer or taco, you’ll need a hat to hide your helmet hair and keep your ears warm. You could put on a standard beanie, or you could pull out this brimmed fleece hat. The one-piece ear flap pulls down for when it’s truly cold and folds up when you’re dancing your ass off and need to vent some steam. Made from a buttery-soft fleece, the hat stood out (in a good way) in the sea of beanie heads while the brim offered plenty of sun protection during mid-day lunch. Tester Phil Shaffer ended up using the hat all winter, not just for après, but also for working outside and even on winter runs. “We should all be thinking about expanding beyond the standard beanie,” he said.

Xtratuf Ice 6 inch Nylon Ankle Deck Boot ($175)

Size: 7-14 (men’s), 5-11 (women’s)
Pros: Great grip on ice
Cons: Ugly as sin

Lined with faux shearling and insulated with 200 grams of synthetic insulation, the Ankle Deck Boots are the pinnacle of comfort. We dreamed about pulling them on once the clock hit about 3:30 and our feet were sick of being trapped in plastic downhill shells. But the real selling point is the Glacier Trek Pro outsole, which gripped the wet ice that coated our favorite parking lots and kept us on our feet at all times, no matter how many hamburgers we were trying to carry to our kids. The mid-high cut and waterproof membrane was enough to keep snow and water from getting into the boot, and the simple lace design allowed us to cinch them down for a functional level of support.

Bottom line: Just as warm but more versatile than your Sorels, if not as easy on the eyes.

Roka Lockhart Sunglasses ($185)

Size: One size
Pros: Loud, but not too loud
Cons: Not made for large faces

You’re not going to buy these pricey glasses just for après. You invest in the Lockhart for everyday use because they have sturdy frames, high-quality crystal-clear lenses, and temple grips to keep them on your face at all times. You use them on your commute to work, during your workout, while skiing, and then for après. But to make them après-appropriate, you have to go for the very bright Bourbon colorway that screams “I like to have fun!” Our testers passed them around during parking lot parties: Everyone loved the lenses and frames, which add the perfect amount of pop to a well-balanced après outfit. The Lockharts fit all faces, even over lead tester Jakob Schiller’s huge nose, but everyone agreed that they looked best on smaller faces.

Bottom line: An après-friendly pair of sunglasses that works just about anywhere

How to Buy

When you’re piecing together the perfect après kit, the two things that matter most are warmth and fun. The warmth part is important because there’s a lot of standing around talking, eating, drinking, and so on; you don’t need performance layers that are going to shed sweat. Down is the OG warmth material, and still one of the best, which is why we fell in love with the Cotopaxi down bibs. But synthetic insulation, like Primaloft Gold, which you’ll find in the Flylow jacket, is not only crazy warm, but also stays warm when wet (damn you, spilled beer).

In terms of fun, a little goes a long way. You don’t have to show up to après in a dinosaur costume, but instead should think about pieces that add some pop and flair to your kit: Oddly-shaped sunglasses, a wildly colored jacket, or a different kind of hat. You want to show that you’re not going overboard, but don’t take yourself too seriously, either.

How We Test

The après testing category is one of the most coveted at Outside. Who doesn’t want to be handed a piece of cozy gear and told to go have fun in the parking lot? And this year, the après scene was particularly energized thanks to a pretty incredible snow year across the country. Our testers danced and drank in parking lots next to Alta and Jackson Hole, both of which set snowfall records and were absolutely buzzing with excitement. They also kept it a little more mellow at smaller ski areas such as Ski Santa Fe, where they hung with kids and grandparents who didn’t exactly party, but certainly knew how to enjoy a post-ski snack.

Meet Our Lead Tester

Jakob Schiller is a former Outside gear editor turned gear columnist with over a decade worth of gear reviews under his belt. His main job as category manager was to stoke out his friends with warm gear, tell them to go have fun, and then have them report back on which items helped them keep the party going. He also did his own testing on several road trips throughout the American West and can report back that the 2022-23 ski season was filled with high-quality après celebrations.