Expert Gear Picks from John Padilla

    Expert outdoor recreation & mental health advocacy gear recommendations from John Padilla, Film Director & Pro Skier, based in Montana, USA.

    John Padilla's Outerwear

    Sledskiing is brutal on gear, which is why there’s only one brand I trust…

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Flylow Quantum Pro Jacket — I am 6’3” and 215lbs and I prefer a baggy fit, so I always wear a XXL. Despite 100+ days a year of snowmobile skiing in this jacket, I’ve never been able to destroy one! It’s a great shell with ample pockets for skins, camera lenses, safety equipment and more.

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Flylow Baker Bib — I am 6’3” and 215lbs and I prefer a baggy fit, so I always wear an XXL. The Baker Bibs are the most indestructible shell bibs on the market. I spend over 100 days a year in mine and they still look brand new. I love the beacon pocket and retainer and the reinforced cuffs and knees for sledskiing. The removable powder skirt on most of Flylow’s jackets also buttons into the bib and allows the full kit to morph into a snow-proof mono suit!

    John Padilla's Layers

    Layers are the key to having fun backcountry skiing!

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow General's Down Sweater — The General’s Down Sweater is a must have for backcountry skiing. It’s light and packable, yet warm and filled with premium down insulation. I have several color ways and use mine for sledskiing as a layer to ride home in after I have sweat and the sun has gone down. Also great for standing around as a Filmer!

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Puffer Pant — The FlyLow Puffer Pant is another must have as a backcountry skier and Filmaker. It’s fleece lined and insulated on the butt and thighs, meaning no sweaty crotch like other puffy pants. Great on the cold negative temp days filming in the backcountry or for lounging at the cabin!

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Larry Vest — The Larry vest is great for keeping your core warm without sweating and losing range of motion in your arms. I use it daily backcountry skiing and around town.

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Boone Fleece — The Boone fleece is my daily driver sledskiing. Warm, but not hot, thin and breathable. I wear a size large for a tighter fit under my jacket shell, I am 6’3” and 215lbs.

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Mullet Jogger — The Flylow Mullet Jogger is my daily driver midlayer for backcountry skiing. Not too warm that I start sweating, but still enough to keep me warm when I’m holding a camera in one place for 2 hours. It’s also all but replaced sweatpants for me when I get back to the cabin. The gridded fleece is super soft and hasn’t pilled in 50+ washes.

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow M's Hanmer Wool Baselayer Top — The Flylow Hanmer Wool baselayer top is another daily driver for me for the entire winter. It’s one of the few sustainably and responsibly sourced wool baselayers on the market, it’s breathable, doesn’t pull, and keeps me warm. In the spring it’s all I wear under my shell.

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow M's Craigieburn Wool Baselayer Bottoms — The Flylow Craigieburn Wool Baselayer Bottoms are my favorite baselayer of all time. They don’t accumulate smell, they keep me warm, but not sweating. They’re also responsibly sourced and easy to wash. One of my favorite FlyLow products ever.

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Wolverine Glove

    John Padilla's Gloves

    Sledskiing = bring 3 pairs of gloves, or at least it used to…

    • John Padilla recommends the Flylow Wolverine Glove — The Wolverine glove is the best glove ever made. I used to be a mitten guy, but these gloves changed that for me. They’re so warm and waterproof and completely indestructible. I’ve been using the same pair for just over 300 days on snow and they still look brand new. The dexterity is unbeatable for throttling and braking a sled and swinging an ice axe up a couloir. I’ll never use another set of gloves.

    John Padilla's Skis

    I exclusively ski in the backcountry, meaning I usually see every type of snow on a given day and my skis have to be wheelie-proof sitting on the back of my sled.

    • John Padilla recommends the RMU 2026 Professor 111 — The RMU Professor 111 is a quiver killer, it’s stiff, yet poppy and playful and designed for charging big backcountry lines. I haven’t been able to break it, which is saying something because I am not a small human and I’m notoriously hard on skis. I use this ski 90 out of 100 days

    • John Padilla recommends the RMU 2026 Apostle 114 — The RMU Apostle 114 is my weapon of choice on the deep days in Cooke. It floats and its swing weight is perfect for launching lazy boy 3s, big backies, and cork 7s. It’s also bombproof and backed by RMU’s industry-leading, lifetime warranty.

    • John Padilla recommends the RMU 2026 Apostle 106 Carbon — The RMU Apostle 106 Carbon is my touring ski of choice. I mounted mine with pin bindings and it is unbelievably light. I use it for couloir missions into Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding wilderness areas. It’s stiff and stable enough to hold up when charging through sluff and hitting mandatory drops, yet light enough for me to walk miles on them and then climb up a couloir or ridgeline with them straps to my backpack

    John Padilla's Goggles

    If you’ve ever sledskied, you know that goggles matter, a lot.

    • John Padilla recommends the Giro Method Goggle — The Giro Method is the ultimate goggle for sledskiing. It’s bombproof design, well ventilated corners, wide field of vision, abundance of lens options, and affordability make it the perfect goggle for snowmobile-assisted skiing and snowboarding. I ride with 2 sets, one on my full face helmet for sledding, and 1 on my ski helmet plus 2 extra lenses for the ride out in the dark. I’ve taken some heavy slams wearing these goggles and they don’t have a single scratch. They also seem nearly impossible to fog up, I can’t recommend these more!

    John Padilla's Helmets

    You only get one brain, protect it wisely!

    • John Padilla recommends the Giro Owen Spherical Helmet — The Giro Owen Spherical is my favorite helmet of all time. It’s light, breathable, and good looking, and most importantly it is protected by the latest and greatest helmet innovations: MIPS and Spherical Tech. The entire inner liner of the helmet moves during a big slam to transfer energy away from the brain. I have a degree in Neuroscience and this is the helmet I’ve been waiting for someone to make. I remove the ear flaps to make it even lighter and I love the magnetic chin strap for swapping between my full face helmet and ski helmet without removing my gloves on a cold day. The entire Mountain in My Mind cast and crew is wearing the Owen this year and I’ve switched a lot of people over from the Smith Code MIPS and Giro Ledge MIPS

    Rendezvu
    John Padilla
    Tell your friends you love them.

    John Padilla

    Film Director & Pro Skier
    John Padilla
    Tell your friends you love them.

    John Padilla

    Film Director & Pro Skier
    John, photo 1 of 1

    About John

    I own and operate Mountain in My Mind, the first and only documentary ski films about mental health and resilience in mountain towns. I give a keynote speech and organize a large gear giveaway at all 25+ stops of our annual Suicide Prevention Ski Film Tour each Fall. Our films feature professional skiers and snowboarders throwing down in the backcountry of Cooke City, Montana and talking about the lessons they’ve learned through a wide variety of mental health challenges. Our films have won many awards and we sell out every venue on our tour.

    Details

    DisciplineOutdoor Recreation & Mental Health Advocacy
    SpecialityBackcountry skiing and snowmobiling (sledskiing)
    LocationMontana, USA
    JoinedMar 2026

    Highlights

    01Keynote speaker at 100+ sold out, live premieres in mountain towns in every state in the Western United States
    02Award-winning documentary film director
    03Guest on all major snow sports podcasts and featured articles in many major snow sports magazines
    Flylow Quantum Pro Jacket
    Flylow · $480Flylow Quantum Pro Jacket
    John“I am 6’3” and 215lbs and I prefer a baggy fit, so I always wear a XXL. Despite 100+ days a year of snowmobile skiing in this jacket, I’ve never been able to destroy one! It’s a great shell with ample pockets for skins, camera lenses, safety equipment and more.”
    Flylow Baker Bib
    Flylow · $480Flylow Baker Bib
    John“I am 6’3” and 215lbs and I prefer a baggy fit, so I always wear an XXL. The Baker Bibs are the most indestructible shell bibs on the market. I spend over 100 days a year in mine and they still look brand new. I love the beacon pocket and retainer and the reinforced cuffs and knees for sledskiing. The removable powder skirt on most of Flylow’s jackets also buttons into the bib and allows the full kit to morph into a snow-proof mono suit!”
    General's Down Sweater
    Flylow · $175General's Down Sweater
    John“The General’s Down Sweater is a must have for backcountry skiing. It’s light and packable, yet warm and filled with premium down insulation. I have several color ways and use mine for sledskiing as a layer to ride home in after I have sweat and the sun has gone down. Also great for standing around as a Filmer!”
    Puffer Pant
    Flylow · $170Puffer Pant
    John“The FlyLow Puffer Pant is another must have as a backcountry skier and Filmaker. It’s fleece lined and insulated on the butt and thighs, meaning no sweaty crotch like other puffy pants. Great on the cold negative temp days filming in the backcountry or for lounging at the cabin!”
    Larry Vest
    Flylow · $175Larry Vest
    John“The Larry vest is great for keeping your core warm without sweating and losing range of motion in your arms. I use it daily backcountry skiing and around town.”
    Boone Fleece
    Flylow · $160Boone Fleece
    John“The Boone fleece is my daily driver sledskiing. Warm, but not hot, thin and breathable. I wear a size large for a tighter fit under my jacket shell, I am 6’3” and 215lbs.”
    Mullet Jogger
    Flylow · $130Mullet Jogger
    John“The Flylow Mullet Jogger is my daily driver midlayer for backcountry skiing. Not too warm that I start sweating, but still enough to keep me warm when I’m holding a camera in one place for 2 hours. It’s also all but replaced sweatpants for me when I get back to the cabin. The gridded fleece is super soft and hasn’t pilled in 50+ washes.”
    M's Hanmer Wool Baselayer Top
    Flylow · $80M's Hanmer Wool Baselayer Top
    John“The Flylow Hanmer Wool baselayer top is another daily driver for me for the entire winter. It’s one of the few sustainably and responsibly sourced wool baselayers on the market, it’s breathable, doesn’t pull, and keeps me warm. In the spring it’s all I wear under my shell.”
    M's Craigieburn Wool Baselayer Bottoms
    Flylow · $75M's Craigieburn Wool Baselayer Bottoms
    John“The Flylow Craigieburn Wool Baselayer Bottoms are my favorite baselayer of all time. They don’t accumulate smell, they keep me warm, but not sweating. They’re also responsibly sourced and easy to wash. One of my favorite FlyLow products ever.”
    Wolverine Glove
    Flylow · $125Wolverine Glove
    Wolverine Glove
    Flylow · $125Wolverine Glove
    John“The Wolverine glove is the best glove ever made. I used to be a mitten guy, but these gloves changed that for me. They’re so warm and waterproof and completely indestructible. I’ve been using the same pair for just over 300 days on snow and they still look brand new. The dexterity is unbeatable for throttling and braking a sled and swinging an ice axe up a couloir. I’ll never use another set of gloves.”
    2026 Professor 111
    RMU · $4992026 Professor 111
    John“The RMU Professor 111 is a quiver killer, it’s stiff, yet poppy and playful and designed for charging big backcountry lines. I haven’t been able to break it, which is saying something because I am not a small human and I’m notoriously hard on skis. I use this ski 90 out of 100 days”