Staying warm
Lylah M. Alphonse, Globe Staff, 11/11/01

Sleds with speed and style

Children will love these sleds from REI. The purple Crazy Bob ($74) has steel skids to speed it down the hill, and the lime green Snow Rider ($35) has a cush- ioned seat and a steering handle. Both are available at REI stores in the Boston area, at www.rei.com, and through the catalog at 800-426-4840.

No cold feet with these

You can't prevent heat loss from the inside of your ski boots with extra insulation (there's no room), but you can stay warmer on the slopes by adding insulation to the outside. The Alaskan Boot Glove is a layer of neo- prene that goes over your boots to hold the heat in, raising the temperature inside the boot by 50 degrees on a subzero day. These black boot gloves don't inter- fere with bindings, and they adjust to any size boot. They cost $29.95 a pair, and come in two styles to fit downhill ski boots or snowboard, cross-country, or regular winter boots. Call 800-903-2818 or go to www.HerringtonCatalog.com.

Let's hear it for Earbags

Made in Sweden, Earbags are warm and lightweight, but won't slip off while you're skiing or running. They come in a variety of colors, styles, and patterns (we love the fleece ones) and cost $8.50 to $12.50 a pair. Available at the Totes Outlet store in Wrentham Vil- lage, Wrentham (508-384-0896); Brine's Sporting Goods in Cambridge (617-876-4218) and in Sudbury (978-443-4689); Ski & Tennis Chalet in Newton (617- 964-0820); Bob Smith's Sporting Goods in Boston (617-232-1399); at www.earbags.com; or by calling 888-327-2241.

Lylah M. Alphonse's e-mail address is lalphonse@globe.com.