These will help you think warm thoughts

A ski vacation or other cold-weather outing can be less chilling when using the following new products. All items have been tested by the author.

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Toasty tootsies

Once you’ve slipped on Sierra Designs’ new DriZone Down Booties, you may never want to take them off. The soft nylon ripstop booties are filled with thick featherweight down up to the calf. A thick-ridged rubber sole lets you venture outside -- perhaps to an informal dinner or a gathering around a campfire. They pack down to practically nothing, but why pack them when you can wear them on the plane or during a long car ride? Available in a variety of colors in men’s and women’s sizes. Your toes will thank you.

DriZone Booties, $55 from Sierra Designs; (800) 635-0461, www.sierradesigns.com.

Haute coat

Rejoice. A toasty down parka has debuted that doesn’t sacrifice shape for warmth. The Snow Princess Parka from Cloudveil is the shapeliest and softest down jacket I’ve encountered. Plus, its full-length cut covers your bottom and thighs -- a nice switch from the “fattening” look of the typical parka that abandons women midhip or higher. The quilted fabric is made of a silky synthetic blend accurately branded “Luscious.” The neckline and cuffs are lined with soft shearling-like fleece. The parka has a two-way zipper closure with a snapping over-flap for extra insulation. A zippered inside pocket can hold a credit card or extra cash, and zippered outside pockets provide plenty of depth for hand-warming or securely stashing gloves. Available in black or snow white.

Women’s Snow Princess Parka (3517) is $275 from Cloudveil; (877) 255-8345, www.cloudveil.com.

Hat trick

You don’t have to look goofy to keep your head warm. Tilley’s wool Winter Hat has a flattering fedora look. The downward slope of the brim, both front and back, not only looks suave but also protects the forehead and back of the neck from wind and snow. The wool exterior is rain and stain repellent. The most welcome features are inside the crown -- a thin layer of foam, to help keep your own body heat in, and a tuck-away forehead warmer and earflaps for really cold or windy conditions. Available in black, navy, charcoal or autumn tweed, in standard hat sizes.

Winter Hat is $85 from Tilley Endurables; (800) 363-8737, www.tilley.com.

-- Judi Dash