Helly Hansen Ski Free is the secret deal of the winter season: How to get a free lift ticket
we looked into the fine print behind the most creative deal this ski season
We've been tracking deals on outdoor gear for years but one of the coolest ones we've seen in a while is Helly Hansen's Ski Free program.
Here’s how it works: When you buy a qualifying Helly Hansen ski jacket, pants, bib, or suit, you upload your receipt, and Helly Hansen sends you a voucher for a free or discounted lift ticket at one of more than 50 partner resorts across North America and Europe, including Mammoth Mountain, Chamonix, and Verbier.
While not the traditional type of sale that we include on our Deals Page, we decided to look into this deal more and see what qualifies. We wanted to see how it works, whether it's only the new, high-end gear that qualifies or whether anything will work. Essentially, we wanted to see whether this is the real deal.
In short: we were pleasantly surprised by what they will count towards the Ski Free voucher. For example, our pick for the best men's ski pants for resort skiing (~$205) is enough to get you a free ski ticket. You don't have to buy a whole kit, just a single jacket or pants will count. There's even kids' ski gear that counts.
The other aspect of the deal that impressed us is that you don't have to buy directly from Helly Hansen. You can buy it almost anywhere as long as you upload the receipt and your photo of your receipt isn't blurry. Here's how Ski Free works and which Helly Hansen gear we recommend gets you a free ski ticket.
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Helly Hansen Ski Free at a glance
We looked at the Helly Hansen Ski Free story and read the fine print. In short, here is how it works:
What you buy
A qualifying Helly Hansen ski jacket, pants, bib, or suit from the latest collection (plus some past-season styles)
What you get
A free 1-day lift ticket, 2-for-1 ticket, or multi-day discount, depending on the resort
Where
More than 50 partner resorts in North America and Europe
Who
Skiers 18 and older at the time of redemption
How to claim
Upload your receipt at hellyhansen.com/skifree/validate
How does Helly Hansen Ski Free work?
Buy your gear. Each qualifying product covers one redemption. You can buy from HellyHansen.com or any retailer, as long as the receipt shows the product name and purchase date.
Pick your resort. Browse the Ski Free partner resorts and note each resort's offer type and blackout dates.
Redeem and ski. Upload a photo of your receipt and choose your resort on the Ski Free redemption page. Helly Hansen emails a digital voucher within 48 hours (Monday through Friday). Show it at the resort's ticket office or guest services desk to get your pass. Don't activate it until you get to the resort!
What Ski Free offers can you get?
It varies by resort, but we found deals for:
Free 1-day lift ticket
2-for-1 lift ticket, valid the same day only
Buy one day, get the second free, for one person on consecutive days
3 days for the price of 2, for one person on consecutive days
Free 60-minute lesson, at the Hafjell ski school in Norway only (but hey, what a cool story that would make!)
In general, there are more deals in Europe than in the USA, so if you are planning to ski in Europe anyway, this could be your (free) ticket!
Which famous ski resorts are part of Ski Free?
Big names on this season's Ski Free resort list include:
Mammoth Mountain, California: A consecutive-day deal for one skier at California's highest resort
June Mountain, California: Mammoth's smaller, family-friendly neighbor
Chamonix, France: Redeemable through Mont Blanc Natural Resort
Verbier, Switzerland: Valid across the 4Vallées, including Nendaz, Thyon, and Veysonnaz
Corvatsch, Diavolezza & Lagalb, Switzerland: A free 1-day ticket in the Engadin, blacked out December 14, 2026 to January 3, 2027, and all of February 2027
Kvitfjell, Norway: Host of the 1994 Olympic downhill
Red Lodge Mountain, Montana
Powderhorn Mountain Resort, Colorado: A 2-for-1 same-day ticket, blacked out December 26, 2026 to January 3, 2027
Ylläs, Finland: A free 1-day ticket in Finnish Lapland
What Helly Hansen gear qualifies?
All ski jackets, pants, bibs, and suits from Helly Hansen's current collection qualify, plus select past-season styles (which we thought was pretty neat!).
We were also impressed that the list includes kids' ski jackets, pants, bibs, and suits (juniors, not baby). We even found a $95 pair of girls' softshell pants that qualifies! To be clear: An adult still needs to redeem the pass, but a lot of kids' gear qualifies.
This is the full list of Ski Free Qualifying Gear. Not every insulated Helly Hansen jacket makes the list, so check the model name before you buy!
Our Helly Hansen ski picks for Ski Free
The Legendary Insulated Pants are our top Helly Hansen pick for Ski Free: they win Best for Resorts in our men's ski pants guide, and they qualify.
Helly Hansen Legendary Insulated Pants
Award: Best for Resorts, Best Men's Ski Pants
MSRP: $205
What we liked: Wide size range (S to XXXXL), great fit, warm without bulk
What we didn't like: Waist adjusters didn't keep the pants up, limited breathability
If you only ski at resorts or you run cold, these are the Helly Hansen piece we'd buy to unlock Ski Free. Helly Hansen places PrimaLoft insulation only in the seat, thighs, and knees, so they don't wear like puffy snow pants.
The small, mesh-lined thigh vents make them a poor fit for spring skiing or skinning uphill. At Loveland Ski Area, the slinky lining slid down even with the waist adjusters cinched, so wear a belt. Women's, plus-size, and bib versions also qualify for Ski Free.
Helly Hansen Legendary Insulated Pants
Award: Considered in our Best Men's Ski Jackets guide
MSRP: $550
Standout features: Insulated electronics pocket, wrist gaiters, insulated collar, removable hood
The Alpha LifaLoft is one of Helly Hansen's most popular ski jackets, with Helly Tech Professional waterproofing and LifaLoft synthetic insulation. We haven't put it through our full testing yet, so consider it a promising option rather than a tested winner. It qualifies for Ski Free, as does its women's counterpart, the Alphelia LifaLoft.
Helly Hansen Alpha LifaLoft Jacket
A Helly Hansen favorite that doesn't qualify: Whitewall LifaLoft Jacket
Award: Best Insulated Resort, Best Women's Ski Jackets
MSRP: $415
What we liked: Warm without bulk, comfortable, long hem
What we didn't like: Too warm for spring skiing, small pit zips
The Whitewall is our favorite insulated women's ski jacket for resort skiers who don't want to fuss with layers. In Colorado testing, from sunny days in the 20s to storm days in the single digits, our tester rarely needed an extra layer underneath.
The catch: the Whitewall isn't on Helly Hansen's current Ski Free list. For a warm women's jacket that earns a lift ticket, look at the Alphelia LifaLoft or St. Moritz Insulated 2.0, or pair the Whitewall with the qualifying women's Legendary Insulated pants.
Whitewall LifaLoft Jacket
Ski Free fine print worth knowing
There's always some fine print, but after reading it, these seemed reasonable to us:
Redeem the same season: Receipts are only valid in the ski season you bought the gear, roughly October through April.
Use it on that trip: Once the resort issues your pass, you can't save it for a later visit.
Blackout dates: Some resorts exclude holidays and peak days, usually around Christmas and New Years.
Returns cancel the deal: Returning your qualifying gear for a refund makes you ineligible. That seems fair.
Receipts get rejected if they're blurry, undated, already used, or don't name the Helly Hansen product. Take a good photo that clearly states the product name!
As usual, we'd recommend reading the Terms and Conditions yourself before making a purchase. But based on our read, this is a relatively straightforward program.
Is Helly Hansen Ski Free worth it?
Ski Free is worth it if you already planned to buy a ski jacket or pants and something from Helly Hansen fits your needs. Don't buy a jacket just for the ticket: the right jacket lasts for years, while the ticket covers one day.
To see what to look in ski gear based on the type of skiing you're doing and where you're skiing, start with the What to Look For and How to Choose sections of our Best Men's Ski Jackets, Best Women's Ski Jackets, Best Men's Ski Pants, and Best Women's Ski Pants guides.
It’s also worth noting that although we didn’t test them for the Best Plus Size Snow Pants guide, the Legendary Ski Pants and Blizzard Ski Pants are available in sizing up to 3X, representing one of few brands dedicated to making gear for snow athletes in bigger bodies.
