Eight years after Brenna Huckaby’s first Paralympic Games, the pressure is on. She’s a highly decorated para snowboarder, with four medals across two Paralympic Games and 10 World Championships. But she doesn’t let the pressure get to her. “Win or lose, I’m still the same Brenna,” she tells WIRED. “I’m loved. I have an incredible family. [Snowboarding] is important, but it’s not everything to me.”
That’s why Huckaby makes a point to keep the atmosphere light. If Huckaby has a good day in training, she wears the same socks for qualification and racing. If she had a good race for those, she’ll wear them for the next race. “So, sometimes I wear dirty socks to compete,” she says. “This past season, though, they’ve been really clean, so hopefully for the Games I have dirty socks, because that means things are going well.”
Beyond her clean or dirty socks—only time will tell—we asked Huckaby what other essentials are keeping her company at Milano Cortina 2026.
Her Skin Savior
Huckaby swears by La Roche-Posay’s Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream. Packed with soothing ingredients like prebiotic thermal water, ceramide-3, shea butter, niacinamide, glycerin, and its patented postbiotic, this cream is a miracle worker for dry, rough, or sensitive skin. It’s even backed by the National Eczema Association. “It is the best after a long day of snow, windburn—whatever you got going on—this will fix your entire life,” Huckaby says. She’s also loyal to the brand’s SPF lineup and keeps several on heavy rotation. “I feel like the sunscreen dealer, because people are always trying to get some.”
Beauty Sleep
Huckaby packs two eye masks every time she travels. “I have one in my carry-on and one in my suitcase, just in case I forget one,” she says. She doesn’t bother with an eye mask at home, but when she’s traveling it’s a must. Her pick is the Saatva Eye Mask, which has a cover that’s 100 percent mulberry silk (with a polyester fiber fill). The silk is naturally breathable, hypoallergenic, and temperature-regulating, making it comfortable to wear year-round. The elastic headband is wrapped in silk, too, so it stays put without tugging at your hair. It’s a small but luxe upgrade that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, especially when you’re far from home.
Comfort Food
Hershey Almond Joy
Snack Size Jumbo Bag
When she’s out of the country, Huckaby loves to bring a taste of home with her. “I have a freezer full of Almond Joys,” she says, laughing. “I’m a sweet-treat girlie—I have to have a little something sweet every night.”
Sweet Dreams
“I’m super picky about pillows, and I’ve forgotten mine on too many trips, and it’s been miserable,” Huckaby says. Her favorite pillow is Saatva’s Latex Pillow, and thanks to her partnership with the brand, she doesn’t have to forget lug hers from home. The pillow’s shredded natural latex core gives it that springy support, so your head and neck don’t sink or crane. The removable, machine-washable fill layer is wrapped in organic cotton and stuffed with microdenier fibers, so it feels plushy and breathable. It comes in two lofts: a standard 4- to 5-inch option for back and stomach sleepers, and a higher 6- to 7-inch model for side or combination sleepers.
Her Journal
Photograph: Scott Gilbertson
Leuchtturm1917
Notebook Hardcover Medium A5
Huckaby has the same breakfast every day: a hearty bowl of oatmeal with oat bran, flax meal, chia seeds, and peanut butter powder. “It doesn’t taste the best, but I know that it’s going to fuel me,” she says. After her nutritious meal, she journals. “Journaling is something I cannot live without,” she says, adding that it makes her feel at peace to have little moments like these to herself.
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