Whatever your level of skiing experience wearing the right ski clothing is crucial to your general enjoyment. Being wet, cold, and sad will take the fun out of what could be a really fun time at the ski area. You want to stay warm and dry while being cozy at the same time. Fortunately this is easy to do if you use the correct skiing clothes and equipment.
Your Head - Let's start at the top and work our way down. Either a good hat or helmet is a absolute. My chioce You will loose more heat through the top of your head then anyplace else on your body. This is very true when skiing or snowboarding first thing in the morning.
Protecting your eyes from the wind, blowing snow, and the intense UV rays of the sun reflecting off the snow is very important. Goggles will also make it easier to see the terrain which can translate into better overall skiing performance.
ski apparel
Your clothing - The Base Layer. You will need to keep your body warm and dry. This can keep any perspiration away from your body which is key to remaining warm and comfortable. Stay away form anything cotton. While cotton is very comfortable, Cotton holds any perspiration and when your skin is wet it will loose the bodies temperature 25 percent fater
Over the base layer you can add the mid layer such as a light-weight fleece top or ski vest. This is the main insulating layer so it can pay to choose it wisely.
The Outer Layer l need a ski jacket. Your ski jacket protects against the conditions ; wind, cold, snow, and water. Select one that offers the option of a zip-in liner which can further help you adjust your layering wants depending on weather and temperature conditions. For your legs you will wish to have a good set of waterproof/windproof ski pants. Under this you will want an insulating layer to stay warm. They will need to fit snuggly over your ski boots to keep the snow out but still be loose enough to offer you complete liberty of movement.
Gloves and mittens - Your gloves or mittens should be waterproof and fit loosely enough to permit good blood flow to your fingers, while at the same time you must be able to have a good grip on your ski poles.
You should not use wool hunting or hiking socks because of the bulk of these types of socks. You don't wish to constrict the blood flow to your toes because once they get cold they are hard to warm back up. Ski socks should also be made of wicking material to keep moisture away from your skin. selecting the correct ski apparel will start you off correctly towards your enjoyment of your day on the slopes.
Ski Warehouse.com
An avid skier and kayaker spending the winter in utah. I work as an ski ranger and I also do some work for Ski Warehouse.com
during the fall
