What to wear when skiing

A snowHead

Hi,

Earlier this year was the first time I went skiing and I've now found out I had the wrong socks and so I was wondering what does everyone wear when skiing?

I had thin layers on my top so I could change quickly as I warmed up/ cooled down

I had waterproof trousers on, but should I wear thermals underneath as well? Or are these just not necessary when skiing?

Thanks

A snowHead

All depends on how hot you run. I am happy with a thin base top and a shell jacket down to -10C and would only consider thermals below my trousers if it was -15C or lower. But others in my groups need multiple layers on days I would consider warm.

You seem to be doing the right thing, experiment and find what suits you.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Yeah I was thinking of experimenting next time. When I was skiing I did get hot with my thermals on, but some of my friends were still cold with more layers on than me.

I just wanted to check that some people do ski without thermals on before I go and get frostbite Very Happy

Thanks

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That's a never ending story. The options are limitless all depends on you and the weather and your level of exertion. Generally thin ergonomically designed SKI socks. Layers don't necessarily have to include thermal underwear, as stated it depends. I have skied at -20 c comfortably without thermals as I have very good salopettes. In fact I rarely ski with more than a proper SKI shirt, underwear, jacket & salopettes. Jackets & salopettes though should be not just water resistant but breathable too.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

How do you know if the trousers are breathable? What materials should I look for?

the ones I have were the cheapest or second cheapest from Decathlon, these are mine - https://www.decathlon.co.uk/first-heat-ski-trousers-id_8360202.html
They have a breathable RET of 12, it says lowest is best, so I guess that isnt very good really??

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On Decathlon website apart from the £100 trousers that have a RET of 6, all the others have a RET<12 so I guess mine arent terrible then, unless all of them arent great

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I wear a base layer and an insulated jacket as tend to be very hot. After the EoSB in April I've also now got just a shell jacket for warmer days. I carry a bag so also have a lightweight top which I can put on when I stop for a break or lunch.

As Scarpa says, try a few things that suit you, I tend to be very hot while skiing but tend to wear slightly more than necessary as hate being cold on lifts. Other people go the other way, wear what makes skiing comfortable and put up with it (Rule 5) on lifts.

After all it is free

Er, no. Unless you are skiing in spring like conditions, I don't think these fit the bill as good salopettes. However if they did the job FOR YOU, then that's OK too. It's horses for courses. If you progress to going skiing regularly in all kinds of conditions you would probably want to improve the quality of your clothing. Don't be fooled by anyone telling you to buy a particular product. Do your research here and elsewhere to find out what suits YOU.

It's all personal, but layering works for me and my family. I run very hot, so I will wear only a t-shirt and ski jacket at -15C or warmer (IF there's not much wind). If you ever see me wearing an extra top, you know it's going to be cold. My salopettes/trousers are cheap and crappy so I wear thermal leggings at anything colder than about -10C. I would get better salopettes, but can never find any to fit (I wasn't called Toddy Legs at school for nothing).

@Old Man Of Lech makes a good point re exertion level - if you are standing or sitting around a lot (for example, on a miserably slow chair lift), you'll need extra clothing.

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Apparently this is de regueur for you skiers.

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Yes in 1980

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I did find that my legs and feet in particular were sweating a lot last time in Slovakia in temperatures around -10C, but I have since discovered i had the wrong socks on some days

I'm definitely buying some new socks for next Januarys visit to Andorra and I'll have a look at some different trousers as well

I use an Immersion Research Thick skin thermal as my prime base layer. Its designed for whitewater kayaking but I find it a fantastic snowsports thermal too. It's reliably warm, super comfy, and wicks really well.

In mid season (and certainly late season) its usually enough on its own for me with my jacket on top. I've never needed thermal legs, though I board so my padded shorts probably add a bit of warmth to the upper legs. If its particularly cold then a zipped thermal top on top is usually sufficient for me which I can open or close depending on how warm I am, and if its super cold and windy I'll add a snood around the neck and a facemask.

I don't have expensive goretex (or similar) jacket or trousers just general run of the mill stuff.

You know it makes sense.

I err on the side of being slightly cold on lifts but daft as it sounds I make sure I have a really good breakfast and keep my core warm, otherwise get very cold fingers below -10c as blood is pulled back to core to keep organs warm. I ski in shell goretex jacket and trousers and layer up with merino beneath, adding/ removing as day goes on. 180 icebreaker 3/4 leggings below shell pants good on legs, 180 tee shirt base layer below 200 sleeved midlayer on top below padded lightweight down gilet, Falke SK4 socks, merino buff, helmet, AND most important good quality dry gloves......cold hands are a nightmare, really painful. Bootwarmers in boots and liners out every night. Job done.....only time I need any more is when its mega cold in January, maybe a thicker layer rather than 200 midlayer Very Happy

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@fredbob, Look at the breathability rating, but I would always get ventilation zips on tops and pants. My thermal layer for top is the lightest summer weight long sleeve ones I can get eg Helly Hansen. Apart from when I learnt how to ski in Canada I have never needed a thermal pant, but the high wicking boxer shorts are great for comfort. On warm days I ski in light softshell ski touring / climbing pants unless we are doing the Everest Challenge

A snowHead

I run hot so just a t-shirt unless it's gets down to -10 or with wind chill feels colder. But as a snowboarder I end up sitting down (on the side of piste Very Happy

) waiting for my good wife who tends to be a bit slower on her skis. As such good quality soft merino wool long johns are essential! But no pants Toofy Grin

....its all about the feel

A snowHead

If you won't listen to @Gazzza, then it's got to be Skinsuit, that is all. It'll show people you mean business - both literally and figuratively.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

As a new skier I'm guessing you're not planning on any multi-day off-piste tours at the moment so keep it simple.

When you get ready to go skiing, put on what seems sensible.
If you get unreasonably hot or cold during the day just ski 'home' and add/remove clothing as appropriate.
If you're just a little hot or cold, man-up and just add/remove a layer before you set out next morning.

Provided you're dry and aren't either too hot or too cold it doesn't matter what or how much/little you're wearing.

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@fredbob, Dont listen to them ( Maybe Scarpa) they all ski on a 50p budget. Get to Harrods and look for Foreign sounding names Bognor, fatass goose, Fendi and the like. Check out Channel if you have a female partner, you will thank me later. If you can actually put skis on without falling over and not worried about breaking your sunglasses, try Spyder, Moncler and Stone Island. Just remember to budget for a different look every day, on here its the same look per decade, so might not be cutting edge.

Do not buy a red jacket under any circumstances.

Make sure you fill your boots with cat litter ( unused ) at night, to keep them bone dry.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Your actual boots, don't "fill your boots" with cat litter as I imagine it tastes horrible.

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This is one area that varies hugely from person to person, as others have said, do what is comfortable for you.
If you tend to run hot, lighter colours absorb less heat on sunny days, zipped vents in jacket and salopettes are very easy to open and close as the conditions change, a snood can be quickly pulled up over your face or taken off and shoved in a pocket , zipped necks on base layers can help you to cool down / warm up without having to take the layer off.
CIrcumstances and conditions can change quickly on the mountain and having clothing that is easily adaptable is the key to comfort and safety.

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My eyes are still bleeding

The best thing about skiing is that you can wear whatever you want and a) still have someone judge you for it and b) not care in the slightest because you are having too much fun.

Personally because I tubigrip the sh*t out of my knees and am a lardass I skip the thermal leggings and run as light as I can on the upper body. Some days are just damn cold though and a mid layer puffy and gimpmask are warranted.

One rule of thumb is never dress fully until you are leaving the appt/hotel - setting off with a sweat on to start with is a surefire way to get cold shortly thereafter.

After all it is free

Good point about not dressing till the last minute.

I do keep a light synthetic duvet jacket in my rucksack (one that packs into it's own pocket) on a big day as it is also handy for after the skiing if a bar to bar wander is called for. A buff and thin windproof balaclava will fit in a pocket and can make a big difference if you need additional warmth while skiing.

@Dave of the Marmottes, +1

@fredbob, I was really confused when I started out and got a classic padded 'warm' ski jacket and trousers, which ended up being a bit of a burden because neither were flexible and I was mostly too hot.

Basically you want an outer layer that will keep you dry (definitely from wet snow, but also from all the sweat you'll generate going down couloirs and treacherous family park areas) and inner layers that keep you warm but not so warm that you get wet anyway. And that if they do get wet, don't make you cold (i.e. never cotton). If you are a walker and have a decent goretex jacket, this will work fine, though you might wreck it if it isn't heavy duty.

If you get in to skiing, a set decent wool baselayers is great because they don't smell much and are easy to layer up on. But the best method is trial and error and fairly cheap thermals from places like uniqlo are pretty good value.

I have personally settled on a merino wool top with assorted thicknesses of polyester top up layers if needed. For legs I have some synthetic thermals and some 3/4 length thicker layers to add if really cold. I have stopped skiing with a rucksack though, so tend to make a call based upon how hot/cold I was the day before and just live with it if I've called it wrong. I also vote for a hardshell outer (my preference is the newer, thicker goretex some brands do but if just starting out anything that keeps water out will be a big step up on something that doesn't).

As for socks: I really hate tube socks, and think it is really misleading to sell them in ski-shops because beginners buy them and wonder why their boots don't fit properly and they have blisters.

Smartwool is a good bet, but anything ski specific (i.e. that covers your shin properly) will be a decent investment imv.

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Yeah Im looking at getting some ski socks with padded shins as last time my shins were killing after walking in the ski boots

I'm glad that there different people do wildly different things, I was a bit worried about trying fewer layers in case it was a really stupid thing to do

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Nope, a very intelligent thing Wink

In spring I often ski in just a t shirt with my jacket in my sack. Regarding ski socks... I use the Falke SK5s as they are really thin, but I have tight decently fitted boots and if I swap to a medium thickness sock the pain level increases to the point where I have to stop skiing after an hour. Yet with the thin sock I can ski all day with no problems. Everyone is different and the more people try various combinations the more chance they have of being comfy or getting better performance (not always compatible hehehe).

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When you think that a descent of the Aguille Rouge in Les Arcs is a 2000m drop and that is normally a 12 degree temperature increase you have to expect to adjust your clothing as you go. I open the tweed jacket a bit, loosen the tie and stuff the cap into my pocket on the way so that I do not overheat.

You know it makes sense.

If you wear similar clothes to what you would wear in the UK hills in winter, you won't go far wrong. The weather is generally worse here snowHead

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

I often adjust my dress depending on the altitude and whether I am going uphill or downhill....

A snowHead

@Gazzza,

Wow, Head Comps with Explode-O-Mats, all tied together with Rosemounts............. Und blau jeans.......... Yow.

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

HAHAHAHA love those outfits!!! Laughing

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It's all about the Bogner.

That, or a dinosaur onesie.

You'll thank me for this advice.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I think if nothing else get your socks right its probably the one piece of clothing that legitimately you need to buy something ski specific. So many 'boot' problems are actually sock problems. They are expensive, but for a weeks trip with no access to washing machine I would recommend 2 pairs minimum 3 if you want to push the boat out. 2 means you can wear a pair and the other can be getting nice and dry back at the flat for the next day. You are not going to win any hygiene awards when your skiing anyway.

For the rest. I personally would get a set of thermals, I run hot, but I still wear thermals pretty much always. Only exception is I will sometimes lose the top half if its stupid warm at the end of the season. The advantages of thermals are

a) They will do a lot of the work keeping you warm, this means you can save money on the salopettes and jacket layer as you are not asking them to do as much work. Thermals can be got very cheap. I got my first 2 sets top and bottoms for £10 each at TKMaxx and I am still using one set, (the other got lost along the way)
b)They wick sweat away from your body meaning you get less of that sweaty clothing sticking to you and then getting really cold when you stop, this is good thing.
c) This is probably the most important reason. Skiing is a sport that is hard on your knees. I find that thermals seem to keep my joints warm and limber and they get that way quicker from start that without. This I think is very important in terms of preventing strains and injury, especially if you have just jumped off a long lift, its good to know that within 3 turns everything is getting nice and toasty.

For the rest I have a fairly lightweight jacket now, I used to have a heavy thick one and I only needed the thermal and the jacket and I was good. I switched to a lighter jacket because when it was warmer I was suffering. Now I use a lighter jacket and I carry a fleece or put one on when I am getting cold. I wear salopettes over thermals.

My jack was a cheapy job online £50 fleece was another £15 special from TKMaxx, and Salopettes also from TKMaxx £40

Basically you can do this right if you shop around and don't get taken in by brands.

G

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As Royal Marine Colour Sgt Dave Boulton was wont to reapeat ad nauseum: C-O-L-D! Your clothing should be CLEAN (fabrics perform better when clean); you should avoid OVERHEATING ('cos it's sweaty and you lose heat as a result); LAYER your stuff (gives opportunity to adjust insulation levels); and DRY (or you'll be wet and die!).

Norway, 1982. Ee it were cold lad!

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I've bought oodles of socks for skiing ..
specialist silk ones the lot.
But I have nothing quite as good as
Hally Hansen merino mix called "Nursery".
The last couple of years I've got two pairs for less than £10 from TK Max.

They do show signs of wear after a season, but at that price there is no point in washing them Smile

Actually I'm wearing them now!

After all it is free

Normally easy to work out how much you need on and adjust layers accordingly.

But that cold chair when you are in shade and cutting wind - then it stops...... shudder

Have a l8ok at Aldi ski stuff when its available, usually end of Nov, someone will post on here when its out and be quick it gets snapped up fast. I live their merini wool base layers and the jackets and saloupettes are usually pretty good. I also have their socks with silk which are ace.

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Personally, I definitely believe in layering, but scorn fashion and all that specialised (expensive) clothing malarkey...

Typically, I'll wear walking socks, a pair of light, loose trousers and walking overtrousers on my bottom half. Top half, t-shirt, thin fleece and a fleece waistcoat (which has a handy breast pocket for lift pass). I usually carry a light (uninsulated) breathable waterproof jacket in my day-sack, but only put it on if it starts snowing hard (or is rather parky). If it looks likely to be particularly cold, I'll carry an extra thin fleece and pull on long undies (but have regretted that before now).

I wear winter cycling gloves on my mitts, and top it off with a fleecy beany, or a lycra snood (often worn as a head-band). I've skied like this in blizzards, and down to -16, and never felt the worse for it. On the other hand, what many people consider cold, I call "fresh".

Help!!

What to wear when skiing

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