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1st time skier information

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi

I will be going skiing for the first time ever in February 2009 to Banff and was wondering what would be the best for me to wear whilst skiing contact lenses or glasses. I know you can get goggles that fit over the top of glasses but was wondering from peoples experiences what was the best option as have never worn contact lenses in really cold conditions.

Also as my son and I have never been before would anyone be able to recommend whether to have lessons in England first or just go and book lessons in Banff.

Many thanks in advance for your reply

mark
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
smmjh11, My first thirty minutes on snow (snowboarding!) I wore glasses and vowed never again. For the rest of that first week I went without either goggles or contacts (my sight isn't good enough for driving but I can cope around the house if I need to). As this was mostly going down a predictable beginner slope it wasn't too bad, but as we progressed around the mountain I couldn't really see either the view, or focus on where I was going quickly enough.
As soon as I got back to the UK I went to the opticians and got some daily disposable contact lenses. I hardly wear them except when on the snow, but wouldn't now be without them.

I'd suggest at least a starter lesson on so before you go.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Contact lenses seem ok in the cold but it's the wind at speed that causes a problem for me, and literally blows them out of your eyes, not a problem with goggles on but definitely an issue with sunglasses, for me anyway. Re the lessons it can't do any harm to get some lessons in a UK snowdome before you go, will give you a head start.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Welcome to snowHead

These threads might help you out a bit:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=37199&highlight=contact+lenses+glasses

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=38026&highlight=contact+lenses+glasses

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=35720&highlight=contact+lenses+glasses

You'll find lots of helpful stuff here about clothes etc and what to expect.

Hope you're prepared for a very very addictive past time that is very very expensive!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
contact lenses all the way
wear goggles or sunglasses that block the wind out so avoid the issue jonm mentions
get some lessons here if you have time. saves doing a lot of the boring stuff on the mountain
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You'll need to Register first of course.
Thanks for the advice I already have daily contact lenses for sport in the summer so I will use them. Will book up at Xscape at MK as not to far from us.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
smmjh11, send a PM to Horizon, he's an optician and can get you great deals on contact lenses...
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
smmjh11, uh, can't believe (although that's just based on experience, and on soft lenses) that they'll blow out. Bet I ski faster than jonm too (oh, dear, sets himself right up for a fall...) Twisted Evil

Definitely lenses. You can get UV proof ones too (not sure why I don't have them any more?) etc, etc.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
smmjh11, Daily lenses all the way for cold windy conditions. You have made the right choice. I found that with hard lenses your eyes get very dry after a day in the mountians.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Contacts + sunglasses or goggles. Cool
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
lens and goggles/sunglasses - never had any problems.

Do carry some spare lens just in case - mate dropped one at the edge of piste once, lets face it you're never going to find a lens in the snow
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Contacts every time for me..... and those threads parlor posted are pretty comphrehensive, IMV so worth a read.

Never ever ever lost a lense... Puzzled
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Boris, how can you drop a lens out of your eye? Puzzled
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
David Murdoch, With HGP you can aggressively wipe the outside of your eye and they can 'pop'.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
parlor, Laughing Laughing

smmjh11, I'll echo pretty much everyone else. I skied both with contacts and with glasses and there's no contest - contacts are better.

As a beginner you're unlikely to fly down the piste fast enough to get a contact lens out of your eye. Not intentionally, anyway. (It happened to me once in the last three years, probably because the lens was wobbling anyway, and there are times when I ski pretty fast).

As for lessons - a few lessons at a snowdome will open up more of the mountain for you at an earlier stage in your holiday.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Scarpa, I didn't know anyone was still using them...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
My girfriend was fine with goggles & disposable contacts there last year, glasses would probably be a pain from fogging up as it is COLD!

Get good thermals, and one of those neoprene face masks (you can get a good selection in town for couple of $$ if you can't find a comfy one in the UK) and you'll be set. Silk glove liners really help too. It's one of the few places I've been where all the kit really isn't overkill! It's fine when you're wrapped up though.

I'd suggest booking lessons in Banff, simply because then you can decide whether to ski Sunshine or Lake Louise on a whim, rather than being tied into a specific day for lessons.

is it next season yet? snowHead
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
smmjh11,

1) if you're off to Banff make sure you take plenty of proper thermals and suitable items for layering i.e no cotton layers. See the other threads you were directed to for advice on this. Banff can get really, really cold. Oh plus a face mask/balaclava (have a look at the Windstopper/Coldkillers motorcycle ones I find them good plus they're normally seemless as well for comfort). I sometimes have to wear mine in Europe so I'd definitely have to have it out in Banff I'd have thought! Laughing

2) I would advise lessons to get you up to at least snowplough linked turns (which realistically shouldn't take too many lessons) in a UK Snowdome to give you a head start bearing in mind the real experience of skiing in a mountain resort will be a million times better. snowHead Also get some lessons in Banff as well to compliment what you've already learned in the UK.

3) Re contacts-definitely wear contacts (especially if you'll need a balaclava on-glasses and a bally are just not a good look) and then you can choose whatever good looking goggles you want instead of those horrible (IMV) goggles that go over the top of specs. As a glasses wearer myself I definitely wouldn't go for those, it's contacts all the way for me. I'm on daily disposables like you, although I'm pretty short sighted (-5.75) so couldn't go without glasses or lenses for sure!

Now, like jonm, Scarpa, Boris, have said/alluded to, definitely, definitely take 1-2 spare pairs with you when you go out of a morning! They hardly take up any room in your pocket and are practically negligible in weight as you'll already know. The reason I say this is that I've found that for some reason, I think it might be the air at altitude, my lenses can get a bit dry on occasion and sometimes almost "blink out". You know what I mean. One day I was on a chair lift and one of my lenses blinked out onto my cheek, it was a windy day and the wind took it before I could get to it with gloves on as well, so there was not a chance in hell of retrieving it from my cheek and quickly putting it back in my eye as I have done many times before. Worse thing was the other one fell out too when I got to the top! rolling eyes rolling eyes Shocked

It's the only time it's ever happened mind where I've completely lost one or both up a mountain but luckily because I knew the resort I knew how to get back down to the village on green or blue runs and was "feeling" the snow under my skis. Thing is, even being a quite experienced skier and being on a green run I just kept falling over because it was just so disorientating not being able to see any detail hardly and also it was snowing heavily with the visibility not great anyway at the best of times.

It's funny to thnk about it now but at the time it was bloody scary I can tell you! Laughing Laughing

To be safe I enlisted the assistance of some kind gentlemen skiing in a group with their parents who I asked to follow down to the gondola so I could catch it back down to the village! I think I could have ended up in a right pickle if I'd skied down. Laughing

So now I make sure I take some spare ones because they can just blink out even if you're not careering along with the wind in your hair! wink Laughing
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Contacts every time. Daily disposables if possible, and have a spare pair with you.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
contact lens gives me more freedom in my sport. It took me awhile to get used to it though but im not regretting it.






contact lens
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You'll need to Register first of course.
David Murdoch wrote:
Boris, how can you drop a lens out of your eye? Puzzled

Happens to me occassionally - which is why I usually stick to goggles. In my case the wind causes my eyes to water - which makes the lens overly mobile.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

Also as my son and I have never been before would anyone be able to recommend whether to have lessons in England first or just go and book lessons in Banff.


Lessons in UK first. snowHead

Well worth doing - you should be able to arrive in Banff alreday able to turn and use a drag lift.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Contact lenses every time - only had about 2 problems in 20 years skiing, easily corrected at the next stop with comfort drops (always carry them jsut in case). Make sure you have decent wrap-round sunglasses or goggles.
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 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Oh, if you're using disposables then it's always advisable to carry a spare pair.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
PhillipStanton,

Really..?? never lost one.... old soft lenses or disposables!! I do take a few spare disposables out with me for the day but that is because I might be putting them in in the car or in the gondola..
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
When I first started skiing my eye sight was fine, then overtime I needed glasses (for driving) and having tried once using glasses under goggles (urgh) I opted for daily disposable contacts. The funny thing was before I used glasses I would go down anything and then after needing them for driving, I remember looking down a slope in them and though "blimey that's steep!!".

You can have prescription glasses/goggles, but it's not the same thing as they get misted with suncream etc., and just feel grubby visibility wise to me. The only problem I do have is sometimes wearing sunglasses with contacts I have a wind effect which dries my eyes and makes them runny. Personally though, on the whole I do genuinely prefer goggles and have a variable for high, medium or flat light.

I once had a contact lens come out mid piste when wearing sunglasses and miraculously found it (to much amusement of my fellow skiers) on the piste and with a bit of fiddling actually managed to put it back in!
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Done four seasons in the Alps - contact lenses!
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