 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all,
Started skiing 5 yeas go, wasn't sure it was for me so bought goodish budget range kit from TK Maxx. When skiing I usually wear trespass thermals, fleece polo neck, with dare2be jacket, and Brugi salopettes. Plus north face hat and trekmates gloves. Oh and Thorlo ski socks.
Up until last year we had always been lucky and had beuatiful sunshine, even in Sweden when it was very cold the sun and exercise kept me warm. However, last year in Morzine we had 3 sunny days and then a very windy whiteout. I was absolutley freezing, while skiing, on the lifts, eventually I went back to the apartment early.
Now I am very nesh (feel the cold easily) and accept I bough basic gear initially, but I'm looking to upgrade and need some advice please to make sure I dont waste my money and still feel cold.
What do you knowledgeable people recommend in terms of layers/brands/styles? Price is a factor, so if they sell it at TK Maxx that would be helpful!
Many Thanks in advance
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
kyoto49, good advice in the thread that Adrian mentioned, but sometimes skiing is a cold activity if the weather is less than perfect. There's no magic solution to staying at the perfect temperature. Even if I wear all the layers that I sensibly can sometimes I am uncomfortably cold. It's just part of mountain activities, and sometimes we just have to grin and bear it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
kyoto49, I don't think you need to buy super expensive gear - but you probably need more layers. Do you wear long thermals top and bottom? On top of that you could easily wear two middle layers, and if it's cold I sometimes add a fleece gilet (so you have three layers under your jacket on your arms, and four on your body). You also need some good peripherals - for example wear a silk balaclava under your hat. (I wear a helmet, and close the vents and add a silk balaclava when it's really cold). You also need a neck warmers and possibly a neoprene face mask if it's cold. Wear silk inners in your gloves. Layers are your friend.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
kyoto49, I agree with what pam w, says.. to the point that unless your current kit is worn out don't start afresh just layer up more... Mrs M doesn't like the cold (odd considering where we live) but manages it with more and more layers....... doesn't need to be expensive stuff either....
One thing that I personally think might be worth investing in is good gloves.... that said I don't becuase I trash a pair each season so bulk bought some North Face at £30 last November!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
doesn't need to be expensive stuff
|
One of my usual skiing layers is a Canvas Holidays courier uniform fleece. Warm and free! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to find you 'cold level'...some can get by on minimal stuff..others layer up.
I always find I don't want to get too warm walking down to the lift as then I know that once I am skiing, I have over-dressed.
Thi is why a walk in the morining is a goiod idea, IMV...
A decent bass layer is a good start, a pack adds to things more than you'd think, and decent warm gloves and a hat should do it.
You need to find what YOU need to have..not what others can get away with... and work with that..
I wouldn't think that getting a new outfit would be the be-all and end-all here, just that you need decent layers and enough of them...air being the most effective insulator..etc
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My friend is the coldest person I know, and manages to stay warm most of the time, when skiing. She has good quality long thermals (long-johns and long sleeved vest), then a thin wool polo neck, with another crew neck jumper, again in thin wool. Her jacket is lined in fleece, and she wears thin thermal gloves, under her ski gloves. If you wear a helmet, you would benefit from a silk balaclava (as pam w, advises) and if not, a warm hat makes a huge difference. My usually-warm son, complained of his head and face feeling cold last year so wore a very fine hooded top with his helmet over the hood - it made no difference to the fit, but did to his comfort. Thin layers are the best option, rather than one thick jumper. However, there will always be some days when you just have to give in to Mother Nature and head back early  
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
A decent bass layer is a good start
|
And you put the treble ones on top, presumably. How very baroque.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
counterpointing with balaclavas, wooly socks and silk inner gloves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
My wife always feels the cold, so last winter I bought her some ski boots with built in heater elements and battery pack.
You charge up the battery packs ovenight then fix them on to the back of the boots & IIRC they give 4 hours of medium heat or 8 hours of low level.
Wifey reckons the low level heat was enough to keep her warm enough all day.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
yes, I have boot heaters too, and they're great. I have also found that the in-glove hand warmers (the ones that look like big tea bags) are effective, and I usually have some in a spare pocket. Decathlon sell them quite cheaply. They make them for boots, too, though it's not easy to get them in the right place (which is under the toes) without scrobbling them.
Some people feel the cold much more than others. Thin people feel it more, generally - my son in law gets terribly cold hands and it is a measure of his dedication to windsurfing that he does it even on mild winter days, on the south coast of England. He has good gear, though. He's a keen skier too and he was one of the people who benefitted from my stock of hand warmers last year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
kyoto49, nice thick (70 denier or so) lycra tights!
Another vote for neckwarmer/balaclava/face-mask - if you can keep your face warm on those cold & windy chair-lifts, the rest of your body should be OK (IME, speaking as a fellow Very Cold Person). Thermal glove inners are a must for me at all times (even in snowdomes!) & you might like to consider battery-heated gloves too - I've got a pair which I use when it gets really chilly, & they do work very well. The re-usable hand-warmers are quite nice to snuggle up to in gondolas as well 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Wow, thats plenty to digest!
Yes, the thermals were long johns, and long sleeved, but I will definitely get some additional middle layers as suggested.
Decent new gloves has been added to the christmas list and will get some thin thermal gloves to go underneath.
Its funny, I bought all these for my daughter, and also a thin balaclava for under her helmet, but neglected myself!
Thanks everyone
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
kyoto49, you can be sure that once you've invested in that lot you'll have warm sunshine for your next holiday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I've now invested in compression thermal underwear - ie Under Armour - although I haven't been able to get the bottoms yet!  For me the UA stuff is ten times warmer than anything else and the investment is worth it for me since there areday when I don't get chance to go in and warm up! My best friend, however, swears by the Smartwool stuff, which I haven't yet tried. We get new uniforms this coming season and I'm praying that they are more insulating than the old ones!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| kyoto49 wrote: |
Wow, thats plenty to digest!
Yes, the thermals were long johns, and long sleeved, but I will definitely get some additional middle layers as suggested.
Decent new gloves has been added to the christmas list and will get some thin thermal gloves to go underneath.
Its funny, I bought all these for my daughter, and also a thin balaclava for under her helmet, but neglected myself!
Thanks everyone |
1. Neck gator.
2. Wrist warmers.
3. Boot heaters.
These 3 items will make you significantly warmer.
Google them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Try looking at this site www.chocolatefishmerino.co.uk there thermals are all made of Marino wool and are excellent at keeping you warm and also don't smell like synthetic material. I have secondary Raynauds and Scleroderma and these clothes make life a lot cosier for me. You can also get heated gloves the best on the market Zanier heat GX but are expensive. Good luck and I hope this helps http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/images/smiles/icon_redface.gif
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Hip flask - Grand Marnier. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Axsman, foofy. Maker's Mark.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
comprex, Pleb!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I used a charcoal stick handwarmer (on my recent trip) and put it in the breast pocket of my fleece. It stays toasty warm for about 5-6 hours and I found it such a help on really cold days. So much so that I have ordered another couple for my other pockets, as well as loads of charcoal sticks.
highly recommeneded
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For awesome thermal efficiency take a look at some of the kayaking thermals - google reed chillcheater for some very good ones, that could also double up as bondage kit
Keep your core warm, and erverything else will be warmer too - layers.
If it's very windy or snowing heavily a buff type thing that can double as a facemask can be excellent.
Sometimes you will be cold whatever you do though, so jsut take a couple of breaks for coffee/hot choc/soup/schanpps/scotch*
*The alcohol is a joke, it will only make it worse, even if it doesn't feel like it
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
