If you want to spend a wonderful time on skiing resort, you’ll need warm and comfortable clothing. Buy all the necessary clothing before the vacation. If you are a beginner, you’ll have to buy a full set of skiing clothing. If you wear usual warm clothing, which you wear in winter, you’ll sweat, get wet, will be chilled by the wind – and as a result you’ll catch a cold and won’t have any pleasure.
Skiing suit
Skiing suit should keep the warmth, be waterproof, protect from wind and resist sliding down the slope, if you fall. Besides, the suit may look stylish, so that you can wear it in your town in winter.
You should put on few thin layers. First layer is thermo-underwear. Its destination is not to keep the warmth, but to lead the moisture off the body. If the underwear is not appropriate and you sweat and get wet, you’ll get cold and won’t feel comfortable. That’s why usual cotton underwear doesn’t suit. In the shop you can buy special underwear for skiing. Select the underwear that fits you without folds.
Next layer is used for warmth preserving. Sometimes 1-2 woolen sweaters are enough. It is acceptable too. But this clothing is large and heavy, so it’s not comfortable to move. Even beginners are recommended to buy a lighter variant. To learn skiing, your moves should be easy, nothing should hinder your moves. Clothing from fleece is more comfortable and light. Such clothing preserves the warmth of your body and is waterproof, though it lets the moisture from the thermo-underwear through. If a vest or fleece sweater is not enough to protect your body from cold, you can wear the second one.
Besides, fleece is used as a lining in outer clothing, which is covered with membranous fabric to protect you from wind and moisture. It can be a jacket with trousers or an overall. Outer clothing shouldn’t let the moisture in, but should let it out. Hood can be very useful in windy weather, even if you have warm cap. Hood can be unfastened or hidden in the collar (relevant for those who is going to ski in helmet). It is convenient if the hood can be shaped according to your head.
Consider following figures, if you want to choose a right skiing suit:
1) waterproof coefficient is evaluated in millimeters. In general case a skiing suit with 5000mm waterproof is enough.
2) vapor permeabilty coefficient is evaluated in millimeters on square meter of fabric in 24 hours. In general case this figure shouldn’t be lower then 5000mm/m² 24 hours.
The higher these two coefficients - the better, though their price will correspond to their quality.
For a beginner an optimal variant will be outer clothing with both figures about 7-8 thousand. And even experienced skiers may need outer clothing with high coefficients in the resorts, where average temperature is close to zero (you have to ski in rain and wet snow).
Overall or a jacket with trousers – the choice depends on you. Nowadays jackets are of very high quality and if you fall the snow doesn’t get inside. You can choose a shorter jacket, but then trousers should have higher back (usually with straps).
Skiing boots
Selecting skiing boots you should observe 2 main rules. First, they should be snug fitting, they shouldn’t be too tight or too loose. Walk in boots 5 -10 minutes, to feel if they fit. Second, the hardness of boots is selected according to the skiing style.
Beginners will need boots from softer plastic, which allow switching “walking –skiing”. These boots are especially comfortable when you wait in the line. But if you want to continue skiing in future, then you should buy harder boots, even though you will get tired. There are special skiing boots for women. They are softer, lighter and have another construction, according to the peculiarities of their feet.
Besides, there is so-called, tourist variant of middle hardness.
Fasteners on skiing boots help to fasten the foot in the boot. They can be metal, as well as plastic. Metal fasteners are preferable, because they are reliable. They won’t brake even if you fall down often.
Skier will need special socks. They should be long enough to cover the leg above the boot. Skiing socks are thin and elastic, they help to lead the moisture out of the boot. They are thicker on heel and fingers. One pair of such socks is enough to feel comfortable and warm. But there shouldn’t be any folds, when you put the boots on.
Nowadays there are socks with massage insets for feet.
Skiing gloves
Usual gloves can’t be used in skiing resort. They will get wet and your hands will get cold. But the purchase of skiing gloves will save your hands not only from cold. They are just necessary to protect your hands when you fall, especially if the snow layer is thin and there are rocks on the slope. They are made of the same waterproof fabric as skiing suit, or of leather. More expensive models have even carboxylic protection of wrist and fingers.
Skiing glasses
You’ll need glasses as an addition to skiing suit. Glasses are not very important for those who are skiing on flat slopes. But if it is snowing, it is impossible to ski without them because of snowflakes. Besides, skiing glasses will protest your eyes from sun glares in sunny weather. The optimal variant is reflex skiing glasses. If you wear usual glasses, there are special skiing glasses that you put above.
Skiing suit price
If you want to choose something for moderate price, then you should select among the models of such firms that make not only skiing clothing, for example Columbia. Firms that specialize in skiing clothing (Millet, Lafuma, Eider) require corresponding price. Professional skiing clothing will be twice more expensive then the average skiing clothing.
Selecting skiing clothing and boots, you should follow the same rules, as if you were selecting usual clothing. Stitches should be neat (besides, they should be glued to protect from moisture), zipper should work well and so on. The main difference is that skiing suit should be better protected in such places as elbows and knees, which are often injured. Pockets should have a zipper, so that you won’t loose anything. Special fastenings for gloves can become a nice surprise.
Select not only the price, but the comfort – it’s a best way to have a pleasant vacation in mountains.