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Advice on Ski Clothing
Before you look for the cheapest price on that Spyder ski jacket or Bolle ski
goggle bargain, just consider this - what do you need to buy from a ski shop,
and what can you get away with buying elsewhere and cheaper? Secondly, have you
ever considered hiring ski clothing - and I don't mean scuffed nylon jackets
from the 1970s with a broken zip. I'm talking Quicksilver, Helly Hansen and
Columbia, and what's more this year's latest snowboard clothing fashions!
Ski Clothing - Why the Uniform?
The basic considerations are these. It gets very cold skiing as you can too so you need some
warm clothes. You can also get very hot and
sweaty so you don't want anything too warm. You can get very wet too when
powder snow finds its way up under your jacket and down your trousers so you
need something waterproof. You can also be flailing around a lot so you want
something that is not too bulky.
The Science of Keeping Warm and Waterproofed
How can ski clothing cover all this lot? Well, it can and does! It's based on a
three layer system and this is the way you should think ski and snowboard clothing. The top layer
is the scientifically designed ski jacket - thin, waterproof and breathable. It
stops snow and rain getting in and let's sweat get out.
Next comes the insulating layer. Modern insulated layers can be scientifically designed too in the form of fleeces, but woollen sweaters are fine. Sweat can escape but body warmth is kept in.
The third layer is your underwear. Thermal underwear, yet
again, has the appliance of science, but judge this on your own preferences and
whether you tend to get cold or hot in normal situations.
What to Buy and Where
Are you thinking what I'm thinking? If all of this lot can be bought (or hired)
elsewhere why go to a ski shop for your ski clothing? Thermal underwear,
including thermal socks (if you get cold feet) can be bought anywhere. The
fleece can be bought anywhere too, and you are bound to have plenty of woolly
jumpers (again thick ones if you get cold and can cope with the bulk).
The only items of ski clothing that really have to be bought from a ski shop are
the skiing jacket and ski trousers as they also have important attachments that
stop snow getting in, which include high waistlines, velcro wrist cuffs and easy
access zips.
To finish off - you also need gloves, sunglasses, goggles and a hat. Only the
goggles (double skinned) and sunglasses (very flexible) really need to come from
a ski shop. The others can just as well be bought from your favourite camping
store.
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