What to Wear on a Ski Holiday

Clothing to ski and board in on your ski chalet holiday:

For your bottom half you'll apreciate some waterproof, windproof, warm trousers. You might like thermal long johns but if you feel you get a bit nippy. Can set you back between £40 and £180. You should only require one pair as they will dry overnight if you hang them up somewhere warm and dry, however, if they are not a very good quality you may need two pairs to swap each day whilst the other dries off.

Coat
You can either take a quality windproof waterproof "shell" and then add many layers that you can remove depending on the weather. However, you may prefer to buy one big thick coat and be sure to be warm. Try to reach a balance. Remember to bear in mind whether or not you prefer to remove your hood (it can flap around in the way) to look out for a coat with a detachable hood. Also consider extended sleeves to keep your wrists snug when you fall on your hands. Paying £50 will get you something that will be comfortable enough for a weeks holiday in mild weathers, however, once you’ve got the dosh to fork out for creature comforts, expect to pay between £150 and £400 for a real treat.

Layers Anything lightweight like fleece that allows you to breathe and folds up into nothing sounds good to me. You may also want to consider longer tops so that they tuck nicely into your trousers to protect you from snow when you fall head first backwards down the mountain! These should only cost you around £15 to £20 a piece.

Socks Very important. Don’t worry about buying too thick socks – they will only dampen your technique and can cause blisters if they do not fit perfectly. Instead opt for quality thermal thinner material with fitted heal and toe areas so that it is a snug fit on your foot and buy the right size for you. Expect to pay £10 to £20 per pair, but you can rotate them on different days so you don’t need to buy 7 pairs!

Boots These will mould to your foot so the sooner you can start wearing your own the better. Visit many shops and gather various opinions and advice before making this most important purchase. Boots can make all the difference to your sensitivity to what's beneath you so they need to be perfect. For those of you with a thin heal you can buy boots designed specially for this with many features to keep your heal in place. Once again, do not buy boots with extra room for thick socks. This will numb your sensations to you skis/board. Get exactly the right size boot, it will mould to your foot and with your decent quality socks thermal temperatures will not be an issue. Should set you back around £170 to £450.

Gloves These are down to personal choice really. Mittens can be warm but restrictive, however children prefer them to gloves. You should definitely get two pairs so that one can dry whilst the other is being worn. You don’t have to spend a lot on gloves to get a decent pair. I spent £30 on mine 6 years ago and they have last 4 seasons and 6 holidays! This was of great surprise to me as I have terrible circulation and have been known to wear gloves in the UK in summer. Try to go on recommendation from small independent shops for these as they will only stock what really works and not what is trendy.
Hat Remember your ears, do they get cold often? Bear this in mind when choosing a hat. Also remember how hot you get when you ski and whether or not you would like to shade the sun off your face. You can now find some very trendy kids hats. Speaking of your head, you may consider a helmet, and you will probably need one if your children are attending ski school. It's probably best to go and try these on and obtain the latest safety advice. On the subject of safety; body armour for possible crash landings is popular for those with no fear.

Goggles and Glasses Again this one is down to preference. I have always preferred goggles because they never mist up on me, I can face plant as much as I like and I don’t break them, and the stay on my head not matter what. My better half prefers glasses, he doesn’t tend to face plant as he skis, they don’t mist up for him, and he never seems to lose them (except for in the pub). If you wear specs you can buy over glasses goggles. Once again you don’t need to spend very much at all on these, just go on recommendation. Both of ours cost less than £30.

Rucksack Something comfy enough to ski in, and don’t get anything too big, because you will fill it, it will become heavy, and this can really upset your balance, especially if you are still learning. You should only need to carry water for you and any children, and some snacks. Water carrying rucksacks can be an option.

A note of colour caution If your clothes are not as vivid as some of the choice ‘one pieces’ that you may have been tempted to buy, you should consider carrying a bright coloured vest in your pocket that you can throw over your clothes should you be stuck somewhere on the mountain and need to be found. You can also buy various gadgets and tracking devices for avalanche safety. You may also consider taking a mountain safety course which can not only be highly interesting but can also give much increased confidence on the mountain too.

Clothes for in resort Try and get some decent warm waterproof boots or similar that you can wear all the time with more or less what ever you’re wearing. That way you can wonder about in the snow and be as cosy as Christmas. Also take slippers for in your ski chalet, apartment or hotel.A couple of pairs of trousers should be all you would need, and if you are planning a posh evening then something for this too. After that a few tops and you’ll be sorted. Don’t forget any fancy dress stuff; wigs etc.
Don’t forget your sun cream, lip balm, and waterproof makeup if you wear it. And finally, download and print the UpMyMountain.com resort guide so that you have all the local info you’ll need to hand, and a bit of light reading for the trip. If you’re taking the kids, remember to pack or learn some fun games for the trip.

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