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If you walk into a ski shop as a beginner you can find yourself facing a bewildering range of equipment and clothing, It can be difficult to know what you need to bring with you, what is best bought or hired in resort, and what can wait a few years. This guide is aimed at those new to winter sports, but future articles will have information for more experienced skiers and snowboarders.
It might seem a bit early to be thinking about ski kit, but there are a few reasons to be thinking about it now. Firstly, it won't be that long before the shops start getting their winter stocks in. The London Ski show is less than two months away, and is usually a good place to look for bargains. Secondly, the summer can be a good time to pick up ski clothing cheaply. Often outdoor shops will have a small selection of stuff left over from the winter at sale prices. Also, a lot of outdoor jackets etc. are as good as (or better than) ski specific clothing and might be cheaper. Also, if you start buying bits now you can spread the cost between now and the winter.
On to the kit. What you definitely do not want to buy are skis, boots or poles. Whether you see a bargain pair in the local paper (or eBay) or your uncle Fred has a set in his attic, leave them well alone. Ski technology has moved on hugely in the last decade, and anything more than a few years old will hold you back. Anything new will be a waste of money for a beginner. Good skis for a beginner are not the same as good skis for an intermediate, so you would either buy a ski that is too difficult for your first week, or one that would underperform in years to come. We will have a future article on the changes in ski design, and the pros and cons of buying. For the moment however, go to the hire shop in resort. Details of hire shop prices in the village will appear here nearer the start of the season.
What you do need to bring is suitable clothing. The weather can change rapidly in the mountains and you need to be prepared. A layered approach is best, meaning a number of thinner layers rather than one or two thick ones. This way you can add or remove layers depending on the temperature on the day. Start with a good base layer, i.e. thermals, top and bottom. A lightweight fleece top or warm jumper comes next, followed by a jacket and maybe a waterproof shell on top. Either wear ski pants or decent (waterproof) mountain pants. Add an extra thermal layer on a cold day, or lose some layers on a warm day. This way you do not need to spend a fortune on a suit that does everything. If you do want to spend a lot on good technical or fashionable ski jackets and pants, it is still important to wear the right layers underneath. Remember that it can be surpisingly warm on the slopes on a sunny windless day, but the temperature can plummet when the sun goes in or the wind picks up. A separate jacket and pants will be more versatile than an all in one suit.
Gloves are absolutely essential, as is a hat. If you ski without gloves you risk injury from the ski edges in a fall, and will get very cold hands if you have to pick yourself up from the snow. A hat is needed because most of your heat escapes through your head. The right socks are important too. Wear a single pair of socks long enough to reach the top of the ski boot. Ski/snowboard socks are obviously the best thing. Good walking socks might be okay but avoid football socks. Wearing the wrong socks or more than one pair will quickly lead to blisters and sore feet.
Sun protection is also a must. The level or UVB radiation at 2000m is 27% higher than at sea level. In addition the snow surface reflects a large proportion of the UV back upwards, again increasing the effective exposure. This can lead to sunburn and snow blindness in the short term, skin cancer and cataracts in the longer term. So wear high factor sun cream and eyewear. Sunglasses are usually more comfortable to learn in on a sunny day, but you will really appreciate goggles if the weather turns bad. It is worth getting a cheaper pair of both rather than one expensive set of either glasses or goggles.
Remember to kit out your children properly as well before you send them off to ski school. In particular make sure they are wearing sun cream and have gloves and eyewear with them for every lesson they go to.
For apres-ski, there may well be snow on the ground, and the village is on a slope, so be reasonably sensible with your choice of footwear and clothes. You don't need to wear ski gear all the time, but high heels will be a struggle, and be prepared for low temperatures.
A lot of ski equipment and clothing can be bought more cheaply in resort than at home, however you probably will not have much time to go shopping before you start skiing, so make sure you have enough with you to get through the first day. If you are on a budget, shops like TK Max often sell reasonable skiwear at rock bottom prices. As I mentioned earlier, the ski shows and outdoor shops can also be a source of bargains as retailers sell off last year's stock ready for the new season.
Preparing properly for a winter holiday can make all the difference between enjoying it and enduring it.
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