- The evolution of ski wear has brought about several new technologies over the last century. When downhill skiing took off as a recreational sport in the early 1900s, women wore wool skirts and men wore riding breeches. In the 40s and 50s, it was common for people to wear garments made from wool or even tweed coats and hats tailored specifically for skiing. In the 1950s, with the onset of downhill ski races, the mountains attracted more people. During the 50s and 60s, skiers wore sweaters and wool coats and women wore thin leggings. Patterns included plaid, argyle and Icelandic prints. Hounds tooth was a popular print in the 70s, as were nylon suits and puffy jackets.
- Through the 80s and 90s, the mountains saw a lot of neon and full-piece suits, which soon went almost entirely out of style. A major change during these years was the introduction of GORE-TEX. In some western states it was not uncommon to see a man skiing in jeans and a cowboy hat in the early spring. Other water-resistant fabrics came into production in the 90s, and skiers started to grasp the idea of helmets, as well as layering with such things as fleece and synthetics like polypro. Ski wear designs continue to advance into better performing and modern styles.
- Ski wear is not only designed for peak performance but seemingly peak style as well. Ski wear such as waterproof/breathable shell jackets, which have a built-in powder skirt, pit zips, hood and sealed zippers, are what skiers typically wear over insulating and wicking layers. Materials such as GORE-TEX, Hy-vent and H2No are all commonly used on the slopes.
- A general ski outfit consists of a specialized ski jacket and pants, wicking base layers, insulating mid layers for top and bottom, long ski socks, gloves or mitts and a hat and helmet with ski goggles. Brands such as Black Diamond, Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, Arc'Teryx and Spyder and Marmot, among others, continue to pave the way in ski wear design for the 21st century.
- The Arc'Teryx Titan snow sports jacket is made with a 2-layer GORE-TEX Pro Shell and laminated Primaloft Sport insulation. It models what the top designs of today intend to incorporate in ski jacket design with its construction, form, durability and protective qualities. Its hood fits a helmet, has hand pockets, pit zips, built-in neck gaiter and water-tight zippers. This jacket also exemplifies the top-of-the-line ski jacket of today in that it has a built in Recco reflector.
- Built-in sensors and beacon technology such as the Recco reflector, combined with complete water-repellent and breathable fabrics, have brought the ski world farther into the back country than ever before. The Recco reflector is part of an avalanche rescue system. It weighs less than 4 grams and is permanently affixed to many ski jackets, requiring no maintenance. This raises the cost of a jacket but increases safety. Brands such as Sessions, Quicksilver, Arc'Teryx, The North Face and Vans Snow are some of the brands that now incorporate such technology into their ski wear.
