What Clothes Should Be Worn When Skiing?

When it comes to winter sports, skiing is perhaps one of the most popular, on a recreational and professional level. But no matter how popular or fun it might be, there is one thing that needs to be taken into consideration before stepping foot on the hill. That is the clothing you choose to wear. Unlike the low lands, skiing takes place on mountains, where it is colder and windier and there are higher amounts of snow that regularly fall. This makes it important to cover and protect as much of the body as possible to prevent frostbite and skin abrasions that might occur from accidents or tree branches.

Head

The head is probably the most important part of the body to protect while skiing. A lot of heat escapes from the top of the head, and the skin on the face is very sensitive to the elements. Knitted wool hats are worn for this reason. You can also wear a helmet if you like to go on more challenging terrain such as back mountain skiing. In this case, you are subjected to more trees, branches, stumps and rocks sticking up that can be hazardous if you were to hit your head on them.

Goggles can also be worn to protect your eyes from snow getting kicked up in your face and from fierce winds that can cause your eyes to burn and tear up.

Neck

The neck is another area that is tender, and it often gets affected by flying snow and cold winds. There are a few ways that the neck can be protected. Apple warmers can be worn, which look like extra wide headbands that are go around the neck instead of the head. Then there is an apparatus called a balaclava. This is a garment that looks like a face mask, but it is extra long and it gets pulled all the way down to the bottom of the neck.

Thermals

The first layer of clothing that you choose to wear is very important. It needs to keep the drafts out and the warmth in. Thermal underwear is a good choice for this. They come in long sleeve shirts and pants, and they also come in a whole body suit. A good option to choose is thermals that are made out of polypropylene, which helps keep moisture away from the body.

Upper Body

The ski jacket is one of the most common pieces of ski clothing. When you are looking to pick one up, there are a few things that you should take into consideration. It should be lightweight, it should be comfortable when you move your arms and it should also come all the way down past your wrist. Another aspect that should be looked at is the material. Gore Tex jackets are lightweight, they have good ventilation, they are waterproof and they are also warm.

Legs

When it comes to the legs, there are a few options available. Ski pants can be worn; they come up to your waist, or you can get bibs. Bibs are ski pants that have suspenders that go around the shoulders and legs that go all the way down to your boots. They tend to help keep the drafts out of the body a little bit more than the pants alone. Both of these types can come with pockets to put personal items in, such as keys and money, and they should both also be long enough to fully cover the top of your ski boots to avoid getting snow inside of them.

Hands

The hands need to be protected to avoid frostbite and they also need to be protected from crashes or tree branches that can be seen when going through wooded trails. Gore Tex can also be found in gloves and it is a good option. They should come up high enough on the wrist where there will be no draft between them and the bottom of your coat sleeve. Mittens are another option that is favored by many because of the fact that your fingers are actually touching each other. This helps produce more body heat, which can keep your fingers warmer.

Warm Weather

At the end of the ski season, there are times when the temperature can reach in excess of 60 degrees. When the sun is shining brightly and reflecting off the snow, it can actually become very warm. On days like this, you can get away with wearing shorts, a backward ball cap, sunglasses and a short sleeve shirt. It is not even out of the question to wear swim suits and bikinis.