The winter is upon us and across the resorts of the Northern Hemisphere, it’s only a matter of weeks before the lifts are open, the snow is regular and the mountains come alive with people. A ski and snowboarding holiday is something everybody should experience at some time in their life; the beautiful mountains, the crisp air and the feeling of speed as you ride down the slopes is an unbeatable sensation. A ski/snowboarding holiday is something you need to be prepared for so we’ve put together this list of things to make sure you pack…
Suitable clothing
We’ll start with the big stuff and state the obvious; the mountains are cold and you will need warm clothing. At the very minimum this should consist of a jacket, salopettes, a helmet, gloves and goggles. You should expect to pay anywhere between £100 and £500 for a high quality jacket and between £100 and £300 for salopettes. All clothing carries a water proof and windproof rating; the higher the number then the more effective it will be at keeping you warm. Non-insulated, but still water/wind proof jackets and pants are used during the spring time when the temperature rises.
The best approach to keeping warm is to use multiple layers of clothing. This consists of a base, a middle and outer layer. This approach is best during the colder months of December, January and February. It’s important that any outer clothing you buy has taped seams as well as good quality cuffs and zips to stop melted snow getting inside. Good quality clothing will keep you dry and also allow any sweat to escape.
There are a number of places to buy high quality winter clothing but we’ve found shops like Snow & Rock carry a good range of items and are well placed to talk you through everything you’re likely to need.
Protection
Skiing and snowboarding can be dangerous and if you’re a beginner be prepared to spend a quite a lot of the time on the ground at least for the first day or so. Protective clothing is important as you don’t want to ruin your holiday by getting injured. As a minimum, you should buy or rent a helmet. Your brand new beanie might look amazing, but it won’t stop you getting hurt. Good quality ski and snowboard helmets will also keep your ears warm. Knee, elbow and wrist pads are also highly recommended.
Getting injured on the mountain can be expensive so adequate travel insurance (that covers you for skiing and snowboarding – make sure you check) is a must. The bill for needing an air ambulance or the “bloodwagon” to get you off the mountain can easily run into thousands of pounds and that’s before the hospital have even done anything for you. A number of insurance providers offer ski specific policies.
Tech
The mountains are beautiful places and we highly recommend taking a camera up there with you. Most jackets will have a dedicated phone/camera pocket so it’s always to hand but of course you want to make sure that it’s protected from the cold and from any tumbles you take. Unless you’re a budding professional photographer a compact camera is ideal to take on the slopes because it fits easily in your pocket and will still give you great photos. We recommend a case like this Hama hard case. It’ll keep your camera safe in the event of any falls, but ensure it’s quickly accessible in case you spot that perfect photo op.
Unless you’ve been living in 2004, you probably will have noticed that most people now have smartphones and you have probably also noticed that they can be a bit susceptible to breaking. Taking your phone on the slopes makes perfect sense; you will have a decent camera, your music and of course the ability to make calls all in one device. We’ve found that the best case to keep your phone safe is the Griffin Survivor. It’s made from military grade plastic, is fully sealed (read rainproof) and still allows full function of the phone. It’s available for all iPhone 4 and 5 models as well as iPods, iPads, Kindles and Galaxy S models. A number of reviewers have put it through much tougher tests and it’s come out on top of all of them.
What else?
Sunburn is a real issue up in the mountains. Not only is the atmosphere thinner (meaning more UV), but the snow will reflect the sun’s rays as well. Your eyes are protected by goggles, but your face will be exposed. In the colder months, a balaclava keeps you warm and protects your skin but if it gets too hot then you’ll have to take it off. Any high factor sun screen will work but there are specific winter sports varieties that are sweat resistant and won’t clog up pores. Don’t forget your lips either, the cold, wind and sun can crack them very quickly and it will get very painful, you don’t want anything to get between you and that first drink after a long day on the slopes.
(Featured Image: Trysil)
