IT GETS PRETTY COLD IN CANADA ...
I looked out my
window on my first morning at Sun Peaks. It was sunny with blue skies and no
wind. True to name I thought ... fantastic, a wonderful day coming up. When I
walked out of the ski room door I thought that I'd walked into a frozen wall. It was
-27C. I was getting worried about staying warm before I'd even
dropped my skis to the ground. Just wearing my woolly
scarf and doing my jacket zip up was definitely not going to be enough.
I soon learned what I needed to do to stay warm so that I could actually enjoy myself in weather that seemed quite intimidating at first. You will stay warm as well if you follow our tips below. We tell you about what to wear, how to wear it and how to choose the other items that you'll need.
How to dress to stay warm
There's more to choosing your ski gear than the price. Dressing appropriately is essential.
Certain fabrics and clothing layers work better to keep you warm and dry than others. The right clothing can make the difference between a fun day on the slopes and a wet, cold day of shivering misery. Learning what to wear skiing is key to your enjoyment of the sport. Not dressed properly. Brutal.
When it comes to ski clothing, there are some very definite do's and don'ts. Super soft cotton T-shirts are great. If you're hanging out at home or during summer there's nothing better. But skiing in pure cotton is definitely a bad idea. The reason is simple: cotton is highly absorptive and terrible at insulating. Also, cotton gets wet easily, stays wet for a long time and loses its ability to insulate your body temperature when it's wet. Unlike wool and various other synthetic fabrics, cotton doesn’t wick moisture away from the body. When you sweat in cotton or if you’ve taken a tumble in the snow, the material will likely stay damp or even soaked all day.
The key considerations are to stay dry, minimize
exposed skin or gaps between clothing items, avoid cotton and never
forget your extremities.
It's not always in the cost ... it's in the choice of combinations.
Other stuff you'll need
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Always remember
You are always welcome to ask for advice from
your Tour Leaders, that's what they are there for. If you are not sure about anything, are cold
or feel any pain at all (especially in your feet), please let them know. What else can I expect on tour ?
Dress in layers
Base layer This is your first layer and is the one that is in direct contact with your skin. This layer should be a good quality thermal underwear, top and bottom. It should be made of materials that contain synthetics that wick moisture and retain heat. Three quarter length thermal underpants that do not overlap with your socks will help prevent blistering. Compression tights are also a very helpful garment.
Mid layer This is your second layer and is usually for your upper body. You could wear your favourite ski top and a nice warm fleece or woolen top. Padded vests are popular with a lot of skiers because they can significantly contribute to keeping you mid section warm without restricting arm movement. Once again, synthetics or merino in the material is important and helpful.
Top or outer layer This will usually be your ski jacket and pants. Quality gear will prevent the cold and wind from getting through. Materials like Gore-Tex provide water proofing and wind blocking properties and should be considered. Unfortunately quality ski gear comes with a higher price tag but cheap gear will let you down when you most need it.
Helmets
Ski helmets are necessary to protect the head during falls and collisions. While you can find helmets designed for men or women, many work for either sex. All helmets will have nice warm linings, especially around the ears, but on really cold days a thin beanie, skullcap or balaclava may be needed to provide extra warmth.
The most important element is fit. Different brands have slightly different internal shapes, so you should always try on a new helmet before you buy it.
Goggles
Snowy,
blowing days in the mountains require goggles for skiing. They protect your
eyes from snow and ice, plus keep your face warmer. Look for fog-free optics
and a wide field of vision. They must be helmet compatible, so try out glasses
with your helmet to be sure of the fit. You don't want to have a very cold gap between your helmet and the top of your goggles. Most goggles have interchangeable
lenses for different light levels. The latest photochromic lenses that automatically adjust to changing light levels are well worth considering.
Neck warmers
These are vital to protect you from frost bite, with many variations available. A fleece product feels good against the skin and does a great job of keeping the wind out.Once you have your helmet on and neck warmer pulled up then you will usually need to make sure that your goggles are nice and snugly fitted in order to ensure that absolutely no skin is exposed to the weather. If the weather is particularly cold or windy, you should consider using a face mask, especially one that uses neoprene in it's construction.
Gloves
These come in a bewildering range. Have a look at what your Tour Leaders are wearing on cold days. Glove design is important to ensure that your fingers don't freeze. Also, ask the Tour Leaders about the most effective way to use the hand warmer gel pads. If you are prone to particularly cold fingers, consider buying a pair of mittens - they will usually keep your hands warmer than will regular gloves.
Glove inners
Glove inners, or liners, should be considered as a potentially necessary addition to your gloves when the temperature drops. The best liners will extend the performance range of your existing pair of gloves, keeping you on the mountain longer. They are often made with merino wool and Lycra . Silk is also an effective material. If you want to take photos on the slopes you will certainly need quality inners or you will soon have some very cold hands.
If you want to use your smartphone without totally exposing your hands to the cold, you should consider using glove inners that use touch screen technology where metallic thread is sewn into the finger tips. This feature is often described as "tech glove inners or liners" and means that you won't need to take off your inners to take photos.
Socks
Sock selection is much more important than a lot of people realise. Properly selected socks are vital in keeping your feet warm. They should pull up knee high - higher than the boot top. They should have elasticity to conform to your foot and should never be pure cotton. Pure cotton will retain moisture and stretch and deform with blisters the inevitable result. Good quality ski socks will often contain merino, Smartwool, polyester synthetics as well Spandex for elasticity. Your socks should conform with your foot and be discarded if they become worn or misshapen. Thicker doesn't always mean better and wearing old footy socks is not a good idea and you should never, ever wear more than one pair of socks.
Boots
Your boots are your most important, single piece of ski equipment. Cold toes are not fun and can be quite painful. If your feet get cold it may be that your boots reached the end of their useful life or that they haven't been fitted properly to your feet. When buying new boots, you would be well advised to go to a good boot fitter. Buying boots on-line is not a good idea. New boots need to be accurately fitted to your feet. This fitting process should include custom made footbeds.
Even with expertly fitted boots, there are a number of reasons that your feet may still get cold. These include not wearing appropriate socks or your boots not being done up properly. It could also be because they don't dry out completely overnight, because moisture means cold. In your room overnight, lay your boots on their backs with the toes pointing up. Make sure that they are not too close to a heater or the gas fire.
Ski boots heaters, that connect to and heat the boot's insoles, are available They are battery powered and, when fully charged, should last all day and will do an
excellent job of keeping your feet warm. You can even get heated ski socks !
When it gets very cold, you may also want to consider inexpensive neoprene boot covers to provide an extra thermal layer that is surprisingly effective. Another inexpensive option are the simple toe warmers which are activated by air and are specially designed to rest smoothly in your ski boot. They work in the tight conditions inside a boot where air does not move much and will not decrease your skiing comfort.
If you are finding it difficult to get your boots dry, you might consider removing the inner liners in the evening and checking the shell for moisture. You might be surprised at how much there is in there.