Spec me some ski gear

UKTopGun

UKTopGun

UKTopGun

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Right, off snowboarding in February and going to need some Ski gear. Budget isn't really that much, kept to a minimum without letting me freeze to death.

Ill be needing a ski jacket, goggles, trousers, ski socks, ski hat (is there such thing?). Are there any brands which have good price/quality ratio or any brands which I should maybe stay away from?

Any input appreciated :)
 
Boardwise may still have on their clearance before the new winter season begins and they are both online and through ordinary retail, I'm pretty sure they have at least one store in the London area. If you are buying online then BoardRidersGuide and ExtremePie are worth a look as well.
 
Ski equipment is pretty expensive but really you don't want to skimp or it will make it a bad experience for you. The main thing is wear lots of layers to keep warm, they trap the air in and it acts as good insulation.

Good snowboard brands are burton, bonfire, special blend, ripcurl, 4square etc...

Look in the sales as well, and try to get last years or a couple of years behind stuff instead of this years. It's just as good usually.
 
my advice would be buy a decent base layer, which i use for other sports and a decent gortex jacket, i bought a spraway with snow cuffs, which i use for walking and outdoor activities and would be fine to be seen on the street wearing.
what i am trying to say is dont go for vv specific ski looking wear.
 
TK Maxx sell snowwear during winter if you are on a budget. Try ebay for cheap goggles.

Hats can be any old beanie, but you can buy fleece lined ones.
 
Cheers for the advice.
I hands and feet are always cold so little worried about that, are the normal ski socks very warm?
 
Make sure you get a decent pair of inner gloves, and a decent pair of outer gloves (mitten style outers are warmer as you have one "pocket" of heat rather than 4 ;)).

As for feet, I've never had a problem with the cold, even with the ski socks from decathlon.
 
ebay for goggles. I paid £50 for oakley wisdoms that retail for £90. I wouldnt skimp on base layors or jacket and pants. Especially if you will spend a lot of time falling.

I have burton stuff but bonfire is a good make at half the price. Also try a forum like goneboarding for 2nd hand stuff. People buy the latest stuff wear it for a 10 day holiday then sell half price so they can get next seasons stuff for next holiday.
 
UKTopGun said:
Right, off snowboarding in February and going to need some Ski gear. Budget isn't really that much, kept to a minimum without letting me freeze to death.

Ill be needing a ski jacket, goggles, trousers, ski socks, ski hat (is there such thing?). Are there any brands which have good price/quality ratio or any brands which I should maybe stay away from?

Any input appreciated :)
Click to expand...

Is this your first time?

If so, layers are your best friend, don't be tempted to buy a thick jacket as you're likely to roast in it unless you are a particularly quick student. Also would very much recommend doing a lot of press ups and tricep dips in the months coming, it'll pay off if you spend any amount of time needing to pick yourself up after falling :)

Also, googles, great if you don't overheat and cause them to steam up, don't wear them on your head when not in use as it's the quickest route to fogging them up like the proverbial pea-souper. Again, if you're learning you may well be better off with a decent pair of sunglasses, although that will very much depend on weather conditions.
 
Don't go too cheap, last years stuff is usully on sale around this time of year so can get good gear. Most of the brands Una mentioned are all great.

Jacket shouldn't be a pure shell (especially not for febuarary boarding) but have decent insulation yet not too thick. You want nice things like wrist\glove elastic, nice big pockets, clear plastic pass holder, meshed zip vents. Same things for the pants, slightly padded ass is always welcome. :)

A good beenie is a must tbh, keep those ears toastie. I like the peaked ones to stop that annoying little gap between hat and goggles. Gloves with removable inside so you can dry them easily.
 
Yep this is my first time so not expecting to be very good!

Will be working out over the next 5months as from what I've been told its pretty tiring!
 
Simon said:
You don't need one on a motorbike most of the time either
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Slightly different scenarios here though.

I have used my ski helmet about 4 times, either going down some off-piste that looked particularly dodgy, or when I'm in the snow parks. Neither of which a beginner is going to attempt, at least not if they have their head screwed on.

Slow speeds, soft (in relation to tarmac) ground is a far cry from warp speed and brick walls on a bike.

Oddly enough, the only time I have EVER injured myself skiing is when I had my helmet ON, dislocated my shoulder, and no amount of helmet could have prevented it. Thats just my luck though :p
 
Hardly anyone dies from head injuries when skiing, it's the broken necks from hitting trees that kill people, something a ski helmet won't really protect you against.

I would only recommend a helmet if your skiing off piste with exposed rocks.

Jokester
 
Ice is pretty hard, you tend to see plenty of it in Europe too, wear a helmet or not, your choice but I'd rather wear one and not need it than not be wearing one when I do need it. It only takes a badly caught edge on a snowboard to give you a good crack on the head, all too easy not to mention common for a learner to achieve.
 
UKTopGun said:
are the normal ski socks very warm?
Click to expand...

Yes, generally they are but odd as it may sound be careful of too much padding to them. If your feet are cramped then it will feel so much worse and your feet will get colder remarkably quickly. I like my snowboard boots fairly tight so I tend to just wear ordinary sports socks rather than ski/snowboard socks simply because anything thicker would lead to loss of feeling.

I've not yet ever felt the need for a helmet when snowboarding, they obviously have their place but for what I tend to do it would be the most ridiculous bad luck that I would need one and not be wearing it. :)
 
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