What To Wear Skiing And Snowboarding
Posted November 30, 2021 in Skiing, Snowboarding, Ski and Snowboard by eriksbikeshop
There’s no doubt that knowing what to wear skiing and snowboarding will make your day on the slopes skiing or snowboarding much more enjoyable. The right gear will keep you dry on the outside and inside and help your temperature stay just right. When you’re comfortable, you can focus on how much fun you’re having instead of being bummed about how wet, cold, and miserable you are. The whole goal, after all, is to have fun!
This guide will walk you through the technical apparel you’ll want to wear skiing and snowboarding so you can enjoy everything winter has to offer in comfort! It’s best to think in terms of layers as you build your winter outfit. Starting with a base layer, adding a mid-layer if needed, and lastly topping things off with an outer or shell layer. Let’s begin!
BASE AND MID LAYERS
Your base and mid-layers are key for keeping you dry on the inside as well as helping you maintain an ideal body temperature no matter how long you’re out shredding it up.
Just Say NO To Cotton!
The number one thing you need to know about what to wear skiing and snowboarding is “cotton kills”. Cotton is a very comfortable fabric to wear, and it also absorbs moisture really well. The problem is that it holds that moisture really well too. We’ve all been active on a hot summer day wearing a cotton shirt; it doesn’t take long for that cotton shirt to be soaked, and it takes what seems like forever for it to dry out. Being active in the cold still produces sweat. Now imagine wearing a wet t-shirt (or even worse, wet socks) while outdoors in the cold for a long period of time. Wet and cold is a fun KILLER.
Wool Or Synthetic?
There are many synthetic and wool base-layer options designed to keep you dry and regulate your body temp. There are also socks with specific cuts and strategically placed padding to fit inside a boot. The goal is no cotton against your skin; you need something that will wick the moisture away from your body, keeping you dry and, ultimately, keeping you warmer.
Check out all of our great base and mid-layer options here.
To keep your feet warm and dry, check out our selection of socks here.
JACKETS
Once you’ve selected your base and mid-layers it’s time to consider your outer “shell” jacket layer.
Casual Winter Jacket Versus Technical Winter Jacket.
What is the difference between a casual winter jacket and a technical ski or snowboard jacket? At the core, these two jackets are designed to do completely different things. To decide what to wear skiing and snowboarding, let’s break down the basic differences:
Standard Winter Jacket Features:
- Designed to keep you warm with minimal activity
- May have water-resistant features
- They usually have more insulation
- Generally place emphasis on fashion first
Technical Ski or Snowboard Jacket:
- Designed to protect you from the elements
- Built to manage your body temperature during outdoor activities
- They usually have minimal or no insulation
- Made to keep you dry with the idea that you can layer up underneath to stay warm based on the level of activity and the weather
Let’s Dive Deeper Into The Technical Jacket Features.
Water-resistance:
A technical jacket will have water-resistant coatings, seams, and zippers designed to keep you dry. Most jackets will provide you with a waterproof rating: 5K, 10K, 20K, etc. We could go through and explain the rating system, but what you really need to know is the higher the number the more waterproof the jacket, and generally the longer the coating will last. If the jacket uses Gore-Tex, then you know you have a piece that has best-in-class protection you can rely on.
You may see “critically taped” & “fully taped” seams when you’re researching jackets. Fully taped is exactly what it sounds like. It means every seam on the jacket is sealed so as not to leak, whereas critically taped focuses only on the seams that are most exposed. With these technical fabrics comes some extra care, so be sure to read the washing instructions since detergents and hot dryers can potentially break down the coating faster.
Vents and moisture-wicking liner:
A technical jacket will also use vents and a lining that wicks moisture away from you to help you stay dry and comfortable from the inside. This is another reason to invest in a good base and mid-layer: you may have spent money on an excellent technical jacket, but wearing cotton underneath is stopping the lining of the jacket from doing its job by holding the moisture next to you instead of allowing the jacket to pull it away from you.
Shell Or Insulated Jacket?
Shell:
A shell is a thin jacket designed to be highly waterproof and breathable without insulation. Since there is no insulation, all your warmth is going to come from your layers. On a warm spring day, you might only use a base layer, but on a cold day, you might have a base layer, mid-layer, and a vest underneath.
Insulated Jackets:
Insulated jackets come in a variety of levels from light to super-warm, and down to puffy. Depending on the level featured, less layering underneath will be required.
What’s right for you? That will depend a lot on where you are riding/skiing, and how hot/cold you run. For example, the northwest is really wet and mild, so most people in that area use a highly waterproof and breathable shell. The upper Midwest is very cold and dry, so most people there are willing to sacrifice some waterproofness for the extra warmth in an insulated jacket.
Additional Features To Look For
Lastly, a technical ski or snowboard jacket will have additional features specific to the activities they’re designed for. A couple of common examples include:
- An inside pocket big enough to fit your goggles
- A small loop, usually along the waistline, for attaching your lift ticket
- A pass pocket on the arm for newer scannable lift pass cards
- Systems to connect the jacket to pants to avoid snow getting beneath your jacket or into your pants during a crash or in deep snow
- Helly Hansen even has a “Life Pocket” which is designed to keep your phone battery alive longer in the cold
Check out all of our great men’s jackets, women’s jackets, and youth jackets.
SNOW PANTS
Snow pants are pretty straightforward. Again, staying dry is better when deciding what to wear skiing and snowboarding. There is a huge variety of options out there for snow pants. Just as with jackets, pants will typically have a waterproof rating.
Here are a few general tips to help guide you:
- Bibs or suspenders are very common and keep your pants from slipping down
- Pants from ski companies tend to have more of a straight-legged fit and feature insulation
- Pants from snowboard-leaning companies usually offer baggier pants that fit more like jeans and typically have less (or no) insulation
- Fit and insulation level depends entirely on personal preference
- If you’re snowboarding, waterproofing on your pants is a little more critical than when skiing since many people sit down to strap on their board
Check out all of our great men’s pants, women’s pants, and youth pants.
HELMETS
This one is a no-brainer (see what we just did there). Helmets vary in construction and features but are all designed for one critical function: to protect your head.
So, if they’re all designed to protect your head, what do you get as you go up in price?
- Lighter-weight design
- Nicer fit systems
- More ventilation options (which means more comfort)
- Bluetooth speakers
Get Even More Protection From Your Ski Or Snowboard Helmet…
MIPS Brain Protection System
To take protection to the next level, you may want to consider a helmet that uses a MIPS Brain Protection System. MIPS stands for Multi-directional Impact Protection System. They are designed to protect against the rotational forces that occur during a crash.
Why do you want MIPS?
All helmets are going to protect against the blunt force impacts that a rider experiences during a crash. This protection would be good enough if all crashes are perfectly linear where the rider falls headfirst into something. But most crashes aren’t linear at all, they occur at an angle and when the head hits the ground at an angle, a tremendous amount of rotational force is applied to the brain. These forces can cause the brain to move around inside our heads, causing damage to the brain tissue. This can lead to concussions and other severe brain injuries.
How MIPS works
MIPS Brain Protection Systems allow the head to move inside of the helmet, deflecting much of that rotational force that would otherwise be transferred to the brain. Look for the yellow MIPS label to be sure that you have MIPS Protection!
Shelf-Life Of Your Helmet.
Remember, most helmets are built for one major impact. It may look OK on the outer shell, but it is not going to protect you the way it was designed to on the next impact. We recommend always replacing your helmet after a crash to ensure you stay protected.
Check out all of our great snow helmets here.
GLOVES AND MITTENS
Gloves and mittens come in a variety of insulation and waterproof levels, which is great because this allows for a lot of personal preference when deciding what to wear skiing and snowboarding. What is ideal in Colorado is not always the same as what is perfect in Minnesota. Depending on where you are and how easily you get cold, there are options for you. As a general rule, mittens are warmer than gloves.
Check out all of our great gloves and mittens for adults and youth.
FACE PROTECTION
Face protection comes in a variety of forms: sun-blocking balaclavas, neck gaiters, fleece hoods, a classic scarf, etc. There are literally a million options. Pick what works for the conditions you’ll be in. Also, because there are so many options, this is an inexpensive way to show a little individual style on the hill.
Check out all of our great winter face protection here.
GOGGLES
Goggles are better than sunglasses. Sunglasses can work, but goggles provide these perks that most sunglasses don’t:
- They fully seal to your face
- Protect your eyes from wind and snow
- Many feature lenses that filter the color waves to enhance what you see on snow – we stock PRIZM from Oakley, Sonar from Anon, Lumalens from Dragon, and Vivid from Giro (think of when you switched from standard TV to HDTV… and you get the idea of what these special lenses can do for you!)
- They’re flexible with no arms to snap off and poke you in the eye or face if you crash
Check out all of our great goggles here.
READY TO GET OUT THERE?
Now that you know how to dress for success during the winter season to stay comfortable, warm, and safe, you can focus on having more FUN! Buy everything you need at shopERIKS.com or swing into your favorite ERIK’S location to get outfitted with the best winter gear and apparel brands on the market.