Ski clothes for grown-ups

Perhaps you’re wondering what ski clothes you’ll need if you’ve never skied before. Or maybe you’re skiers already, but like us you tend to overlook yourselves because you’re concentrating on getting everything ready that the will children need! No matter, we’ve got a run-down of the essential ski clothes that you’ll need.

Outer wear
The main aim is to keep dry and warm. You’ll need waterproof garments that are insulated, and the good news is that these are quite readily available. If you're prepared to shop around, you'll find that you can buy them at quite reasonable prices. The materials used are surprisingly thin - that means that you won’t be mistaken for a blob on the slopes!

There are two options for your waterproof wear. The first is a one-piece ski suit, the second is a combination of a ski jacket with salopettes or ski pants. Both are available in a huge range of styles and colours to suit Mums and Dads of all shapes and sizes.

You’ll need a decent pair of gloves. Again, these will be waterproof and made with insulation to keep your hands protected from the weather.

One item not to forget is a hat – believe us, it’s miserable to be out on the slopes when it’s cold and snowing without one. Amazingly, you can lose a quarter of your body heat from your head, so an excellent way of keeping warm is simply to pop on a hat.

Base layers
You’ll need some sort of base layer underneath your waterproof garments. Thermals are excellent for very cold conditions, as are several thin layers. You'll be warmer with two thin layers as opposed to a single thicker layer because air is trapped between the two. For beautiful warm spring days a simple t-shirt will probably be sufficient.

Finally, don’t forget about your feet! Proper ski socks will do wonders to keep your feet warm and comfortable.

Where to buy?
Ski clothes can be bought at either specialist winter sports retailers, or from outdoor activity shops. Some high street retailers do sell winter sports gear, often at very reasonable prices – but we’ve found that the items tend to sell out quickly.

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