You have researched your dream location, booked your hotel and sorted out equipment hire and now is the time to head to the shops and find your clothing.
I find shopping for holidays lots of fun, but there is a definite added pressure to finding the perfect clothes for a winter holiday; will I be warm enough, will it keep me dry, do I look good etc
When packing for a winter holiday, you need to be prepared. When we visited Lapland, on some days the temperature fell just below 0°C, but on other days it reach a rather chilly -18°C.
Layering is vital and it is important to have a thermal base layer as your first defence layer against the cold. A good base layer will regulate your body temperature and should be close fitting to trap a thin layer of warm air against your skin. A base layer will also ‘wick’ away perspiration from the skin to keep you dry.
The mid-layer will provide great insulation by working hand in hand with your base layer to trap air between layers, resulting in enhanced warmth and comfort.
Finally, the perfect ski jacket is one that keeps snow out while allowing the heat and moisture generated by your body as you move, to escape.
To a certain extent, choosing the perfect jacket does depend on where you are skiing. Scandanavia and Canada can get extremely cold, so you would something with more insulation than if you were skiing farther south, but here are a selection of the types of jackets available:
The Hard Shell is the most versatile type of jacket on the market. A hard shell jacket is the most water and wind resistant outer layer, but the trade-off is less breathability than a softshell jacket.
The Softshell jacket is easily the most versatile of the main ski jacket types as it can be used as a mid-layer or an outer layer.
The Insulated jacket tend to feature an outer shell for waterproofing, with a layer of insulation beneath it.
There are so many options out there, my best advise is to try on as many as possible and take advice in the shop. If you hare baffled by the technical terms, check out this post which explains them really well.
This is very useful, I haven’t skied but I had to buy a ski jacket when I went to Belarus in the Winter as that got to very low minus temperatures. Mich x
These are great tips for choosing a ski jacket. I’ve not been skiing for years so don’t remember anything about what I would need to look for.
These are such great tips! I’ve only been skiing once but I remember that my jacket was way too thick and I kept overheating – exactly the opposite problem than the one that I planned for!
I can only imagine how important a good ski jacket is on a holiday like this! You need something that is going to keep you warm in the cold and damp incase you fall!
I do feel the cold these days more than I used to, so I would definitely need lots of layers!
The last winter coat I bought was for a trip to Alaska where the temp hit -38. Never underestimate the value of clothes layering!
This is a very handy post. I find shopping for ski stuff can be so stressful, trying to find the right stuff.
I haven’t been skiing for so long so would be baffled as to what to buy. This is a really handy guide.
Great tips here for choosing the perfect ski jacket. Good to remember when shopping for one.
I can imagine a lot of thought has to go into buying a ski jacket – these all look great!
This is such an informative post! I’m saving this for later when I plan to go for skiing.