Where do I buy eighties ski gear?

April 18, 2011 4:36 AM

Where can I buy ski wear from the eighties? Better yet, are there any companies that do this now?

Help me get decked out for the slopes next year! I'm looking for some seriously awesome ski wear from the 1980's. Bright colors, interesting patterns; jackets, pants, goggles, hats, gloves, etc.

I'm also wondering if there are any companies that specifically target this area of appeal in our modern day so that we can purchase new gear. Ive been searching on Google a bit but so far no luck. I did a quick search on Etsy and Amazon as well. I'm looking for both myself and gf so both male/female ski wear is what we're looking for.

Thanks!

posted by modoriculous to Shopping (10 answers total)

In the UK at least, neon Campri ski jackets were all the rage. Now the company just makes budget walking and skiing equipment, including the most awful walking shoes I've ever worn.
posted by hnnrs at 4:53 AM on April 18, 2011

Are you talking about 80's style or actual vintage 80's ski wear?

Because lemme tell ya- technologies we take for granted these days like good waterproofing and thin-layer insulation didn't exist yet. My 80's ski memories were wet, cold, and bulky.
posted by mkultra at 5:19 AM on April 18, 2011 [8 favorites]

Response by poster: Hmm, well given that I would say 80's style might be the best choice.
posted by modoriculous at 5:43 AM on April 18, 2011

A lot of snowboard clothing companies have been doing "80's inspired" wear for the past two seasons. You won't get the tightness of the 80's gear, but you can definitely find the bright colors. I distinctly remember coming across a jacket very similar to my excellent first ski jacket this year - a 1988 color blocked purple/red/black number. I can't remember the brand of that particular jacket, but you probably would do well with Volcom, DC, and Foursquare. Possibly any other skateboard/snowboard crossover brand. I have also noticed a few one-piece getups this year, which I consider the hallmark of 80's ski gear.

Volcom example
DC example
posted by smalls at 6:14 AM on April 18, 2011

This screams 80's to me... Special Blend example. I think you are going for slightly more neon though?
posted by smalls at 6:16 AM on April 18, 2011

Last one, I promise, but I found the 2011 version of my super awesome 80's ski jacket!
posted by smalls at 6:18 AM on April 18, 2011

Neff makes some very 80s ski hats.
posted by gnutron at 8:46 AM on April 18, 2011

I've seen some great outfits on ebay. I would do some searches for Ellesse, Obermeyer, Bogner, and Elho Freestyle. Probably wouldn't hurt to look at some european ebay sites.
posted by jade east at 11:13 AM on April 18, 2011

Gorsuch sells very pricey ski-wear. Dunno if it screams 80s! but it's got the Euro-trash style.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:15 AM on April 18, 2011

I saw tons of Day-glo stuff on the slopes this year. You should be able to find something new-ish that will be a lot warmer and more comfortable than the (craptastic) stuff that was actually made in the 1980s.
posted by schmod at 1:40 PM on April 18, 2011