Help me gear up for my first ski trip!

October 17, 2018 7:05 PM

I'm hoping to go skiing for the first time this winter (somewhere in New England). I've been searching on Ebay for ski pants and a ski jacket. What else will I need to buy (vs. things I can rent)? Assume I have nothing super practical for doing active stuff outside. (All my winter stuff, while warm, is more about form than function. )

What brands should I look for? What brands should I stay away from? Also, I see some cute ski jackets by Nils which looks like a good brand - but any experience with these jackets re: warmth? I tend to run cold.

Thank you!

posted by quiet coffee to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (15 answers total)

We ski every winter. For my first ski trip:
I rented boots, skis and a helmet.
I borrowed a shell and pants. I bought ski socks--you'll want the padding on your shins.
I owned glove liners and waterproof/windproof gloves. a skull cap (for under the helmet), and general cold weather base layers. I bought goggles from Sierra Trading Post--I'd check there for anything you want to buy. I've never heard of the Nils brand, so I can't speak to it. But your ski jacket is usually about wind resistance and some water/snow repelling--the warmth comes from your underlayers. My permanent ski gear is high end, but I have spare gear (which I've worn comfortably and durably) and it's just whatever was the right size and price at Sierra Trading Post.

We ski at Lake Tahoe. which is pretty warm. Colder places (I think New England is going to be colder.) you'll want something like a balaclava to cover your nose and mouth. One of those over-ear bands is good in addition to a hat.

For under your ski jacket and pants, anything warm and generally comfortable is fine. I usually just wear long underwear. Spouse wears long underwear bottoms and top with a sweater over it. Really, your standard athleisure wear is fine, as long as it's really warm--wool or Heattech or fleece. But if you've never been before, and you're not expecting to do more than the beginner runs and a lesson or two, you likely won't exert yourself too much (or be up in the very exposed windy parts of the mountain), so you'll be fine in anything not cotton.

I leave a skirt and street shoes/boots in the car, in case we go out without going home first.
posted by crush at 7:26 PM on October 17, 2018 [3 favorites]

Ski goggles make a big difference for comfort.
posted by LizardBreath at 7:35 PM on October 17, 2018 [2 favorites]

If you’re skiing somewhere really cold a wool gaiter is nice, and it’s useful and can be really stylish off piste as well. Buffs makes them in lots of colors, they’re washable and last forever and are really versatile.

A lightweight slip on shoe like Adidas style slides or, dare I say, Crocs, are useful if you aren’t used to walking around in ski boots.

I second a good pair of ski socks. I don’t have a favorite but I generally prefer wool and a thicker padding on the shin. I don’t ski often anymore so I find my poor shins appreciate the extra padding even though I don’t exactly lean like a racer.
posted by padraigin at 8:56 PM on October 17, 2018 [1 favorite]

I think it really depends on how your body temp normally runs. I am perpetually hot so I just ski in a waterproof shell jacket and pants, with a tank top and the thinnest silk long underwear I can find underneath. My husband, on the other hand, wears a thermal long sleeve top, wool sweater, and very thick wool long underwear under his waterproof shell. Sometimes he will even add an extra layer of synthetic fabric yoga pants if he's extra cold.

The important thing is to have a waterproof shell. This includes jacket, pants, and gloves. Any kind is fine, but ones that have vents in the pits are an extra nice bonus for when you need to cool down a little.

You definitely want to get "ski socks." They are longer so they will go further up your leg without creating seam irritation with your long underwear or the top of your boot. Mine are super thin Smartwools because I like to feel more of my boot. I don't like the padded kinds but some people do.

Ski goggles or good sunglasses are also key, even on a cloudy day. The snow reflects a LOT of light. Some places rent these along with helmets but you should check ahead so you know whether to bring sunglasses or buy goggles ahead of time.

A balaclava is nice if it's windy. I don't usually need one.

If you run cold, having some handwarmer packets ready in your shell pockets is nice. They are cheap too.
posted by joan_holloway at 9:22 PM on October 17, 2018 [1 favorite]

Oh, and mittens are warmer than fingered gloves. Again the important thing is waterproof synthetic fabric, not knitted or leather. If your hands run cold, get mittens; otherwise, gloves are fine.
posted by joan_holloway at 9:24 PM on October 17, 2018 [1 favorite]

A note about gloves: a friend who had not been skiing in, well, decades, went wearing her sheep-skin mittens and her hands were unbearably hot. I've had a couple pairs of gloves and find you don't have to break the bank, but they do have to be warm but also breathable.

similarly with goggles, I wear glasses and have a pair of goggles that fit over my them but damn if my glasses don't totally fog up anyway if it's warm-ish out (around -5 to 0 deg celsius). This winter I'm thinking about trying contact lenses.

I have a helmet that I wear for bike riding and then has inserts for use skiing. I also have a skull-cap type thing that I put on when it gets colder. I love my helmet - it's comfortable, and mine. The ones offered at the rental place are not always comfortable.

From what I remember of skiing in New England - it can be cold as crap and wet and foggy. So, dress accordingly - a little warmer, and with an eye on keeping as dry as possible. As a teenager I used to wear jeans and then over them a pair of woolen 'hunting' pants I got at an army-navy place. Today, I have ski-pants that have vents (which is great) that can open and close - but where we ski it's mostly not crazy-cold - but their second big advantage is that they're waterproof.
posted by From Bklyn at 1:07 AM on October 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

I would recommend getting some base layers, merino wool or wool/silk blend, especially if you run cold. Definitely comfy ski socks. How many days is your trip? I can usually wear my base layers twice, but I'm not that sweaty or stinky. Fresh socks everyday though.

I always wear a buff because I have sensitive skin that gets wind burn pretty easily. I have one of these, which is half fleece and half cotton, which is quite handy.

Good gloves. You might be able to snag a not too used pair on eBay. Waterproof is less of a concern with skiing compared to snowboarding. But they should be warm and breathable. If you know you run cold in your hands in particular, it might be worth getting gloves that have little zip pockets where you can pop in some handwarmers. Sometimes these just make people sweat. But I like using them after lunch.

Goggles. You may want to try and shop these in real life because comfort is key. But they make all the difference in low visibility light. On a sunny day, lots of people just use well fitting sunglasses. I prefer the security of goggles.

Seconding putting comfy shoes/boots and an extra pair of normal socks in the car. They will feel amaaazing at the end of the day.

You'll rent your skis, boots, poles and helmet. I think helmets are less common in the US compared to here in Europe, but I would recommend that. If you're not wearing a helmet, definitely something to protect your ears from the cold, polartec headband or some sort of wooly hat, depending on your preference.

Buy as much as you can before you go on your trip. The shops around the resorts are absolute rip offs.
posted by like_neon at 6:55 AM on October 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

You'll be able to rent skiis, boots, poles, and a helmet. You may be able to rent a jacket and ski pants. Check the rental shops at and near the resort you plan on going to.

The amount of underlayers you will need will depend on when you are skiing. january and February are colder than March. Wool and synthetics are good. Don't wear cotton. It stays cold when wet.

You can get helmet liners of various weights that may or may not include a fleece neck tube. I'd wait until close to when you go skiing to see what weight you'll need. It may be easier to buy at the resort. Keep in mind that helmets are pretty warm and you'll probably only need a thin liner at most.

As mentioned, mitts are warmer than gloves. Wear thin liner gloves inside the mitts and use handwarmers.

I think helmets are less common in the US compared to here in Europe
Nope. Helmets were super common in North America when I got mocked for wearing mine at Trois Vallées in 2006. A helmet was first suggested to me while skiing in Montana in 1997.
posted by TORunner at 7:38 AM on October 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

I went skiing for the first time ever last year and therefore feel totally qualified to advice you on newbie gear. I did not want to shell out a ton of money for stuff I wasn't sure I'd be using regularly. I wore a waterproof softshell jacket that I already owned with cold-weather hiking layers underneath, and I happened to already have ski socks (because they come in cool patterns). Waterproof bottoms were the one thing I couldn't piece together from stuff I already had so I bought a pair of ~$40 snow pants off Amazon. The fit isn't great because I didn't have time to try a bunch of sizes/styles but they were otherwise perfectly fine. I also got some waterproof ski gloves because I'd been wanting better cold weather gloves anyhow. Sunglasses would've been nice but I wear glasses and am generally used to squinting anyhow.

All together this kept me reasonably warm and comfortable, and I expect it will be a while before this setup gets frustrating enough to warrant shelling out for a real ski jacket and upgrade pants. I'd like to go again this winter, and if so, I'll be looking into a buff instead of my regular scarf, and remembering to bring contacts and sunglasses/goggles.
posted by yeahlikethat at 8:03 AM on October 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

Something that hasn't been made clear, I don't think -- you want real 'ski socks', not just really warm long socks, because they have to be super thin for your boots to fit well, and if your boots aren't fitting well, your feet will hurt and get cold. So buy socks that are literally sold as ski socks -- thick hiking socks, even if they're warm enough, would be bad.
posted by LizardBreath at 8:05 AM on October 18, 2018 [2 favorites]

Brands are a real hard thing to recommend since fit is so personal. If you are trying to buy second hand I'd at least recommend going to a REI or similar store ahead of time to try out the fit. You should be aware that the jacket might feel a bit big on you but that is good if you intend to wear layers underneath.

Everyone is different but I am very much like joan_holloway where I wear a moisture wicking t-shirt and then my ski coat which has a liner. That's it and my core is never cold. Likewise on bottom it is mesh shorts and then lightly insulated ski pants. If I was going to make an investment for the upcoming year it would be better gloves.

One other pro-tip, never leave any piece of ski clothing (boats, jackets, gloves, pants, etc.) in the car overnight. You don't want to put on cold, damp boots in the morning.
posted by mmascolino at 2:57 PM on October 18, 2018 [2 favorites]

The first time I went skiing was when I lived in an only modestly cold climate, so while I had reasonably appropriate attire for walking in cold weather, I didn't have much that would be useful for skiing.

It ended up costing around $200 between decent boots and wool socks at DSW and ski pants and other not completely out of place gear before we headed up into the mountains. Obviously the skis, poles, and safety equipment rental was on top of that, but it really wasn't too terribly expensive and the vast majority of the stuff had other uses. The speeding ticket I got that trip cost more than the clothes and shoes.
posted by wierdo at 7:53 PM on October 18, 2018 [2 favorites]

If you have or can cheaply acquire soccer socks, they are perfect for skiing, and likely to be cheaper than ski socks.
posted by Kwine at 6:26 PM on October 22, 2018

I’ve never bought soccer socks but do not do this if they are 100% cotton. You will sweat in them and then your toes will freeze.
posted by like_neon at 12:43 AM on October 23, 2018 [1 favorite]

Indeed, those of us who have bought soccer socks are aware that they're poly blends, usually mostly nylon. If you can find 100% cotton "soccer" socks, don't buy those for soccer either.
posted by Kwine at 6:49 AM on October 30, 2018