Ski Apparel

Hey guys, a bit off topic, but looking for some help for a ski trip to Crans-Montana in Switzerland in Feb.

I am not sure if I wanna x-country ski or downhill, so I am looking for versatile clothes to layer. I already picked up an arctyrex shell last winter (Beta AR), and have oddles of varying weight Ibex wool and a patagonia down sweater to layer under it.

Last year I also got the Ibex alpstar pant, but worried this isn't going to be warm enough even for x-country, since its not waterproof. I just got a good buy on the Arctyrex Scorpion goretex pant. Do you guys think this will be warm enough with Ibex woolies and a shebeest windpro fleece pant under for downhill, or do you think I need the titan pant (insulated with primaloft). I worry the titan would be too warm for x-country, but I chill easily so let me know what you think (I cycle in full leg tights if its below 60).

I just sent you a long PM.

I think you would be fine with the alpstar (I thought you'd returned those?) - I"ve been snowshoeing in them for the last week. I put woolies & the energy tight underneath. They're water resistant enough that you should be fine. The snow shouldn't be melting on you.

This is me snowshoeing Christmas eve - I basically had the alpstars & the energy tights on, smartwool socks. Not a flattering pic of my butt, but you can see the snow's just clumping on them, not melting, and they're not wet.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_WfCe0A3iU1c/Sz...2/IMGP3144.JPG

Otherwise my main ski pants have been the ibex backcountry pants lately.

I don't think you want the titans with primaloft, but I do overheat easily when active - I think the scorpions will give you more flexibility.

I find the woolies + energy tight usually pretty warm - but other pants I use for layering are the arc'teryx rho ar (basically, polartec powerstretch stuff) and the cloudveil walk don't run line (maybe it's run don't walk). I always wear the cloudveil boxers while skiing.

Yes, they're not wool. But they're my favorites :)

I think I just recently bought a pair of fleece pants from rei that did have venting zippers - they're the rei thermo lt if you want to look them up, and I think they had petite.


Another brand to look into - mammut. I've gotten a few of their pieces lately and really love them. I'm wearing the mammut stratus hybrid in that picture which is soft of a soft/hardshell mixture with insulation around the core and pitzips. Very versatile. I also love their mammut hoody, and their pilgrim down jacket is to die for.


If you're cross country skiing, I'd suggest picking up a packable down vest. I have a couple of the kids north face nuptse 'cause they're gigantic for some reason & I find them on sale. But patagonia makes some nice down vests. I generally keep a down vest in my pack for skiing or anything outdoors in the winter - lightweight/small way to carry a lot of extra insulation ad they're fairly versatile.I've snowshoed/hiked in a wool shirt & a down vest.

I'm just getting back into snow sports so I bought a pair of North Face Freedom insulated pants (early Christmas present to myself):

http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/...ated-pant.html

I've only spent two days downhill skiing (first day was about -12C and second day was about -2C) with them and I've worn them to walk my dog for about an hour in -15C temps. I wore midweight thermals under them when skiing and flannel pj pants when walking. It gets quite cold here, and I've been very pleased with how warm they've kept me. If I were to get too warm, they have vents on the sides.

I love the fit. They're not the bulky snow pants of my childhood, the waist adjusts easily with two velcro straps, and I have a lot of range of motion.

I expect they'll be fine for xc-skiing too, but haven't done that in years either so I'll have to let you know.

I bought some ski bibs on sale 12 years ago. I don't know what they're made of. They still fit and they keep me dry.

I wear Sugoi sub zero tight underneath. A SAC buy.

I got my coat at an end of season sale at Target. I think it's by Champion. $25.

Downhill or XC, it's pretty much all the same. If you can't keep moving, keep drinking peppermint schnapps;)

The main thing I'd be concerned about is good gloves. Fingers frostbite easily.

I'm just totally against insulated pants or jackets for skiing and it's a personal preference really - too bulky and too limiting. I don't want to have to have a different pair of pants because I'm spring skiing on 35 degree sunny days vs. skiing at 10 degree days vs snowshoeing or cross country skiing. Different layers, sure.

I skied with the ibex backcountry pants + cloudveil run don't walk boxers + smartwool midweight or ibex woolie tights + rho ar pants the 2nd week of this december in Breckenridge when the temperatures were getting to 10 degrees fahrenheit as a high with 30 mph winds in town & 45-60 on the mountain...

LIft rides were cold, but I was fine skiing. I had my theta ar shell, my ibex tank bra thing, my ibex pico over that, with a smartwool synergy over that, an icebreaker sport rock zip over that + a down vest. What was getting cold was my fingers (fine if I switched to my mittens) and my toes - just wiggled them, but I only ski with a capilene liner sock + a smartwool glove over that.

I did have my down puffy with me & coulda just put it under my shell but didn't.

Thank you all for the helpful posts (and PMs Catriona!). I am new to the shell/layer concept but I am going to give it a whirl, cuz I really need the versatility given that I don't even know yet if I will end up cross country or downhill, I did invest in a shell jacket last winter, and I do already own a lot of base and mid-layers.

So, scorpion pants are on the way....... (50% off right now at backcountry.com if anyone is interested, I've been watching this stuff for a while and its a good deal to find in non-extreme sizes).