Ski Apparel

[Triskeliongirl]

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).

[Cataboo]

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.


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.

[NbyNW]

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.

[Zen]

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.

[Cataboo]

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.

[Triskeliongirl]

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).