Skiing -- what basic supplies do I need?
grungebox
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So next next weekend I'm going skiing or snowboard or whatever with some friends (for Washington folks, we're going to Snoqualmie (sp?)). Having just moved from Texas where snow is regarded like unicorns, I have no idea what I need. Now, I gather I can rent skis and poles and boots (or snowboards and boots) at the place. So...what else do I need to buy beforehand? Goggles, hat, bigass gloves, a heavy jacket? I have none of those except the jacket, and that's some fancy Banana republic thingy that's not the warmest coat in the world nor waterproof.
For Seattle folks, is Second Ascent in Ballard a good place to get this crap, or should I just go to Target or Sports Authority? Thanks.
For Seattle folks, is Second Ascent in Ballard a good place to get this crap, or should I just go to Target or Sports Authority? Thanks.
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Goggles are not a must, but they are nice. I have 2 pairs (one with yellow lenses and one with red) but it isn't uncommon for me to put the goggles on the top of my helmet.
In short: See what your friends will let you borrow before you go and spend 100's of dollars on things you may never use again.
Also, if you snowboard, be prepared for a good learning curve, you might not even get it the first day depending on your abilities. That said, it is totally worth it to keep on trucking and get used to it. And, having friends to coach you through it will be a plus. When I learned, all my buddies were skiiers so I got my one included lesson and spent the rest of the day trying to put the instructor's advice into practice.
also, your ass will hurt. But its a good hurt
Oh, and a gaiter.
Your hands will get wet, you need good waterproof gloves/mittens (mittens=warmer hands) otherwise you're fucked. Borrow as much as you can.
Ski pants are nice, but they're more expensive. You can usually get a pair of the ski overalls cheap at a place like Target/Dick's/Sports Authority. Waterproof gloves and a waterproof jacket are also necessary. Hopefully your jacket will have a hood.
Goggles aren't necessary, as said, but they sure help you see if they're tinted slightly. They can also protect your eyes from all the science rays bouncing off the snow.
And by "decent" i mean "not going to shatter on impact"
Try to get 2 pairs; a 3rd if you are going skiing for a week. Once waterproof gloves get snow in them they will be freezing and you don't really want to get frost biten. Nothing wrong with going back to the lodge to pull out some fresh and warm gloves every so often during the day.
To go along with this, I really like rollerblading and Iceskating but the idea of skiing just didn't work for me. Snowboard just felt more natural to me, though my love of SSX games probably influenced that feeling.
Try both unless one really stands out to you as "this is what I want to do"
Alternatively: dish out the extra $10 for gloves that cinch at the wrist and will never get snow in them.
My advice if you're only going to go for a couple days and won't be doing it again: Ski. Skiing is quicker to pick up, because you have two contact points to manipulate your speed and angle. I snowboard, but I learned to ski first, and I generally tell people not to bother trying to snowboard unless they're going to have at least 3 days to finally "get it."
Its been a long time since I learned how to ski, but I remember spending a lot of time on my ass and face when learning to snowboard.
Something like this is nice because it's a 3-in-1 jacket: rain shell, fleece jacket, or zip them together for an insulated parka. And I hear you get a lot of rain in Seattle
I would seriously suggest goggles. They're only $20 new and they make a world of difference if it's a sunny day. Your eyes will suffer less fatigue and they'll keep the top part of your face pretty warm.
Bring extra pairs of underwear cause they will get wet if you spend any amount of time sitting in the snow.
You'll be at high altitude and with all of those UV rays reflecting off of the snow, you are gonna get burnt the fuck up.
And definitely bring sunscreen, use it even if it is a cloudy day. If not you're going to end up with a reverse raccoon sunburn, which is actually quite comical. I will also echo Improvolone about the neck gator, I love those things.
The real question is are you ever going to go skiing again? If so, you might want to invest in some real gear like goggles, ski pants, ski socks etc, but if not, borrow and improvise.
rent a helmet
Put on a lot of sunscreen, everyone gets sunburnt when they ski. Also, don't be that Texan who wears jeans on the mountain.
For one time of skiing the jacket, pants, gloves, and socks can really be improvised, moderately waterproof is fine. If you're going to be riding the bunnyhill you probably wont get a lot of powder splashing onto you, a few falls wont soak you at all. If you have to buy stuff now, backcountryoutlet.com is great.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of that- which is partly why I suggested the extra sets of gloves. Even with cinches (like the other guy suggested) snow manages to work its way in the gloves because you fall all the time.
That said, after the first hour or two and it started to "click" it was just an awesome feeling.
-I can't rollerblade or ice skate to save my life, so I'm told snowboarding will be easier, is that true?
-This is a one day thing, not a whole weekend let alone a week.
-I'm generally going to have to buy things. There are only a few of us going, none of whom are big skiers so borrowing is a little unlikely (I don't know a whole lot of people in town, having only been here for a few months). So suggestions like that raincoat linked above that might be useful for everyday wear are good. Is a 3-in-1 thing fine for skiing or do I need a "ski jacket" (they're separate categories at the places I'm looking online)?
That being said, I don't anticipate skiing a whole lot. So I'm hoping to keep the expenses as low as I can and/or getting the most mileage out of what I have. What can I "improvise"? For ski pants, for example, is there anyway to get around buying them?
I ran our university ski/snowboard club and what I used to hear (in general) from our members is that snowboarding is easier to learn but harder to master while skiing is harder to get the hang of but once you do its easier to improve.
Ive only ever boarded myself so wouldnt know the difference and I learnt so long ago that im sure teaching methods have come on at lot since my learning days.
As for more general tips, carry pocket munchies (cerial bars work great) and keep nibbling as if your anything like me the cold annihilates your hunger and you might not realise how much you havent eaten.
Chances are you have synthetic stuff around your house that you can wear. Wool is good, polypro is good.
Now, as has been said, layers are going to be key in skiing. You'll start off cold, get hot in the middle, and usually I end up a little chilly by the end of the day and change clothes anyway which is when those warm layers you had shed earlier come in handy to change into.
Here's what I say you do. Lightweight synthetic undershirt, perhaps a second lightweight shirt, wool sweater and waterproof rain jacket if you have it. The top layer is just a waterproof shell that you keep on as you remove other layers.
On the bottom, I'd go for a pair of long johns (not cotton!) and some waterproof pants. If you have a good synthetic running tight or something like that then put those on under your longjohns.
Hands, I'd go with a glove mitten combination, get some of those lightweight gloves, put those on first and then your mittens.
Goggles - if you have the money then get them. They're just nice.
Socks- I'd probably put two lightweight layers of socks on and keep a spare set with me. My socks always get wet so it's good to have a pair to change into at the end of the day.
Rental gear - for skiing you're going to need boots, poles, and skis with appropriate bindings for the boots. For snowboarding you're going to need board, boots, and appropriate bindings. It's likely that the ski + bindings issues won't...urrrr...be an issue if you're renting.
Also, if this is just a day trip then you'll probably get by with whatever. It's not like you can't turn in if you've had enough.
Have fun!
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Sunglasses will do fine (I use cheapish ones with an orange plastic frame during skiing, so I can find them back). Unless it snows. Then you need the goggles. Borrow a pair if you can, or just buy the cheapest ones.
If you ski, you really need ski socks, because you need your socks to be bigger then your boots, or the edge of your boots result in painful marks on your legs. Also, your skiboots need to be as tight as possible, but you need a little wiggle room for your toes (If your toes hit the shoe, it can be painful and can damage your toenails).
Other gear: Check the weather forecast. Ski'ing is hard work, and if it's sunny and above -5C at ground level, you don't need to dress warm at all. (I usually ski in a t-shirt and my ski-coat when it's sunny, and put on a sweater if get's colder. You do want to wear waterproofed stuff all around though (pants, jacket, gloves), and bring headwear for your ears. Borrow what you can, the stuff is sort of expensive.
EDIT: And don't forget the sunscreen. Get a small tube of high rating stuff so you can reapply every few hours.
Also, expect to be tired and sore at the end of each day. Learning to do this is hard work, with some muscles getting worked that barely see any movement anywhere else.
Falling barely hurts. Remember that. It gets annoying if the snow gets everywhere, and getting up is a skill in itself. But unless you slip on an icesheet, it's only inconvenience.
Most important, have fun. It's really one of the most fun things in the world.
That Bean coat would be fine - and it won't look silly gooseish when you're not "hitting the slopes." I.e, you can wear it anytime; which you'll need in Seattle, I'm guessing.
Get some good, high wool socks. As everyone else has said, hands and feet are most critical, even for just a day. For the pants, you can always get some cheap track pants and buy/use two layers of sweat pants. The idea is to have something waterproof/resistant on the outside.
As for the skiing, my personal experience was going to CO for a week with a group, and just learning on my own. Lots of falls, tons of fun. I found skiing easier than 'boarding.
Yeah, you don't need a "ski jacket." The only thing different between a ski jacket and that LL Bean jacket I linked is that a ski jacket will have a lot of specialized things like a pocket for your goggles and a powder skirt to keep snow from getting inside your jacket when you're in deep powder. They also might have vents so you can stay cool. All unnecessary for a novice or someone who won't be skiing a lot.
The advantage of the LL Bean 3-in-1 is that you get a fleece jacket (which you'll wear a lot), and a waterproof/windproof jacket (which you'll wear a lot). And when it's really cold, you can zip them together and have a really good winter weather jacket.
Fun fact, those jackets are the ones the Weather Channel guys wear when they're outside standing in the middle of a hurricane/blizzard.
As for pants, are "snow pants" a thing like ski jacket where it's just waterproof pants? In other words, any rain pants from the store will do, as long as I have sweat pants underneath?
I don't think it'll be Colorado cold, though.
Granted, its been about ten years since I've been skiing, but my parents stuck me on the slopes when I could barely walk, and from then through the next 15 years or so on the yearly ski vacation I barely recall ever seeing helmets. Are people that worried about hitting trees now?
But bring something to cover your head, if it's that cold, it'll keep you warm.
If you aren't wearing snow overalls, make sure you've got at least one shirt tucked into you pants. You don't want snow going up your back or down your butt.
A few more tips:
Snowflakes, like small insects, are soft when they gently land on you. When it smacks you in the face as you're going 20-30 miles an hour down a ski slope, it hurts. Bring goggles and a something to cover your upper and lower face.
Look at the signs on slopes. They're color coordinated for your convenience. Blue = Easy, Red = Intermediate, Black = You better hope to god you know what you're doing, because we aren't going to be responsible if you break something.
Unless you are on firm ground (parking lot, ski lodge, matting, wood planks, etc), no matter how much easier you think it will be to take off your skis and walk, don't. You have no idea how deep the snow you're on is, and without the skis to distribute your weight, you can end up stuck up to your butt.
If you hear a scraping sound under your skis as you're moving, but don't see any difference in the snow, don't try to turn. You're on ice. You will fall.
Coat: You can use a rain coat and just put heavier layers under it.
Pants: Same with rain pants.
Gloves: If you're super cheap, plain old work gloves you can get from any hardware store will serve fine unless it is raining. $5 or less.
Head: Rent a helmet, or if you absolutely cannot rent a helmet, wear a hat. Get a cheap gaiter (covers your neck) or balaclava (covers your head/forehead/ears/neck) as well.
Eyes: Sunglasses work well enough, unless it is windy/rainy. Goggles are best, but more expensive and you might not need either.
Feet: Any pair of warm socks, probably not cotton. Buy toe warmers ($2-3) if you're worried about your feet keeping warm.
And that pretty much covers it. If you're learning to snowboard, your butt/knees/hands will get much more wet than they would if you were learning to ski.
Helmets are pretty popular now. I, for one, don't do much glade/stunt skiing/boarding so I don't wear one. Provided you're not going XTREME you'll be fine.
Also, where the hell do you ski? Here in the civilized world, we use:
Green Circle = Easy
Blue Square = Intermediate
Black Diamond = Hard
Anything with more than one black diamond is realtively more difficult than the last. Stay away from those for a couple years.
Also, seriously where do they use that color combo? I've never seen that. Is that an 'outside the US' thing?
1) Bring googles. No two ways about it. If it is raining/snowing then shit gets in your eyes, even with sunglasses, unless you have some awesome sunglasses. If by some miracle it's sunny, then it's nice to have the tint.
2) If you are just stepping onto ski's or a snowboard for the first time, you don't really need a helmet. It certainly doesn't hurt, and if you are at all worried go ahead and get one, but you wont be going fast enough to really need one.
3) I think someone else said it, but if it is raining/snowing, it is nice to have something that covers your face. Usually ski jackets have a collar that will cover up to your nose, and your googles cover the rest.
4) This isn't clothing related, but it is an unwritten rule that ski resorts try and rape you as much as possible on the price of food. Fries are like 5 bucks. Hamburgers like 10. Generally I find it much nicer to just pack a lunch and leave it in a locker somewhere.
edit- Also about the stuff that goes on your neck, like a scarf or turtle fur, it really depends on what type of person you are. I get hot pretty easy, sweat alot, ect. Skiing/Snowboarding is hard work, especially when you are starting out. For me personally, putting something around my neck makes me hot as fuck. Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I skied mostly in Austria, with some Switzerland. Only went skiing in the Rockies 2-3 times, and in the Appalachians once. I wasn't aware the US used different ratings, I was younger then an apparently not paying attention :P
There have been some fairly recent cases of people dying of brain injuries from skiing falls. Skull -> ground is not a good scenario, regardless of how slow/fast you are going. So, basically, wear a helmet because the ground is hard.
I think I recall that format in France when I skiied in the Alps once?
As for helmets, I'd highly recommend them - for one, it doesn't just protect you from trees (although it has saved me a couple times from getting scratched in the head by branches), but it also does protect your head from hitting the snow (which, if you hit a patch with some hard packed snow / ice / rocks, can be like hitting concrete). In addition, it protects you from stupid things (a friend we were skiing with a couple years ago took a fall, and had a ski pop off - no big deal usually, except that it trailed behind her and hit her in the head, requiring a few stitches)
And they're really very common at this point - I was at Kirkwood last weekend, and I'd say probably 75% of people on pretty much any line (even at the lift that only services black / double black trails) were wearing one
I can't speak to skiing since I've never done that, but for snowboarding I would definitely recommend a helmet for beginners. Learning to snowboard is all about keeping the edge*, and it's not easy starting out. You spend a lot of time falling over, and you never know where there may be ice patches or rocks under the powder, as well as when you do inevitably drop the edge and careen off into a tree.
*Most Important Rule for Beginning Snowboarders: When you are on the slope, the board should NEVER be flat on the snow. If it is and it's pointing downhill, you are going to take off like a rocket. If it's perpendicular to the slope, you're about to fall over.
There's also fairly recent cases of peoples cars spontaneously exploding on 95, but that doesn't stop me from driving. It's just a matter of personal taste.
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If you're married to snowboarding, you definitely need waterproof pants. I've never been snowboarding, but from my observations, snowboarders spend about 3/4 of the time sitting on their asses on the mountain, and just 1/4 of the time actually riding. I don't know if it's because it's hard or it's exhausting or because part of boarder culture is just sitting around in the snow with a board attached to you, shooting the shit, but skiers are almost always on their feet and boarders are almost always sitting. As a skier, on the rare chance that I fall and if I'm not wearing my ski pants, if I stand up and dust myself off real quick it doesn't soak through.