Skiing Holiday - Need Advice

msb5262

Hello,
I went skiing last year with my partner, my three kids, his two and one extra child. (Yes quite possibly bonkers...)
I'd say you definitely need thermals! Also if you get very cold hands, silk inner gloves are excellent to wear inside your ski mitts/gloves. As far as you can, borrow all the clothes etc and don't forget to take small rucksacks/bumbags etc to carry water; it's very easy to get dehydrated on the slopes. Lots of tissues for runny noses when it's very cold, lots of heavy moisturiser (eg Nivea) as your skin gets dehydrated too. Walking boots or snow boots to wear when not skiing. Mobile phones so you can locate the rest of your family/group. Spare ski socks if possible. A snood (tubular neck thing, works as scarf, hat, bandana) is excellent - my son was allergic to sunblock on his face, but snood pulled up to his goggles did the trick. If you can be bothered, take along a couple of fluorescent ribbons to tie to your ski sticks so you can identify them easily if there are loads lying around.
Also given the unfortunate death of Natasha Richardson last year, we decided to make a rule that EVERYONE in the extended family group wore a helmet although my partner and his son were very experienced skiers. The best thing the helmets did was to protect us from each others' skis when in the lifts at our apartments, but they could have saved someone's life so we were happy.
Have a lovely time!
MsB

Spitroast

All depends on where you want to go really. Cheapest in Europe are Bulgaria and Slovakia. Certainly not the best, but generally good for learning if you're first timers. You can get ski passes (which are compulsary to access slopes) for <£100/week. Anywhere else in Europe you're looking at £250 for the same thing, although the variety of slopes and snow quality is much better.

You can find some great offers on Cananda & USA. Might seem very expensive, but when you think of how poor the dollar is to the pound (or euro) at the moment and think how cheap and excellent quality food it, is not a bad shout. The resorts there are very well equipped and the hotels look great.

Whatever you do though, stay well away from the travel agents. They will charge extra for everything where you can buy everything separately yourself so much cheaper. I was looking through Crystal ski's brochure last night. 1 Week in Banff, Canada £1300/person. Same flights & hotel found myself on line for £650!!

I love the snow, can't wait 'til I'm next out on it!

pusscat

chillymonster wrote: »

Hi,

We've decided to go a Skiing Holiday in Jan/Feb
But since we have never been one before, we have NO CLUE what to do.

Can i have anyones & everyones opinion on this.

* Where & Whats affordable?
* Any hints on things i wouldn't think of?
* Any websites or Travel Companys that caters for all of this?

*Well, everything i need to about Skiing but were affraid to ask.




Well I have had an hour with nothing to do except wait - so here are my top tips for skiing!

I have skied for years - as as single, couple and family......this is what I think you need to know - sorry it got so long!

Clothing
There is loads of pretentious rubbish spouted about ski clothing – ignore most of it – especially if you are going for the first time.
I am aiming this at beginners – as if you are an experienced skier I guess you will already have your stuff!
For beginners, places like Millets, Mountain Warehouse, Decathlon, Aldi, Lidl, C&A etc do a good deal on ski clothing – TK Maxx also do well.
(I have just walked past Mountain Warehouse today and they have a “full kids ski set” for £59 or something – plus 20% off this weekend.)

For tinies it is usually best to put them in an all in one suit – they seem to have a habit of wanting to roll in the snow rather than ski and it is the best way to stay warm and dry. I would keep them in an all in one until they either refuse to wear it (as it is soooo uncool) or they can ski properly and have stopped rolling around. With an all in one it is more difficult to go to the loo (obvious reasons) but if you fall you do not get snow inside your clothing. It is also easier to keep them warm in an all in one – if it is hot they can remove the top and tie the arms around the waist. You also can’t loose the jacket (kids always seem to manage this!)

Once they get past about 10 they should move on to a jacket and sallopettes (ski trousers) – mainly because if you buy them an all in one they will not wear it due to humiliation factors J Buy kids ski gear one size up – that way you can get plenty of thermals under it and you may get a couple of years use out of it. For kids ski gear also try charity shops, ebay, friends, family, school etc. Kids rarely get more than 2 seasons out of a ski suit so there are loads that have only been worn a short while. Same goes for gloves/hats/goggles/socks etc.

If you are going for separate jacket and pants then….
It is important that you look for a jacket with a “snow skirt” inside it. This is an elasticised inner which does up tight around your waist – it stops snow going up your jacket if you fall (well it is supposed to!) without these you will find that you very quickly get wet (and then cold) as you have melted snow in your clothing. Most ski jackets have them these days – those that don’t are usually designed for those who are too good to fall over, or those who don’t actually ski!

For beginners I would go for ski pants with a bib and brace – again it protects from snow going inside your clothing in a fall – and generally as a beginner you will have quite a few. You can get various ways of connecting bottoms and tops – it does not matter much as long as snow does not get inside – remember even in a gentle in a fall you may slide for a while – so really check that it will stay together!

There is a general amusement in Europe at people (especially Brits!) who turn up in the latest designer gear and can’t ski – most of the Europeans keep their ski clothing for years – you will see lots of Italians still skiing in bizzare 1980’s designs….if you are going for designer or serious clothing make sure you can ski well or are only planning on sitting in the mountain bar!
This is one sport where those who are uber fashionable are usually the worst skiers!

Helmets.
These days it seems to be compulsory (at least in Europe) for ski school pupils and kids to wear them – if you are beginners then I would do. Most of the ski injuries I have seen/had have been twisted knees, wrists, elbows, banged bums and backs, bruises and the odd banged head – usually from falling over onto hard snow or using your head to polish your skis. Ski injuries are strange – you can fall at high speed in a huge flurry of snow and roll and slide for ages and get up with no problems, or like my MIL you can fall over getting off the ski bus and hurt yourself.
Most ski schools and ski hire shops hire them out – just make sure they get a nice antiseptic spray before you take them.

Gloves.
These are one of your most important bits of kit. For beginners and kids mittens are better – they keep all of your fingers together and everything stays warm. Look for water proof/resistant ones as when you fall your hands will end up in the snow – and if you are a beginner this can be frequent. If it is very cold you may want to consider thermal or silk inners – but these are generally for the “smart gloves” where the trend does not want any bulk.
I would consider buying 2 pairs of cheaper gloves – especially if you are a beginner – as they will get wet. You may want to carry your second pair in a rucksack, or at least it will mean that you are not trying to dry them out overnight.

Hats and scarves.
If the weather turns then it is important that you can cover your head (heat loss) On a mountain it can go from warm and sunny to a blizzard in a few minutes. Some jackets have built in head protection – some don’t. So long as you can cover up then it is fine. Scarves are a nice optional extra IMHO – they usually get lost fairly early on – especially with kids. I use ski tubes (a fleece tube around the neck with a toggle) as they can also be head gear if the weather turns.

Goggles/glasses.
For most people, wearing no eye protection is not good – the whiteness of the snow with sun on it hurts your eyes so sunglasses are a must. Make sure they will stay on in a fall – bungee cords are the best. Goggles become necessary if the weather turns – you need them to get back down the mountain. Wearing them all week will give you the classic “panda eyes” but it is worth carrying a pair with you.
Slightly tinted orange lenses are best – especially If you only intend to wear them in a blizzard – it will help you see the bumps more clearly. For beginners a cheap pair of goggles are just as effective as expensive ones.

Ski socks.
These are a specialist piece of kit, don’t go for anything except proper ski socks. Ski tubes have no seams and are designed not to rub, Make sure you have a number of pairs – they will get damp and smelly, especially in hire boots. You should be able to get through a week with 3 pairs each – you may have to rinse a pair through and dry them out. You can get expensive “racing ski socks”. Until you are at a decent level, just don’t bother – they are thinner and you need to have really good boots on for them to make any major difference.

Moon Boots/Snow boots
for walking around the resort – I have to confess I have never owned a pair – they make you look like a Yeti IMHO – I usually just take my waterproof Timberlands, they have been fine over the years. I would however take a pair of slippers or house shoes – in most hotels and apartments the ski room is some way from your bedroom – walking on carpets or indoors in ski boots is not acceptable, but it can be quite a way and the floors can be cold and damp – good slippers with a sole (or flip flops/beach shoes/jelly sandals) are ideal.

Other bits and pieces
Ski ties – there are several designs – they can be useful if you have to carry skis quite a way – they hold them together and make it easier. They are also useful if you are going to be using cable cars where you put your ski’s on the outside. Usually a couple of pounds and worth having some (especially if you have kids – you gain a hand back!)
Lift pass holders are now pretty out of date – most modern resorts have proximity passes where you pass under the scanner without taking it out of your pocket – but if you are going somewhere where they still have old passes then get some (with kids get more than one!!!
Carrying a small rucksack is a good idea – although in the last few years I have noticed signs on a lot of lifts saying you can’t carry them on the lift – I presume this is aimed at those with a full sized backpacking rucksack as no one seems to stop you with a little one.

In this rucksack carry

Plasters/liquid skin
Sun cream
Sun block/lip salve
Goggles
Vaseline
Mobile
Money
Sweet snack if you need energy (mars bar or something)
Water bottle
Spare gloves
Hat (if you are not wearing it)
Any layers you take off


Under your ski suit!
This is an area where “ski experts” tend to get on their high horses – ignore a lot of the posturing.
Basically the idea is to stay warm and dry. Dry means no snow coming in and sweat (you will sweat – believe me!) being wicked away from the skin to stop your clothes becoming damp and clammy (this will make you cold). Cotton is not normally recommended these days as a bottom layer as it just gets sweaty and damp.
Last year for my underwear layer I skied in some great “boy shorts” pants from Primark – they were about £5 for 5 pairs, were total man made fibre and were really very nice – great bargain (and I have worn them as knickers all year!). For the ladies, skiing is a very active sport – make sure you are properly supported in the top area – especially if you are large – bouncing around is not fun. A good sports bra or support top should help – again in man made fibre if possible. For blokes, make sure you have adequate support too – apparently trunks are better than boxers J

Over your underwear you then need to layer clothing. This has 2 reasons, to keep you warm and dry, and to enable you to strip a layer off if you get too hot. The number of layers you need depends on

How warm/cold you are as a person
How hard you ski or how much you will be falling over
The amount of thermal padding in your jacket/pants
How cold the resort is (how high, time of year, sun etc)

There is no right and wrong answers, but as a beginner it is best to have too many layers and be able to take one off. I ski with proper underwear, then a layer of thermal underwear (long johns and long sleeved top) followed by a long sleeved cotton t shirt/roll neck and a full body layer of fleece (long johns and long sleeved top). If it is really cold then I put on a second fleece layer (usually just on the top half) – but I am a total wimp and am always cold!!! My ski jacket and pants are not thermal padded but it does have a reflective inner layer to bounce heat back in.
Mr P skis in his underwear and a jacket/ski pants, and T shirt in all conditions – he is normally too hot even at -20 in a blizzard.

I have had some great cheap fleeces and cotton t shirts and roll necks from Primark over the years – they do not have to be ski specific ones – especially if you are only skiing for the first few times. For beginners, I would look at what you already have in your wardrobe first before buying loads of “specialist kit”. Roll necks (especially for kids) have the advantage of protecting your neck and chin area from catching in a zip and /or chapping in the wind, they also mean no need for a scarf (something else to loose!)

On a beautiful day you may find yourself skiing in a tshirt with all of your other gear in your rucksack, but the weather could change in minutes on the mountain so you must be prepared for all conditions.
Assuming you ski all day, the morning and the evening will be the coldest times (in general) so wear all your layers in the morning, strip off a few at lunchtime and put them back on again late afternoon. In between times you can carry them in your rucksack.


Ski Kit

Ski hire. Unless you are already a serious skier it is of little benefit to buy kit. Hire boots are generally not the nicest thing in the world (make sure you see them put a disinfectant spray in) but until you are serious there is little point in purchasing. Just take plenty of changes of socks!
Hire skis are OK – you can usually upgrade to a better class of ski (less damage to them normally) for an additional charge – wont make any/much difference if you are a beginner though. The ski hire shop (or ski school) will sort out the right sizes for you. Check that there are no obvious huge damages to the skis (they will not be perfect – but large chunks out of them is not acceptable). I have noticed that some ski hire shops seem to have taken to offering insurance for skis – in case they get stolen on the mountain or you write them off. Normally your holiday or household insurance covers things like this, check before you leave. To my mind it is a bit of a rip off.
If your boots are uncomfortable then go back to the shop and change them – there is no point skiing all week with numb feet!
Booking your ski’s on line in advance seems to be much cheaper (especially in France!). You can also get discounts through the ski schools.
If you do take your own then remember that you will have to pay extra to fly them, and/or will have to pay extra for a hire car with a ski box, or will have to drive with a ski box (again as the car is higher it can cost more!)

One delicate point is that the ski shop will need to know your weight (in kg as they are European!) in order to set up your bindings (the bits that hold your skis onto your boots) properly. Embarassing as it may be, you need to give them the right weight - otherwise they will set the bindings too tight and they will not release properly if you fall (meaning twisted knees etc).

Lift passes. Don’t be tempted to buy the expensive “full pass” as generally it covers half of the county and you will never use most of it (unless you are a seasoned skier who skis hard all day). Most resorts let you upgrade for a day or two to sample another valley or resort.
If you are in a ski school class then check which pass they recommend for your class level first – otherwise you may find yourself stuck on a mountain top!
Ski schools also generally get priority in lift queues (can be useful especially in school holidays)

For most beginners, 4 hours a day ski instruction is plenty – you will ache! Any beginner thinking they are up for more is either very fit or very brave. For kids it can be even less – especially the younger ones or those who do not take to it naturally. Look for a ski school close to your hotel/accommodation so that you can go back and warm up/hot chocolate/DVD/nap if necessary with little ones.
Have a hot bath or sauna each night to help the aching – years ago I was given the tip of 2 aspirin with bed each night to not have aches in the morning – but am obviously not offering any medical advice!

Drinking and skiing do not mix. Many resorts offer a torchlight or night ski with mulled wine or something. This seems to be where 90% of accidents happen, wine and skis do not mix. Hangovers and skis also don’t mix – if you want to enjoy your skiing then keep your alcohol under control.

Sun cream – a high factor and a sun block are a must – in high sun and wind you will get burnt very quickly and you will not feel it till later. I also carry Vaseline as I get chapped cheeks and lips very easily.

Buying any kind of ski gear in the resort is generally more expensive than outside of it. The only exception is that if you are there near the end of the season you may be able to buy cheap ex rental skis and boots. If you forget something then it is usually cheaper to buy one in the valley or next big town – the resort is usually very trendy and very expensive.

Private lessons can be beneficial – if the whole family are beginners, a few hours to improve your technique or if you are struggling. They can be pricey (Euro 100 an hour seems to be about the average) but you can often improve a lot more in an hour of 1:1 than a whole week of waiting for the rest of the class.
It really depends what you want – if you are looking to meet people then ski school is best – especially for the kids.
Be very careful of paying anyone who is not a ski instructor with the recognised school for instruction – there can be issues with insurance, but this depends on the country.

Don’t be tempted to go off on your own until you can actually control your ski’s. If you are out of control you are a menace to everyone else on the slopes and a danger. This is a particular problem with British teenage boys – they have done all of their training on the play station and work on the principle that you look stylish if you just bomb as fast as you can from top to bottom. These days it is less of a problem as many resorts have “ski marshalls” who will have you removed from the slopes if you are skiing beyond your ability and causing a danger to others.

Ski within your limits – especially when you are cold or tired. Most accidents happen then. Never feel pushed into the last run of the day if you are past it – it always ends in tears.
In skiing, the general rule is that the person coming from behind has to avoid you. If you are overtaking people and are unable to control your speed/direction/stop then you should not be overtaking. There are international ski rules that apply in (almost!) every country. Basically – you must control your speed and direction – suitable for the weather, terrain and traffic conditions. If you pull onto a slope then it is your responsibility to check up and down to make sure you are not causing other people to have to avoid you. If you have to walk on the piste (with or without skis) then you always walk at the very far edge, if you have to stop or fall then you should get to the edge or out of the way as soon as possible. You are also obliged by law to offer assistance in the case of an accident and obliged by law to give you details if you are a witness or you caused the accident.

Try to get reasonably fit before you go – that way you are less likely to hurt yourself and will have a better time. If you are a total beginner it may be worth going to a dry slope or snow dome for a few lessons. Dry slopes are quite different but it will help you get the hang of it. Often the first half day is wasted by sitting in the snow, learning to put ski’s on, turning around, falling over, getting on a lift etc. If you have the basics you should find you progress a lot faster.

Resorts

This depends on your budget, your ages and your ski levels. I have skied all over Europe and I keep coming back to France.

Things to take into consideration

Height – will there be snow
Time of year – longer warmer days or shorted colder ones
Skiing abilty – if you are a beginner then plenty of blue and green runs.
Will it keep you busy all week - a small resort may not
How far from your hotel are the slopes – is it a gondola ride, a walk, a ski bus. How often does it run, how long does it take at peak season/time.
How old are the kids – if they are tiny then you may well need to come back for a warm up session – if it is miles away then you will spend a lot of time in cafes warming them up (added expense)
Can you get back for lunch – cuts down on costs.
How far is the transfer – how will we do it. Beware of driving to a resort on a Saturday morning – it can easily take double the time as there are thousands of skiiers on the move to/from the airports.
Cost of food/drinks on the slopes – last year France was obscene
If you are self catering then how far are the shops – will you need a car?
Are there non skiers – what will they do
Are there ski school/ski kindergarten requirements. What are these like in the resort.

For a total first time I would probably go with a package from a tour company as it is easy to get it wrong. See if you can get lessons/ski hire/lift pass included.

That got a lot longer than I thought - sorry!

If there is anything else you need to ask then please do!

Puss

sebdangerfield

For a first ski holiday You have the budget choices of the eastern European place like Bulgaria and Romania or the Places trying hard not to associate themselves with the budget ski holiday anymore like Andorra.

I've been to Bulgaria twice and loved it, but I'm a huge boarder. All I want to do is get out on the hill and play all day. The rest of my group didn't like the place at all and from their perspective I understand them. It's a little seedy (Borovets) and not at all like the quaint little village I'd expect of a ski resort. The food was very poor in the hotels but fantastic in the surrounding resturaunts.

Andorra has always been associated with cheap beginer holidays and it's trying hard to shake that association of now. Some hotels are ridiculously plush and the ski area's been extended to include 7 nearby ski resorts (the entire country basically!) A good book like "where to ski and snowboard" published anually will help you decide on the best village as some attract more revelers whilst others attract more couples and adults, you just need to find the best village to suit your needs. The atmosphere in Andorra is, in my opinion far far better than the eastern European places. There's a nice mix of Spanish and French culture which makes the food brilliant. It's also a little strange to eat and drink the things we associate with hot holidays whilst it's snowing too, sangria and paiella (sp) are everywhere!

I stayed in Pas de la casa and it was busy and fairly geared toward nightlife. The village was nice but others on the same ski area are better for what I wanted, I'm more of a beer and a chat around the fire than the loud bars of Pas. Saying that, there was some great live music. The other benifit of being on a larger area is the ability to be able to try to ski accross to a neighbouring village for lunch one of the days. It really helps when you're learning to set a little challenge and reward like that!

As for clothing, as others have said, asda, tk maxx, aldi all do cheap gear. You'l need to budget for ski hire and lessons although most beginer places sell and all in beginers' package that'l include board/skis and boots, lift pass and tution. The instruction was very good in Bulgaria and I couldn't fault it. The instruction in Andorra was absolutely amazing, the instructor spoke better English than I do and the facilites were the best for begginers i've ever seen. Most of the button lifts and chair lifts that don't slow which are always difficult to use as a beginer had been replaced by magic carpets (think airport moving footpaths) and easy to use chair lifts that slow down when you get on them.

BarryElland

might be worth checking out Ski Club of GB. website is ski club . co.uk. I joined a Dining Card on a trial in a different part of this site, and they get a discount off Ski Club GB - the discount is 18 months membership of Ski Club GB for the price of 12 months - Simply enter GOURMET in the promotional code box or call the Ski Club membership department on 0845 45 807 82 quoting GOURMET to receive this special membership offer. - dunno if this helps you specifically, but hopefully it will help someone!

pie81

Just to add my tuppence worth, here are my list of tips for first time skiers:

(1) First choose what sort of holiday you want. Do you want to:

(a) go self catered? this is the cheapest up front but you may find that you spend a lot on expensive resort supermarket supplies/eating out.

(b) stay in a hotel?

(c) stay in a catered chalet? Basically this is like a "house party" where there are usually 8-20 people in one building, you all have dinner together. Works well for groups going together or for sociable singles/couples.

(2) Choose your resort(s).

No need to go to one of the big name resorts like Meribel, Val d'Isere, Courchevel, Verbier. You don't need all the skiing terrain that these places have and you'll pay higher prices because of it.

Instead look for smaller resorts which are good for beginners. I believe La Rosiere falls into this category, for example, but there are plenty of others.

The website www.ifyouski.com is very useful for finding suitable resorts.

(3) Decide your dates. Christmas is expensive and the snow is often rubbish. January is cheap, but cold and gets dark quickly. February is crowded with small kids, as is Easter. March is my favourite.

(3) Find the best deals. Websites like ifyouski.com, alpineanswers.com, skisolutions.com, chaletline are helpful. If you give their staff your criteria they will chase down deals for you.

Note that if you are just a couple or a foursome, and you want a chalet holiday, and you are reasonably flexible about when and where you go, you can get good discounts by waiting till the last minute.

(4) Don't forget that there will be quite substantial extra costs on top of the headline price. Ski pass, lessons, ski hire.

(5) Beginners should always, always have at least 4 half days of lessons.
So many people injure themselves (or others) because they think they've learned to ski in 2 days ... then conditions change and they run out of talent. Oh and make sure your travel insurance covers you for skiing.

Enjoy!

x

bloomers5

Thank you so much everyone for all your very wise advice - especially Pusscat.

I am digesting it all .

Thank you again
:T:j:T:j

el_gringo_3

Also well worth considering are languages and the 'status' of the resort you are looking at.

For example some of the Austrian resorts you tend to find that English is widely spoken in Hotels and ski hire shops, but if you plan to go to a club, pick up shopping from the Spar or whatever you will need at least some German. Some resorts, such as Soelden, tend to sellamost exclusively to the German market, so require more, whilst others such as St Anton you will get by with more English.

With regards to the 'Status' of resorts, don't just go for a 'big name'. A lot of the resorts, especiallyin France, often have cheaper neighbours offering the same ski terrain access, at farcheaper prices. The pricey Megeve has St Gervais, for example.

Also,as a general rule, Austrian accomodation tends to be far better than French, although often with quirks that can confuse the British visitor - 4 hour dinners, naked saunas and double beds consisting of two seperate beds pushed together are all fairly standard, as is a burly old Austrian grandmother sat in the hotel lobby barking orders to staff and guests alike in strange Tirolian dialects!

pusscat

bloomers5 wrote: »

Thank you so much everyone for all your very wise advice - especially Pusscat.

I am digesting it all .

Thank you again
:T:j:T:j

You are very welcome - I was sat in a hotel lobby waiting for a meeting that had been delayed by an hour - it was nice to have something to kill the time.

How many of you are going and what ages - I may be able to suggest some resorts.

P

freestyle99

Remember to shop around for your ski gear early, that means you can shop around and pick up the best bargains. If you're new to skiing and need to purchase everything ski wear wise, why not invest in a ski jacket & pant set? You can pick them up for around £50, or you can also get sets which come with an accessory pack for £75 (google cheap ski wear and the best sites come up first for deals like this)

Great idea as if you decide to not ski again, you won't have spent a fortune on ski gear that will never get worn again.