What do I need to take on a ski holiday?

poe.tuesday

if you are going to basingstoke there is a new trepass shop in festival place, it's in the ground floor opposite the teddy bear shop, they have got some ski stuff on sale at the mo, I was in there on sunday just gone, there is not much choice but there is still a bargain to be had

Never_Enough_Money

Great, thanks, i will pop to Basingstoke tomorrow and have a look.

peterbaker

Hi NEM

Good advice here, but you want to save as much money as possible, right?

Firstly, TKMaxx - start checking them out now, out of season, for a possible hidden bargain buried on the clearance rails, but if you don't find anything, wait until February/March when you can be sure of lots of clearance choices appearing because Easter is the end of the ski season. If you don't mind a few aborted visits to more than one TKMaxx, then I would say you might get very good quality jackets for as little as £20 each on the clearance rail.

It is very difficult to predict the weather thesedays, and it can change very fast in the mountains, but if you are complete beginners, you are unlikely to be skiing more than a kilometre from a nice warm shack with hot chocolate. It depends where exactly you are going (how high is the resort?) but Easter is usually warm and dare I say a bit wet in the Alps for example.

So the person that suggested looking out for a jacket with a thin fleece (they often make them with a zippable removable fleece inside) is warning you that on warmer days you might want to be able to remove the main jacket and just ski in the fleece, perhaps with the rest of the jacket tied by the sleeves round your waist until it gets nippy in the afternoon.

A perfect Easter day skiing is hot enough to sunbathe at lunchtime at 2500m
in boxer shorts (I've done it!) but the day might start with your jacket done up tight against the nine o'clock air.

Someone said salopettes are important. Yes, and the main quality is that they should be completely waterproof. At Easter if you get a grey day and it does snow during the day, it is likely to be wet snow, and there is nothing worse than sitting huddled on a ski lift seat in a puddle of icey water and feeling soaked through. As it is Easter however, I would say don't get heavily padded trousers, just good waterproof ones. They might cost £20 a pair in clearance too. If they are not warm enough for this trip or the next one then you can use cheap long johns. I doubt you'll need Long Johns at Easter but better safe than sorry .... standing in a ski school queue on a grey wet day will soon cool your enthusiasm if you aren't dry and warm, Easter or not ... but you'll see more experienced skiers in just jeans some days.

Good quality totally waterproof gloves are essential at all times as much for protection if you fall as for warmth. Some have removable inners now.

Look out for ski goggles on clearance at TKMaxx too.

TKMaxx gets mentioned a lot because their chosen modus operandi seems more often than not to filter out poor quality by being biased towards designer brands. It is no guarantee but it does reduce the chances of mistakes. It is main brand goods at cheap prices. I really wouldn't bother looking anywhere else. Personally I would try three different TKMaxx stores before I looked elsewhere. You have to search the rails, but its worth it. The main Ski clothing brands you'll find there are typically Trespass, Cross, ACG by Nike, Colombia and a few others which I don't know so well. You'll see Regatta too and they may be ok, although they made their name originally in cheaper work-clothing I think. You might get lucky and find jackets that the children agree are cool enough to use as winter jackets for school. They grow out of them soon enough! So two birds with one stone is always a bonus!

Look at the technical labels which should tell you how waterproof/weatherproof they are with impermeability numbers like 3000, 5000, 10000. If the labels don't tell you this then you are looking at the lesser quality ones which might be ok, but remember you are looking for the best on that £20 clearance rail!

Lots of secure pockets can be useful for carrying hats, goggles, cameras, wallets, and essential whiskey and/or port flasks for the quick enliveners for you and the OH whilst sitting on the ski lift! To keep the wind out, look for an elasticated skirt inside the waist of the more serious jackets. Sometimes removable. Can also be useful as a "catchall" inside your jacket when you are on the skilift, and need somewhere to secure your gloves while you unscrew the port flask (stuff your gloves inside your jacket without fear of them falling out!). Hopefully you won't need them at Easter, but look for a well designed/perhaps double thickness full face waterproof hood in the jacket as well. There are sometimes bad days when you want to cover everything apart from your eyes, and then you seal your goggles over that last bit!

However, I have been on many ski holidays where the goggles didn't get used at all. Unbreakable sunglasses yes. You must have sunglasses as it is too bright without them. The larger wraparound sunglasses can be used up to a point when it is snowing to stop the snowflakes! But then if this is your first trip you might not be skiing fast enough for supersonic snowflakes to be a problem:-) ... A simple cord for the glasses is probably essential too while you are learning so you don't lose them in the snow.

I haven't used one of those elastic skipass reels pictured above for some years now. Many resorts have card proximity sensors thesedays and so your pass can stay safely in your pocket. Otherwise you can ask for a simple piece of elastic at the skipass window.

Walking boots in the resort? Well maybe. At Easter, few resorts have any snow in the main village. If there is any, then perhaps heavy trainers or heavy old shoes are good enough. It can be a bit slushy if there is a snowfall while you are there, so don't risk your best shoes. But you aren't going on any major hikes in snow without ski boots on, are you?

Get the ski socks in TKMaxx. Look for smooth fitting ones which are long enough, and of the right size without being unnecessarily ribbed. I say that because ski-boot comfort is absolutely the main thing to get right and will guarantee or ruin your overall enjoyment. If there are any creases or folds in your socks, or in the elasticated bottoms of long johns for example where they meet your socks inside the boot when your boots are done up, it will be very uncomfortable after an hour or two. So make sure socks are just the right fit on your entire foot and the longer the better, so they are definitely longer than the top of the boot.

If this is your first time, when you rent the boots, you will perhaps need to experiment a little with the tightness. Loose boots are no good, but of course over tightened ones will mark your legs and feet and circulation mustn't be affected and you need to be able to move your toes! There may be two or three regular brands of boot being rented ... don't be afraid to ask to try a different brand - some brands are better for broad feet or narrow for example. As I say, boot comfort is paramount. You can't learn to ski if your boots are hurting like hell. If anyone has big feet like me (13) then choice might be a bit more limited at the rental shop, but most resorts have two or three main rental shops so you can shop around anyway. And if you do make a mistake and the boots hurt on that first day, then go straight back to the shop and get it sorted. Like any business, they might be very busy at times, but catch them at four thirty on a non-changeover day and they are generally very helpful and will bring a number of boots for you to try and show you how to adjust them.

Have fun in TKMaxx first!

poe.tuesday

there is no ski gear in the tx maxx in basingstoke, I have already looked but upstairs (opposite gap) there is blacks and the surf shop, both have sales on at the mo, the surf shop did have loads of ski gear in feb so they may now have it on sale

also if you go to whitely (near southampton) there is a trepass shop and an outdoor shop there, they had loads of ski stuff going cheap but perhaps you should call them before you make a special trip

you should check out ebay too, I got loads of my stuff from there

where are you going skiing?

bagby

matalan were selling their trespass skiing jackets for half price about a week ago for about £15. I bought one last year, warm and waterproof. They also sell trespass salopettes which are about £20. Good value. Someone mentioned a lift pass holder, - most places now have the magnetic passes which you dont need to get out of your pocket. Really useful. If its your first time skiing, you'll have a great time. Weve been going for about seven years and still love it. Good family fun.

kr15snw

As a ski instructor Ive seen many a family turn up un prepared at a ski resort!

Only things to add....

Depends where you are going, but to be honest if you are going to Europe I honestly wouldnt bother with thermals. Its simply not that cold. Take a few different layers (vest style top, long sleeve top, thin jumper and fleece). Then depending on how warm it is, build the layers. Nearly everytime Ive been to Europe I have ended up going down to just a t shirt when you stop for a drink as it is very warm.

If your going to buy a ski jacket (I would as they make good winter jackets after the holiday) get one with vents under the arms. These can be un zipped to allow cool air in when it gets a bit warm in the cable car etc.

From what I can remember nearly ALL of Europe requires kids to wear helmets, so make sure you can rent these once you are out there. And to be honest I wouldnt ski without one on snow (unless Im on the nursery slopes) as its just one of those things you dont want to risk!

Someone mentioned suncream, good idea but also take lip balm and a good moisterisor (sorry about spelling) as you never know when youll get nasty dry skin out there! (My chin always used to dry up).

I wouldnt bother with a scarf, get a neck warmer instead. So much more comfortable and doesnt go down into your coat and get annoying.

Get gloves with inserts. These can be removed, washed at night and then be nice and fresh in the morning. Trust me ski gloves will stink by the end of the week!

Not very money saving but I have always bought decent ski socks (£5 - £10 a pair) as the comfort levels are so much better than the cheap ones! Never had blisters with the expensive ones.

Dont bother with snow boots for the evenings, get a good pair of waterproof walking boots. Much more comfortable, more grip, and can be used back in the this country for walks etc! You wont be needed snow boots in England!

Hope this helps

Never_Enough_Money

Hi thanks everyone for all the advice, we went to Trespass in Basingstoke today and OH managed to get a good ski jacket reduced to 40 pounds, it had been 105, not sure who could afford to pay that though! Also checked out TK Maxx but no luck. Will check out TK Max in other areas and also Matalan as suggested.:T

Never_Enough_Money

poe.tuesday wrote: »

there is no ski gear in the tx maxx in basingstoke, I have already looked but upstairs (opposite gap) there is blacks and the surf shop, both have sales on at the mo, the surf shop did have loads of ski gear in feb so they may now have it on sale

also if you go to whitely (near southampton) there is a trepass shop and an outdoor shop there, they had loads of ski stuff going cheap but perhaps you should call them before you make a special trip

you should check out ebay too, I got loads of my stuff from there

where are you going skiing?

We are going to Montchavin, France. Hope it is nice!

poe.tuesday

it won't be cold so you won't need loads of layers, we are going skiing in the far north of finland, it's going to be really, really cold so the layering is a must for us

Hotspur

poe.tuesday wrote: »

it won't be cold so you won't need loads of layers, .....

Famous last words! I ski in Europe in March each year and can say that whilst most days are sunny there is regularly 1 day in 5 where it is windy and /or snows and is so cold that layers and hood and goggles are required. Best be prepared and not need it.

If I am right Montchavin is in the La Plagne region at about 2000m and goes up to 3000m+ and as in most mountainous areas the weather can change very quickly. As beginners you are likely to be reasonably close to the hotel/chalet if the weather closes in to get back quickly for a warm if needs be.

We take our 8 y.o. skiing each year and ski hire in the french resorts we've been to has included a helmet for kids. Adults have to hire at extra cost though.