So...I've been talked into a ski-ing holiday. Help!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

At a party a couple of weeks ago, irishfella and I were talked into going to Andorra in January with 30 of our friends to fling ourselves down mountains.
I don’t ski, neither does he, but it should be a week of drinking, socialising and craic, right?

We agreed to go on the basis that in 10 years we don’t want to be the only ones out of our friends who can’t ski and this way we won’t be the only beginners on the trip (4 other people are ski-ing for the first time too) so we won’t feel like we’re holding anyone back.

This a bargain basement holiday, so the fun is supposed to be in the company, the alcohol and to a very minor extent the ski-ing.

My friends are lending me salopettes and an outer jacket, and lessons, ski-pass, boots and ski hire are included in the price of the holiday.

So now I throw myself open to the advice of the teeming millions:
What do I need to know?
What do I need to bring? What don’t I need to bring?
Good brands? Bad brands?
What should I save money on, and what should I splurge on?
In short, what do I need to do to prepare myself for what could either be a fun and exciting trip, or an exhausting, painful ordeal?

Help me pack and organise myself for this “holiday”!

2

Lots of good advice in this thread. Glad to hear you’re already getting lessons and we won’t have to talk you into them!

3

  1. Gloves.Like, well,…Ski gloves.
    Good, warm gloves, that fit tightly at the wrist, so when you fall down in the snow, you don’t get cold snow shoved up into the fingers.

  2. Sunglasses. Sunshine reflecting off snow is painfully bright. Sunblock lotion is important too. A sunny day with snow is sunnier than a sunny day at the beach.

  3. A wool sock hat. Easy to take off and shove in a pocket when you get hot, easy to put back on when you’re cold. It may be warm at the bottom of the slope, but ten minutes later ,as you ride the chair lift up the mountain you can feel the temperature drop and the wind become stronger.

You can buy anything you need at the ski resort of course, but the prices are outrageous.
And remember----you’re a beginner…have Fun!
Dont be embarrassed to fall down a lot. Rolling around in the snow is as much fun as skiing on top of it. :slight_smile:

4

Snowboard, rather than ski.

I was a skiier for years, and went mostly with boarders. They always looked like they were having more fun. I did take a lesson on a snowboard, and it was easier to get the basics down that I remember with my adventures in learning to ski.

I kept skiing, as I already knew how to do that, and didn’t want to invest in a whole new set of gear… I’ve since damaged my knee enough that it’s not fun any more, though the doctors say there isn’t enough wrong with it to warrant any medical fixes.

5

I am worried about the cold as I’m a small, cold-blooded creature without much natural padding.

I used to cox, and I would usually wear long thermal underwear, tights, sweat pants, waterproof trousers, 3 pairs of socks, 2 t-shirts, a sweater, a fleece, hat, scarf and gloves and an anorak to lie in the boats in Irish weather…and I was still cold.

How many layers do you think I’ll need to ski? I realise that I’ll be more active, but the ambient temp will also be lower.

Can I wear my contacts and goggles, or do I need to think about prescription sunglasses?

6

Contacts and goggles are fine, and probably better than prescription sunglasses. Goggles have built-in shading, and block the wind besides. They also help keep all your head and neck warm stuff in place, with their big heavy elastic straps that can go over everything and prevent it all from sliding around.

I’m also a small person who is particularly prone to cold extremities (hands, feet, and nose, mostly.) What I said in the thread I linked to above:

To add to that, a t-shirt might not be the right type of layer. Cotton gets wet and stays wet, meaning it makes you cold. You’re much better off with some sort of performance item that wicks moisture.

7

The thing to remember about skiing is that it is hot, sweaty work (going down) alternating with sitting still and being cold (going up).

So, don’t think “I’ll be cold” think, “I’ll be both hot AND cold.” So, the most important thing you need is a wicking layer that will take the sweat away from your skin (NOT Cotton thermals - silk, and many synthetic fibers sold under a wide variety of brandnames all work beautifully). Polarfleece and wool both do well for sweaters if you’re into that sort of thing.

Personally, I don’t like to get all bulked up - I’ll usually wear a sports bra and a wicking longsleeved shirt, wicking long underwear & “bib” style ski pants… but wear a heavy, down-filled hip-length ski parka. That way I can easily zip down to cool off/zip up to warm up.

I also prefer layered gloves - a thin wicking glove, a polarfleece glove (if its cold enough) and then just a water proof shell glove. That way I can pull my outer glove off for fumbling with equipment, without getting my hands completely frozen in the process.

8

Thanks for reminding me about the sports bra!
While I own many lovely pieces of lingerie, none are designed for anything more strenuous than what might occur in the average bedroom, since I am horribly unfit and restrict my exercise regime to Wii fit and shopping!

Which reminds me…should I be doing squats and lunges and what not?

9

If you ski, squats and lunges could be useful, anything that will increase flexibility in the groin/thigh area.

I’m surprised to hear butler say he had an easier time learning boarding than skiing. I, and most people I know, think that the initial learning curve is easier on skis, but going from whoashit to adept is easier on a board. YMMV.

Personally, I would recommend looking into skiboards, aka snow-blades or ski-blades. They’re small, wide skis that I found very easy to master compared to normal skis. They don’t handle powder well, but they make groomed Blue runs seem like Greens. I have a pair of normal skis now, too. If I go out with beginners I use the skiboards because I find them effortless.

For gloves, I prefer “over-the-sleeve” gloves that have a long cuff and an elastic cord to tighten down over your sleeve.

10

I forgot the most important thing about skiing – HOT TUB.

The first day will be fine but day 2 can be pretty rough – make sure you get in that hot tub and/or sauna to lossen things up every night. A couple of ibuprofen (or anti-inflammatory of your choosing) before bed isn’t a terrible idea either.

11

Geez, when you plan for a vacation you PLAN for a vacation! :stuck_out_tongue:

I haven’t been in years, but skiing is a lot of fun. It helps if you’re a speed freak already. It also helps if you get a few belts in you first…cartwheeling down the side of a mountain is less traumatic if you’re a rag doll.

The most important thing, IMO, is waterproof pants or bibs. I went skiing long ago just wearing jeans and that equalled walking pneumonia.

12

Helmet - Rent one for the length of your trip. Hopefully it will be included in your rental gear. Helmets are warm, much better then any hat. If you are really worried about being cold a thin polypro or silk balaclava under the helmet works wonders.

Rent gear and take lessons - Under no circumstances should you let your friends try to teach you. After you’ve had some lessons you can spend time with them giving you pointers but most skiers, even good skiers, suck at instructing beginners.

Clothes - Brands really don’t matter much for the basics. Avoid cotton at all costs - use synthetics like polypro for a base layer, some warm layers like fleece or a wool sweater, then a waterproof breathable shell on top.

Other Gear - Goggles for nasty weather, good sunglasses for sunny weather, sunscreen, good warm gloves (bring two pairs, you’ll be falling a lot)

Take a day off - relax in the middle of the trip. It’s a vacation after all.

13

lobotomyboy63- The idea of physical acivity in the cold is about as unappealing a past-time as I can imagine, but I have agreed to do this and I want it to suck as little as possible. If six months of physical jerks will make it more bearable, then that’s what I’ll do.

This is how I cope with new experiences of which I am unsure- I plan and organise the hell out of them to give me back a sense of control, and I’m really appreciating your help with this!

14

Ah, you just need to release your inner snow girl. :stuck_out_tongue:

Seriously, you’ll be warmer than you think…you can definitely work up a sweat.

15

I’ve tried all the synthetic base layers and I’ve found that “first, swath yourself entirely in silk” is the first rule for lots of fun things. Skiing counts. I start with silk long underwear, a good bra, a silk turtleneck, silk socks and, sometimes, silk glove liners. Over these, I wear either a) a wool sweater, b) a synthetic fleece zippy jacket or c) a cashmere turtleneck, a great pair of cashmere knit pants I found on sale, merino wool ski socks. Over this, I wear ski pants( i still like the overall kind, even though the stretchy pants-shaped ones look better), a Nils parka I found on eBay, rented boots, long ski gloves, a silk hat I knit with earflaps and a brim, and my prescription photo-darkening eyeglasses with a croakie (or however that’s supposed to be spelled) to keep the glasses strapped to my head.

16

The problem with silk is that it is expensive and it wears out quickly. It’s comfy, for sure, but no warmer then polypro.

17

Find Larry Miller’s stand-up routine on skiing and listen to it many times.

:smiley:

18

I get my silk from Sierra Trading Post for about $15 per piece. The tops last three seasons (statistically speaking) and the bottoms last about two. I wash it in the washing machine in lingerie bags in cold water with Woolite and hang it dry. If I’m not comfy, I’m not skiing.

19

I ski every weekend all winter (Nov-Apr). Silk has never lasted a season for me. :slight_smile:

But buying from STP is definitely the way to go. Good quality polypro (like Capalene from Patagonia) is extremely comfortable and will last forever.

20

Off-season preparation:

Run up and down steep hills – scree running if you are one of those outdoor adventure types (works on quads, hams, coordination, and aerobics).
Roller-blade (works on edging, angulation, weighting/unweighting, coordination and aerobics)
Also, learn to tumble/fall , e.g. gymnastics, judo, etc., so that come snow time you won’t be as tense.

Ski clothing for someone who is not partial to cold weather:

Dress in polypropylene layers of various weights. Add or remove layers as necessary. Always try to stay dry – perspiration will chill you out once you stop moving, so don’t overdress, don’t underdress, use polypropylene that permits moisture to move outward away from your body rather than staying damp against you, change your fleece clothing throughout the day if it becomes wet, and be sure to thoroughly dry your clothing (particularly your mittens) and boot liners overnight.

For a basic January kit:
2 pairs of thin socks, 2 pairs of thick socks (if your feet are cold, put on dry socks and keep your boots looser)
1 thin long-leg bottoms
1 fairly thick fleece long-leg bottoms
1 pair sturdy windproof nylon overpants/ski pants (not light running windpants)
2 thin long-sleeve tops
1 thick fleece long-sleeve top
1 sturdy long (don’t want snow down the base of your spine) windproof nylon jacket/ski jacket (not a light running jacket)
1 sturdy long insulated parka (for the really cold days when you bundle up like a skiing igloo)
1 thin neck band
2 pairs of fairly thick fleece mittens (if your fingers are cold, put on a dry pair of fleece mittens)
1 pair of windproof nylon overmits (the fleece mittens go inside the nylon overmits)
(If your are prone to cold, use mittens rather than gloves, so that your fingers can heat each other)
1 thin balaclava (to cover your cheeks on cold days)
1 ski helmet
1 pair goggles (to avoid snow-blindness) (contacts and goggles are a very good combination)
Sunscreen and lipstick (snow reflects light, and there is more UV at altitude)
For skis, bindings, boots and poles, make your selection with the assistance of a skilled ski technician or instructor.
When selecting boots, go for a comfortable fit that is not too tight – as you improve you will move to snugger boots, but leave that for later years
When selecting skis, go for something short, soft/flexible, with lots of sidecut/hourglass shape – as you improve you will move to more aggressive skis
Be sure to tell the technician that you are new to skiing when he or she sets the release tension on the bindings
When selecting poles, don’t go for anything too long

Instruction:

Take lessons from a qualified instructor. Group lessons are more affordable than private lessons. Given that there will be six of you all learning together, you might wish to consider renting an instructor for the lot of you for group lessons together for an hour or so each day. Also consider hiring that instructor to be your guide for a couple of hours each day. Note: if you learn good technique from the get go, you will practice good technique. If you learn bad technique, you will practice bad technique. That’s why it pays in the long run to blow the budget on good instruction when you are learning to ski.

Have fun!