Skiing

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What do I need to know before buying ski clothing?

There can be few more enjoyable and dynamic ways to explore the great outdoors than on skis.

While many Brits choose alpine skiing (mainly downhill skiing, on or off piste), Nordic skiing (which includes cross country) is increasingly popular, and freestyle skiing is gaining a legion of fans amongst the young and the brave! Whatever your favoured skiing discipline, the sport opens up stunning mountain views, beautiful landscapes, and fills you with fresh mountain air and a sense of health and vitality. And that’s not to mention the exhilaration of improving your skills and zipping down a slope or perfecting a big move, in perfect harmony with the conditions. Yeee Haaaa!

Like most mountain sports, to enjoy skiing to the full you’ll need to get your body in shape. Better core fitness and leg strength will help you execute skills better, tackle more advanced challenges safely, and stay out in the snow for longer. As a winter sport, skiing can be highly demanding – being in the mountains in cold conditions means you need to keep a close eye on your route and surroundings, evaluating any risks and potential hazards. As well as getting yourself physically prepared, there’s a wide range of innovative skiing products available to help you enjoy the sheer rush of being out on the slopes.

Quality ski jackets, ski trousers and salopettes are about more than just making you look good: they’ll also make a big difference to your comfort on a day’s skiing, keeping you warm and dry during intense activity, even in the face of sometimes extreme weather. High end materials and technologies enable you to choose just the right garments for your favourite disciplines, providing flexibility, insulation and protection against rain and snow, with durable finishes to withstand all that the mountain can throw at you. Using an effective, breathable, high performance layering system when you’re skiing is as crucial as it is for any demanding mountain sport.

Equip yourself with well chosen base layer, mid layer and fleece options that you can combine according to your day’s plans, keeping the warmth in and transferring moisture out, so you stay dry and cosy throughout.