CLOTHING ADVISE PLZ

Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was wondering
about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and jackets, or should i
be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff you can spray on/wash into
your cloths. I guess I am looking for the cheap and chearfull option.

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Kyle

k wrote:
Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was
wondering about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and
jackets, or should i be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff
you can spray on/wash into your cloths. I guess I am looking for the
cheap and chearfull option.=20
=20
Any advise would be much appreciated.
=20
Kyle

Don't go for *too* cheap and cheerful or you may find the 'cheerful' bit =
will turn into 'miserable, cold and wet'! Get the best gear you can =
afford - especially the gloves.

--=20
cupra (remove nospam please to mail)

In message , k writes
Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was wondering
about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and jackets, or should i
be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff you can spray on/wash into
your cloths. I guess I am looking for the cheap and chearfull option.

You can hire clothing from some shops in the UK, but I don't know anyone
who's tried it.

Indispensible are the proper gloves and trousers (with the inner cuff to
keep snow from getting up your legs, as a beginner you need this!) They
must fit so you can move freely.
If female shun bib trousers.
If you think you might hate skiing and never go again, ask around your
friends for kit you can borrow. One-piece ski suits in tasteless
patterns lurk in many wardrobes, they're out of fashion but won't make
you conspicuous as there are still lots of them around.

If you own a good outdoor jacket or anorak, and a fleece to wear
underneath, that's your top half - you don't need ski specific ones.

To re-waterproof it, first check whether it's Gore-Tex or similar, or
Scotchgard, or what. Or take the garment in to your local outdoor shop
and ask their advice. Scotchgard can be re-proofed by spraying with
Scotchgard (!) Nikwax sell very good products for reproofing GoreTex
and other breathable fabrics.

Sunglasses are also essential, cheap ones will do but make sure they
meet standards for seriously bright sunlight. Goggles are very useful
if it's cloudy, see if you can borrow them, they must be double-glazed
or they'll steam up but cheap ones are fine.

--
Sue ];(

Sue wrote in message ...
In message , k writes
Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was wondering
about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and jackets, or should i
be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff you can spray on/wash into
your cloths. I guess I am looking for the cheap and chearfull option.

You can hire clothing from some shops in the UK, but I don't know anyone
who's tried it.

Unlikely places like TK Maxx in the UK often have cheap sallys and jackets.

Iain.

Thanks all, I never would have thought of checking for those "inner cuffs"
sue, good tip!

I managed to find a local place that hires the kit out for around £30 it
seems more common than I thought. Although I will be buying some decent
gloves and a few other accessories based on the advise given.

Thanks again

Kyle

"k" wrote in message ...
Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was wondering
about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and jackets, or should i
be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff you can spray on/wash into
your cloths. I guess I am looking for the cheap and chearfull option.

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Kyle

Lots of good advise already given. You may already have suitable top
half clothing (padded anorak or fleece and waterproof jacket). If you
don't a ski jacket makes a good winter coat for the UK so wont go to
waste. You can hire jackets and sallopettes but can buy second hand
for about the same price (and if you hate skiing you can get most of
your money back on eBay). I would look
to eBay for your ski trousers/ sallopettes. Salopettes are a pain for
a women to answer calls of nature but ski trousers can result in a
load of snow going up your back when you fall. (One piece suits
eliminate all risk of snow getting up your back but you are unlikely
to wear it back in the UK).

Outer fabric should be at least water resistant but if it is
relatively mild sitting on a snowy lift or lying on the snowy ground
it likely to melt the snow and this can come though the suit, it does
also occasionally sleet or rain having the same effect. This will
result in you getting cold (particularly if it is also windy) so
waterproof is best although you are likely to go though a week without
suffering the conditions that waterproof really comes to its own.

As for accessories:
Hat
I would class this as an essential, a lot of heat is lost though the
head so if you are warm you can just put your hat in your pocket.
Fleece is ideal but a woolly hat is almost as good if a little less
fashionable. Make sure it covers your ears and goes far enough down
your head that it is unlikely to blow off.

Eyewear
You must have something. Sunglasses should block 100% of UV and
preferably cover the sides (either being wrap around or having
something covering the sides). Goggles can be very hot on a sunny day
but sunglasses can be useless in a sunstorm. If it is cloudy goggles
provide extra definition but can be a little warm. If you go for only
one I would go for goggles so you can at least see on a snowy day
although others would go for the glasses because they are more
comfortable on most days (on average you can expect about 1 snowy day
per week although I spent 8 days in Tignes last month and it snowed
every day). Ideally you should have both.

Suncream
Get a high factor the sun bounces off the snow and there is less
atmosphere to absorb the UV. January in the alps gets move UV than
the med in July. YOu will also need a lip balm with sun protection

gloves
Must be of nylon or leather (You will probably get the latter). If
you can get waterproof ones do so. Mittens are warmer but the loss of
dexterity is such that you might lose the benefit by having to take
them off frequently.

Socks
You are unlikely to get a perfect fit with hire boots and while some
folk may disagree I reckon it is best to wear a pair of ski socks, so
they don't get smelly too quickly I would wear an ordinary thin par of
socks underneath and then 2 pair should last you the week. Hiking
socks or similar are OK if you already have them.

Have a great time

In message , k writes

I managed to find a local place that hires the kit out for around £30 it
seems more common than I thought. Although I will be buying some decent
gloves and a few other accessories based on the advise given.

I forgot the socks: long, and must fit without wrinkles. Avoid tube
socks. They needn't be thick, the boots are well insulated.
With hired boots your socks'll get well skanky - take some Travel Wash
if you mean to use the same pair more than once, and dry them overnight
on a radiator.

And insurance - tour operators overcharge, and you want to be covered
for skiing off piste, even in your first week.
www.direct-travel.co.uk is good value.

Enjoy your trip, keep your sense of humour handy and never, ever take
skiing seriously!
--
Sue ];(

I fell in the garden of some chalet, taking a short cut across their lawn...

thanks for the effort, some handy tips there

--
Kyle

"Carl_M" wrote in message
om...
"k" wrote in message
...
Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was
wondering
about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and jackets, or
should i
be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff you can spray on/wash
into
your cloths. I guess I am looking for the cheap and chearfull option.

Any advise would be much appreciated.

Kyle

Lots of good advise already given. You may already have suitable top
half clothing (padded anorak or fleece and waterproof jacket). If you
don't a ski jacket makes a good winter coat for the UK so wont go to
waste. You can hire jackets and sallopettes but can buy second hand
for about the same price (and if you hate skiing you can get most of
your money back on eBay). I would look
to eBay for your ski trousers/ sallopettes. Salopettes are a pain for
a women to answer calls of nature but ski trousers can result in a
load of snow going up your back when you fall. (One piece suits
eliminate all risk of snow getting up your back but you are unlikely
to wear it back in the UK).

Outer fabric should be at least water resistant but if it is
relatively mild sitting on a snowy lift or lying on the snowy ground
it likely to melt the snow and this can come though the suit, it does
also occasionally sleet or rain having the same effect. This will
result in you getting cold (particularly if it is also windy) so
waterproof is best although you are likely to go though a week without
suffering the conditions that waterproof really comes to its own.

As for accessories:
Hat
I would class this as an essential, a lot of heat is lost though the
head so if you are warm you can just put your hat in your pocket.
Fleece is ideal but a woolly hat is almost as good if a little less
fashionable. Make sure it covers your ears and goes far enough down
your head that it is unlikely to blow off.

Eyewear
You must have something. Sunglasses should block 100% of UV and
preferably cover the sides (either being wrap around or having
something covering the sides). Goggles can be very hot on a sunny day
but sunglasses can be useless in a sunstorm. If it is cloudy goggles
provide extra definition but can be a little warm. If you go for only
one I would go for goggles so you can at least see on a snowy day
although others would go for the glasses because they are more
comfortable on most days (on average you can expect about 1 snowy day
per week although I spent 8 days in Tignes last month and it snowed
every day). Ideally you should have both.

Suncream
Get a high factor the sun bounces off the snow and there is less
atmosphere to absorb the UV. January in the alps gets move UV than
the med in July. YOu will also need a lip balm with sun protection

gloves
Must be of nylon or leather (You will probably get the latter). If
you can get waterproof ones do so. Mittens are warmer but the loss of
dexterity is such that you might lose the benefit by having to take
them off frequently.

Socks
You are unlikely to get a perfect fit with hire boots and while some
folk may disagree I reckon it is best to wear a pair of ski socks, so
they don't get smelly too quickly I would wear an ordinary thin par of
socks underneath and then 2 pair should last you the week. Hiking
socks or similar are OK if you already have them.

Have a great time

Sue wrote in message ...
In message , k writes
Planning my first ever skiing trip, kitzbuhel, Austria. And I was wondering
about clothing. Can you actually hire the salapets and jackets, or should i
be looking to buy? I have also heard about stuff you can spray on/wash into
your cloths. I guess I am looking for the cheap and chearfull option.

You can hire clothing from some shops in the UK, but I don't know anyone
who's tried it.

Indispensible are the proper gloves and trousers (with the inner cuff to
keep snow from getting up your legs, as a beginner you need this!) They
must fit so you can move freely.
If female shun bib trousers.
If you think you might hate skiing and never go again, ask around your
friends for kit you can borrow. One-piece ski suits in tasteless
patterns lurk in many wardrobes, they're out of fashion but won't make
you conspicuous as there are still lots of them around.

If you own a good outdoor jacket or anorak, and a fleece to wear
underneath, that's your top half - you don't need ski specific ones.

To re-waterproof it, first check whether it's Gore-Tex or similar, or
Scotchgard, or what. Or take the garment in to your local outdoor shop
and ask their advice. Scotchgard can be re-proofed by spraying with
Scotchgard (!) Nikwax sell very good products for reproofing GoreTex
and other breathable fabrics.

Sunglasses are also essential, cheap ones will do but make sure they
meet standards for seriously bright sunlight. Goggles are very useful
if it's cloudy, see if you can borrow them, they must be double-glazed
or they'll steam up but cheap ones are fine.


Hi,

You didn't say when you planned to be skiing, it is warmer later on.

You will need:

Gloves, I think that this is the MOST important thing.
Anything else can be improvised to some extent but
my Goretex gloves have now done 20+ weeks skiing and 4000 miles
on a scooter in the UK and have NEVER been wet inside. The best £40
ever.

Following on from that I need a good hat that covers up the ears,
proper sunglasses and if it is snowing you will NEED goggles.
A fleece neck tube is for me a KEY comfort factor and worth more
than an extra layer on top (or bottom).
Sun cream is also ESSENTIAL (for a Scot anyway).
You do NEED to protect yourself from serious harm, the afformentioned
eye protection and sun cream are essential.


I started skiing in Scotland with two pairs of jeans, Dachstein mits
and some sort of outdoors jacket. Often ended up the day with EVERY
piece of clothing soaked through but I still went back for more.

Modern outdoors clothing is REALLY great however if you are trying
out skiing then there does not seem to be much point in spending
say £500 (or more if you like) on clothes.

Check out borrowing. Check out second hand. e-bay?

Consider what you have. If you don't mind looking a prat then take
whatever waterproof stuff you have and loads of layers and make do.

Check out hiring, if it looks economic do it.

Check out cheap gear. You will suffer if it is in any respect wet but
that risk is your choice. My first sallopettes came from C&A and cost
£30 my next ones were £50. My present were £200 but I made a mistake
and did not get Goretex so they leak if it is truely wet. This is
luckily relatively unusual in the alps. They though still look like
new after 20 weeks skiing and are very comfortable. (They have been
washed)

While skiing is a high mountain sport, on-piste skiing is not
USUALLY very far from a hot chocolate (or if you are on a budget)
a heat.

Good luck.