What to wear under a ski suit?

When skiing and snowboarding in the mountains, you need to be prepared for any surprises, and first of all for a quick change in weather during the day. Therefore, clothing must take this factor into account in order to reliably protect its owner from cold, wind, snow, getting wet and temperature changes. We will not specifically single out things for snowboarders and separately for skiers. Both categories "work" in the same conditions. Hence, the requirements for equipment are the same. And the main one is adaptation to constantly changing weather conditions and intensity of physical activity. Now we move on to considering the main principle of choosing clothes for skiing and snowboarding.

WHAT TO WEAR UNDER A SKI SUIT?

If you are going to spend the whole day on the slope, then not freezing and protecting yourself from unpredictable weather are only some of the problems that your equipment should solve. The second, no less important task is to provide comfortable warmth and dryness inside during any activity on the slope. Therefore, when choosing clothes for skiing, follow the principle of layering. In active recreation, this concept is used almost everywhere.

Multi-layering or a system of functional layers allows you to feel comfortable during adventures, adapt flexibly to changing weather conditions and your activity. Such layers are:

1. Base layer - thermal underwear set: shirt, leggings, thermal socks.
2. Middle layer - fleece jacket or quilted vest with a zipper.
3. Top layer - ski suit or jacket + pants set.
   And accessories - gloves, mittens, buff, hat

All three layers work in an interconnected manner. The first layer's job is to remove moisture. The second layer's job is to retain heat and transfer moisture further. The third layer's job is to protect against external environmental factors and remove moisture. In order for the "system" to work, it is necessary to select all layers correctly. Now let's take a closer look at each of them, with the exception of the ski suit. And let's start with thermal underwear - an important link in this chain.

BASE LAYER.

THERMAL UNDERWEAR: SWEATSHIRT, LEGGINGS AND THERMAL SOCKS.

Thermal underwear is underwear, the base layer of ski equipment. Its task is to become your second skin, creating comfortable conditions during active recreation. What does this mean?

• Quickly remove sweat and excess heat to the outside.
• Regulate heat exchange.
• Do not restrict movement.
• Maintain hygiene.
• Stay dry.

Regardless of what you are planning in the mountains: ski touring, skiing or other types of winter active recreation - start choosing clothes with a quality set of thermal pants, a sweater and thermal socks. They are an important piece of equipment for any kind of winter activity.

Thermal jacket and thermal leggings

As you already understood, keeping warm is one of the functions of thermal underwear, but far from the main one. Its main task is to quickly remove sweat, heat and maintain a comfortable temperature balance of the body during any activity. Thermal underwear creates a comfortable microclimate inside, without burdening the body with excess weight and multi-layered clutter, without sacrificing comfort and freedom of movement. With its low own weight, it is equivalent to two or more layers of traditional clothing.

Thermal underwear consists of a sweater and pants. You can buy a ready-made set or create your own from individual elements. In order for the clothes to properly fulfill their purpose, the top and bottom must fit tightly to the body. For this reason, seamless technologies or flat seams are used. But the main secret of thermal underwear is the density and composition of the fabric. Synthetic (polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, polyacrylic, kid, nylon) and natural (cotton, merino wool) materials are used in production in a certain ratio. For high-intensity loads, choose a thin and elastic synthetic set. For medium and high activity - a moderately warm set of medium density made of synthetics and natural wool. For low activity (everyday wear) - thick, warm thermal underwear made of wool with a small percentage of synthetics.

The higher the activity level, the higher the vapor permeability (moisture-wicking properties) of thermal underwear. For alpine skiing and snowboarding, a good option would be a set made of polyester and lycra with the addition of merino wool. Its special feature is the optimal balance between vapor permeability and heat retention, which is so important during active descents, alternating with states of relative calm during rest and ascent to the summit.

Thermal socks

The whole point of skiing equipment is lost if you have chosen the right thermal pants and thermal jacket, and put on ski boots over regular socks. In this case, you will put an end to comfortable skiing, especially if we are talking about long and active skiing. Regular socks are not able to provide proper thermoregulation inside the boot, are not able to quickly remove steam and dry, and are not able to protect the skin from chafing in areas of increased friction. That is, they cannot do everything that thermal socks or thermal knee-highs can.

Comfort starts with the right choice of thermal socks or thermal socks. Moreover, professional skiers recommend buying this thermal clothing before buying new ski boots and trying on boots with the thermal socks that you are going to wear while skiing.

Considering the loads that thermal socks will experience during skating, modern technologies could not ignore this part of thermal clothing. Compared to products of previous years, modern models are made from innovative materials based on synthetics and merino wool. The products are highly durable and wear-resistant, have new design features that improve air and vapor permeability, fit, and thermal regulation. They are not without creative design solutions and colors.

What to look for?

• The length of the products, reaching almost to the knees, protects the front part of the shin well from friction and pressure of ski boots.
• When chosen correctly, thermal socks fit tightly from the foot to the calf, providing flexibility to the ankle and sufficient freedom of movement for the toes.
• In terms of functionality and degree of insulation, women's models are no different from men's, but their insoles are narrower.
• As a rule, all thermal socks have a compression effect, which reduces swelling and fatigue of the legs.
• Models available: without cushioning, with light, medium and strong cushioning. High-density zones are present in the area of ​​the toes, heel, ankle and shin. High cushioning is for extreme sports and active skiers. It is also the warmest.

MIDDLE LAYER.

FLEECE JACKET OR QUILTED VEST WITH ZIPPER.

A skier's or snowboarder's wardrobe should definitely include a thin or medium-density fleece. If it is a softshell model with a hood, you will get a universal product that can be used all year round in any weather. Why a thin fleece jacket?

• It is lightweight and compact, especially with the Polartec fabric.
• The outer layer (if it is a softshell model) is not afraid of wind and precipitation.
• The special structure of the fabric does not absorb sweat, but lets it pass through itself to the outside.
• The inner pile, reminiscent of wool, breathes well and retains heat, even when wet.
• You will be able to move intensively without the risk of overheating or getting wet.

An alternative to a fleece jacket is a down vest - an ultra-light, thin and very warm sleeveless jacket that can be worn as an outer layer or as a middle layer under a ski suit. When folded, the extremely compact item, which rarely weighs more than 180 grams, will not weigh down your ski backpack if you want to take it off. The tight cut combined with elastic materials provides the necessary freedom of movement. Some models have stretch inserts made of soft fleece on the sides for greater comfort. All materials used are capable of absorbing and wicking away large amounts of moisture, maintaining warmth, dryness and an optimal microclimate. The best analogue of natural fluff can be used as insulation - Thinsulate. This is the champion in thermal efficiency! It has earned this high title for a reason. With the same thickness of eiderdown and Thinsulate filler, the latter is 1.5 times warmer. And this insulation retains heat exactly 2 times better than any other synthetic filler.

ACCESSORIES: GLOVES, MITTENS, BUFF AND SKI HAT

The list of accessories for skiers and snowboarders is not limited to gloves, mittens, buffs and ski caps. But since we are talking about clothes today, we will examine these items in detail. They are selected depending on the temperature and activity of use.

Gloves, mittens

Regular fleece thin gloves are a basic accessory for any skier and snowboarder. They can be compared to consumables that need seasonal renewal. They are ideal for warm weather when you just need to protect your hands from the wind. And they can serve as the first insulating layer under the tops - the main warmer, stronger and wear-resistant gloves or mittens. The product is made in a simple sports design with an elastic cuff for a tighter fit. Fleece is hypoallergenic, retains heat well, wicks away hand evaporation well, dries quickly and keeps you warm even when wet. For increased wear resistance and additional protection, the palms can be reinforced with dense inserts. And the Touch Phone System coating on the tips of the thumb and index finger allows you to use touch screens without removing your gloves.

A more "serious" option is fleece gloves with a membrane that does not let external cold and moisture in and removes internal fumes to the outside. These "work" great in cold weather, but they are especially good in windy and damp weather, with heavy wet snow. There are models that can be transformed into mittens - this is a regular glove with fingers, over which a "cap" is put on from the back of the hand.

Feature of ski gloves made of membrane fabric with insulation on a fleece lining - an extended cuff and a drawstring with fixation at the bottom, all to protect against snow and cold. The insulation is Hollobiber or Thinsulate. The outer membrane is easily stretched and does not restrict hand movement. Leather pads and inserts prevent injuries and increase wear resistance of the products. Each glove has carabiners or elastic bracelets.

Mittens are always warmer, but gloves are always more comfortable. Therefore, there is simply no clear answer as to which is better - gloves or mittens. This is an individual choice. It depends on many factors, including: riding conditions and your own susceptibility to cold.

BUFF

A buff is an all-season accessory, a surprisingly comfortable, beautiful and versatile item. Its main task is to protect from cold and wind during any outdoor activities. The buff material breathes well and effectively wicks moisture away. Seamless technology does not rub the skin. Simple constitution easily transforms into many options: scarf, hat, balaclava, headband, sun and dust mask.

We highly recommend having a Windstopper fabric buff (relevant for downhill skiing) and several models made of polyester of different densities in your ski wardrobe. From these, you can always put together a comfortable option for any temperature and wind.

Ski cap

As a rule, beginner skiers and snowboarders do not bother about special ski hats, and use ordinary everyday knitted options. And in vain! Unlike everyday ones, a ski cap takes into account the specifics of skiing: it tightly covers the ears, is well insulated in the forehead, has ventilation zones and special membrane inserts.

In conclusion

Properly selected thermal underwear and thermal socks, a down vest and fleece, gloves, mittens, a buff and a hat will help you enjoy active and long skiing and snowboarding in any weather conditions. FREEVER will be happy to help you with this! The popular Ukrainian brand of clothing for sports and active recreation is famous for its approach to production, providing high quality standards combined with innovative materials, modern design, good functionality and reasonable prices. FREEVER clothing and accessories are designed to match the latest trends in sports fashion, feature modern technologies, impeccable cut, comfortable fit, excellent ergonomics and a bit of glamor.