Cable Forum - Going Skiing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Thanks for the reply.

Sorry, I phrased the question a little badly, I know I need that stuff, but it's the details that I'm interested in.

Does a higher price necessarily mean a better product? I'm not going to pay money for a name, but I'll pay it for quality!

Is "water resistant" ok or should I get "water proof"?

Does "improved wicking" actually *mean* anything?!

What does "one hundredweight" mean on a fleece (that's damned heavy!)

Are zips under the arms of a jacket useful or just a gimmick?

Etc etc.

This is the sort of thing I really need to know! :)

Probably. The only pair of ski boots I have are almost 25 years old (I used to grass ski as a teenager, gods, I feel old now!!). Is that a good idea? Are boots for Skiing and Snowboarding completely interchangable?

There's a JJB sports shop in the Cascades in Portsmouth that's doing all their wintersports wear at 50% off, but I don't know how good it is in comparison to that from a dedicated ski suppliers.

A higher price can mean it has all the latest innovations, but sometimes it's just due to the label.

I wouldn't bother with waterproof. Get water resistant, although I think most ski-wear should be ok in that respect.

Yeah, get something with good wicking, especially if you ever think about going snowboarding. It's more physically demanding than skiing and you will work up a real sweat, so the better the flow away from the body, the more comfortable you will be.

My ski jacket has zips under the arms. I go snowboarding. It's nice to unzip them if you get overheated and get a bit of air into the armpit area without having to take the jacket off. Just lets you have a bit more circulation for when you're very hot.

Ski-boots are entirely different to snowboarding boots. Skit' boots are very rigid and have you positioned in a slightly forward position. Snowboard boots depends on the way you are connected to your board. There are two main types. One where your boot has some kind of metal implants at the bottom to allow you to 'step-in' to the board bindings and the other where you tighten straps to 'bind' yourself to the board.

I agree with Orangebird. Wait until you have been a couple of times to buy all the very expensive kit. As you develop your style and your needs will change. Best to wait until you are proficient before shelling out hundreds of pounds on equipment.

For walking around a pair of timberland style boots will do.