Quick, need tips on skiing gear...

[Justin]

Ok, so this girl I've gone out with has asked me to go skiing with her this weekend.

She's cute.  Outdoorsy.  Artsy, and very cool to be with.

Only one problem:

I have no skiing equipment.  Skis and bindings and whatnot aren't going to be a problem.  I'll be renting those.

But what I really need are a coat, ski pants, et cetera.  Now, here's the challenege:

I'd like my imminent gear buying spree to conform to two things:

1) No more than $350, tops.

2) The coats, pants, etc. are general enough to be used for things other than skiing. If it can do dual duty for hiking, or biking or whathaveyou, that'd be good too.

I went into REI tonight, and I think I can probably come right in at that budget, but would prefer to save if I could, and I'm sure that would be possible if I knew where to look.

Ok, so bearing those two things in mind, for any of you with experience in this type of thing, what sort of recommendations can you make as to type, brand, material, whichever.

Thanks.

[esheato]

It's 1am PST, and I'll be at Squaw Valley for the first trip of the season in approximately 8 hours...I can't sleep I'm so excited...haha. You're lucky you're not buying skis...I just dropped $600 on skis and bindings. I haven't even thought of boots yet.

Alright...back to the problem at hand. Most skiing clothing is designed around the sport. I can't think of any other activities besides sledding where that gear would come in handy. The coat is usable all the time, pants not so much.

Also, I'm not sure where in the country you are, but in California I work up a pretty good sweat so I dress fairly light with layers underneath. A waterproof shell with a fleece sweatshirt and a t-shirt under that. For the bottoms, I wear a waterproof lightly insulated pair of pants with long johns underneath. Don't forget a hat either...you'll lose a ton of heat from your head so it's important to cover it up.

The gear you want should be waterproof, because as a beginner you'll be lying/sitting in the snow more than an intermediate or advanced skiier.

Snowboarding styles have also influenced most of the clothing so you'll be hip as you swish (or roll) down the slopes.

I just purchased a set of Columbia ski pants at our local Big 5 sporting goods for right under $100.  Waterproof with lots of pockets and a nylon liner with elastic ankle cuffs to go OVER the boot to keep snow out. I also picked up a new Burton coat for $130 at the local mall. Thin, but made of a waterproof material with lots of pockets and another elastic skirt to keep the snow out. If you can keep dry, your trip will be much more enjoyable. Let me repeat that: if you can keep dry, you'll be much better off.

I prefer gloves versus mittens for the dexterity, and I always get something with a removable liner so that they are easier to dry. Ohh..I always wear thick socks too...for warmth more than anything...those long ski lifts can get chilly.

Other things to consider: sunglasses because all that snow is reflective and very bright (especially on sunny days), sunblock (I've been sunburned many times on the slopes), goggles (not necessary if you're just learning...a requirement if you like speeding straight down the mountain).

A small tip...try to keep any seams, pants cuffs or other folds in your pants out of your boots. It will cut off circulation to your foot and make wearing boots really miserable.

Hot chocolate, regular shoes and a fire never felt so good after a day on the mountain....best of luck and have fun.

Ed

[Ex-MA Hole]

Where do you live?

Also, +1 on the layers.  You will sweat.  Like a pig.
Yeah, a hat, too.

If you decide not to get snow pants (I didn't at first), do not wear sweats as a layer- they are a sponge.

[cfabe]

Well when I ski I wear a carhartt jacket and blue jeans, so I may not be the best to give ski fashion advice. When I was a beginner I wore some overpants made of gore-tex to keep my butt dry. Oh and some beat up ski gloves with duct tape where I melted them on the snowblower muffler.

[Jamisjockey]

A) Layers
B) Screw REI
www.campor.com
www.sierratradingpost.com

Duofold is a great baselayer brand.

[Jamisjockey]

I gave some more thought to my original post.

Jacket:  Get a snowboard or ski jacket with removable fleece liner, pit zips, and a hood (preferably removable or packable).   This is the item you're going to get the most versatility out of.
Pants:  Get adjustable bibs.  
Helmet: Consider wearing a helmet, especially if you're doing anything out of bounds or backcountry.  Being a vegetable isn't really cool.
Gloves:  Get something lightly insluated and wear fleece inserts under them.  Waterproof and windresistant is best.

[Larry Ashcraft]

Disclaimer: I've never skied.

Justin, I've seen guys at Cuchara, who weren't worried about fashion, wearing those coveralls that farmers wear.  Carrharts, Walls Blizzard-Pruf, Berne make them.  The Walls are the cheapest and they are very warm.  I use them for goose and duck hunting and for working around the place in the winter.  Big R is a good place to get them, there's one in north Pueblo and one in Falcon.

[El Tejon]

Big on layers.  I wear one of those Underarmour shirts, then a wool shirt designed for the Norwegian army (at least that's what the catalogue said) and my jacket (look at Columbia first).  Love adjustable bibs, allow a greater range of motion (for me at least).  I wear those skin diving gloves and then wool gloves over them (I'm big on wool).

If you want a helmet, maybe one of those skateboard helmets?  Not too dorky and you can wear a wool watch cap over it, just make sure you say something like "whoa, radical, dude."  In fact, starting using "dood" a lot and you'll be just fine.

[CatsDieNow]

Do NOT, under any circumstances, wear one-piece long underwear.  If you then mess up your knee, you will then be required to take it all off at the hospital.  Don't ask me how I know this.

(The "snowplow" is your friend).

[jefnvk]

Carhartt and blue jeans

Ski instructor thought I was nuts.  But, I had fun, and spent nil.

[RaggedClaws]

Waterproof coat/jacket, waterproof overpants/bib, gloves (get the thick made-for-skiing kind), hat, goggles or sunglasses.  That should fall way under $350.  Since you're a beginner, expect to spend alot of the time covered in snow.  The most important thing about the jacket/pants combo is that they be waterproof.  You can always layer underneath that (jeans/sweats and polyprop long underwear).  

I'm jealous, you're going to have a great time!  Just remember to keep your knees bent and your weight low!

[esheato]

All good advice except for the Carhartt and blue jeans.

As for me...I'm a broken man. Every joint hurts, my quads haven't stopped burning all day but the snow...ahh the snow was beautiful. No lift lines, hardly any people at all in fact. I'll be there again next Saturday.

Ed

[USP45usp]

DON'T DO IT!!!

The first tree isn't all that bad, the next dozen hurt like hell!

Okay, so I wasn't a good skiier okay .

Wayne

[Modifiedbrowning]

Check out Columbia they have pretty good gear for the price. Wear layers and DO NOT wear cotton. Cotton gets wet and stays wet, not cool.

esheato, do you ever make it across the ridge to Alpine Meadows? How about Kirkwood? I used to live in Reno/Tahoe and had a midweek pass at Alpine. How was the snow at Squawlywood, sierra cement or nice and flluffy?
We've been getting pounded here in MT, hopefully I'll be able to get out this weekend.

[crt360]

I'm pretty sure there were times when I would ski in nothing but cotton:  blue jeans, cotton socks, cotton underwear, cotton cap, cotton t-shirt, goggles and a walkman.  Sometimes spring break in Colorado was too warm for anything else.  Cotton does get wet and doesn't dry really fast, but when we were young we didn't care.  If you bail at high speed in shorts and a t-shirt, you'll be amazed at how scraped up you can get.  

Don't wear your favorite expensive shades; you will break or lose them.  I lost and broke enough to permanently switch to goggles.

I eventually migrated to more appropriate ski wear.  I haven't skiied in a while, but IIRC I had (still have) a Helly Hansen jacket and a couple of pairs of their ski pants that were really good.

Do NOT get any of those tight stretchy pants, unless you are on a national ski team or travel with a band of merry men.

[Guest]

Yeah I know I am in the South - we are supposed to get snow here on Wednesday just the same.

Humm...I thought one could rent the parkas and stuff upon arrival??

 I mean go ahead and laugh, we have a Sports Store that sells  a LOT of ski stuff to folks heading to CO and wherever else. They do a HUGE business.

Price of some that stuff - the Beemer should come with the skis, ski rack...maybe it does.  

I could have sworn - as I walked into the BIG column , watching Miss Neon trying on stuff...I like the bending over to check binding part...I went in for something, forgot, walked into  another column when some cutie walked out and asked how she looked in the ski underwear...silk never looked better...

"I'm going to rent the stuff I need once we get there like parkas and layerings...just going to show up with my underwear".   Hey, would a cutie prancing around a store in silk underwear lie?  

Get a Duck call ( remembered why I went in there)  seems all the cuties running around in only tops and bottoms first layer underwear were attracted to the Duck Call.  

Me...I grab a trash can lid, cardboard box and have at it. I'll be in faded jeans, tennis shoes, waxed cotton coat. You folks just work too hard at this stuff.   *smirk*

Have fun, take pics, let me know if the Duck Call really works out your way.

[brimic]

I grew up skiing, had a ski hill about 30 miles from where I grew up and used to ski on a weekly basis and go to the ski hills of Upper Michigan at least once a year. I now live 4 miles from a ski hill, but never find time to ski

1. I never needed snow pants. I always wore jeans with a pair of lycra tights or very thin long underwear pants underneath. If its warm, a little damp won't hurt you, if its cold, you won't get damp. You are only going to be skiing 4 or 5 hours at a stretch anyhow and probably are going to have a few stops at the bar for firewater in between. The tights/ thin long underwear underneath keeps the jeans from sticking to you and is also a barrier between your skin and the colder outer layer. Your butt might get a little cold on the chairlift, but I never found this a problem myself. As someone else mentioned, don't wear just lycra tights, you'll look like a tool.

2. Layers like other said. Underarmour, wool sweater (the british commando sweaters sold by cabelas are mucho warm and look tacticool to boot), Columbia shell with a fleece liner- this makes a handy jacket for all occasions, I wear the fleece liner 3 seasons out of the year. I've been known to wear my waterfowling coat on warmer days for that 'thrasher' look, or maybe it just makes me look like a redneck

3. Thin socks- thin polypropylene or silk socks. You don't want anything thick that can bunch up in your boots. Your boots are going to be tight, any bunching that occurs inside will impede circulation and make your feet cold. With my own boots, I go barefoot- no socks at all. If you are prone to getting cold feet, there is a product out there called 'toasty toes' that are little chemical heater pads that stick to the bottom of your socks. I tried these out during deer hunting this year and they worked very well.

4. Hat- Wear a stocking cap or balaclava, cold ears suck.

5. Glasses- goggles or sunglasses- if sunglasses, make sure they are on frogs so you don't lose them. Glasses are a necessity unless you like snow hitting you in the eyes from the snowmakers running or you like the feel of tears freezing from overly watery eyes.

6. Gloves- I don't put too much thought into gloves. You should be able to find a decent pair of thinsulate gloves for around $35. I often times wear thick wool gloves as I find them warmer provided that I don't wipe out and get them wet.

7. Lip balm- carmex, vaseline, or chapstick. Girls usually don't like chapped, rough, and cracked lips.

[esheato]

esheato, do you ever make it across the ridge to Alpine Meadows? How about Kirkwood? I used to live in Reno/Tahoe and had a midweek pass at Alpine. How was the snow at Squawlywood, sierra cement or nice and flluffy?

Nah. Sqauw is free all season for active duty military. Why would I go anywhere else? Snow was sierra cement underneath the couple inches of fluff. Typical, I guess.

Ed

[Ready on the Right]

Sports Authority/SportMart usually has good deals on outerwear.  Dick's also has OK stuff, but more spendy.  REI is going to be even more spendy, but good stuff.

-A Gore-tex or similar breathable outer shell is great and you can also use it as a raincoat year-round.  IMHO, this is the place to spend some $$ and you can stay outside much longer.  Everything else can be fairly inexpensive.  Check out online deals if you have time.
-You can get a pair of snow bibs pretty cheap, but they won't be totally waterproof.  Spend more on gore-tex if you really want, but not as important as the jacket.  As noted below, you can also get by with jeans.
-Good wool socks - not too thick
-Long underwear tops and bottoms - poly blend or underarmour if you can afford it
-$5 black watchcap or something more trendy if you like
~$30 pair of ski gloves or mittens - some have little pockets for heater packs
-A mid-layer coat made of polar fleece that zips up to your face
-A few heater packs and you're good to go!  Bring some extra ones and impress your GF - just don't put them directly on her skin (unless you want to do some sort of "princess and the pea" kind of test ).

Optional:
-A pair of waterproof boots with felt liners - like Sorels.
-A set of goggles can keep you warm and help you see if it's snowing.
-A polar fleece vest for warmer days.

[Standing Wolf]

Be brave. Ski naked.

[Ex-MA Hole]

No.  He might get a head cold.

[Stetson]

Carhart Jacket and older Wranglers that have been sprayed with Scotch Guard.  Lined deerskin gloves, ear protectors($15), and a ball cap.  You might want to spring for some goggles of you dont have any bug looking sunglasses.

I stay dry and warm and ski all day.

[Justin]

Be brave. Ski naked.

No.

[Justin]

A'ight, time for the after action report.

I ended up buying a surplus Army coat.  Had all the stuff I was looking for (pit zips, internal powder skirt) at about 1/4 the price of even a moderately priced commercial jacket with the same stuff.

Also, it was in a sweet desert camo pattern.  If anyone were to ask, I would have simply told them I was making an ironic commentary.

Picked up a pair of pretty thin ski pants that were on sale at Dick's Sporting Goods for $70.  Long underwear and a hat from Sportsman's Warehouse (About $40 for all of that.)  Wool socks from Walmart (2 pairs for $8!) The supposedly waterproof gloves I bought for $20 weren't, but luckily I had a spare pair stashed in a pocket.  Next pair I buy is going to be Goretex...

Also, wore one of the (many) fleece pullovers that I already own.

I went ahead and skiied with my favorite pair of shades, a set of Smiths I got for Christmas a couple years ago.

All in all, I had a blast.
Fell down a lot.

I'd definatelylike to do it again.  The most annoying thing was my lack of ability.  Other than that, I had a great time.

Woke up this morning, and my entire body is sore...

[Justin]

Oh, and just for Standing Wolf:

I did see one guy snowboarding without wearing a shirt or coat.