Winter Sports Kit

Winter sports are “preparation heavy.”

You do them in the cold. And you need to be properly dressed for their environments.

Additionally, most winter sports are dangerous. They involve skiing and snowboarding, and at quite high speeds.

So you need a checklist. You need to know what items to buy for both safety and the activities you do.

We’ll help you with that. Below are 4 items that every winter sports practitioner needs!

#1 – Your Jacket Set

That’s right. You wear a set of clothes on top of another.

At minimum, you wear 3, each being classified as…

  • Base layer.
  • Mid layer.
  • Outer jacket.

We’ll explain each, and the purposes they serve!

Base Layer

You wear this on top of your skin. And its purpose is to stay dry, no matters how much you sweat.

You see, sweating is a disaster in the cold. Sweat on your skin increases heat loss, making you extremely jittery.

The base layer solves this problem. It’s not meant to warm you up. But, it ensures that moisture doesn’t stay on your skin!

Mid Layer

Usually a down jacket. You use this layer to trap heat in your body.

It’s thin and consistent. Not to mention, this layer provides a good amount of padding, which protects you from injuries.

Top Layer

This is your ski or snowboarding jacket.

They come in all shapes and thicknesses. Some are like your mid-layers, being heavily padded and protective.

Others are lighter, resembling regular tracksuits.

Pick what suits you best. However, make sure your choice comes along with a neck warmer so it keeps your body heat!

#2 – Ski Socks and Boots

They should be thick enough to warm your feet. However, they should provide some wiggle room in your boots.

After all, you don’t want socks that fully restrict you. You need socks that absorb sweat while sticking to your boots.

Boots

You’ll need some time to pick a set.

And for a reason. Ski boots have to fit you exactly. And you’ll use them for the long-run.

Not to mention, they’re quite expensive. Ski boots can cost anywhere from $100 to $500!

#3 – Eye/Head/Hand Wear

Those would be your goggles, mittens, and ski helmet.

Goggles

Don’t get ski sunglasses. Those let cold wind in, which will damage your eyes downslopes.

Of course, there’s the added discomfort of being unable to see. And you need your vision in winter sports!

Ski Helmet

Downslopes, you don’t want to fall on your head, regardless of how experienced you are.

So don’t expect to be too cushioned by the snow. Because every now and then, there are rocks around, which are a threat.

Always wear a helmet. Never take the risk of head trauma/brain injuries.

Mittens/Gloves

Pick ones that are breathable and waterproof.

Why? Because sweaty palms don’t fare well with normal ski gloves. This makes it hard to control items, especially ski poles.

So it makes your winter sport experience less comfortable.

However, speaking of poles…

#4 – Winter Sport Equipment

Are you skiing or snowboarding?

Because both require different sets of equipment. And what they do share is bought in different dimensions.

By that, we mean bindings…

What Are Those?

Bindings are clipped to a ski/snowboard. It’s what you put and lock your boots into before action.

Now, you need high quality and durable bindings. And this applies specifically to snowboarding bindings, which take more abuse.

They’re also your link to your gear, which in turn links to you the floor. So your bindings must give you a strong foundation!