Staying warm on the ski slopes is often more challenging than the sport itself. Bulky clothing creates a Michelin Man effect, which looks kind of silly. In contrast, sleek, lightweight and form-fitting clothing shows off your skiing muscles and embellishes the scenery, but unless you are a ski racer generating heat at top speed, prepare for the chills. Skilled skiers know that the secret to staying warm involves dressing in layers.
The Science of Insulation
Ski clothing has four interrelated purposes, which include keeping you warm, keeping you dry, resisting wind, and facilitating functional movement. It's difficult to stay warm when you are wet. Heavy winds make you feel even colder, even if the actual temperature is not that low. Clothing that is too bulky to allow functional movement slows you down, making it harder to produce adequate body heat. Recreational skiers require three layers of ski clothing for warmth -- the base layer, the insulating layer and the outer layer.
The Base Layer
Despite the cold temperatures, the dynamic, full-body movements involved in alpine skiing may work up a sweat. Sweating gets you wet, and wetness makes you cold. Wicking perspiration away from your body is the primary purpose of your base layer, which consists of a long-sleeved undershirt and long underpants. Select form-fitting synthetic or silk fabrics, whose moisture-wicking properties are far superior to cotton. Fabrics treated with an antibacterial or antimicrobial solution prevent wetness and its accompanying body odor.
Insulating Layer
The insulating or middle layer of ski clothing traps air between its fibers, thereby keeping heat in and cold out. Pullovers and turtlenecks are examples of middle layers. If you ski at particularly cold resorts, such as those located in Eastern Canada, you may require a pullover and a turtleneck. Their ability to keep you warm even when wet makes fleece and wool the ideal fabrics for middle-layer clothing. If you tend toward cold hands, select fleece or wool liners for your gloves. Mittens usually provide more warmth than gloves, but they might interfere with your manual dexterity. Some companies offer the best of both worlds, by producing mittens with fingered glove liners inside.
Outer Layer
Your outer layer of ski clothing offers protection from the elements. Specially designed fabrics block the wind and repel the water from rain, snow or sleet. Look for jackets with zippers near the armpits, which allow ventilation if temperatures rise. Inside the boot, stretch pants may look sexy, but they provide minimal protection against the cold. Choose lined ski pants, and wear the lining over your boots -- not tucked into them. The liner functions in the same manner as a shower curtain.
Boots, Goggles and Helmets
Your ski boots, goggles and helmets have multiple functions, which include warmth, protection and technique. If you ski in cold climates, a lightweight balaclava, which fits under your helmet, provides additional warmth. Some skiers prefer sun glasses, but ski goggles are more efficient at blocking the sun and protecting your face from the elements. Ski boots break the rules of layering, because the boot liner serves as the insulating layer. When you go to the ski shop, step away from the sock liners and the heavy-duty hiking socks. Every year, ski resort employees find skiers sitting in the lodge instead of enjoying the slopes. The reason -- their feet are cold. In most cases, the employee discovers that guest is wearing multiple sock layers, which make the guests feet sweat. Your ski socks are actually the wicking layer, and should be as light as possible.
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