Bulgaria Ski discussion board

What I have been doing for years now and what I find the most effective is:

- Helly Hanson base layer (the better quality wicking option)
- Over that goes an an expedition weight technical cut base layer with slightly higher neck zip.
- Over that goes my Gore-tex XCR mountain jacket (with no fleece liner - very uncomfortable!)

In the colder months of the season I will always also carry a mid weight fleece for when i am standing around for long periods of time (doesn't happen very often at all).

For my hands I always wear a technical glove liner with a good quality mitt. The liner gloves allow me to take my hands out of my mitts to adjust boots, do jacket up and any other things wear I can do it quicker without mitts on without exposing my hands to the elements. Again, this is generally only on the very cold days where the windchill will result in any exposed flesh becoming prone to frostnip with painful hot aches when they thaw out. If you don't know what I am talking about then you have never been in seriously bad conditions on a mountain top in winter. As a rule I will always carry a spare pair of gloves as there is nothing worse than seriously cold hands.

I used to wear a beanie to keep my head warm but I find that the cushioning and fleece liner in my helmet works just fine without the beanie.

I'm usually skiing too hard to need anything more than a light ski top with a ski jacket on top. I get cold on the lifts but its better than sweating when going down - that's the real cause of hypothermia. I'll usually take a spare pair of gloves as they do get sweaty or wet so after lunch I can get into a new dry pair. If you plan to be standing around or skiing slower its worth taking a fleece and in especially cold weather never a bad idea to have a small day bag with an extra layer. Helmets are a must - but not legally so. They also keep you warm. And this year I won't have to worry about the cold face with my new toy....
http://store.ruroc.com/p-28-knight-moves.aspx

Mike86,

If you have never been on a ski holiday, my response is that it is never as cold as you think it could/should be.


I have benn skiing a good few times now, and even though the barometer say its minus 3, plenty of people are sitting outside pubs/restaurants on the mountain enjoying a few beers and food, wearing nothing more than tshirts.

Obviously the weather can change and get quiet cold and windy, but on fine days when the sun shines it can get quiet hot.

If you are a beginner you will find you sweat quiet a lot, because learning to ski takes a lot of effort, especially walking back uphill to ski time & time again.

As mentioned already, layer your clothing rather than just a big jacket. New 'wicking' materials are ideal for base layers as they remove the sweat from the skin quickly. Unfortunately cottom thermals are possibly the worst things to wear, as they hold the sweat, and can start to freeze and ultimately kill you if you become stuck on the mountain. So the key is to buy clothing that will keep you dry from the inside out