Need Help Buying Ski clothing

[acarbona]

I do not ski at all, but my DH wants to take my DD skiing for the first time. We do not have clothes for this, and since this is the first time I really do not want to spend a lot of money on jackets and pants. Could you all help me find some good deals on jackets, and pants for skiing?:cold:

[JoJoDaClown]

If you don't plan on going often, I recommend the following apparell:
2 layer coat, outside shell being water repellant, ie nylon (columbia type coat.)
A sweater or sweatshirt and then t-shirt underneath.
Stocking cap
Gloves with nylon shell (don't want to wear coat and gloves that will absorb moisture)
Jeans or sweatpants with nylon windbreaker pants on over
Regular Long pair of socks, with a spare pair in the car for after
Optional: If you're going to be somewhere and the forecast calls for wind speeds above 15 mph, I suggest a long scarf to wrap over your face when you hit the lift to warm up.

Really, the important thing is to dress in layers so you're ready for any weather. You most likely aren't used to strenuous activity in the snow, so you may not know what a comfortable level of clothing is.
Also important is the nylon shell of clothing around you to keep you dry. When you start getting wet, you start getting cold.

Have fun!

[Summer99]

ebay!!!! found all of my daughter's ski clothes there for several seasons now, then list the same clothes again at the start of the next season. all items I ever bought were in perfect condition, some actually way better than expected and made $ when sold. also got a great deal on a suit for myslef.

best to invest in a good pair (or 2) of thin but warm ski socks, nothing worse than cold wet feet, and a couple of pairs of gloves.

resale shops are also a great place for a first time ski clothes

enjoy, you might just get hooked and then will forever be poor and saving for the next trip! (like me)

[JoJoDaClown]

ebay!!!! found all of my daughter's ski clothes there for several seasons now, then list the same clothes again at the start of the next season. all items I ever bought were in perfect condition, some actually way better than expected and made $ when sold. also got a great deal on a suit for myslef.

best to invest in a good pair (or 2) of thin but warm ski socks, nothing worse than cold wet feet, and a couple of pairs of gloves.

resale shops are also a great place for a first time ski clothes

enjoy, you might just get hooked and then will forever be poor and saving for the next trip! (like me)

Do you ski down hills of red dirt in Texas? Isn't it a little hot and stuffy with all that snow gear on and 50F temps?

[acarbona]

Thank you! I'm printing out this information. I really want my daughter to get into skiing, it's a sport she can do in the winter. She is such an active girl, but I on the other hand am not that active. I don't want her to miss out, and who knows I just may get into skiing.

Summer99 thank you for the tips about ebay, It never occured to me to resell and buy for the next season.

[zragnarok]

similarly. I am looking for ski lift/rental discounts at Heavenly (lake tahoe)... REI had discounts for the 2008 year but my trip is in January 09. any help?

[labrown131]

If you can't find it on ebay, try the following:

www.sierratradingpost.com


www.backcountry.com
and
www.backcountryoutlet.com

Also, some of the larger resorts actually rent the clothes as well as the skis and boots.

[couch21]

I would recommend shopping at mass-market retailers that are more sports/athletics-focused (Sports Authority, Dick's Sporting Goods, Dunham's, MC Sports, etc.) to get an idea of the kind of equipment that's out there. The prices are generally more favorable (particularly with coupons you can find here at SlickDeals) although you may have to deal with a smaller selection of items and/or less-helpful service. Once you find particular brands and/or models and sizes, you can try hunting for them online to get them cheaper.

I'm a huge advocate of REI, although it's a higher-end store that may pose an uncomfortable budget if you're a first-timer. I would at least recommend you stop by if you have one in your area to leverage the excellent customer service, who can give you some great tips. It's a retailer aimed at the outdoors enthusiast, but their service (nationwide in my experience) has been superb and they certainly are helpful to first-timers. If you're looking to get educated on a short amount of time, you may as well ask employees who are all outdoors enthusiasts.

In terms of general clothing advice, I recommend you avoid cottons at all cost (since they absorb water and generally don't fare nicely for cold, damp feet or perspiration). As a previous response mentioned, go with multiple layers. Get an outershell jacket that's waterproof and breathable (allows heat/water extraction rather than absorb everyhing). Columbia-type of jackets work well, particularly those with linings that you can zip in.

An inner layer made of nylons works nicely, as opposed to cotton-sweaters. I also recommend a polyester/spandex/dry-fit long-sleeve shirt to cover your bare torso, as opposed to a cotton shirt. AVOID COTTON AT ALL TIMES - cotton will absorb all of your sweat and keep you cold/wet for a long period of time. You can get dry-fit long sleeve shirts for under $15 and they work wonders for keeping you warm and dry.

Wool socks are a must (< $10) - absolutely no cotton socks but I'm repeating myself now :nod:

Investing in a pair of ski pants can be very low-cost, if you look in the right places. Not sure what part of the country you live in, but if you have a lower-priced sports retailer such as Dunham's or MC Sports, you can buy a decent pair that's breathable for < $25. (The higher end stuff can go over $150.)

[watson80]

i got killy ski jacket for 99 dollars at tj maxx. the retail was over 500 hundred.:-)
they do have columbia, north face, etc in 50 dollars price range. pants spyder i saw for 40 bucks there last week. you can also check out marshalls.