Clothing & Equipment

The correct ski and snowboard clothing is vital to ensure you have a safe, comfortable and enjoyable holiday. This section provides information on what to look for when buying or renting essentials such as ski and snowboard gloves, goggles, base layers, jackets, hats and protective helmets.

• Ski and snowboard gloves
• Eyewear: Goggles and glasses
• Headwear

Ski and snowboard gloves

Never leave home without a good pair of gloves.
Ski and snowboard gloves need to be warm, waterproof and breathable with good palm and finger grips for holding onto ski poles and drag-lifts.

Look for gloves that are long enough to cover the wrist to avoid snow from entering from the top. Gloves with longer cuffs are often known as gauntlette style gloves. Alternatively, the cuff of the gloves can be tucked under the sleeves of your jacket or other outer layer garment. A draw cord on the cuffs can be useful to help gloves to fit snug under jacket arms. 

Gloves should have padding for warmth but don’t buy gloves that are so padded that they restrict movement as this will lead to cold hands.

Look for extra features on the gloves such as wrist cords.

Wrist cords prevent you from losing gloves when you take them off. This may seem like a minor point but you often see gloves that have been dropped off chairlifts by people who obviously thought they wouldn't need wrist cords!

Remember you will also need a pair of gloves for when you are not on the slopes so a second pair always comes in useful so you can leave your main gloves to dry overnight.

For gloves from the exclusive Kinohi brand visit the Origin Sports Shop.

Eyewear: Goggles and glasses

Goggles or sunglasses are essential to stop snow blindness and protect your eyes from the elements.

Goggles offer much better protection than sunglasses in harsh weather conditions so you should always consider carrying goggles.

If you carry a spare pair of goggles or glasses you will be able to protect your eyes if your main pair are damaged whilst on the mountain.

When buying goggles, consider the type of lens you will need.

In bright and sunny conditions you will need a darker lens to give your eyes maximum protection so consider a dark orange, amber, black or mirrored lens.

In poor or flat light (i.e. cloudy, misty or snowy conditions) it can be very difficult to make out the contours of the slopes.  In poor or flat light a lighter lens such as light yellow or rose will provide more clarity and definition.

Some goggles are specifically made for variable light conditions. These lenses are often lighter in colour with a reflective coating to protect the wearer from bright sunlight.

If you intend on wearing a helmet when you are skiing or snowboarding, make sure the goggles are 'helmet compatible'. If you can, it's worth trying on the goggles with your helmet before you purchase. It's always best to try to avoid any large gaps between the helmet and goggles as this will lead to cold spots on exposed areas.

Similarly if you wear glasses, look for goggles described as OTG or 'over the glasses’ as these should fit over your spectacles.

Look for goggles, with anti-fog treatments, double lenses and good venting as these features will help to increase visibility and prevent the goggles from misting-up.

Finally remember you won't be skiing or snowboarding all of the time so a good pair of sunglasses will help to protect you when you are not on the slopes.

Visit the Origin Sports Shop for a selection of ski and snowboard goggles including OTG goggles.

Headwear

Don’t forget to take your headwear whenever you head up the mountain.

Helmets are becoming more and more popular each season and they are now commonplace in most ski and snowboard resorts around the world.

In the past the use of helmets by skiers and snowboarders divided opinion with some arguing that rather than enhancing safety the use of helmets may cause problems due to the impairment of hearing and vision and adding to the liklihood of neck injuries.

However, following a scientific study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association which found that the helmet use reduced head injuries by up to 60%, the International Ski Federation (FIS) now strongly recommends the use of helmets by all skiers and snowboarders regardless of age or ability.

In Italy wearing a helmet is now compulsory for all children under 14 and in Slovenia and Norway all under 13's must wear a helmet.

Origin Sports cannot offer advice on who is right in the debate about helmet safety.

However, if you do decide to wear protective headwear you should seek advice from your retailer to ensure that the helmet is properly fitted – this may mean trying on several styles before you buy.

Look for features such as removable ear protectors that can be taken off in warmer weather and a ventilation system that can be adjusted to the weather conditions.

Also take your goggles with you when buying a helmet and try to limit the amount of gaps between your goggles and the helmet as this will reduce cold spots on your face and head.

Consider buying a beanie as an additional piece of headwear.

They look good and keep you warm and reasonably dry. If you get too hot, beanies will easily fit into your pocket. Even if you have a helmet there will be times when you are not on the slopes so a beanie will always come in useful.

Baseball caps are favoured by some but remember that they will not cover your ears.

Bare ears in cold conditions can be excruciatingly painful so you might consider investing in some ear warmers or a headband as a back-up.

Whichever form of headwear you decide on never head up the slopes without some form of head protection. Even if it’s bright and sunny at the bottom of the mountain it might be minus 30 degrees and blowing a gale at the top so always go prepared.

Visit the Origin Sports Shop for a selection of winter sports essentials.