Foo goes skiing. Sartorial disaster? - Page 3

Goggles aren't for eye protection so much as they are to keep the wind out of your eyes and cutting down the glare. Buy a pair, you'll be grateful. Better than sunglasses by far. Much more critical than a helmet too, IMO. I've never taken a fall or even seen a fall where cracking the head was a big concern; when you fall skiing, you don't just hit a wall (well, a lift pole or tree if you're really bad at it), you tumble down the slope. With that kind of fall, you're not risking your head as much as risking getting limbs caught at awkward angles that break things. Unless you're doing crazy jumps or going down slopes that are way beyond your capability, you don't need a helmet. File that one as a nice to have.

I have, on the other hand, come close to breaking a leg (as a sidenote, this is why you need to make sure your bindings are at an appropriate setting- if the ski doesn't pop off, it can fuck up bones and joints when it caches against something while your body is still moving) and have separated my shoulder.

Oh, and I like the gloves. If there's ever a time for bright colors and silly coordination, skiing is it.

Don't forget the hat.

I mostly wore sunglasses and I never had a problem. Goggles for the really bad weather.

Foo, you might want a knit hat and you definitely will want sunscreen. A ski slope sun burn makes a beach sun burn look and feel like a light singe.

Are you just doing downhill, or will you also be doing biathlon? You will need a small bore rifle for the latter.

What do you think about one of these?





Mostly, I'm thinking so that (a) others can see him on the slope and (2) to make him easier to find when digging him out of the big drifts.

The foundation of all alpine skiing is one's psych-up routine before hurtling down the slopes like a runaway train.

I am happy to share mine.

Visualization is a key tool, so here is the video that plays on my retinas just before the earth tilts:

OCBD and a sweater as undergarments are not going to keep you warm. I'd recommend a moisture wicking performance long underwear top and either a quarter or full zip fleece under your jacket.

I live in Colorado and ski Vail regularly.

As far as your fit, you did well. The uber-coordinated outfits will get you treated like a Californian, or worse, a Texan.

Get a helmet and goggles and you won't have to worry about the sunglasses. None of us wore helmets as kids, but 90% of the people out there wear them now. Not just for falls, but crashing into trees, ski hitting you after a crash, some idiot beginner snowboarder crashing into you (most likely). Plus they are the best at keeping you warm.

Don't wear any cotton. Polypro base layer, fleece or wool mid layer under your shell, depending on conditions. Get ski socks.

Get a lesson the first day at least.

Peppermint Schnapps for the Hot Chocolate. Look out for Manton's aforementioned hot assed girls.

Foo, I mostly skied in Tahoe but I went to Vail (and elsewhere in Colo and Utah) and one thing to note is that it can get dramatically cold there, much colder than Tahoe. The mountains are also typically higher elevation. So, yeah, no street clothes. You need serious gear for this unless the conditions are unusually spring-like.

Bradford's right. EMS has Icebreaker and I think Ibex as well.

Matt, you're getting lots of good advice.

Another that I suggest for you is becoming familiar with what these guys look like:





Also, Ortovox and Pieps make good avalanche transponders.

I can't pass up what will probably be my only opportunity in life to offer clothing advice to a man of Foo's formidable sartorial expertise...

Skiing is one of those activities where the most stylish thing to do is wear highly functional gear. You look like you are well on your way. The yellow gloves might match a bit too much with the yellow accents of the jacket (looks like you're trying too hard). But it sounds like you got a good deal on the gloves, in which case you should keep the gloves and change the jacket, if you care. Overall the combination of gray pants and plain colored jacket is quite compliant with modern ski/snowboard style, and you will be fine.

Follow the advice others have given and wear a helmet. The argument against doing so is the same argument against wearing seatbelts: "I've never had an accident before, so therefore it must be unnecessary." The big head-injury risk for a beginner isn't from a fall but a collision - you will be going slowly on a green run that happens to be at the foot of a black or blue run, and some teenager with more adrenaline than sense will come barreling through at too high a speed, not respecting the right of way of the slower people in front of him.

Goggles are not necessary for eye protection at low speeds, and may be more trouble for you than they're worth at this stage. The upside is they do cut glare. YMMV. I would suggest trying them, but don't be concerned if you decide to take them off after a couple of runs.

I was on ski patrol at Boreal (easy, easy mountain, we used to call it "Boring Hill") my junior and senior years of high school. That jacket was a crazy chick magnet. Good times.

Would you agree that a wide, arcing, uncontrolled turn on the slope is most likely to take out the greatest number of other skiers?

Is the the 80s? I think I had those Rossies back then?