Kitting out kids for their first ski season...

[ScarlettInSpace]

We are taking OHs kids skiing for the first time in Feb, they are 10 & 7.

We will hire their skis, helmets etc in resort as its their first time, and I don't want to spend a fortune on clothes as they grow so quick!

I usually get my clothes from TK Max, does anyone know if they get kids gear in as well? Also when it comes into stock?

We are going to take them to Milton Keynes for some basic lessons so they know what to expect before they go, but I'm not sure we will be able to get them kitted out before then, I seem to remember MK hire clothes, am I just making this up?!

Also torn on the subject of all in one's, no snow up their back but a potential toilet nightmare?

One more question [thanks if you're still with me!] Will they venture off the baby slopes in their first ever week or will they stay close to the facilities [toilets, drinks etc]

They are so excited & all I'm doing is finding things to stress about!

[Trapper]

4 and 5 year old here, thinking of skiing over Christmas. No advice to offer - watching with interest

[FadedRed]

Aldi. They will have ski clothes in in the autumn. Brilliant quality and very reasonable prices. Keep an eye on the website and go on the date they arrive in the shop for the best choice as they sell quickly.
Any skiing friends? They might have stuff their kids have outgrown.
Online ski wear outlets often have sales of last seasons gear around now, before the new season stock arrives.

[Noseypoke]

Tk Maxx usually do great ski gear, but not this early. MK will hire clothes, but probably cheaper to try ebay.

At that age i would go with separate jacket and salopettes, which also means the jacket can be worn separately on the plane etc.

They will definitely be off the baby slopes in their first week especially if having lessons beforehand.

[YetAnotherUserName]

Try eBay, lots of gear used only for one season (week) before being sold on.

Absolutely no to all-in-ones - can you imagine the struggle of getting it off quickly to go to the loo, for a kid, with ski boots on (the discomfort)?! Just make sure their jackets have a good snow skirt.

Depends on how brave / coordinated / talented they are, as to whether they'll leave the nursery slopes - assuming they'll be having lessons and also skiing with you? If so, maybe they'll be likely to do a few greens by the end of the week.

[Boosiehs]

Sports direct! Super cheap and great quality. I bought DS an all in one for less than £20. He is 2 btw - but it was huge on him and will last another year at least.

For older kids I'd do jacket and salopettes. These were about £20 and £10?

[momb]

My ED went for the first time this year. Took advice on here and went to Aldi. Saved a fortune. Perfectly adequate for first time especially as she'll have grown out of it by next year anyway.

[ScarlettInSpace]

Thanks everyone

Aldi, good shout, DH gets the weekly special emails so will tell him to keep an eye out.

Never thought of sports direct, and eBay, of course! Doh

Friends all have smaller kids so we will no doubt be the donaters in a few years.

They are both pretty sporty so I'm probably doing them a disservice thinking they won't venture off the training slopes, will just have to try not to be too over protective lol and let them get on with it!

[BiddyPop]

We took DD skiing last spring, aged 9. First skiing for us all.

For lessons here, dry slope effectively (astroturf carpet on a travellator not brushes) so not cold - we wore leggings, ski socks and regular tops for those. Given boots each time on arrival (and we were hiring boots at resort so no need to buy yet).

For the trip, we got DD salopettes in Lidl which were great. (In fact, she has 2 pairs as we had picked them up a couple of years ago, and forgotten it when we saw them again, due to bad snows here a few years back). We brought both pairs which was handy when 1 pair got quite wet 1 day - there was a dry pair for going out for dinner that night.

Lidl also had great thermals, top and legs sets, which were great. I had 3 pairs of those, and we bought 2 new "proper ski" thermal tops as well. Lidl ones worked as well as the expensive ones. And gloves as well.

DD already has a lot of tracksuits - old style tracksuit fabric and reasonably fitted shape. So we just brought about 5 pairs of bottoms, and 1 of her more "professional sportsperson" Canterbury ones (double layers, zip at ankle, much wider and looser style) - old ones were great for days, and sloppy pair for night and mooching around hotel.

MIL had bought DD a good ski jacket in a sale at the start of winter - she spends a lot of time outdoors all year so it gets well used.

I think the only thing we bought new, really, for the trip was a pair of snow boots (reduced in sports store at start of season so €20), 2 extra pairs of ski socks (they are lovely and warm for hiking boots otherwise too), a pair of gloves and the 2 "proper ski" thermal tops.

And brought her older thermals, salopettes, hiking boots as well as new snow boots (as did DH and I), long sleeved plain tops, tracksuits (tops and bottoms), togs for pool and crocs for pool/hotel, and PJs. And a couple of woolen hats, a neck fleece, a couple of pairs of wool gloves - that we have anyway for winter use.

[BiddyPop]

Aldi and Lidl are great - but do keep an eye in the sports stores at the very start of the season, as many will have old stock to get rid of and may sell it off cheaply. As I said, DD's boots were much cheaper than we expected (snow boots, not ski boots) and she got a lot of wear out of them ALL winter, not just in the snow on the holiday. And most things, once warm and not prone to staying wet too long, work fine even if not "ski wear" - but good socks are a must (Lidl's are fine, but proper ski socks rather than just hiking ones made a huge difference).

[Paddingtonthebear]

Muddy Puddles have a sale on their website, they've got kids ski wear on there, be quick it ends today I think!

[willconcern]

Sports Direct for salopettes, thermals etc. I definitely wouldn't get all in ones - no-one seems to wear them any more, and they're a right pain to visit the toilet in! Get them the salopettes that have braces, and make sure their ski jackets have ski skirts to stop snow up the back.

I second Lidl too for thermals. But not gloves - I bought gloves there last year, and had to buy new ones in resort as they were too thin, and the kids' hands were freezing. Spend money on good gloves would be my advice.

I only take walking boots skiing, not snow boots.

Get them a buff each - they go round their neck, and can be pulled up over their mouths, chins etc. if it is cold/snows while they're out. And I would go for goggles rather than sunglasses - much better protection. I wear goggles myself now all the time, including sunny days.

I would expect them to move up the mountain before the end of the week.

May also be worth seeing if you have any friends with stuff you can borrow for a week's skiing - ask on Facebook!

[FairyPenguin]

We took ours for the first time this year. Bought nearly everything from Mountain Warehouse when they had a sale on (40% off).

Jacket and salopettes - used jackets as their winter coats. Make sure you get waterproof and not snowproof. Salopettes I bought grey so DD can pass down to DS.

Thermals, microfleeces, goggles, gloves and snow boots from MW too.

Bought snoods from somewhere cheap on sale.

Bought technical ski socks from an online retailer - one thing we splashed out on as if you get sore feet that can really ruin your skiing holiday.

Hired helmets, skis, ski boots.

Went to snowdome for lessons beforehand, just so they got used to feel of wearing boots and skis, and the gear, and balancing on snow.

Have fun!

[FairyPenguin]

Also, see if you can get jackets with lift pass pocket in left arm or breast pocket. Easy to get through lifts.

[PatriciaHolm]

If they are reasonably sporty and coordinated, they'll be up the lifts on day 2 or 3! And swooping down with pizza stops by day 3....

[YorkshireTeaDrinker]

We took my DD (4) skiing for the first time this year. Kitted us all out at Decathlon.

[scatterthenuns]

I got a great ski jacket at Sports Direct this year!

[scatterthenuns]

For £15,I should have said! Reduced from £90ish!

[Liara]

We buy all our dc's kit (including skis, boots and poles) second hand. It is cheaper than renting and much better quality, plus you can pass it on or sell it once they've outgrown it. Because kids grow out of their gear, you can get good stuff which has hardly been used for some very, very good prices.

[SanityClause]

Lots of good suggestions here, but I don't think anyone's mentioned Decathlon, yet, which is also well worth a look.

[Flutterbutterfly]

Outdoor clearance have lots of childrens skiwear on sale. Buffs for £3, neck gaiters £1, sorrel boots £13. Fleece tops £5.
Lots of bargains to be had.

[mandy214]

We're going for 1st time at Christmas, just kitted out DDs (10 and 6) via Mountain Warehouse after a recommendation on another thread. They had a sale on, got jacket, salopettes and hat for about £25 for little one. Had run out of salopettes for the older one (the 11-12 were massive on my average 10yr old) but the 9-10 jacket is perfect (think it was £14.99). Got ski socks for about £3 I think and hundreds offleeces (some of the micro fleeces too) for about £6 each.