Kids ski clothes

[lobsteroll]

All being well we're hoping to go skiing this season.

It will be my childrens first time. They are 5 and 2 so only 5 year old will actually be skiing.

What kit do they actually need? I don't want to go ott and buy stuff that they are going to grow out of quickly as we may or may not go annually.

• how many pairs of ski socks
• would you hire a helmet? Would it be ridiculous to take along their scooter/bike helmets instead?
• do they need own goggles or can we hire?
• how many thermals?
• they already have waterproof mittens - assuming these will be fine even for skiing one?
• what are the best boots for them to wear to walk around?

Basically - can you tell me what you dress them
in from top to toe and quantities of each item 😂

I'm not a great judge because I'm such a hot and sweaty skier that even in January I will only wear thermals, salopettes and a jacket but obviously kids get so much chillier.

Thank you!

[LakeShoreD]

• For the 2YO I’d get them a snowsuit from a reputable outdoor brand. They’ll want to play in the snow even if not skiing. You can probably find a decent one second hand because they don’t get much use in the British climate!
  
• I get my 4YO a ski jacket as her warm winter coat so it lasts the whole winter. Salopettes get less wear so we buy them in a gender neutral colour so she can hand them down to her brother.
  
• I take clean ski socks for everyday. Don’t double layer them as it can cause blisters in the boots.
  
• I don’t hire helmets because you never know if some has whacked their head in it but most people do hire for kids. They can’t use a bike helmet; they have bigger holes for ventilation so they would get snow in there and be freezing. Also, resort dependent but the law often specifically dictates a ski helmet must be worn.
  
• Instead of specific thermals I do leggings and long sleeved t-shirt. Clean got every day as they’ll wear them to eat breakfast and around the chalet after skiing. Plus a thin jumper as a mid layer, I usually take 3 of these for a week.
  
• They need proper insulated cold weather mittens designed for snow. Cold hands = miserable kids.
  
• Boots depend on where you’re staying and if there’s likely to be loads of snow on the grounds. Warm and waterproof is a good bet though.

[DragonLegs]

Young children learning to ski spend a lot of time touching the snow either playing or because they have fallen so I’d say for gloves, buy the best you can afford and then use the ones you already have as a spare. When kids gloves are wet they get cold quickly.

Basic sallopettes and ski jacket is fine. They are likely to be at the bottom of the ski resort away from the more extreme weather (found at the top). They will need a thermal and pair of socks for each day - hire boots can be a bit smelly so it’s a bit gross to reuse them! Of course if you can wash them out there then take fewer pairs.

A bike helmet won’t be the same and also not as warm. They are very cheap to hire though. You will need a pair of ski goggles. Also take a couple of thin jumpers/fleeces and a warmer one too. You can layer up then as necessary. A neck warmer is a good idea too so the wind doesn’t go down their jacket and make them cold.

[Legoisaws8om]

Decathalon - so cheap and probably cheaper than hiring stuff. You can get your full kit as pp suggested.

[lobsteroll]

Thank you, this is really helpful.

You're right about snowsuit for youngest, that's what I was thinking.

Thanks for the advice on helmets.

Do your kids wear buffs/balaclavas?

So I think the only thing we already have is the mittens 🤣 better get shopping.

Thanks again!

[LakeShoreD]

Sorry yes also buy goggles for your skier. Ours came free with the helmet, they aren’t typically expensive. Mine do wear neck warmers. DD has a fancy one from North Face bought when we lived in the US and got a lot more use out of cold weather clothing!

[randomsabreuse]

Decathlon or if you're not going early season, Aldi/Lidl.

For older one in lessons, jacket and salopettes/ski trousers rather than a snow suit to help with toilet trips.

Several pairs of mittens/gloves as they might lose/will saturate them.

I'd probably buy a decathlon helmet and goggles that work with it.

When picking resort (assuming abroad) look for somewhere with nursery slopes with sun rather than north facing.

[Ginfilledcats]

I agree with the snow suit for the little one but also take a jacket for too and from the airport, popping out for a walk at night.

When we were young (learnt to ski nearly 30 years ago at similar ages to your kids) my parents bought a lot of stuff jackets and salopettes from tk maxx.

I would get actual thermals though, not just random leggings, they make a massive difference - go to mountain warehouse or decathlon if you don't want to spend a lot. At ski school there's a lot of standing around waiting for someone to get up after falling over - they can get cold so get good base layers and a ski fleece, not just any old jumper.

Definitely get a buff (Buff brand are ace but tk maxx and Lidl often have similar). We only take 3 pairs of ski socks for a week, always have done. Definitely only one pair!
Definitely buy a helmet and goggles - again go decathlon, mountain warehouse or tk maxx for these.

Id also buy 2 pairs of mittens for each kid and keep a spare pair in your rucksack, nothing worse than putting cold and wet mittens on after lunch!

Depending on your accommodation, I would advise taking a big blue IKEA bag or big Tesco bag for life style bag with you. You can dump the helmets, jackets and buffs etc, and kids boots in there if there's a long walk to the ski lockers (they're sometimes in your accommodation in which case walking wearing all that stuff is very hot, or they're sometimes a walk outside by the ski lift in which case the little ones might struggle to walk in the boots that far. They're not easy to walk in at the best of times, let alone at the end of the day when everyone's tired sore and hungry!)

I'd also buy some fun size chocolate bars and keep them in yours/the kids pockets as a quick pick you up! Saves you spending €5 on a twix at the top of the mountain too.

I say all this as a life long skier and have done 2 ski seasons.

[myrtilles]

Muddy Puddles do nice ski wear for kids. I would get all in one suits when they are pre school age.

[FedUpAtHomeTroels]

Aldi and Lidl do the ski wear sale, in their isle of randomness in the new year. Kids helmets are cheap enough. Dd's was £12.99
I odered her a bunch of their ski wear online and it came quickly in the post.
Other than that we bought from Trespass. They do the full outfit for a set price I forget how much, but it'll be advertised in the window when it starts or ask in store.

[lobsteroll]

Thanks everyone, so many useful tips.

I've done two ski seasons myself as well actually but never been away with kids and like someone said, cold wet kids = miserable kids so I definitely want to get the balance right.

I think multiple pairs of mittens is a must - thanks for that!

I always take celebrations or miniature heroes in my pocket so thanks for the reminder 🤣 I remember being in Val d'Isere once and seeing a packet of crisps in a mountain cafe for €8 😱😱

And given all of your comments, I think I'll probably just buy eldest a helmet/goggles combo, seems to make the most sense.

I don't think we'll be able to take advantage of aldi specials for the kit if they come into stock in the new year as we're away around about that time ourselves. I'm sure decathlon will have what we need so I'll have a good look.

Thanks all!

[FedUpAtHomeTroels]

Some stuff online for sale with Aldi already
www.aldi.co.uk/search?text=Ski&category=ALL
Looks like last years but keep an eye online as they sell online before they sell in store.
Lands End have the best kids snow boots if you can find them of clearance. Don't forget Trespass clearance.

[RedHotChiliChips]

We're clearly a bunch of mingers This is what we have packed in the past and have worked out well on each trip. We've only skied in Finnish Lapland, which can be very cold.

2 x pairs of ski socks. Regular socks for other times when not skiing.

2 x pair of thermals. On small kids they really don't get smelly. And as PP said, get a proper thermal set, not just any old cotton leggings.

2 x mid-layer fleece top.

Helmets we have always hired at the location alongside with the skis and boots.

Goggles, bought from Ebay, got three trips worth out of them.

2 x pair of mittens. Mittens are much warmer than gloves.

We've also always have had balaclavas but these are a must have in Finland as it's so cold. Balaclava/neck tube is also much more practical than a regular scarf.

I do hate travelling with a massive amount of stuff as well as storing a massive amount of items that are needed only once a year, hence not buying a pair of thermals etc for each day.

I'd also recommend Decathlon, their value line kid's mittens and snow boots are brilliant and very cheap.

[AlbaAlba]

Dare2B is surprisingly good for kids' ski wear. Decathlon too. Trespass.

• how many pairs of ski socks
  

I'd go with 2 each, to allow 1 pair to dry if they get wet from snow. I'm afraid we don't wash ours whilst we're out there!

• would you hire a helmet? Would it be ridiculous to take along their scooter/bike helmets instead?
  

We hired helmets the first year but both DC caught nits from them (as far as we can tell). After that we bought our own, they weren't too expensive. I wouldn't use a helmet made for another sport because the protection needs are different, and I suspect most ski schools wouldn't take a child in a cycle helmet.

• do they need own goggles or can we hire?
  

Not sure I've ever seen goggles to hire, we bought ours, they don't tend to grow out of them that quickly so a pair will last quite a few seasons and can be handed down.

• how many thermals?
  

We take 2 thermal tops and 2 thermal bottoms each, again we don't usually bother washing them whilst out there, but they do sometimes come back wet from snow so need to dry out.

• they already have waterproof mittens - assuming these will be fine even for skiing one?
  

Probably. Assuming waterproof and padded.

• what are the best boots for them to wear to walk around?
  

Snow boots (Jojomamanbebe do a good range) or, once older, they take their walking boots.

Other stuff:
Salopettes, ski jacket, hat, fleece neck gaiter. 2 x fleece jumpers (regatta/millets do very cheap ones and they're absolutely fine).
We also take evening stuff, like trousers, warm jumper, normal socks. Sunglasses.

Snowsuit - depends on age, although warmer, harder to get on and off if need the loo during ski school.

I tend to dress the DC more warmly than adults, they tend to get colder and then get miserable quickly. Bright colours are excellent for spotting them on the slopes and when collecting from ski school. Some little hand warmers might be good to stick in mitts if very cold. Actual thermals not cotton leggings as warmer and will dry much quicker. Keep them fed and sugared up. Big breakfast, plenty of snacks, and keep sweets in your pockets to keep handing out when they start to lag.

[AlbaAlba]

Also agree with - buy neutral colours so they can be handed on, given they get so little wear, and assuming school rules allow, make their winter school coat a ski jacket - saves money and they get to be very cosy in playground too.

[stringbean]

Take some glove strings as well for your kids (you can find them on Amazon) so their gloves are still attached to them if they take them off while they’re out. A dropped glove from a chairlift will end their ski lesson pretty quickly!

[stringbean]

I bought snow boots in Lidl/Aldi for the dc when younger - they were great and only cost about a tenner. Never managed to get the ski jackets etc from them in the right size but their thermals and socks were great.

[woulducouldushouldu]

Seasoned skirt here

eBay is your friend. Most kids ski wear has had one maybe two seasons use and therefore in good condition at half the price of new. Look for a jacket with a ski pass pocket in the left sleeve. You don't need to spend a fortune on a designer brand (anyway no one will see the brand as they will have a ski school vest on most of the time)

Buy goggles new. Tkmaxx sometimes has them in. Otherwise decathlon

Helmet - you get when you rent the skis. Normal Bike helmets are not the right type

Gloves - 2 pairs for when one gets wet. It doesn't matter if they have fingers or are mitts. Whatever your child is happier with. Some have elastic clips on which can clip you the jacket

Socks - don't get the tube socks they always slip down. The ones with the heel are much better. A pain but always put in a wool wash with loads of fabric softener and hang up to dry (don't tumble dry) otherwise you risk shrinking

Name everything. I am amazed how some people think it is ok to "help" themselves to your stuff when their kid has lost something (I had one mum deny until she was blue in the face that she had taken my kids gloves, I saw her take them out of my daughters pocket in the boot room, even when I showed her my kids name written on the front outside of the gloves)

Not kit but mini Mars/Milky way bars are a must. A couple in a pocket will keep them going when energy levels start to flag

[MrsWooster]

Usually the ski hire for kids includes the helmet. I would really try eBay for salopettes and jackets, or all in one for the littlest. Mine wear wellies for playing in the snow but we’re common

[Solasum]

I would work on the assumption that they will need to change gloves at lunchtime every day. Jelly babies to eat on the lifts

[Solasum]

Not all kids ski jackets have a lift pass pocket. Make sure you get one with

[PennyWus]

Great advice here already, was just going to say I got an amazing deal on Ebay used for salopettes and snowsuits and snow boots, again second getting neutral colours if you buy salopettes to pass along or resell.

I also bought Used merino-blend thermal base layer for DD for cold weather, and also some lighter weight thermals as actually some days on the slopes when it is sunny and you are skiing it's really warm.

Invest in good quality socks and gloves (two pairs) and decent boots. Cold/wet feet and hands make the experience miserable. I found fantastic woollen gloves for my one year old from Polarn y pyret in a sale, fit snugly and very warm. He just pulled ski mittens off and didnt like proper ski gloves.

Don't forget to take some washing machine pods or handwash so you can rinse through ski socks (I'd say 1 to wear, 1 drying, 1 in washing).

I wouldnt bother with a balaclava unless it is going to be dreadfully cold where you are going eg Scotland.

[morechocolateneededtoday]

Wrong thread sorry. Reported to MN

[PumpkinHenri]

For boots I would recommend some Sorel boots (second hand from Vinted) they are brilliant and can be re sold at pretty much the same price. The snow boots in decathlon are still pretty pricey but nowhere near the quality of Sorel. Warm and dry feet are a must!

It might be worth getting some little skis for the day for your 2 year old and having a scoot about, our nearly 2 year old did well in December and we will be back out for Easter and will be doing 45 mins/an hour most days.

[Wintersbone]

I'd get an all in one for the 5 year old as well. Polann do great ones. It's madness to just use leggings underneath. They'd surely be freezing. You need merino wool baselayers and if it's really cold then a fleece layer on top of that. Mountain warehouse is a good place to look.