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Original poster

Skiing Novice: what do I need?

31 replies

GonePenguin · 11/10/2021 14:31

Greetings and salutations.

I’m going skiing this winter (France) with my boyfriend who is a skiing enthusiast. Short of a school ski trip when I was 13 (20 years ago), I haven’t snow-ploughed before/to any meaningful degree. Naturally I will have a bit of ski school time once we get there, but my main concerns are:

  • what ski clothes do I need/quantity?
  • what does the average day on a ski holiday look like?
  • any other nuggets so I don’t wholly embarrass myself?

I’m otherwise fit and exercise a lot so no concerns about physicality of the holiday.

OP posts:
PlinkPlankPlunk · 11/10/2021 17:38

Yes, you absolutely must wear a helmet - and everyone does. I can’t remember the last time I saw someone on the slopes without one (for good reason).

Great advice above from PPs. Take a really good lip balm, some sun block and a pocketful of mini chocolate bars to keep you going when you’re cold and wet.

ElizabethinherGermanGarden · 11/10/2021 17:44

If you've been on a school trip, you probably went at the cheap end of the season when it was a bit warmer than it is likely to be in the winter - if you are thinking back and remembering school classics such as skiing in salopettes and bikini tops, think again! So much colder midwinter. I learned this to my cost...

So, I'd really recommend getting goggles even if you hope you will never wear them and only wear sunglasses instead. Nothing worse than having frozen eyelashes in a blizzard on a stationary chair lift. Always worth having them in your back/pocket just in case.

Original poster
GonePenguin · 11/10/2021 18:11

A wealth of help!

Thank you all - and the number of “have firm boundaries with the bf” has confirmed my low level anxiety. He’ll want to do the whole “oh, give it a try” thing…to which my disdainful retort is always “have you ever been circumcised with a rusty spoon? No? Oh, but you must trrrryyyyyy it before you pass judgment!”

Thank you also to the enthusiastic comments that I will love it. I’m a bit stubborn and don’t like humiliation in falling over/being scared, so I am a little apprehensive. It’s a big hobby of his so I too want to enjoy it…or at least be neutral after the trip!

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IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 · 11/10/2021 20:27

Do not ever buy a one piece sko suit - no matter how long the front zipper is!
I have too many memories of having a "break" and having to manage top half, sleeves, from dropping onto to the melted snow floors of too many alpine resorts
Useful is having clips on the wrists of your jacket and on your gloves so can clip the gloves on and not risk loosing them when you stop for whatever reason!

ArialAnna · 11/10/2021 20:51

Thank you also to the enthusiastic comments that I will love it. I’m a bit stubborn and don’t like humiliation in falling over/being scared, so I am a little apprehensive. It’s a big hobby of his so I too want to enjoy it…or at least be neutral after the trip!

In the nicest possible way, don't expect too much. Being a beginner isn't very fun - you spend a lot of time on your bum at the bottom of the mountain (where the snow is more likely to be slushy or icy). IMHO it normally takes around three holidays for the pleasure significantly to outweigh the pain, and people to seriously get the 'bug'. But stick with it, as it's soooo worth it! My partner hadn't skied before we met, and the first couple of times he came along to humour me but now he's completely addicted too (We are both keen on a nice restaurant lunch tho! Squashed baguette on the side of the piste just doesn't cut it Grin)

IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 · 11/10/2021 21:25

@ArialAnna

Thank you also to the enthusiastic comments that I will love it. I’m a bit stubborn and don’t like humiliation in falling over/being scared, so I am a little apprehensive. It’s a big hobby of his so I too want to enjoy it…or at least be neutral after the trip!

In the nicest possible way, don't expect too much. Being a beginner isn't very fun - you spend a lot of time on your bum at the bottom of the mountain (where the snow is more likely to be slushy or icy). IMHO it normally takes around three holidays for the pleasure significantly to outweigh the pain, and people to seriously get the 'bug'. But stick with it, as it's soooo worth it! My partner hadn't skied before we met, and the first couple of times he came along to humour me but now he's completely addicted too (We are both keen on a nice restaurant lunch tho! Squashed baguette on the side of the piste just doesn't cut it Grin)

I don't agree that being a beginner is no fun - it's like going to school for the first day, if you have a good teacher it will be fun. My first Alpine ski holiday ( I was an adult, not at all "sporty" and it turned out that the best of the holiday was every morning 3 hour ski school with a great teacher. A "good" school will put classes together ( 8-10 beginners) suited to their age etc. i.e. no 5 year olds in a group of 35 year olds, and apply the most suitable teacher to that selected group of pupils. I still have happy memories of learning how to snow plough (and fall) on the blue pistes back in Austria 30 odd years ago!
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