Can someone talk me through ski wear please?

[TheHouseofMirth]

Actually we orobably won't be skiing but we will be spending 4 days in Lapland in December and I want to start planning what we need clothes-wise.

It will be anything from -10 to -30 degrees so I know we'll need lots of layers.

There seems to be lost of hugely discounted ski wear on the web currently but I have no idea if all ski jackets are equally warm and what brands we should look for or avoid.

Can anyone give me any pointers please?

Lapland in December is about as cold as you could ever be on a holiday. I've been twice - the first time we had clear skies and saw the Aurora every night, it got down to -35 degrees, it was February. The second time it was cloudy every night, and the coldest it got was -15 on the first day and then warmed up to -5. We went to 2 completely different places in 2 different countries, but both times we were offered polar survival suits free of charge. If you are going to the Ice Hotel, it is expected that you wear them all the time! Great if you have just reached that stage of pregnancy where nothing really fits any more but there is no real bump .

The reason there is a lot of hugely discounted ski wear available atm is because the shops are trying to get rid of last year's stock to make space for the new season gear which will be ready for them to sell from September onwards. Buy your kit now why the prices are low, if you don't mind wearing a slightly older style - no one will notice anyway unless you are off to the most fashionable parts of the Alps.

My top tip for clothing is to make sure you have very good base layers. Decathlon do some decent cheap stuff, but merino wool is the best you can get if you want to spend the cash. Buy good quality socks and get a pair of silk glove liners - most people are happier if their feet and hands are not cold. Most brands are equally good at the end of the day, if you have a giant polar suit over the top of it!

I loved Lapland each time - have fun!

We are travelling with Magic of Lapland who provide outerwear. However, DH is such a snob he'd like his own and I thought it might be sensible to buy a set for DS2 who'll won't be quite 4 when we travel in case of "accidents". From what you're saying I'm wondering if regular ski jackets and salopettes will be warm enough though?

Good quality kids ski wear is really, really warm (osh kosh are good and Polarn Y Pyret do brilliantly warm hats and gloves as well as outerwear but it is ££)

As Backinthebox says, it's all about the layers. I put DS in temps of -15 in LS thermal underwear (M&S), long sleeved cotton t-shirt, thin but warm base layer fleece from PoP, salopettes and ski jacket, PoP gloves and hat and he is baking quite a lot of the time

That's reassuring. DowagersHump. I'm having trouble even imagining -30!

Spotty Otter down filled stuff is excellent for smaller kids, and is half price atm.

I've never been in temps that low but I think there is a point where, if you're dressed warmly, it doesn't actually feel that much colder, it just feels incredibly dry. Everything freezes - your face feels sort of stretched. You do need to be careful of frost burn on faces, especially with little ones - lots of goopy sunscreen to protect the skin

The other thing to advise is take 2 pairs of gloves each - you will likely be doing a lot of 'snowplay' and 2 pairs of gloves will allow some drying time.
neck fleeces and poloneck jumpers are other thin useful layers.

and also sunglasses - all that snow will reflect a lot of light and you need to protect your eyes.

greygirl was thinking of them wearing 2 pairs of glove at the same time. Or in fact fleece gloves inside ski mittens which I gather would be warmer but I will definitely add more pairs to the list!

I was wondering about sunglasses but bearing in mnd there are only 3 hours daylight I wasn't sure if we'd need them.

Goggles might be better than sunglasses. You need something to protect your eyes, especially if it's snowing.

Goggles it is then!

www.marshallleisure.co.uk/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=columbia&x=0&y=0

I got my DD's ski suit here last year - the lilac one. 1/2 price and loads in stock. I suspect because they've not put them in the Ski Clothes section of their website.

Some great bargains there!

Marshall Leisure

Oh, look, I followed the link instructions and it worked! Hurrah!

Thank you DaisyFitz!

Hi I am also doing 4 days in Lapland this december and very excited! Me, dh and 2dds aged 5 and 7. The tour operator provides the outer wear inc snow boots gloves etc but we have also bought the following for us all after much research!

2 thermal sets each - got them in January in m&s sale for £1 each!!!!!!!!
Magic gloves and fleece lines gloves each (to go under mittens they provide)
Snood
Balaclava (hear these a a must, especially for kids)
Goggles- been told not to get sunglasses as dark most of the day so it's only to protect against snow and wind
Hand warmers
Salopettes each
3 hats each - operator said all their hats are the same so useful to have your own so you can recognise each other! I got spares in case they get wet!
Thermal socks
Snow boots (next sale for £10 each)

I haven't bought ski jackets as a couple of people I know who have been say they a not as warm as the ones they provide, as they give you proper arctic suits. I have bought salopettes for the kids (me and dh already had some) as I heard its wise to wear them under the outerwear on trips and at night when temps drop even further!

Still need ski socks and a few fleece tops and bottoms all of which I plan to get in tkmaxx when their ski wear comes out.

So exciting - trip advisor has a whole section on wha to wear in Lapland so have a look on there

We went in December many years ago and it was really cold. We wore ski suits which are not as warm as they are now and we were fine but children will get cold.

I live somewhere where we regularly have temps down to at least -35C. What I will say is that you need to focus your attention on gloves and footwear (my kids have snowboots rated down to -70C ) as that's where you'll feel it the most. You need a decent hat, for sure, but as long as it's a thick, warm one your head will feel fine, and even at -35C. If you have plenty of layers your coat need not be anything special/expensive (unless it's windy at those temps!) but lots of the snow boots sold in Canada are woefully inadequate for keeping your tootsies comfortably warm. Oh, and if you are experiencing anything below -20C, cover as much of your face as possible. Obviously that's because of frost bite concerns, but also it feels really freaky when you go outside, breathe in and your nostrils instantly freeze shut.