What clothes/kit do we need? Snow newbie

[HanleyGirl123]

We (2 adults, 2children) are booked for our first ski/snowboard holiday over the Christmas period in Tignes. It's going to be cold! We have never done this before and have no idea what to buy and how much in terms of equipment, clothes and layers.

Can anyone help with some lists or direct me to where I can find one? It's so confusing when our only experiences of snow has been the odd UK snowy day.

Firstly, you’re going to have the best time.
We’ve been going for years and usually take the following:
Skiing jacket and salopettes / trousers
3-4 fleece tops
3-4 long sleeve thermal base layers top and bottoms - merino ones are the best
3-4 short sleeve t-shirts as an extra layer if needed
3-4 pairs skiing socks - don’t scrimp on quality, your feet will thank you for it in term of temperature and comfort
Skiing gloves / mittens with under gloves
Snood / buff
Goggles / sunglasses - goggles are essential if it’s snowing whilst you’re skiing
You can hire all the rest of you kit: skis and poles / board, boots and helmets - compulsory for the kids and a very sensible idea for you.

We don’t take a lot of other clothes as we stay in and Airbnb, so shower when we get home and put our pjs on. We have in recent years used the washing machine there, but I’ve not taken any less kit than previous years ( we just wore it more than once). We also just wear walking boots / trainers rather than snow boots.

We take snack bars to eat on the mountain during the day - the kids will need a snack if they’re in ski school. Cheaper to buy here and take with you than buy when you’re there.

You don’t say how old your kids are, but if they’re primary age have a look at Muddy Puddles. Excellent quality, bright colours and keep our little one toasty, plus often easy to pick up second hand. The only advice we ever had a kit for our little one was not to scrimp on cheap clothes, as they’ll be wet, cold and miserable.

Hope that helps!

As above, Decathlon is your friend for all this. Good quality for reasonable prices. We took our kids for the first time this year and I bought their jacket and salopettes from Vinted. The ski helmets come with ski hire anyway, you will all need goggles and again decathlon will be good for these.
I only ever take one pair of salopettes - you can easily stick them on a towel rail or radiator at the end of the day to dry off.
I would invest in decent gloves and socks - cheap socks are not good so go for merino wool if you can.
I am always always too hot when I ski so find that a base layer is fine under my ski jacket.
It's good to take a small lightweight rucksack onto the slopes to carry water bottles etc.
And invest in some good lip balm ans spf for the face! The sticks are good for the kids.
Enjoy - Tignes is an amazing resort. It's where I learned to Ski ans loved it.

Don’t overdress as you end up boiling hot and wanting to strip off, light, waterproof layers are better. I take a small backpack with water, crisps and snickers bars on the mountain.

Make sure you have sunblock on and high spf lip balm as you will burn if not.

I take:
1 Ski jacket (tk maxx)
1 Ski trousers (easier for going to the loo than salopettes.)
2 pairs Ski socks (identical so you know your boots fit).
3 pairs normal bamboo socks that I wear under Ski socks
1 x Thermal long Johns
3 x base layer tip
2 x fleece with zip (ideally no hood) as mid layer.
1 additional layer in case v cold/going high.
Helmet and goggles (my current helmet from lidl)
Gloves with glove liner
Face mask/balaclava for colder/higher days.
Spare gloves and goggles (keep at accommodation, I don't take it out every day)
Mini facial suncream (high factor, with staying power).
Bag of mini mars/snickers/flapjacks- everyone to have a couple in their pocket. Useful energy boost in the mid afternoon when getting tired.
Mini wet wipes/tissues.

Look for merino/wicking fabrics.

I also put a headband in my pocket to keep my ears warm at lunch/apres-ski.
You may want a lightweight rucksack to keep discarded/extra layers, water bottle. Etc. I don't normally bother.

If there's a decathlon in tignes then you can buy replacements there if needed - most ski resorts are expensive to shop in and a spare pair of goggles and gloves are not expensive.

Are you staying in Tignes le lac? Lessons in the morning then free ski in the afternoon?

Then also: comfy clothes for evening. Certainly dont need a different outfit each night. Flip-flops or slippers. Swimming cossie (remember how the French are about trunks) if going to the pool.

Footwear - depends on how much snow underfoot round your accommodation/forecast. I typically wear a snow boot but trainers might be fine.

Others will have more experience of skiing with kids and specifics for them eg air tags, ski clips etc.

Check local neighbourhood groups for swaps/lends especially for kids stuff.

Make sure you buy decent shaped ski socks. Whatever you do don't buy ski tubes you will end up with bruises from the wrinkles. Also whatever you do don't wear two pairs of socks as another poster has suggested. That's also likely to lead to bruises under your ski boots and a miserable week.

Pretty much the same as What above. We also have our own helmets. Spend a bit more on decent goggles for adults.

Have a look at Lidl and Aldi did ski stuff. If you have the Lidl app you can get 25% off this week. There stuff is fine especially for children where it's probably only going to be worn one season.

We always buy the Carre Neige.

I've never had bruises from wearing 2 pairs of socks. Where would you get bruises?

I highly recommend old school sanitary towels, the thick ones, stick them to your shins, they help with the boots.

Very high spf lip balm.

Neck buffs - it can be bitingly cold in December and you can pull the buff up to protect your face from the wind; it can also be pulled over your head (under your helmet) to provide a layer of warmth.

If your kids are young and their gloves don't have wrist straps, consider getting some gloves strings to thread through jacket sleeves - the last thing you need is for them to lose a glove on a lesson. Take 2 pairs of gloves each so one can be drying on a radiator.

High factor sun cream suitable for skiing, ideally with a lip balm in the end.

I keep saying this, but a pack of tissues for your pocket - cold weather makes my nose run like anything!

Thermal boots and decent hat so your kids can go sledging at the end of the day - their hands and feet will get very cold (don't assume wellies wil do - they won't as they have no insulation). I've bought great snow boots from Lidl in the past.

There isn't a Decathlon in Tignes and the shops are very expensive, so I would avoid having to buy any clothes there if you can avoid it.

Take some ibuprofen or paracetamol for aches/pains - you can find you have very sore muscles when skiing; you can buy it there in the pharmacy but again, it's ££

You'll all need a base layer - long sleeved thin thermal or merino top - a mid layer, such as a fleece with a half zip, and a ski jacket. You can add a T-shirt over the thermal layer if it's particularly cold. Try and get jackets with a zip on the left sleeve if possible for your ski pass. On lower half you'll wear salopettes (with thermal leggings underneath if you want), and ski socks. Personally I've never worn leggings as I find the salopettes enough, but depends what suits you - I would take some as a precaution.

I wouldn't recommend all-in-one ski suits - makes going to the loo unnecessarily complicated! The floors are always wet due to people tracking the snow in on their boots, and trying to wrap the sleeves around you at the same time to stop them trailing on the floor is just a massive pain! They were clearly designed by men

www.skishacksports.com/blogs/articles/ski-boot-pain-and-discomfort-five-most-common-caus/

Surely @Whataretheodds meant take two pairs to alternate? Not 2 pairs at the same time

No I wear bamboo socks under a pair of ski socks. The bamboo socks get changed dailyish and the ski socks midweek or I alternate so they can dry out. I've never had blisters from ski boots and i don't recognise the bruising described. Lots of other bruises but not inside my boots!
I hire boots but swap in my own insoles.

@HanleyGirl123 ski stuff in the middle of lidl just now!

Thank you all, local Lidl has delivered ski trousers and jackets for adults and gloves and socks for all of us. I need to look up the other places such as Decathalon for the layers now.

What about snow boots? Where is the best place?

Also, I see that sunglasses/goggles are important. What happens if we wear glasses and contacts are not an option? Will prescription sunglasses from the high street do or do they have to be special ones?

I also need to get jackets and trousers etc for the kids.
They are aged 9 and 10 for those of you who asked upthread. Won't be comfortable in ski school (some SEN) so we plan to explore a few lessons in a snow dome before we go to get them used to the idea of a skiing experience without being part of a bigger group.

You will need lessons over there even if you start at the snowdome. It gives you a chance to practice on real terrain, gain technique and will highlight the easiest pistes and lifts for beginners to explore. Can be very unsafe otherwise. Maybe try a private lesson.

Decathlon is fine forsnowboots or Trespass

You want to avoid 2 pairs of ski socks because they’ll compress your feet and make them colder. I’m baffled by the suggestion of sticking sanitary towels down there! As a beginner just make sure you get a soft flex boot and don’t do them up too tightly. If they’re giving you issue go back to the rental to swap them out.

It means a slightly bigger suitcase but I always take a clean pair of ski socks and base layer top everyday. If you’re rewearing then either it’s grim or you’re not skiing hard enough!! Kids that haven’t reached puberty will be fine with 2-3 rewears though- I found the biggest issue is getting hot chocolate down the front of their fleeces! Even hands can get sweaty, then really cold from the damp so I wear liner gloves and take a spare pair in my pocket so I can swap over at lunch to dry ones.

Yes yes to neck buffs for everyone. Suncream and spf lipbalm, high factor and reapply at lunch. Sunglasses and hat in your pocket as you’ll likely eat outside unless it’s snowing.

Kids under 8 get free lift passes in Tignes but you need to go with them + passport to buy them to show proof of age- or at least that how it worked when we did it in Val D’Isere (the sister resort) last year!

Most importantly have fun, might see you there as we’re in Val at the same time and will no doubt ski over at least once 😀

Won't be comfortable in ski school (some SEN) so we plan to explore a few lessons in a snow dome before we go to get them used to the idea of a skiing experience without being part of a bigger group.
I’d also book a few private lessons once you get there then. The snowdome is great but it’s not even close to being a substitute for the real thing. It would be really dangerous to do otherwise.

As a beginner just make sure you get a soft flex boot and don’t do them up too tightly. If they’re giving you issue go back to the rental to swap them out.
Yes yes to this - don't be afraid to go back as many times as you need.

In the ski shop they'll ask your weight and level of experience so they can fix the bindings properly.

I think you can get goggles that fit over sunglasses? Not a specs wearer I'm afraid so not sure.

OTG goggles. My niece wears them.
Vision express has Bolle ones on sale at the moment.

Please don’t try to take your children on the slopes without lessons. As others have said, the snow dome is no substitute for the real thing, plus if you’ve never been to the resort before then you won’t know which runs are suitable. It could be very dangerous. Also, as you’re asking questions about what to take, you’re giving the impression that you’ve never been before either. I can’t give specific advice about Tignes, but I’m sure if you contact some of the ski schools direct you could arrange some private lessons. The instructors will be very used to children with different needs and should be able to accommodate.

Vinted has some great bargains on ski clothing. We will be first time newbies (hopefully) but can't go until April, if anyone on the thread has been for Easter please recommend places to stay etc.
OP, we've been to Milton Keynes snozone for a few lessons. I know it's the same as the mountains but it was good to get some basics learnt.

I have been very open at the start of the thread about the fact that we have zero experience of this type of holiday. All advice is welcome and I'll ask about a couple of private lessons at Tignes.