Ski kit for toddlers

[Starrymummy1]

Hi, looking for advice on ski kit for toddlers (2 and 4 year olds). I imagine they’ll spend a bit of time sledging and having snow ball fights and generally playing in the snow, rather than solely skiing! Would I be alright with second hand ski kit or should I buy cheapie new (mountains warehouse do cheap kids snow suit £29.99) or would it be worth splashing out and buying second hand or new proper scandi snow suits- like Didrikinsons?

I’m worried about the waterproof-ness of the cheaper and/or second hand options. Not sure how well waterproofing spray works. Although I did think, given they’re so little, we wouldn’t be out for more than a couple of hours at a time, so it’s not so disastrous if they get a bit damp from rolling around in the snow. Any suggestions?

Has anyone taken their kids in second hand/hand me down ski suits and found they weren’t overly waterproof?

Again decathlon do some decent snow boots, was there over the new year and no complaints from my 5 yr old in her decathlon boots. Make sure they have decent ski socks on in them though.

We have a 3 year old who has been in a ski resort 6-8 weeks every year so well versed in gear! Bib style pants are great for spring skiing, couple of fleeces each and 2 sets of gloves. Don’t need fancy base layers for playing around with skis if the weather is nice. Sorel boots (from Vinted) they best boots, I buy for around £15 second hand and then sell on for almost the same price and get the next size.

We buy Burton gear, if there is any second hand on Vinted it’s great stuff. Lots of suncream and sunglasses they like to wear for around resort.

We have had our little boy on skis playing around from 18 months old, low expectations and short sessions. It’s a lot of work getting them out of the door but well worth it, a hobble de hoo harness has been a key bit of kit for us. Also a good ski backpack with lots of straps for little skis and boots to be strapped to getting to and from the slope (we have dakine backpacks).

Well worth the effort and investment, our 3 year old can get around a fair bit of the
mountain and ski easy blues now independently. Starting to get the pay off!

Unless they are still in nappies don't get all in one.

Mine at that age wore Decathlon, snow suits and snow boots when tiny and ski trousers and jackets with fleece underneath when a bit older. They were still good as new after 2 years and I sold them on.

We’re near the Alps and that was sufficient for outdoor play, then early ski lessons. I didn’t really give a thought to waterproofness, we’d just brush off the snow and they were dry and toasty underneath. Mittens are a must, in March I don’t think you’ll need under gloves (my lot were skiing in fleeces late Feb), but a second pair in case they get wet from the slush are always handy. Also a neck tube instead of a scarf, that was pretty vital for the chair lift more than anything else. I had nice fleece hats as they’d dry quickly if wet, then of course helmets when skiing (also from Decathlon).

none of mine were cold, too much rushing about and skiing, then retiring to the bar for a hot chocolate when the sun went down and it got colder. The layers were more for trundling from the warm bar back to the accommodation or out in the evening.

Don’t get an all in one.
Firstly you have to get the right size, so no way of using again next winter. With the separate bib style salopettes they usually come with three different poppers at the top, So you could buy age 5-6 for 4 year old and use on Lowe level, then higher popper next year
Also March can be hot. It’s also really mild this year. We had days of 9+ degrees on the slopes, it was cold last week, but back at + again. And it’s January. If it’s mild in March you can then have option on just the salopettes and jumper underneath when they are outside or thinner coat ontop. So take thick coat and thinner so you have options. By March at kindergarten Ds is often downgraded to rain salopettes also if mild as snow ones hot

get waterproof mittens. Don’t get those massive one that go up the arm as at 2-4 they loose thumb and its awkward getting on. Just lower regular waterproof mittens. X2 each so you can dry and put fresh ones on if you go back out in evening. Basic ones are fine.

Kuling snow boots - think Ds pair were €17 on offer

h and m is find for basics like hats, scarfs, spare mittens. They also sell salopettes and boots online but I haven’t tried yet.

Thanks for this. Interested in your thoughts on mittens- if they have the short ones do they not end up with a gap where snow gets in? Also, are the short ones much easier than the long ones to get their thumbs in?

I use short ones with thumb, and the coat goes over the top. Cot had cuff that then covers mittens so no gap. Even the short ones aren’t that short on small children.

We have long mittens also, but the coat always half in the way at wrists when small, so they are awkward to tuck under or over fully without being awkward. So I end up swapping for shorter mittens 99% of the time, and he can get them on himself.

we have sterntaler atm, they were only about £10 on Amazon for short waterproof ones. The longer ones from Kuling and hestra spend their life in the cupboard or bottom of bag unwanted

engel merino scarf buff is also excellent. Don’t recommend fleece as it’s so hot and sweaty and too bulky under coat and if they have ski helmet on

You put the mittens on first then the jacket. No gap.

And yes, short ones much easier to get thumbs in. Otherwise my 3 year old moans every 2 mins with long ones he’s ‘ got no thumbs’…

If anyone could recommend some ski mittens for a toddler that (a) they can still use their hands (b) don't fall off. I would be forever grateful! I bought some wedze decathlon ones (enormous, couldn't hold anything) helly Hansen (too narrow to get over a jacket and couldn't hold anything) and didrikson gloves ( also too narrow to go over gloves and couldn't hold anything)

Hestra mittens but the short ones, think they’re called ‘my first hestra’ and put them on before the jacket/snowsuit.

Yes used Barts they were good at staying on and have old fashioned string that can be threaded through the jacket - reduce risk of lost gloves.

When mine were toddlers i really liked the Columbia salopettes with the zip in between the legs for nappy changes. Not sure if they do them anymore.

If not in nappies take two sets in case they have an accident.

Definitely have two sets of gloves.

@Heartbreaktuna we had PoP, I seem to remember they were ok.
DD had built in mittens as a baby!

My daughter has had Frugi ski jackets the last three years and alternates between Jojo fleece lined waterproof trousers and Frugi salopettes. I really liked the aldi snow boots last year but they’ve stopped doing the smaller sizes, so she has a Jojo pair from vinted this year. For base layers I would always go decathlon, they do come up small though in my opinion - DD has the thicker fleece lined leggings and top. She also has decathlon mittens, socks, goggle and sunglasses.

Just got back from the French alps.

drsssed our 2 year old in decathlon merino which was washed after 2 days and it dried so quick on the radiators. Paired with decathlon salopettes and ski jacket. The jacket is super warm and the salopettes had a fleece top layer. Make sure whatever salopettes you buy have snow skirt and decathlon booties. And ski socks from decathlon

we bought toddler snoods on Amazon and she wore that and hat for evening and afternoon cold after 3pm.

sunnies and goggles ，we had existing sunnies from jojo which she prefereed
over goggles (decathlon)