[gillsfan36]

Hi there,

I have just found out that I will be working at a youth hostel in the French Alps fro 4 months from January-April 2013. As part of my payment, I will be given a free ski pass for the season so I want to make the most of this and learn to ski etc as I have never had any experience of this before.

I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of personal equipment I might need to buy beforehand, like a jacket perhaps? Could you recommend a good jacket that would suit my needs?

Thanks

gillsfan36

[Livingstone]

You want a decent jacket with a snow skirt, and salopettes. Also sunglasses or goggles otherwise you'll be squinting the whole time lol.

[Ari Ben Canaan]

One of the first things you'll notice is that while skiing your neck area and ears get really cold.

So buy a jacket that extends to cover those regions.

Also, have fun

[wilko1991]

Pair of salopettes, a skiing jacket and a pair of googles. You will only need one pair of salopettes. For the rest of your stuff bring a good pair of shoes because a cheap pair will get ruined by four months of snow. I have already done a winter season and it was fantastic. All I did was work, ski and drink. Fantastic four months.

[insignificant]

Neck warmer.
- stops you getting cold
- protects against sun
- stops you getting bad sunburn lines.

Also get something good to attach your ski pass to so you don't lose it or have to root around finding it.

[Banishingboredom]

I've just back from doing a season in Val D'isere. Had the time of my life and you will too.

The ski kit I'd recommend is:

good pair of ski boots - you may as well as renting is expensive and if they're uncomfortable it won't be much fun - I'd recommend going to Ellis Brigham as they're good fitters there;

pair of last season's skis - should be some good deals around atm and they'll last you for years;

ski jacket - get a shell jacket as then you'll be able to wear it when it's roasting hot as well as when it's well below freezing when you just wear more layers underneath;

ski gloves - most important piece of kit so get good quality ones;

goggles are important- get lenses for both low light and bright sunlight - sunglasses are NOT sufficient;

ski trousers or whatever;

at least 5 pairs of ski socks - washing clothes is v expensive in the alps and you really can't wear ski socks too many times without washing so bring as many as possible.

Also as you're a first time skiier i assume you'll need a helmet - trust me it's not worth taking that risk.

I'd recommend getting as much as you can here - go to the likes of TK Maxx to get cheap socks and other kit as it's just so expensive to buy things when you get out there. Also most resorts have a scanner system thing so if you put your ski pass in your top pocket it will read it.

Hope that helps, feel free to PM if you'd like any advice!

[meow444]

Some good, cheap places to buy kit:

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/activity/skiing
http://www.surfdome.com/
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/
TKmaxx (as Banishingboredom mentioned)

I'd definitely agree with everything Banishingboredom suggested, including buying a shell jacket and then layering underneath, rather than getting an insulated one.

Invest in some good thermals as well, you can get sweaty skiing (especially if you are learning) and it's much nicer having a wicking layer underneath.

[L-x]

No need to buy your own boots or skiis if it's your first time, you're ikely to be able to get a discount on renting (or it'll be free) and if it turns out you prefer snowboarding or cross country you won't have wasted a bunch of money. Helmet, shell jacket, masses of socks, goggles, gloves, LAYERS and ski trousers.

[Drewski]

If it's your firsttime and you're only learning, forget skis. Boots are a possibility if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket, otherwise forget it.

Jacket, salopettes, gloves, socks, goggles/sunglasses.

Chances are that if you're planning on working in the Alps then you'll be buying/have a decent jacket already, might as well make it one that's good for both.

Remember that while you get a free pass, you're still going to have to pay for lessons and they ain't cheap.

[Undergrad2012]

Sun tan lotion! Its amazing how burnt you get up there :P

[cesca42]

The essentials are a ski jacket, salopettes, ski socks (more than one pair because they get very smelly!), goggles, gloves and thermals. You can hire helmet, boots, skis and poles (bear in mind this does cost money, but you can probably get a deal if you rent them for the season). Good places to buy this stuff are TKMaxx and also you get a student discount with Cotswold outdoor.

As for brands, with a jacket you might want to go for something like North Face because they're actually really good and of course you can still wear it back at home. Salopettes, I wouldn't recommend getting anything too fancy, because obviously you're not going to walk down the high street at home in them. Thermals are worth getting a good pair, but you can buy plain white ones from John Lewis and stuff. Goggles I'd say are worth spending on, but not essential- I got a pair of goggles from River Island because they looked nice and they've been fine so far (two years). Just double, double check they're proper UV goggles! Socks are socks, use hiking socks or ski tubes, just make sure they go up your calf and are thick.

Because you're skiing from January to April the weather can and will change a lot. Take thermals, fleeces, neck warmers for January, and by April you might be skiing with just a shirt on underneath your jacket. Seriously, January it might be -15 with windchill, April might be +7 (or higher if you're unlucky).

Suncream is so important too! You don't think you'll burn, but you will!

Another piece of kit I'd personally recommend is this anti-blister stick that Boots sell (own range- Gorgeous Feet). I've never been skiing for a whole season, but if you rub in on the sides of your feet and your heels before you set off in the morning it really helps to prevent blisters. Once you've got them, they're such a pain!

Also, if there's something you realise you need whilst you're there, all resorts have ski kit shops. They're usually way overpriced though, so try to avoid having to resort to that!

I'll finish by saying that skiing is awesome, I'm sure you'll really enjoy it! Have fun!

[Drewski]

(Original post by cesca42)
Socks are socks, use hiking socks or ski tubes, just make sure they go up your calf and are thick.

No, get proper ski socks. It's worth the extra cash. They prevent material gathering up in the wrong places, making boots uncomfortable and gving you blisters. Tubes are useless. There's no elastication, they sag, there's no heel, they're not articulated. Waste of money.

Because you're skiing from January to April the weather can and will change a lot. Take thermals, fleeces, neck warmers for January, and by April you might be skiing with just a shirt on underneath your jacket. Seriously, January it might be -15 with windchill, April might be +7 (or higher if you're unlucky).

And the rest! -20C is easily possible.

[cesca42]

(Original post by Drewski)
No, get proper ski socks. It's worth the extra cash. They prevent material gathering up in the wrong places, making boots uncomfortable and gving you blisters. Tubes are useless. There's no elastication, they sag, there's no heel, they're not articulated. Waste of money.

o.O really? When I went this year I took a pair of ski tubes and a pair of proper ski socks and there was no discernible difference between the two.

I've been doing it wrong all these years!?

[Drewski]

(Original post by cesca42)
o.O really? When I went this year I took a pair of ski tubes and a pair of proper ski socks and there was no discernible difference between the two.

I've been doing it wrong all these years!?

I'd never recommend tube socks to anyone*. They don't always go wrong, but they don't age well. And that's something to consider if skiing for a long time.
Bet if you skied again in them your feet wouldn't be too happy.





*putting this in context, I'm an instructor, not just some randomer saying blah blah

[cesca42]

(Original post by Drewski)
I'd never recommend tube socks to anyone*. They don't always go wrong, but they don't age well. Bet if you skied again in them your feet wouldn't be too happy.





*putting this in context, I'm an instructor, not just some randomer saying blah blah

Ah, true. I've had them for about three years now, I think they need to go in the bin before next season.

Oh dear. My plan is to train as a ski instructor the year after I finish Uni. runs off to buy proper ski socks

[punctuation]

(Original post by Drewski)

*putting this in context, I'm an instructor, not just some randomer saying blah blah

Are you an instructor in the UK? I'm one in Canada (because I live in Canada, not because I had a whim ) with the CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructors Association). Do you know anything about transferring so that my certification would be valid in the UK as well?

For example, is there a course I could enrol in, or something of that nature?

[Drewski]

(Original post by punctuation)
Are you an instructor in the UK? I'm one in Canada (because I live in Canada, not because I had a whim ) with the CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructors Association). Do you know anything about transferring so that my certification would be valid in the UK as well?

For example, is there a course I could enrol in, or something of that nature?

I'm CSIA too, as long as you're level 2 or above yours is valid here. It's valid worldwide above 2 you should have been told this]. Only place you can't use it for work is France.

Though... why you'd want to use it here is beyond me, you know we don't have any mountains, right?

[Fishbulb25]

A good thermal hat and plenty of suncream and all the other stuff that people have said, but a good hat's at the top of my list!

[RowingGoose]

Oo sounds good! People have already listed the essentials. if you go on the TSR Ski trip thread then you'll see what people have listed when they were packing their bags.

Also, just a pointer - buy all the stuff NOW.The end of season stuff will be so much cheaper than buying it in december.

Have fun :-) So jealous!

Also, just wondering, how did you get the job? i.e. where did you apply to and what was the process. I might do similar :-)

[punctuation]

(Original post by Drewski)
I'm CSIA too, as long as you're level 2 or above yours is valid here. It's valid worldwide above 2 you should have been told this]. Only place you can't use it for work is France.

Though... why you'd want to use it here is beyond me, you know we don't have any mountains, right?

Ah, thank you.

I have no idea, really... I suppose I wanted to have the option? Haha