Ski & snowboard

Ski clothes that hold the cold out

Snow is wet, and a mountain will find every seam you did not think about. That is the problem ski and snowboard clothes exist to solve. Waterproof, breathable membranes stop meltwater soaking through while letting sweat escape on the climb back to the lift, and fully taped seams close the gaps that stitching leaves behind. A powder skirt seals the waist so snow does not travel up your back after a fall, and snug cuffs and snow gaiters do the same job at the wrists and ankles. Underarm vents let you dump heat on a warm afternoon without stripping a layer off in a lift queue. Underneath, insulation is a choice rather than a default: more of it for standing about on cold chairlifts, less for riding hard and staying dry from the inside. Trousers need reinforcement at the hem where edges and boots scuff them, and pockets need to be reachable with gloves on. For the full men's range across jackets, trousers and layers, start with our men's ski and snowboard clothing and gear.

Ski socks, hats and the small stuff

The small things ruin days more often than the big ones. Ski socks should be thinner than instinct suggests, because a thick sock crushed inside a boot cuts circulation and leaves you colder, not warmer. Choose one over-the-calf pair with light cushioning at the shin and none of the bunching that comes from doubling up. A hat matters at both ends of the day, whether that is a thin beanie under a helmet or a warmer one for the bar afterwards. Add gloves you can actually work a zip in and something for your neck, since the gap between collar and goggles is where the wind gets in. Base layers should move sweat rather than hold it, because damp fabric against skin on a cold chairlift is the fastest way to end a day early. None of it is expensive next to a lift pass, and all of it decides whether you last until the last run. For everything on the women's side, our women's ski and snowboard clothing and gear covers the same ground.