by Dan Slater
Off to the snow? Good on you! You'll have a blast. Whether you're a skier or a boarder though, there's no getting away from the hefty layout in expensive equipment and clothing that a ski holiday entails. A decent ski jacket alone can set you back $1000! Is there any way around it? Well, if you're a keen hiker then the answer is definitely yes! We're here to explain how.
The conventional approach to taking up a snow hobby is to purchase a specific waterproof, insulated ski jacket and pants, and if you're otherwise not an outdoors person, then that may certainly be the best way to go. If however you're a dedicated lover of all things hiking and you have a couple of grand's worth of bushwalking gear in your closet, it seems silly not to make use of it.
In essence, skiing or boarding requires almost exactly the same clothing systems as trekking - insulation, weather protection and comfort. In fact, a well thought-out layering system is superior to all-in-one ski wear in one very important respect - flexibility. Adjusting your temperature based on changing activity and weather is far easier with a series of layers than with a single bulky item. The basic components are a next-to-skin base layer, one of more insulation layers and a shell layer.
- Sunny day? Just wear a light insulated jacket and leave the waterproofs at home.
- Warm & windy? Reverse the system and go with hard shell only.
- Arctic blizzard? Throw the lot on and dive in.
To demonstrate how convenient and easy it is to use your trekking gear on your snow trip, Web manager Dan took exactly that on his recent snowboarding holiday to Hakuba, Japan, where he enjoyed a range of conditions from bluebird days to rain to frozen ice to deep powder to puking snow, and survived. He was never cold, never wet and never uncomfortable (except when sliding head first down black mogul runs and crashing into trees). Here is what he wore most days:
- Earth Sea Sky Merino Boxers
- Icebreaker 260 weight merino wool Tech LS Crewe and Leggings.
- Injinji Coolmax Performance Liner Socks
- Bridgedale Hike Midweight Performance Socks
- Earth Sea Sky Silk Weight T-Shirt
- Outdoor Research Ascendant Insulated Hoody
- Outdoor Research Cirque Soft Shell Pants
- Arc'teryx Theta AR Waterproof Jacket
- Outdoor Research Foray Waterproof Pants
- Outdoor Research Gripper Gloves
- Outdoor Research Revel Shell Mitts
- Arc'teryx Bird Head Toque
- Buff Original
- Heatmax Toastie Toes Hand & Foot Warmers
- Deuter Speed Lite 20 Day Pack
- ACR ResQLink PLB
 If you need any further clarification, please give us a call on 02 9261 3435 or pop in to see us.
