Top Tips for Skiing and Staying Dry

Try to Stay Dry

Imagine this: You’re skiing down the slopes. You may not be a professional, but you aren’t a novice anymore, and you’re really starting to enjoy the process. Trees whizz by on the left and the right and the snow glides smoothly underneath your skis. It’s like sliding on wax, to the left, to the right, when suddenly, you feel your weight buckle too far to one side and…

Oops. You fell over. What’s this? It’s getting wet, and you can see your wrists are red from the cold.

Skiing is a great sport, but too often we don’t prepare for moments like these, when our adventure-seeking is caught up by the harsh reality of winter weather. Especially for the more-prone-to-fall-over beginner, staying dry is essential to having a fun skiing experience that you’ll want to duplicate.

Here are some of the top tips for remaining dry, even if you’re just getting your feet wet in the sport.

Watch the exposed skin – There are extended gloves you can buy that go past your wrist, comfortably under your sleeves in order to make sure that the gloves never “shove off” during transit on the slopes and reveal skin that might make contact with that cold, wet snow. Likewise, there aer hoods and hats that can go over your hair as well as your neck.Make plans for a full-level skiing suit that covers wrists, ankles, and necks, so that you won’t have to feel the added sting of a fall while skiing.
Get the best materials – Ordinary socks, for example, just don’t cut it. If you’re a skier, you need skiing socks. Seek these out with a quick Google search. Fabrics like wool might be ideal over cotton because of their ability to wick off moisture while retaining your body’s natural heat. Make sure you get gloves that protect you from the wind: if your fingers can feel the cold air even when they’re on, get some new gloves.
Don’t fall – This seems like an obvious suggestion, but realistically, the better you get at skiing, the less you’ll remain off of your feet. This means putting in the tough hours of practice when you’re a novice. Even if you fall, feel confident that when you get back up, you’ll be that much closer to becoming an intermediate to advanced skier who doesn’t worry about falls.Also, be realistic about your skills, and only push yourself an appropriate amount to improve your skiing. Don’t risk the crazy-hard slopes just to prove a point to yourself: that’s just begging for some time in the snow.
These tips for staying dry while skiing are just scratching the surface. There are many ways to make your skiing trip more enjoyable, and that doesn’t only include taking out some of the risks and less enjoyable aspects of skiing. And, remember: if you really want to ski the slopes hard, keep getting up on that ski lift.

Photo Credit: _Jack.ed

Originally posted 2008-11-10 04:55:19.

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