Investment Buying For The Slopes

As the days cool down and anticipation builds for the winter season I want to start doing the things that will help me to have a great time on the hill. Getting set for the slopes is at least part of the fun but it also serves the very useful purpose of reducing stress in your life. If the snow flies early that frantic rush for first tracks can bleed all the fun out of it – especially if you are a busy mother with more than one kid to get ready. The key is to have a plan. Since I see winter sports as being an investment in my family I call it an Investment Plan. Like any good investment you don’t buy up all you think you’ll need all at once, that can be a foolish use of money at best, the key is to buy what you need to create a base and then build from there. An investment-buying plan for winter sports gear works on the same concept. I would suggest using a file folder or notebook with a small pocket to keep notes and papers as you go. Your file or notebook will serve as a good reference guide for you and help you to keep everything in one place.

When you start an investment-buying plan it is important to start at the beginning. Everyone needs a base or foundation on which to build. This base typically starts with a few clothing items and the basic equipment. If you simply aren’t ready to invest in the equipment yet it can be rented but a good pre season sale often has such great deals that it is hardly worth the aggravation of having to wait in line to use someone else’s gear. The one exception to this is children’s gear. Most reputable shops have junior buy back programs where you can rent new or used skis and boots and the shop will buy them back at the end of the season for a guaranteed price. (For an example of one of the best junior programs see http://www.willisskiandboard.com/ and look on the left side bar for Junior Boot Program). For our purposes I will be including value-based suggestions for equipment in the base and you can judge for yourself where you think it is appropriate to jump on that train.

Your base should include items that will broadly cover most needs for that category. Items that cover many needs typically don’t cover them all perfectly but then again, they are part of your base – specialized items will come later in the investment. For a great overview of what you need to hit the slopes see http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/90554/your_ski_and_snowboard_checklist_for.html.

When you invest in equipment your boots are the most important place to start. Warmth, comfort and performance on the slopes all starts with your feet so take your time to get the right boot with the proper fit. The ski or snowboard you invest in should fit in the all-mountain category. This will allow you to be confident anywhere on your local hill as well as where ever you may travel. The ski or board you choose will probably dictate the binding you buy so that should not be a challenging decision. If there is more than one to choose from make sure to choose the one that provides the most flexibility. If you are a skier you will need poles. For your base a basic pair of aluminum poles will do but as you upgrade your equipment carbon fiber or graphite poles should top your list.

The basic clothing you need to invest in will include a winter jacket, ski pants, a sweater or a fleece, thermal underwear and socks, gloves and a hat. While that may sound like a lot it is rather simple to procure. First of all if you live anywhere north of the Mason-Dixon line you probably need a winter jacket. Yes, a good quality ski or snowboard jacket is best because they are significantly different than other jackets. They will last longer, stay warmer and have features that make hitting the slopes more convenient. When buying your jacket buy something you love. For your investment plan this is the one piece that will be with you the longest so make sure you really like it and you aren’t just settling for something. Pants are another deal. Basic black or a neutral color is all we are looking for here. I suggest sticking with black because, well, everything goes with black and it won’t age as rapidly as a light, neutral color. I suggest buying an insulated pant for your first pair because I find that keeping warm is a bigger issue than cooling off. If you are one of the rare people that simply never gets cold then fine, a shell pant will work but make sure you buy top quality thermal underwear to layer with. For your initial investment a sweater or fleece you have in your collection may work. Make sure that whatever you use is primarily wool or acrylic. Wool is a great insulator, breaths very well and stays warm even if it gets wet. Acrylic, while not as warm as wool is also a good insulator and will retain its thermal capacity when wet. Fleece is an engineered hollow core acrylic fabric and has an increased thermal capacity because warm air is trapped inside the fibers themselves. Your run-of-the-mill mall store fleece is not a hollow core fabric so don’t be fooled. It is imperative that you do not layer with cotton, we wear cotton in the summer to dissipate heat, it does not save heat. So no favorite college sweatshirts or t-shirts allowed on the slopes. This goes for hats, thermal underwear and socks as well. Your base should include a warm hat, one pair of good quality thermal underwear and at least one pair of fitted ski or snowboard specific socks. Sport specific socks are designed to enhance the fit of your boot creating a coupling effect and increasing your on-slope performance. Whether you choose gloves or mittens for your base hand gear is a personal preference. As you build your winter wardrobe I suggest including both but for now one will do. Mittens are warmer because they keep all of your fingers together allowing warm air to circulate easily from the palm of the hand to each finger. With this said most people choose to wear gloves – I’m not sure why but they feel like they have more dexterity. If you choose gloves and find that you are not warm enough chemical heat packs work great.

This should help you to create your initial shopping list. Make sure you have in your file or notebook a list of each family member, their current sizes, height, weight, age and skiing ability as well as their favorite colors or styles. Under each person name make a list of what they have and what they need or needs to be replaced to create their base. Visit http://www.skiwarehouse.com/ or http://www.thejibshop.com/ for great on-line deals and check back here because in the future we will talk about how to effectively add to your base investment to create an up-to-date, flexible winter sports wardrobe.