No discussion on fitting winter wear is complete if it doesn’t touch on accessories. To simplify things I am considering accessories to be everything except outerwear – jackets, pants and suits. These are the pieces you layer with, add style with and ultimately moderate your body temperature with. Accessories are the final solution to all fit and warmth issues and should not be considered an after thought. A child can easily adjust their own body temperature by simply taking off their hat, adjusting their neck gaiter or removing their gloves for a while but will only work to keep the child warm and comfortable if they fit properly.
It is important to keep in mind that what matters most is how things fit together, not individually. Typically this is not a issue if you are putting a new outfit together and can choose from a wide range of sizes – it is more of a challenge when you are looking through your gear from year to year to see what still works and what your child has grown out of. Try items on together and judge how they work as a unit before making your final decision. Over the next few entries I will be sharing with you how to check each item on the Check List For The Slopes to make sure that your child is both comfortable and warm for a day on the hill.
We can start with the inner most layer called the base layer. The base layer includes socks and thermal underwear. It technically could include glove liners and helmet liners but I’ll save that for when we discuss the extras since these layers are not used in all conditions. Check to see that thermal underwear fits properly on its own first but keep in mind that other items will go over it. It should lay comfortably next to the skin without gapping or bunching nor should it feel tight or constrict the child’s range of motion. The sleeves should reach at least to the lower part of the forearm but not be so long as to hinder the fit of the sleeve or glove cuff. For thermal underwear bottoms the fit of the rise is most critical thing to consider, as a day on the slopes with a wedgie is no fun what-so-ever. The waistband should be able to stretch to fit 1-2 fingers and is definitely too small if it leaves deep marks in the skin around the belly. The length of the pant leg is also important because if it is too long it may interfere with the upper cuff of the boot but if it is too short it is not as big of an issue because a properly fitting sock should cover the area effectively. The pant cuff should come at least below the belly of the calf but no lower than the anklebone. How it fits with the sock and the boot will be the ultimate deciding factor on length.
The fit of the sock is critical because it affects the fit of the boot. The fit of the boot is critical because it affects the boots performance, warmth and comfort. While performance may not be as big of an issue for some children warmth and comfort most certainly are. Quality winter sports socks are shaped for a form fit that pads and protects while it enhances the fit of the boot so it is vital that it is neither too big nor too small which will cause miss alignment of the various darts and pads of the sock. These sport specific socks are manufactured with a flat seem, padded toe box for extra warmth around the toe area and for padded protection in an area that tends to take a great deal of abuse. The toe of the sock should fit up against the child’s toes without a lot of extra fabric. Extra fabric will bunch up and may cause blisters or bruising in the forefoot. The constructed heel should fit right at the child’s heel. If you can’t quite pull the sock up high enough for the heel to sit in the pocket it is too small. If, on the other hand, the heel pocket is up around the Achilles’ tendon the sock is too big. The sock should be long enough to come past the upper cuff of the boot and all skin below the knee should be covered either by the sock or the thermal underwear. The sock should not come above the knee. This is sometimes a challenge for pre teen boys because their feet often grow to adult proportions before the length of their leg catches up but take the time to find a properly fitting sock so they are comfortable through out the season.
Next we’ll talk about how to evaluate the fit of the thermal layers that go over the base layer. Until then I’ll see ya on the slopes!
Kjerstin
It is important to keep in mind that what matters most is how things fit together, not individually. Typically this is not a issue if you are putting a new outfit together and can choose from a wide range of sizes – it is more of a challenge when you are looking through your gear from year to year to see what still works and what your child has grown out of. Try items on together and judge how they work as a unit before making your final decision. Over the next few entries I will be sharing with you how to check each item on the Check List For The Slopes to make sure that your child is both comfortable and warm for a day on the hill.
We can start with the inner most layer called the base layer. The base layer includes socks and thermal underwear. It technically could include glove liners and helmet liners but I’ll save that for when we discuss the extras since these layers are not used in all conditions. Check to see that thermal underwear fits properly on its own first but keep in mind that other items will go over it. It should lay comfortably next to the skin without gapping or bunching nor should it feel tight or constrict the child’s range of motion. The sleeves should reach at least to the lower part of the forearm but not be so long as to hinder the fit of the sleeve or glove cuff. For thermal underwear bottoms the fit of the rise is most critical thing to consider, as a day on the slopes with a wedgie is no fun what-so-ever. The waistband should be able to stretch to fit 1-2 fingers and is definitely too small if it leaves deep marks in the skin around the belly. The length of the pant leg is also important because if it is too long it may interfere with the upper cuff of the boot but if it is too short it is not as big of an issue because a properly fitting sock should cover the area effectively. The pant cuff should come at least below the belly of the calf but no lower than the anklebone. How it fits with the sock and the boot will be the ultimate deciding factor on length.
The fit of the sock is critical because it affects the fit of the boot. The fit of the boot is critical because it affects the boots performance, warmth and comfort. While performance may not be as big of an issue for some children warmth and comfort most certainly are. Quality winter sports socks are shaped for a form fit that pads and protects while it enhances the fit of the boot so it is vital that it is neither too big nor too small which will cause miss alignment of the various darts and pads of the sock. These sport specific socks are manufactured with a flat seem, padded toe box for extra warmth around the toe area and for padded protection in an area that tends to take a great deal of abuse. The toe of the sock should fit up against the child’s toes without a lot of extra fabric. Extra fabric will bunch up and may cause blisters or bruising in the forefoot. The constructed heel should fit right at the child’s heel. If you can’t quite pull the sock up high enough for the heel to sit in the pocket it is too small. If, on the other hand, the heel pocket is up around the Achilles’ tendon the sock is too big. The sock should be long enough to come past the upper cuff of the boot and all skin below the knee should be covered either by the sock or the thermal underwear. The sock should not come above the knee. This is sometimes a challenge for pre teen boys because their feet often grow to adult proportions before the length of their leg catches up but take the time to find a properly fitting sock so they are comfortable through out the season.
Next we’ll talk about how to evaluate the fit of the thermal layers that go over the base layer. Until then I’ll see ya on the slopes!
Kjerstin
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