Ski Tips: Clothing & ski accessories

Ski Clothing

Always dress in layers, which are easy to put on / take off and make sure you have a t-shirt underneath as indoor area are strongly overheated in winter, up to about 28 degrees in certain places. Also, skiing is a strenuous exercise, so removing a layer or two works well to cool down.

You will need proper ski clothing to protect yourself when skiing which means ski jacket, ski pants made out of warm and weather proof material. You can purchase your ski outfit at various local stores, like Cape Union Mart, who stock an excellent range suitable to skiing.

For the ladies, moon boots are a recommended item – good waterproof cats or boots will do the trick as well. Get yourself a pair of moon boots while you are there – they are not expensive and perfect for tobogganing and walking and having fun in the snow!

Accessories like proper ski gloves, thick socks, headband, scarf and a good pair of sun glasses are a must. If you find the prices too high here, be assured that you will find many great bargains and fantastic quality on location. A sun peak is also good if it’s snowing as it keeps the snow out of your eyes on the slopes.

Do not ski without glasses – the glare off the snow will make you “snow blind” and that’s not fun! So protect your eyes and wear a strong sun screen, even for those who frequent the beaches. The glare and intensity of the sun is different and you will burn! Also you need protection against the wind and cold, so use creams that help you to do that – that also counts for the guys – don’t use water based moisturizing creams as they will damage your skin in the freezing cold!!

Don’t forget your swimsuits – there are heated indoor pools in almost every village should you not be staying in a hotel with a pool and it makes for a great break from the cold.

Fitness & Ski Tips

This brief intro is aimed at the beginner skier. You will be using your upper leg and calf muscles more than you have used them before …, so get fit any way you can ( stairs, cycling, squats etc)

Here are some basic ski tips to remember always: always lean with your upper body away from the mountain and face downhill with your shoulders.  As odd as that sounds but this pushes down on your skis and gives stability.  To stop or move ahead in a slow snow plough, press your heels outwards and don’t cross the tips of your skies; keep your weight on the inside edges of your skies. When going across the ski slope remember to always keep your weight on the inside edge of your bottom ski (the one lower than the other one ); the ski closer to the top of the mountain is only there for the ride. When turning, you will need to allow both skies to go straight down hills for a brief moment and then shift your weight to the inside edge of the previous outer ski and turn your body to face down hills again.. so shift your weight onto your right leg when turning left, and onto your left leg when turning right.