Winter is the favorite season for skiers. Skiing is an outdoor sport that’s very easy to get hooked on. If you’re new to skiing, here are some important tips to keep in mind.
First, how to prevent snow from getting in: when skiing, falls are inevitable. Without specialized skiwear, snow can easily get into your clothes through your ankles, wrists, collar, and more. To prevent snow from entering at the ankles, use an elastic long ski gaiter—one end fits over the upper part of your ski boot, the other around your leg, effectively blocking snow at the ankles. Use a pair of wide elastic bands with Velcro to tightly secure the cuffs of your ski gloves, which helps keep snow out of your wrists. Additionally, use a scarf to fill the gap between your collar and neck, ensuring snow doesn’t enter through the neckline and also providing warmth.
Second, choosing ski goggles: to protect your eyes from cold wind and UV rays, prevent fogging, and avoid facial injury in case of a fall, you should opt for full-coverage ski goggles. The frame should be made of soft plastic that fits snugly against your face to block wind. For those who wear glasses, choose goggles with slightly thicker frames that can fully cover your eyes.
Third, skin protection: winter is cold and dry, and your skin loses a lot of moisture in such conditions. The strong cold wind generated by high-speed movement while skiing and the intense UV rays reflected off the snow can both damage your skin. To protect it, use oil-based skincare products that help retain moisture, then apply a waterproof, highly effective sunscreen. Sunscreen is only effective for a limited time, so reapply it every couple of hours (typically every two hours) to any exposed skin. Don’t skip sunscreen just because it’s cloudy—the sun’s UV rays are still strong. If the cold wind on your face is too harsh while skiing, consider wearing a balaclava that leaves only your eyes exposed, along with full-coverage ski goggles, to fully protect your face from the wind.
Fourth, how to prevent frostbite: the parts of the body most prone to frostbite are the hands, feet, and ears. To protect these areas, wear thermal clothing made of wool or synthetic fibers with good insulation.
Fifth, how to choose and use base layers: when you’re physically active, your body sweats a lot. For your base layer, avoid cotton as it absorbs moisture well but dries slowly. When you’re active, sweat-soaked cotton sticks to your skin, making you feel cold and clammy, and drawing heat away from your body. In this case, you should change into dry clothes promptly. Alternatively, you can wear a mesh nylon undershirt directly against your skin, covered by an elastic cotton mid-layer. This way, sweat will pass through the nylon and be absorbed by the elastic layer, helping you stay warm.
Sixth, also keep the following points in mind:
1. Bring enough warm clothing
2. Don’t go skiing alone—this way, if something happens, someone will know and be able to help
3. Don’t ski beyond the marked boundaries of the ski area
4. Don’t go skiing after drinking alcohol. Getting drunk outdoors can easily lead to frostbite. 5. Wear bright-colored clothing so you can be easily spotted
6. Before heading out to ski, let your family or friends know where you’re going, how many people are in your group, and when you plan to return—this ensures you can be rescued quickly in case of an emergency.