Clothing Essentials For Your First Trip To The Snow

Lightweight, breathable underlayers, such as thermals, fleece and merino wool are essential for keeping you warm and dry during those really icy, cold days. If your outer layer were to get wet from either falling over or from constant snowfall, the last thing you would want is for it to soak right through to your skin. You would freeze, and that’s why this layer is so important for both top and bottom.

Even if you’re just planning a casual outing around the resort or mountain your under layer will protect you from the elements you may experience throughout the day.

Now it’s time to add layers. Function matters! The last thing you want is to keep piling on clothes before you realise you can’t move. Selecting the right quality gear is important – it will allow you to move freely while protecting you from the constant change in weather conditions.

This layer is called your insulating layer. For this, you can choose between a sweater, a turtleneck, or an insulating shirt – anything that’s designed to keep you warm. If you own any vests or hoodies, these are also great alternatives to keep you warm.

If the weather is particularly cold, a fleece layer or soft-shell jacket is essential to make it through those colder days. If you find yourself getting too hot, wearing underlayers with zippers makes it much easier for you to remove items of clothing, without having to take everything else off.

The most important layer you will own is your outer layer, your ski jacket, and pants. This is where you can choose your style, just so long as it’s warm. Your main jacket and pants are insulated and usually waterproof, helping protect you from the wind, snow, and rain that you might incur.

You can choose from a range of different styles for both jackets and pants, but I suggest you look into gear that is waterproof, breathable, windproof, and seam-sealed.

To make it through those colder winter days, you’ll be reliant on the clothing that you buy. Good quality clothing will make for a more pleasant trip. However, items like these can get expensive, so if you’re wanting to trial the snow for the first time but don’t want to buy everything straight away, consider hiring your snow gear. It’s considerably more affordable and it means you will have less to pack into the car!

Now if there’s anything that will stop you from having a good time, it’s having soaking wet, freezing cold feet. Snow boots are designed to make sure that snow won’t find it’s way into your boot. They work to keep your feet insulated and warm, with a breathable waterproof lining that will also help to keep them dry.

Ideally, you want your boots to have a durable rubber tread that allows you to have stability and grip when walking on the snow, otherwise, your feet will slip from underneath you constantly.

Wearing a beanie is one of the quickest and easiest ways to stay warm. A comfortable, soft and breathable merino wool beanie will help protect your ears from the cold and help to regulate your body temperature, keeping you warmer for longer.

For extreme winter conditions and perhaps to keep the young ones happy, a balaclava can provide an extra layer of warmth that can make all the difference on those particularly cold, windy days. It will provide extra protection on your face, ears and lips.

Whether you’re skiing or just taking a stroll through the mountain, gloves are a necessity. If you’re wanting to keep your hands warm and protected, mittens are the way to go, especially if you’re bringing along kids.

Look for gloves that will secure and tighten around your wrist. This will help to trap warmth inside your gloves and keep out unwanted snow.

There’s nothing worse than having cold, wet feet for the duration of your time on the snow. A base layer and an insulating layer, such as thin wool or synthetic socks, are often the perfect solution for keeping your feet warm enough throughout the course of the day.

Perhaps one of the most important purchases you will make are your sunglasses. No matter how many times you’ve been cross-country skiing, from beginner through to advanced, sunglasses are an essential part of your protection.

Sunglasses will protect your eyes from different weather conditions, such as; UV rays, glare, wind and snow, which if not taken into consideration could potentially lead to blindness or damage to your eyes, we definitely want to avoid this!

Lake Mountain is the closest ski resort to Melbourne (just a two hour drive from the CBD). It’s the perfect little mountain to take your family to experience snow for the first time. We’d love to see you there when the time is right!