Equipment - Keeping it Cheap

The Equipment You Need
There is a tendency for novices, because they haven’t experienced the mountain environment before, to either overdo the amount of equipment that they take, or to take equipment that is totally unnecessary.

The things that you WILL need, however, are:

Hat
Goggles
Sunglasses
Gloves
Suntan Lotion & Lipsalve,
T shirts
Ski Socks
Sweatshirt/ jumper
Ski Jacket
Ski trousers/salopettes

You can pay a small fortune for many of these items but below are a few tips to keep prices down.
Primarily, purchase quality clothing that you can still use in England even if you never go skiing again!!
Secondly, in the flush of excitement. it is very common for novice skiers to rush straight down to their nearest outdoor/mountain shop & purchase everything in sight.

BIG MISTAKE. - This can prove to be very costly.

Much of the stuff needed can be purchased from supermarkets, bargain stores & second hand shops. You don’t have to buy NEW!
Some great bargains can be found cheaply in charity shops or on internet sites.
Ebay for example sells both new and old cheaply, some of the used items can be bid on at auction, and purchased for an absolute snip !

Start compiling your equipment early, otherwise you limit your options if sorting it all out at the last minute.

Equipment worth investing in, because you are likely to use again is;- Ski Jacket, Gloves, Hat, Sunglasses, Suntan Lotion, Lipsalve, T shirts, Sweatshirts, Jumpers, Ski Socks.

The cheapest prices that we located for NEW items in recent seasons are shown below:-
(most prices stay roughly the same each year - some even go down !!! )
Please remember, ski gear is generally unisex- if we have given only one price it will either be unisex or men’s - no sexism intended.
If stores stock differently for both sexes we have tried to show both - otherwise presume price is the same.

Hat - (Helmet)
If the temperature suddenly drops or you get caught in a snowstorm a good wooly hat is vital. It doesn’t have to be flash.. (it's probably in your pocket most of the time anyway).
You can pay a small fortune for designer names or eye-catching designs, but, a plain bobble hat (with or without bobble) is ideal and cheap. These could be bought cheaply from:-
Boyes: Mens knitted hats from 99p, Reversible Beenies £2, Strong warm ski hat £6
Asda: Thinsulate Hat £2.50
Tesco: ‘Elevation’ Snow Hat £4 - F&F Fleece Beenie £2.40
Netto: Thermal Hat £0.99
Sportsdirect.com: Thinsulate Hat £4.99
Ebay do a great balaclava which can be worn rolled up as a hat or pulled down in severe conditions, price £8.99.
Note: It is becoming more & more common for skiers, SENSIBLY, to wear helmets when skiing. It is a dangerous sport and any improvement in safety is to be commended. Learners in particular will take numerous tumbles, 99% of them completely harmless and even the other 1% normally result in nothing more than a bruise or sprain. But you can't be too careful.
I personally don't like skiing in a helmet as I get too warm, but I would never let my kids ski without one !!! (Don't do as I do, etc. . . )
Every ski resort now hires out helmets for the week - cheaply - but if you want to make sure before you go you will probably be able to hire one from your local ski shop. Alternatively buy from around £20 upwards
Lidl: Adult (M, L & XL) all £19.99

Gloves
You should never ski without gloves. The first thing everyone does when they tumble is to put their hands down to save themselves. This can result in avoidable cuts and grazes, especially on dry slopes. I’ve even seen someone accidently ski over his friends hand resulting in a hospital visit for stitches.
Strong, insulated leather gloves for warmth are ideal - but expensive. For economy nylon or cotton ‘Thinsulate’ gloves are great, - and cheap - but rarely last more than one season.
Boyes: Mens Nylon &Thinsulate gloves £2 - Top quality Nylon &Thinsulate gloves £10
Peter Barratts: £1.99 (Junior)
Sportsdirect.com: Campri Gloves £3.49
Netto: Nylon &Thinsulate gloves £3.99
Lidl: KidsThinsulate gloves £1.99 Adult £4.99
SportsWorld: No Fear Nylon & Thinsulate £4.59
Asda: Thinsulate Nylon Gloves £5
Tesco: ‘Elevation’ Snow Gloves £12

Goggles
If it becomes really windy or you get caught in a snowstorm goggles are VITAL.
Unfortunately many novices go for the pose rather than practicality. Sunglasses look great but often come off if you fall - and beginners spend a lot of time falling. They also often leave the eyes watering because they don’t keep the wind out. So if you have to choose one or the other, always take googles.
Ebay: £5.98.
Lidl: 100% UV protection £7.99
Tesco: ‘Elevation’ Snow Gogglesa £19.20
Netto: £7.99

Sunglasses
More comfortable to wear than googles but not as practical (see above) easily broken, or lost if not worn with a strap. (
Plenty cheaply available from MANY stores, but can't guarantee quality !!!
Lidl: Excellent 'sports' glasses with 4 interchangeable lenses & strap £3.99
Ebay: Xloop UV400 £5.98
Removable straps (called 'croakies' are available cheaply from many ski/sports suppliers)

Suntan Lotion & Lipsalve
The snow really reflects the sun and causes chapped lips and sunburn even on a cloudy day. Good protection is vital.
Ebay: Ambre Solaire Ski £4.92, Piz Buin Combi Stick Cream & Lip Balm £7.20
Again can buy cheaper from supermarkets, and normally OK, but can't guarantee quality !!!

T Shirts
Mainly worn under other clothes so unseen. Therefore, just plain, not flashy, is perfect.
Light to carry, easy to pack, so take plenty.
When it gets cold plenty of thin layers are warmer than one bulky jumper.
Boyes: Mens Basic T-shirts £1.99

Ski Socks
These need to be comfortable, cover the shins otherwise you could get some soreness from your ski boots. They should also absorb sweat- so nylon football socks are out.
Wool or a wool mixture is ideal. Cotton Rich are next best. These can be bought cheaply from:-
Sportsdirect.com: Good quality Karrimor Specialist ski socks (extra padding on shins and soles) £4. Tubes £0.89 (cheaper but not as good)
Boyes: Mens Wool Mountain Socks £3, 3 pk of 50% cotton socks £2.50
Lidl: with cushion zones (avoids shin soreness etc.) £3.99 - kids £2.99
Tesco: 3pr Boot socks £5
SportsWorld: Capri Tube Sox Men (Acrylic Mix) Men's £1.79
(Juniors) £1.19
Ebay: 2 pair Salomon (posy) £11.99

Sweatshirt/ jumper
These need to be comfortable, warm and absorb sweat - so again nylon is out. Wool and cotton are ideal.
There is no need to go for specialist ski tops as these tend to be pricier. Plain sweatshirts and jumpers are perfect & cheap.
Netto: Men's & Ladies Polar Pull £3.99 - Thick Zipped Fleece £5.99
Lidl: Performance Ski Top £5.99
Tesco: (Mens ‘Elevation’ Snow Fleece £12.80 Ladies £11.20)

Ski Jacket
Needs to be warm, comfortable & waterproof.
Zipped, not just press studs, (with flap over).
Plenty of pockets for carrying sun cream, glasses,camera, money, etc., etc.
Primark: Ladies (thin, could be used on warm days) £5, more padded £10
             to £16. Mens £6 to £17.
Lidl: Children’s (up to 12 yrs old) good quality Full suit (inc salopettes)
        reduced from £24.99  to £12.49 for 2010.
        Girls (more fashionable) £14.99
        Ladies High Quality £19.99
Asda: Well padded Nylon Ski Jacket £16
Aldi: Men’s good quality (Crane) £19.99. Full suit (inc salopettes) £25.99
Sportsdirect.com: Air Walk £20, No Fear £25
Ebay: Men’s (Big Air) £30.98. Ladies (In Motion) £35.98. Child’s (Eissenegger) £13.84

Ski trousers/salopettes
Again need to be warm, comfortable & waterproof. If you fall, or even deliberately decide to sit down in the snow, non-waterproof trousers will become saturated in no time. So jeans and tracksuit bottoms are totally out.
Many novices go for racing trousers because they are posy, but these are also expensive.
A good pair of salopettes are ideal and much cheaper. Make sure they are roomy - I've seen many tight fitting pairs split down the seams on the first tumble!
Ebay: Children’s Salopettes £5
Aldi: Men’s good quality £9.99. Full suit only £25.99
Sportsdirect.com: Campri £12, Snowboard trousers £8
SportsWorld: Men's salopettes £5.49 to £17.99
Netto: Salopettes £9.99
Lidl: Ladies Ski Trousers £14.99
Boyes: Strong Waterproof trousers £4.99

Personal clothing
Don’t go out and buy special clothing for wearing in the resort when you are not skiing.
A very relaxed attitude to dress exists in the vast majority of resorts.
Wearing ski gear or jeans, T shirts & trainers are the norm.

Note: Most stores quoted above have websites from which you can order on line. However some such as Primark, Aldi, Asda, Netto, do not.
In cases of websiteless (is that a real word?) suppliers, I have only quoted companies that have nationwide stores.
Any Ebay prices quoted are Buy It Now prices & include postage. You can probably buy cheaper still by auction on Ebay.

To Hire or to Buy
We have researched only a couple of companies that hire out ski clothing to schools and find them excessively expensive compared to the cheapest prices for purchasing essential skiing items.
For example Ski Jacket and salopettes £22.50 to hire but cheapest above to buy - £10 !

So our advice is to buy the items - and if you never ski again wear them as casuals through our harsh winters, or put them in a charity bag !
It still works out cheaper,
Of course, if you live in a small village it may be cheaper to hire over the internet, than to drive miles into town to buy !
However, apart from exceptional circumstances, we recommend that you BUY cheaply for the first ski trip, then once hooked - as more than 60% of first time skiers are - replace individual items, over a period of time, with more expensive gear, so that you can pose on the slopes with the best of them !

Ski Boots
You can only really tell if ski boots are going to be comfortable after a morning's skiing. So buying a pair, or hiring a pair, at home is not recommended. Walking around the living room for 20 minutes is not the same as skiing.
Hiring from your local Dry Ski Slope and then testing them out might work but check to see if this is any cheaper than at resort. To do this log in to your resorts internet website (most of them now have one) and you will probably find on it links to most of the local businesses.
It is normal to hire a ‘ski pack’ which comprises of boots, skis & poles, at the resort. All of which you can change if you are unhappy. This normally works out cheaper - but again check!
Don’t forget also that if you get these in Britain you then have the awkwardness of transporting them to the resort, AND most airlines now charge extra for excess baggage. The cost of this is normally between £12 and £25

Skis & Poles
These are normally hired in the resort and come as part of a Ski Pack (boots, skis and poles). Some Ski Companies also include the lift pass in their 'all inclusive' pack.
This is normally the cheapest way of obtaining these, but again check. Most Companies try to give you the best deal possible - they want your custom again - but there have also been some unscrupulous ones in the past that bump up 'the extras' !!!.
However, if you do decide to buy these in Britain you then have the awkwardness of transporting them to the resort. OK if you are travelling by car, but most airlines now charge extra for carrying skis. The cost of this is normally between £12 and £25