Any snowboarders/skiers out there?

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Just wondering! The slopes should open up the weekend after Thanksgiving out here, and I'm super excited to learn how to snowboard this winter. I've totally never done this or skiing before - would love to hear from any of you guys who ski or snowboard (stories, advice, anything!). Not to mention recommendations for clothing! I bought a pair of gloves, but really, I need a jacket and snow pants and probably goggles too - but I'm feeling overwhelmed by the number of choices. Anyway thought it'd be a fun thread if there are enough of you guys out there who ski/snowboard

 

[meresal]

I ski.

I feel like I need goggles in Utah more than Colorado. IMO, If you buy some, just buy cheap ones. I don't think they are worth spending bucks on until you know you really like wearing goggles. You will definitely want some type of beanie, or at least a wrap that goes around your ears. I would recommend a beanie though, since you want to keep as much of your head dry/warm as possible.

Re: Pants. You can do pants or a bib. A bib is a bit nicer if you plan on falling a bit. Keeps you from having to keep tucking your shirts in and keeps the snow out of your nether regions. Also, some people will say they are warmer since they keep your midsection from becoming exposed.

Get a few pairs of nice sub-zero socks. You only wear one pair when skiing (maybe different for boarding??), so make sure they are good, comfortable, and warm. Also, get a nice warm set of long-johns.

Also, when you get a jacket make sure you can pull it up to your eyes. When you are on the lifts, it is nice to be able to cover your face form the headwinds that come over the mountians.

Where are you going to be exactly?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Hey Meresal!

Great advice - thanks so much!

I'm in Montana and close enough to the slopes that I can go pretty much every weekend of the season if I want. I'm totally new to this so there's more than a good chance I'll be on my butt a LOT the first few times (or more depending on whether my coordination totally fails me ). I'm hoping that buying all the clothing, etc. (which tends to add up) will keep me motivated in going often and getting better at it

I think I have a few ski hats and I'm definitely stocking up on socks. I'm just wondering how warm a jacket I need to get - I tend to get cold pretty easily... I know layering is key, as is getting a jacket that's wind- and water-proof and with sealed seams. I'm looking at The North Face and all their Triclimate jackets seem to have that - and beyond that, they all seem the same to me :: shrug ::

I have no idea how skiing conditions differ from MT to CO to UT however.

 

[ForteKitty]

i board.

1) jacket: i like one that's warm but not too thick. Preferably w/ underarm zippers/vents because it does get hot when you sweat. and I sweat a lot when i fall. I also prefer some zipped pockets on the sleeves for chapstick and money, so it's easily accessible w/o unzipping my jacket.

2) pants: i dont wear bibs because it takes forever to remove all the stuff to pee. and when you gotta go, every second counts. I bought kid ones because i'm 5'2 and women's pants are a good 4 inches too long on me. They need to be kinda high, so when you fall, snow doesn't end up down your crack.

3) thermals. a nice thin pair is all you need if they are good. Make sure they're moisture wicking.

4) good socks. 1 pair a day should be enough unless your boots leak. (are you renting? if so bring an extra pair of socks and put it in your bag)

5) gloves. I like my mitten styled ones. it's not like my fingers are dexterous enough to do anything in ski gloves anyway..

6) hydration pack: a must if you dont want to keep paying for water. I got mine from costco for $18. some say you need the expensive ones that have a sleeve covering the tube, but you really dont. I've boarded in whistler, tahoe, mammoth (and slc in this coming jan!) when it was really cold and my tubes didn't freeze, just make sure you let the water back into the pack after you drink, it takes 1 second. The backpack comes in handy too since you can put a sandwich or snacks. make sure the bag has the cheststrap!!

7) hand warmers i'm a californian pansie and i like to have them in my glove pockets. and butt pockets...

HELMET!!! very important if you are just learning. i've cracked my head on ice too many times. my best friend fell so hard her sunglasses shattered.

9) i have a neckwarmer that i pull up to cover my face when i'm on the skilift. it gets cooooold.

10) goggles: i wear them because it's easier w/ the helmet. there's a strap on the back of my helmet that holds the goggles in, and i just have to snap everything on. no sliding, dont have to worry about hair or anything. I bought ones made for ladies, since they're smaller.. think they were $25

11) beanie. i have one for times when my helmet's not on.. like lunch and walking around the village afterwards.

think that's about it on my list. If you really like it and want to buy your own equipment, it's best to wait till maybe feb? i found great sales after president's weekend.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Thanks so much Fortekitty!

I will be renting boots, definitely - unless I fall in love with snowboarding and I end up getting my own. However, for the first few times I'll be renting.

I'm 5'1" and I hear ya on the women's pants. I went to a sporting goods store and found plain black girls' snow pants which I think will do the trick - darn my shortness! I've lived in Montana for years, but I'm a pansy when it comes to the cold too! I don't think I'll ever really get used to it - it was snowing and in the 20s today and I was miserable (of course, all I was wearing was a sweatshirt and fleece, and workout tights, lol).

Ok, I was looking at these jackets - are they about the same? One better than the other? There were a couple others I liked that had more pockets and stuff but they didn't seem to have the pit vents...

Jacket1

Jacket2

Jacket3

I need to go look for my hats. I hope I brought them. I cleared out so much of my stuff when moving back here and now I regret it!

 

[ForteKitty]

Those jackets look almost the same to me. have you tried them on? One really important thing about snowboarding jacket is that the bottom back part is waterproof, and i can't tell from the pics. When you fall or sit down, your body temp will melt the ice, and if the bottom part of your jacket isn't waterproof, it'll soak up water. fleece is especially bad since you'll get clumps of ice stuck to your jacket!

Mine is similar to this, and it's usually warm enough: http://www.rei.com/product/802616.. i love the elastic inner waist band. it really keeps the cold draft out.

But since it's way colder where you live, the northface one might work better for you. Is there an REI near you? they have a great return policy and if the jacket doesn't work out, you can always return it or exchange it for another one.

Oooooh you're gonna have so much fun!! Just remember, when you fall (and you WILL), dont extend your arms and break the fall w/ your hands. You'll break your wrists that way. break your fall w/ your forearms!

make sure you take lessons! Getting off the ski lift might be one of the most challenging thing you'll ever have to do. I used to ski as a child and it was so simple... you just get up and you're off the lift. Snowboarding.. it's a whole different world because only one leg is strapped in on the lift, so when i lift off, sometimes the loose foot miss the board and i lose my balance. i've been snowboarding for 10 years, and i still fall off the lift.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Those jackets look almost the same to me. have you tried them on? One really important thing about snowboarding jacket is that the bottom back part is waterproof, and i can't tell from the pics. When you fall or sit down, your body temp will melt the ice, and if the bottom part of your jacket isn't waterproof, it'll soak up water. fleece is especially bad since you'll get clumps of ice stuck to your jacket!

Mine is similar to this, and it's usually warm enough: http://www.rei.com/product/802616... i love the elastic inner waist band. it really keeps the cold draft out.

But since it's way colder where you live, the northface one might work better for you. Is there an REI near you? they have a great return policy and if the jacket doesn't work out, you can always return it or exchange it for another one.

Oooooh you're gonna have so much fun!! Just remember, when you fall (and you WILL), dont extend your arms and break the fall w/ your hands. You'll break your wrists that way. break your fall w/ your forearms!

make sure you take lessons! Getting off the ski lift might be one of the most challenging thing you'll ever have to do. I used to ski as a child and it was so simple... you just get up and you're off the lift. Snowboarding.. it's a whole different world because only one leg is strapped in on the lift, so when i lift off, sometimes the loose foot miss the board and i lose my balance. i've been snowboarding for 10 years, and i still fall off the lift.

I've tried on the second jacket - the Boundary - though I think I need an XS - the S was a bit big. I have to see if my local store (sadly no REIs in my town) have the other two. I definitely want something warmer - I know I'll warm up but I'm such a wimp! thanks for the advice about the wrist/forearms. I do not want to break any bones - I'm a little scared about this but excited too.

My BFF is a skier but her husband is super into snowboarding and he wants her to snowboard too, so we are both going to start off with lessons so we don't accidentally kill ourselves

Any more advice on learning how to snowboard? Things to do, not do?

 

[kittybean]

I ski and board, but I'm a much better skier than boarder. My dad had me on skis at age 2, and I grew up a few minutes away from a ski area. I learned to board when I was about 13, so I remember that process much better. There's a lot of falling at first, but it is easy to become proficient pretty quickly, and then it's a lot of fun! You will be hooked before you know it.

Equipment:

1. Jacket and snow pants. I wear a snowboarding-style jacket I inherited from my little brother when he grew out of it. It's a Burton jacket that has a really great high collar and a big hood, both of which I consider necessary. I have pink snow pants so people don't mistake me for a little boy . For boarding, there is no way to learn without snow pants unless you want to be very cold and wet all day. If you have a longer, waterproof jacket, you don't need overall-type pants, but if you get a shorter jacket, you'd probably be more comfortable in overalls.

2. Comfy boots! If you are renting, make sure they strap you onto a board and let you move around a bit in them to make sure they don't rub your feet the wrong way. Snowboard boots used to be glorified snow boots (my first pair looked like black combat boots), but now they have gotten a little stiffer to allow for better control by the rider. The type of boots you get also depend on the bindings you have. Which brings me to my next point . . .

3. Board and bindings. Although the click-in bindings are convenient, I think the strap-in bindings are preferable. In my experience, they hold your feet better, they don't come off, and they don't get ice frozen into them so you can't put them on after a few runs. I'd definitely rent for your first season. Where I live, lots of shops will do low-price season-long rentals and give you free maintenance on your equipment for the season, too.

4. Helmet. You will be falling a lot at first, and sometimes the snow is harder than you'd think. Rental shops will have them, so you can try one out before investing in your own. Some of the helmets don't have ear coverage, so it's advisable to wear a thin beanie under them so your ears don't get cold. Make sure the helmet fits snugly with whatever you might wear underneath. It should stay in place if you shake your head vigorously when you're trying it on.

5. Goggles. I am in awe of anyone who can ski without them! The wind and sun make my eyes water so much. If you are buying a pair, I've found that orange-tinted lenses work the best for me. Rose lenses are good for bright sunlight, but they are not as good in flat light (like when it's cloudy and there aren't many shadows to put the terrain in perspective for you). Clear lenses are only necessary if you'll be skiing at night. My brother is sponsored by Smith Optics, so those are the only ones I wear these days 'cause they're free, but in the past, I really liked Scott and Bolle goggles.

6. Warm gloves or mittens. I am a mitten girl since my fingers stay warmer when they can huddle together for warmth. I like the ones that have a cuff you can bungee tight over your jacket sleeve. These might be a good option for you when you're falling a lot--less snow up your sleeve.

7. Neck warmer. I wear a double-layered fleece one when it's snowy or windy because I'm a big wimp and get cold easily. When I ski raced, I always wore one even though it was extremely uncool. If you are like me and hate when your neck is cold, one of these is a must.

8. Layers for underneath. Usually, I pile on the layers when I go out. On the bottom, I put on leggings, then pull my ski socks up over them, then put on fleece pants if it's a really cold day. On top, I wear a sports-bra/tank thing, then a fitted long-sleeved shirt, then a fitted short-sleeve shirt, then a fleece jacket. I add a fleece vest if it's extra-cold. I used to always wear a hoodie under my jacket, but now that I have a hooded jacket with a far superior hood, the hoodie would just get in my way. I know that some people like to wear Under Armour-type stuff under their jacket and pants, but I've found regular leggings and shirts work just as well. Ski socks are a pretty good investment if you're planning to go out on cold days.

I've never skied in Montana, but I'm guessing the snow there is probably similar to Colorado and Utah, which means it's the best snow in the world (I may be a little biased). The snow is generally more powdery and light instead of heavy or icy like you can get in Vermont or Washington State.

One thing I'd suggest is to take at least one or two lessons. I've taught friends how to ski and snowboard, but I have a lot less patience than most ski instructors do, and they have a lot more experience with brand-new skiers and riders. Especially with snowboarding, I think the lessons are worth it right off the bat--especially since they can help you figure out how to get on and off the chair, which is one of the hardest parts of the learning process!

Have a wonderful time this winter--you will be up to speed and cruising around in no time. Maybe one day we'll ski/ride together!

 

[kittybean]

Wow--you guys got a lot of talking done while I was posting my novel of a response !

I like the North Face jackets you posted, but honestly, I am so much happier with my Burton jacket than I was with my North Face down jacket. Mine is a kids' size, which it sounds like you could wear with no problem. The best thing about kids' equipment? Cheaper!

You might hate it, but I think this jacket is super awesome-looking, and the features and design remind me of mine. You would look awesome in this with some colorful pants (or black, if you prefer).

 

[ForteKitty]

if you dont mind the hassle, wear some wristguards, then you wont have to worry. our natural instinct is to break the fall, so those arms may fly out despite you saying no.!

watch out for patches of ice, even if you're just standing there. I slipped on a tiny patch after a long day in 2008... and fractured my tailbone. It was the worst 7 hr drive home of my life, and i had to sit on a donut for 6 months. Now i have a gift... before it rains, my ass hurts.

oh, when you fall down, try to move out of people's way. skiiers hate us because we're always on the floor... but sometimes we really can't help it! it's safer for you as well. you dont want to be the speedbump when they're zooming down the mtn!

after your first day, you WILL feel like someone beat the crap out of you w/ a rolling pin. your abs will be really sore, like you did a million crunches. when you fall on your butt, getting up sucks and it takes all your core strength to get up. (which is why you should try to fall face down! that way you get up on your knees.)

your instructor should repeat most of this during your lessons. dont be too timid. if you go too slow, you actually fall more!

oh yea and dont forget sunblock, or you'll look like a racoon, haha.

 

[choro72]

Dang it, you're going to snowboard? Everyone around me have converted, and I'm the only skier left! I don't know any snow gear brands, but I'll list some pointers.

If it's a warm day, I only wear thin tights and sweat-absorbing undergarment underneath the snow gear. If it's cold I wear a long sleeve shirt and thicker tights. If it's super cold, I keep one of those heating packets that you rub, double socks and a scarf around my neck. I have a Swiss family friend who skies in jeans and a sweater, but I'm not that good

Pockets!! You don't want to carry a purse around you. If you get a chance to go to Asia they have cuter styles.

Snow goggles. I can't ski without them. Hat, but you have that already. Sunblock. You will peel without this.

Be absolutely sure that your jacket is tight around your wrists. And invest in good gloves. Cold leaky snow experience is NOT fun. If it's your first time I guarantee you will fall, and cheap gears will get you wet in minutes.

A jacket that zips high up your neck will keep you nice and warm. A jacket with a hood is not necessary. You won't use it, and a snow hat is much more comfy.

Do you have a Sports Chalet? You can rent your snowboard and shoes there, and it's much cheaper than renting at the resort. No waiting lines too. You can also buy lift tickets, but they may run out.
I'll post more as I remember.

 

[kittybean]

ForteKitty had a great point about the wrist stuff. It is very easy to break wrists while snowboarding. Even if you're really vigilant, you might catch an edge suddenly and go down without much warning and forget all your good intentions to not put your hands out. For this reason, it might be good to look into some of the wrist guards out there and give those a try at first.

Are you planning on buying lift tickets or a season pass? Depending on how many times you are planning to go, the pass might be a lot cheaper. Since you're close to a ski area, there might be local's discounts on passes. I know that in Colorado, you can buy lift ticket in multi-day packs, which makes them less expensive, and the grocery stores in Denver sell tickets at a discount as well. If you take lessons, a lot of times discounted lift tickets are included in the price of the lessons, so you might be able to save some money there as well.

ETA: I see that FK already posted about wrist guards!

 

[kittybean]

oh, when you fall down, try to move out of people's way. skiiers hate us because we're always on the floor... but sometimes we really can't help it! it's safer for you as well. you dont want to be the speedbump when they're zooming down the mtn!

Yes--this is a really, really important point. Be aware of the skiers and riders down and up the hill from you. Don't ever stop under a blind knoll (where the people coming down can't see you past the roll of the hill). If you fall there, get to somewhere you can be seen ASAP. I had a dear friend and mentor on my ski team die when he went over a blind knoll at high speed and collided with a boarder who was stopped underneath. It was such a tragedy, and both of them had enough experience to know better than to launch off a blind knoll/stop underneath one.

I don't think you'll have to worry too much about people whizzing past you at first since you'll be on the beginner hill, but it is always good to stay vigilant of your surroundings. Skiing and riding on a busy hill can be a lot like driving, and people are a lot less predictable than they are behind the wheel.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

You guys are awesome! Thank you so much!!

Kittybean - I've heard that you fall a lot when learning to snowboard! I have a feeling I am going to be in serious pain after the first time. My friend and I were going to step up our gym sessions in the next week or two so that we'll be in as good a shape as we can be by the time the slopes open. However, that plan was foiled today by an awesome winter storm (bad awesome in the sense of making roads awful, good awesome in the sense that yay! Snow! Snowboarding! ). I'm hoping my years a high school cheerleader will help me in the falling correctly and getting back up department - I was a flier and I was definitely no stranger to falling! The Burton jacket is cute! I'm a pretty conservative, solid-color girl though I actually can't decide if I want a white jacket (the white Boundary I saw was super cute) or if I just want to go with black. At least I wouldn't have to worry about it getting dirty and showing I will definitely looking into renting a board for the season - that's a really good idea! Do scarves work as well for neck warmers, or are neck warmers something specific?

I think the snow here is pretty awesome, from what I've heard - great powder. I hope so anyway! If you're ever in the state (at least this season, give me a yell! )

Fortekitty - Wristguards - good to know! I need to make a list of gear to get. Ouch about the tailbone - I'm sorry! At least you'll always have a good indicator of bad weather right? My old roommate from college slipped and fell in the dining hall and had to sit on a donut for a few months - she was NOT happy. lol about falling face down! I need to go work on my abs - hopefully by the end of the season I'll be sporting a six pack

Choro - hey girl! Come up here and snowboard with me! Tights are a good idea - I'm supposed to avoid cotton right because it'll get wet and cold from sweating? Hmm...more shopping may be in order. Maybe my workout tights will work - those are designed basically to wick away sweat right? Definitely need pockets! I wish I had a chance to go to Asia soon. I had SO MUCH FUN shopping in Japan a couple years ago - EVERYTHING fit. No hemming, no weird proportions - it was paradise. I bought so many suits...and then there was this one store that catered to super small sizes, and they had regular pumps that fit me. I nearly passed out from happiness

Sunblock for sure - I do not want to look like a tomato-y racoon! I don't think I have a Sports Chalet - that's a store? If so, definitely not here. It's a really small city (where I live). I can check the big sports outfitters to see if they rent gear though - I know for sure they sell snowboards but I haven't checked to see if they rent too. That's a really good idea - thanks!

I looked at the place my friends usually go to (because it's really close - like an hour or so outside town). Looks like if you do lessons, you can also get a package with equipment rental and an all-day lift pass, which will be convenient! Kittybean, I will definitely ask about a season pass for lifts when we start going without taking lessons. Actually, I'm going to go look up the slope website now!

Gosh, I am SO EXCITED guys!!!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

oh, when you fall down, try to move out of people's way. skiiers hate us because we're always on the floor... but sometimes we really can't help it! it's safer for you as well. you dont want to be the speedbump when they're zooming down the mtn!

Yes--this is a really, really important point. Be aware of the skiers and riders down and up the hill from you. Don't ever stop under a blind knoll (where the people coming down can't see you past the roll of the hill). If you fall there, get to somewhere you can be seen ASAP. I had a dear friend and mentor on my ski team die when he went over a blind knoll at high speed and collided with a boarder who was stopped underneath. It was such a tragedy, and both of them had enough experience to know better than to launch off a blind knoll/stop underneath one.

I don't think you'll have to worry too much about people whizzing past you at first since you'll be on the beginner hill, but it is always good to stay vigilant of your surroundings. Skiing and riding on a busy hill can be a lot like driving, and people are a lot less predictable than they are behind the wheel.

Oh no Kittybean. That is so sad, and I'm so sorry. How tragic. I will definitely keep this in mind. I'll be staying on the beginner hill for a good long time I'm sure, but like you said, it's good to be always vigilant. Thank you.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Oh yeah! I think these are the gloves I got but I may switch out for mittens -

Link

 

[ForteKitty]

kittybean- i'm really sorry to hear about your friend.

 

[kittybean]

Thanks, BEG & FK. He was a great skier and is very much still missed. That said, that was a freak accident, and such things are incredibly uncommon, so I don't mean to scare anyone.

BEG, here's a white Burton kids' jacket that's on sale! It looks like it zips in with compatible pants, which seems like a neat feature. I understand if you're more the North Face type, though. I still wear my North Face down jacket to work on snowy days since it's so neutral (and since it seems almost everyone in Colorado wears one in the winter).

 

[Rae~]

Boarder here! Not a very good one, though, only lived somewhere with snow for a few years before I moved back to the heat... But season passes were great fun.

You've already received heaps of good advice, and I will say a BIG ditto on the wrist guards. I broke my arm/wrist about the third trip to the snow..... so there went THAT season! It wasn't even on a slope, it was on a bunny run getting from one slope to another! And that was even WITH wristguards, but they were the crap ones the resort gave me with my hired gear. I bought proper ones back here in Aus on my next trip home that (southern) winter, ready for my next attempt at boarding. All went well from then on.

GOod luck, but I know you will have a blast!

PS - personally, I wouldn't wear mittens (too fiddly when trying to adjust/tighten stuff), but I knew people who did and were happy enough.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Kittybean - thanks! That jacket looks great. Actually, I'm going to see if my local stores carry Burton and see if I can find it here, but I'd prefer to buy locally so I can try things on. I admit, I do like North Face I have two fleeces from there, and two heavy down jackets from there that I wore religiously throughout Boston and Chicago winters (gah public transportation, walking, cold).

Rae - Cool! Any more advice for the beginning boarder? Oh my gosh, I am SO looking up decent wristguards RIGHT NOW. I do not want to take any chances. Thankfully I now have health insurance so at least if something really awful happens I'll be covered

 

[April20]

I ski, but haven't been able to since I moved to ATL four years ago. Every time we move, DH tries to get rid of my skis and I won't let him.

Everyone has pretty much covered all the bases, but I wanted to throw one thing in regarding goggles. I don't ski without them personally. If you decide to get goggles, just make sure they are the kind that don't fog up. My first pair did and it was miserable!!

 

[that_someone_special]

I ended up needing kneepads the first four times I went (lessons)... The snow was ice... And I had bruises - some so bad I couldn't go to school the next day because I couldn't move. Once I got the kneepads it was no issue... And then I wasn't falling as much and didn't need them!

 

[turtledazzle]

You've already gotten great advice, so I cannot add much except to say I am seriously jealous. Big Sky in Montana is my favorite place to ski -- love it there! We just don't get to go very often since it is hard to get there from where we live. Have a great time!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

April - don't let him get rid of them! Come up here - PS GTG in MT - gems, skiing and snowboarding - woot! I'm definitely getting goggles - I don't want to break my sunglasses - but that's a good point about fogging up. I HATE it when my sunglasses do that occasionally - I would be miserable if my goggles did that too! (I keep trying to type google instead of goggle...)

Bean - Ouch. Kneepads, huh? Adding to the list! Love the new holiday av btw!

Turtle - Big Sky opens up day after Thanksgiving!!!

 

[ForteKitty]

how about some awesome buttpads?!? http://www.airgear.com/buttshield/index.php

 

[Rockdiamond]

I'm a skiier- I admire folks who can both board and ski!

You've gotten great advice so far- I only have one thing to add- it's about socks.
Don't get anything too thick.
Although it may seem like they'd be warmer, the best socks for skiing ( and I assume boarding) are rather thin.
The thick ones tend to cut off circulation

I always end up buying toe warmers anyway- but skiing in Vermont is cold cold cold.

 

[TravelingGal]

I'm a skiier- I admire folks who can both board and ski!

You've gotten great advice so far- I only have one thing to add- it's about socks.Don't get anything too thick.
Although it may seem like they'd be warmer, the best socks for skiing ( and I assume boarding) are rather thin.
The thick ones tend to cut off circulation

I always end up buying toe warmers anyway- but skiing in Vermont is cold cold cold.

Best advice. I'm a skier, so not much advice on boarding here (and even then, I haven't skied in 7 years now, after skiing every season for 13 years). I'd see so many people doubling up on socks and ending up with cold, "asleep" feet. Proper socks for skiing (don't go wearing cottom gym socks please!) is key.

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

how about some awesome buttpads?!? http://www.airgear.com/buttshield/index.php

I'm pretty sure I'll be needing those (or at least wishing for them!). My butt does NOT have enough padding for shock-absorbance!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

David and TGal - Thanks for the advice! Is there any particular material good skiing/snowboarding socks are made of? My friend suggested getting thick wool socks but that seems contrary to what you suggested, so I'd definitely like to know what I should be looking for! Thank you!

 

[Rockdiamond]

There's specialized "ski socks" - contrary to what might seem like common sense, they're thin, and made of some sort of nylon type material.
Sweat socks will cause you endless discomfort