On the slopes the cold doesn't hit while you're skiing down: it hits on the chairlift, when your body stops and the sweat from the run stays on your skin. That's why dressing well for skiing doesn't mean wearing a heavier garment, but combining three layers with different jobs.
1. The base layer: keeps your skin dry
It's the most important garment because it's the only one that touches your skin. It has to move sweat away and dry quickly, otherwise when you stop it becomes a wet, cold layer. That's why the base layer must be close-fitting: if it doesn't touch your body it can't carry moisture away.
Cotton is the choice to avoid: it absorbs a lot of water and holds on to it. Synthetic fibres such as polypropylene absorb very little: in DryHeat Lab tests the weight of polypropylene increases by 0.13% after absorbing liquid, versus 0.72% for polyester and 7.03% for cotton.
- If you ski at a fast pace or go off-piste: DH Extreme Power, seamless and light.
- If you feel the cold or spend a lot of time on chairlifts: DH Drywool, polypropylene and merino in the same knit.
2. The mid layer: holds in warmth
Over the base layer you need a layer that keeps warm air close to your body when you stop, without making you sweat when you set off again. A technical sweatshirt with a long zip is the most practical choice, because you open it on the way down and close it on the chairlift.
The DHtech 400 Tunnel sweatshirt is knitted as a tube: the air gap between the two faces of the fabric does exactly this job.
3. The outer layer: stops wind and snow
The last layer is your ski jacket, which protects you from wind, snow and external moisture. It only works well if the layers underneath let vapour out: a waterproof jacket over a cotton top stays wet inside.
The most common mistakes
- A cotton top under your jacket.
- A loose base layer that doesn't touch the skin.
- Too many heavy layers: you sweat more and feel colder on the chairlift.
- Forgetting your neck and head: neck gaiters and helmet liners make a difference at altitude.
Not sure where to start? Find your layer in three questions, or browse the ski and snowboard selection.