THE KIT DOCTOR
In a special women's edition, the Ski Club’s Kit Doctor, Henry John, is in session to answer your questions, from how to stay warm to whether specialised freeride equipment is really necessary
Get freeride-gear savvy with help from our man in the know
I have been advised to buy ‘freeride’ boots as I ski off-piste a lot, but am unsure what the difference is. Can you offer any advice and recommendations?
Pamela, via information@skiclub.co.uk
Freeride boots are generally made of a softer plastic and will have a more upright cuff than downhill boots. They are designed to gently float your skis through the powder, rather than driving the toe edge of your ski into corduroy. Nowadays, you’ll often see touring features, such as pin compatibility and a walk mode, on freeride boots as the lines between downhill, touring and freeride boots become blurred.
However, exclusively freeride boots do continue to exist in their own right.Good examples for women include the Fischer Ranger and Scarpa Gea boots – long-term stalwarts of this category – as well as the Atomic Hawx, available in both Prime and Ultra models, which vary according to last width (this is the width of the foot at its widest point.
My wife feels the cold and needs advice on clothing for everything from skiing in +5 ̊C to walking around resort in -20 ̊C (including windchill) – what items can you recommend?
Alan, via Ski+board online
This covers a broad range of temperatures and conditions, making recommending specific kit difficult. However, along with some general advice on layers, I would focus on three key pieces to help your wife.
You can effectively boost your warmth with thicker first and second layers, i.e. your base and mid-layers. Icebreaker make a mid/heavy 260 weight baselayer (the number represents the fabric’s weight in grams per m2) which, combined with a good quality Polartec fleece (a soft, ultra-light synthetic fabric made from polyester fibres) will help keep you warm.
Your mid-layer presents the most difficulty, as it provides the most warmth, but needs to be designed differently for skiing and stationary activities. I actually recommend wearing two layers: one to keep on at all times for skiing, such as the Arc’teryx Atom LT or the Rab Xenair range, both of which offer good quality synthetic insulation whilst retaining breathability, plus a natural down jacket to provide serious warmth when you’re less active and breathability is less of an issue. The latter can be thrown over everything to avoid having to chop and change layers.
Finally, your hard shell is key for keeping out wind. I’d go for a Gore-Tex jacket here, as the technology is just that much better than branded attempts to recreate a waterproof and breathable membrane. Remember, as a rule, anything that is waterproof is also breathable, but not vice versa. Finding warm layers for your legs are a different matter, as options are more limited. The Outdoor Research Refuge pants offer an excellent standalone insulated layer if you really feel the cold.
I need new backcountry or freeride skis, but am overwhelmed by the options. Can you recommend any specific models?
Gail, via information@skiclub.co.uk
There are several fantastic women’s freeride skis on the market. We have previously recommended the Black Crows Camox Birdie and Line Pandoras; both are exceptional lightweight skis drawing a lot of inspiration from touring setups and we had a lot of fun on both at the Ski Tests this year.
Another great option is the Elan Ripstick 94. Elan has expanded its Amphibio Technology across its entire range, meaning the inside and outside edges of each ski are constructed differently, allowing for excellent edge hold and easy turn initiation.
