Layering for warmth

We covered how to keep your feet warm, so how about the rest of your body? At SlopeStyle we sell all the apparel you need to keep warm from head to toe. We all know a good jacket and pants are key, but what about under those layers? The base layers as they are known are perhaps as important if not more important as the outwear in keeping your warm. The first layer that contacts your skin should be a non-cotton layer which helps wick moisture away from your skin and fits relatively snug. Think of it as a second layer of skin. This will help insulate you from the cold and keeps you dry when you are ripping it. On top of that should be a mid weight layer such as fleece or a soft shell. Again this will insulate your core on those really cold days. Finally make sure your last layer is waterproof and helps shield away the wind. With this combination you should be warm and dry on the coldest days!

Never under estimate the importance of a good ski sock!

If you are like me then you grew up with your mom throwing two pairs of socks on your feet anytime you went outside in the winter, even if it was just a 2 minute walk to school! We all grow up and become our own people but for some reason little things we were taught when we were younger never go away, especially doubling up socks.  We sell lots of ski and snowboard boots each year here at SlopeStyle and always start the conversation with socks. Almost without fail everyone is trying to cram socks which are way too thick in a ski or snowboard boot. I am here to tell you that thick socks are your worst enemy in skiing and snowboarding, and two socks, well don't even get me started on that! One single thin sock is what you should be wearing and here is why.

All ski boots and snowboard boots are designed to keep your feet warm and with modern developments they do a very good job at that. Leave the boot to keeping your feet warm. The sock is there not as much for insulating warmth but wicking warmth. Your feet sweat while on the mountain (on average a pint per day!) and a wet foot is a cold foot. The thin ski socks get the moisture off your skin very fast and in turn help keep your feet dry. The thick socks trap the moisture on your foot and end up causing them to be wet and cold. The  thin ski socks also promote more blood circulation as your foot is not as cramped in the boot. This again will keep your feet not only more comfortable but warmer. When you cram a thick sock, or dare I say two socks, in the boot you restrict the blood flow. The extra sock thickness makes your feet more cramped and due to lack of blood circulation much colder. So do yourself a favor and get some good thin ski socks, they are worth every penny!

Burton's Lightest Boot Ever!

The Rampant! Burton's lightest boot ever produced! This boot is light as all get out and is super comfy. The Est sole gives your insane board feel while providing good shock absorbtion for landing the big airs coast to coast. The articualting cuff gives you a free flex feel yet has "jumper cable" inserts to increase lateral support. Then end result killer popping power with forgivness on your landings. Check it out at slopestylevt.com

Bern - Multi Sport Functionality

If you are a fan of the helmets with brims say thank you to Bern. The Bern company started the brim sensation many years ago and it has now taken off! Every company that makes any snow helmets has at least one model with a brim now. What still separates Bern from the pack is the mutli sport functionality. These helmets are designed to be your snow sliding helmet (Ski and Snowboard) but simply take the knit beanie out and you now have a bike, skate, or wake helmet! Simple as that.

Bern Helmets at slopestylevt.com 

Camber Vs Rocker.....what is the difference?

What is camber anyways you might be asking yourself? Camber is what gives your skis the bow shape throughout the middle of the ski. This shape gives you the best edge hold and carving ability on groomed hard pack surfaces. The camber also gives skis the rebound out of your turn, the kick back. 

Reverse Camber or Rocker is the exact opposite of that shape (think more like a banana). This provides the obvious benefit of floating in deep snow as the shape naturally will make the ski climb to the top while moving forward.  The trade off of course would be holding and edge and carving on a groomed run.  To counter that negative there have been many new types of reverse camber created which will blend the benefits of camber and rocker to create a whole new ski experience.

The profile above uses reverse camber in the tip (a.k.a. early rise rocker)  and traditional camber under the middle of the ski.  The early rise shovel will allow the ski to climb and float in powder and make the ski more maneuverable in bumps and woods.  Roll the ski on edge however and you will end up with traditional edge contact and carving ability. This shape is a great choice for a one ski quiver.

This shape uses reverse camber in the shovel and tail while once again using traditional camber underfoot. This will make the ski very quick in the bumps and woods as very little ski will be touching the snow. There is some carving ability as there is camber underfoot but definitely is starting to be a little more shaky at high speeds on groomed trails.

This shape above is full reverse camber. This will perform the best in deep soft snow as it will act like a water ski and surf along the snow. Try to carve this on a hard pack groomed run however and you will be wishing the thought had never crossed your mind. 

The choices may seem confusing at first but simply determine what terrain you like and there will be a reverse camber ski to suite your needs!

Winter Will Come!

I will be the first to admit that this has been an unusually slow start to our ski season in Northern Vermont, however, do not get discouraged. The fact of the matter is last season started out very similar. We got one storm in early December then it all melted off by New Years Day.  We hold our annual staff ski and ride day each year on New Years and last year we were stuck to just the man made snow while we looked at grass on all of our favorite natural snow runs! We were all thinking the worst of the season at hand. Come the second week of Januray the snow started and it did not seem to stop until late April! We skied lines at Mad River Glen that only become skiable with a great snow depth well into early April. Sugarbush and Jay Peak had snow packs into early May!  So fear not, take some laps on the mand made mayhem to warm up the legs and keep the faith, the snow will come!

Check Out This Video From Last Winter!

Cold Feet? Warm them up!

It's the question everyone asks.....are these boots warm? Of course you need to have the correct ski socks which wick the moisture away from your skin, and you need to keep your boots warm. This means not sticking them in the trunk overnight, or even in the trunk on the way to the mountain. Once a cold boot, always a cold boot.  If you follow those proper procedures and still are snapping icicle off your toes at the end of the day, well then there is only one solution....get some heaters! Hotronic's are the answer to everyone comfort. They can be installed in any footwear but of course we love to put them in ski and snowboard boots. These puppies can turn your cold and miserable day on the slopes into a dream come true. The saying goes, make the feet happy and everyone else will be happy!

Buy Hotronics Here!