Backcountry skiing is more than just a sport – it’s an adventure! Whether you’re hitting the slopes for the first time or you’re an experienced skier looking for some new experiences, there’s something out there for you.
But how many base layers should you bring for a week of backcountry skiing? What apparel should you wear for a ski trip? Where can you go that is neither too warm nor cold? These are all important questions that you need to ask yourself before heading to the slopes. Let’s explore the best backcountry ski base layers and how many pairs you should bring with you to the mountains.
Table of Contents
The Basics Of Base Layers For Skiing
First things first, let’s discuss the basics of base layers for skiing. These are the layers that you’ll need to have in your backpack to get through the day on the mountain. A good multi-layer base layer clothing system for skiing is made up of the items described below.
- A shirt
- A fleece pullover
- A vest
- Men’s long johns
- Men’s short johns
- Socks
- Men’s thermal underwear
- A hat
- Men’s sunglasses
- A bandana
These are the items you’ll want to have in your pack or on your back. Most people only wear one pair of long johns to ski and if you plan on going beyond a couple of days, you may want to consider buying a second pair. With all this extra heat being generated by exercise and outdoor activities, you’ll need to keep yourself cool as well. For that purpose, you need to have some good thermal underwear and shorts with you as well. Additionally, if it’s warm where you are, you may want to consider wearing a short-sleeve t-shirt under your ski jacket to allow for better air circulation.
How Many Base Layers Should You Bring?
Now that we have the basics out of the way, let’s discuss how many base layers you should bring for a week of skiing. There are three factors to consider here: the temperature, the duration of the day, and the amount of elevation change.
As for the first factor, the temperature, you’ll want to be sure that you have the appropriate gear for the season and the area that you’re visiting. If it’s a cool mountain, you may want to consider bringing fewer layers – perhaps only a t-shirt and a fleece pullover to start with. As you climb higher and higher, losing a layer here and there may not seem like a bad idea but on the contrary, you may want to bring more layers as the air gets thinner. Similarly, if it’s a very cold mountain, you may want to bring a thicker layer, made up of several items such as a fleece pullover, a long johns, a hat, socks, and gloves. Additionally, if you’re planning on going beyond a couple of days, you may want to bring along some extra layers such as a t-shirt, a long-sleeve top, a fleece pullover, and a vest.
As for the second factor, the duration of the day, it tends to be longer on the mountain than down below. You may want to start with a base layer (a long johns and a fleece) and a top layer (a long sleeve t-shirt and a fleece pullover) to keep yourself warm during the day. But if it’s windy and chilly, you may want to add more base and top layers to form what is known as a’multilayered base and top’ to provide better insulation and warmth. For example, if you’re planning on skiing during the day and traveling at night, you may want to add a couple of more layers, made up of a long johns, a fleece pullover, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a ski jacket. And if it gets really cold at night, you may want to add a fleece pullover, a long johns, a hat, and more. The key with the second factor, the duration of the day, is to keep switching layers, removing and adding them as needed. As you get hot, remove layers and add more as needed. Once again, you may want to refer to the park rangers’ pamphlet for recommended gear and temperature ranges, as this will vary from one ski resort to another.
The Elevation Change Factor
The last factor to consider here is the elevation change. Now, if you’re a seasoned skier, you may not need to stop and think about this because you know exactly what elevation change feels like. For others, it may be a totally new experience and this is why you need to take note of the following: whenever you go up, it’s usually for a short while and then you have to come back down. This means that you’ll be doing a lot of hiking and a lot of climbing and descending. This is why you may want to bring extra layers, especially if it’s a long trip – it never ceases to amaze me how many people forget about warmth when travelling and not paying attention to the fact that they are getting colder, even if they are covered by a heavy jacket or a fleece pullover. As you go up, the air gets thinner and thinner and you start feeling colder and colder. So whenever you have the chance, remove layers, add layers, and do your best to keep yourself warm. Keep in mind that the higher you go, the thinner the air becomes and this is why you may want to add more layers as you go up, especially if it’s a long trip. On the other hand, going down usually means you’ll be stepping out of the wind stream and into warmer temperatures. In most cases, descending also means you’ll have to remove layers, especially if you’re traveling during the day.
Hopefully, this article gave you a sense of direction and inspired you to hit the slopes this winter season.