The Skiing Department Blog

Many skiers choose to wear a rucksack (I prefer the term backpack) when skiing. Often we are out all day in the mountains and we simply need to carry stuff around with us.

As skiers, we do have different requirements for what we need to carry. For some, it’s simply a picnic lunch for the family whilst for others it’s crucial safety equipment for off piste skiing.

Some skiers do not like wearing backpacks because they feel cumbersome and heavy. This is personal preference, and if you feel that you can carry all you need in your pockets, then fine, but today you can choose from a huge variety of backpacks to suit your needs.

If an extra pair of gloves and some sandwiches are all you need, then you can use a small pack that you would hardly notice wearing at all. Of course, fashion plays a big part and the look and styling of your backpack is important to some.

Backcountry or off piste skiers need to wear well designed, strong and fairly large day packs (20 - 30 litres). This is because the equipment that needs to be carried is extensive. The pack needs to take a snow shovel and a telescopic avalanche probe. These are designed to be light and strong and the shovel handle can be removed to make it easier to fit in the pack. Sometimes a light weight rope is required, if ski touring on glaciers, as well as extra clothing, drinking water, first aid kit and food.

If you are on a multi day ski tour, then you need to carry everything on your back. The rucksack needs to be larger. Usually on ski tours you stay in mountain huts. Sometimes food is provided, but you need to carry changes of clothing and other everyday requirements.

Essentially, you need to ascertain what you want to use a backpack for. Once you know then you can choose according to your needs. Manufactures now design backpacks specifically for skiing. They will also produce packs for the different requirements we have e.g. general recreational use, off piste/back country skiing, ski touring and ski mountaineering.

What I carry in my backpack when skiing off piste:
Snow shovel, avalanche probe, first aid kit, spare gloves and hat, binoculars, energy bars, water in thermos flask to prevent freezing, penknife, spare googles, spare sunglasses, fleece, 2 way radios, sun cream and lunch, if required.

Some of the manufactures that produce good quality skiing backpacks include: The North face, Lowe Alpine, Scott Sports, Berghaus, Black Diamond, Ortovox, Camelbak.

In future posts, I will go into detail for each category of backpack.

What are ski poles for and why do we need them?

Often a question asked by beginners as they are handed an item of equipment which on the face of it seems unnecessary.

Certainly some beginners are taught without poles at first, especially children as learning to ski without relying on the support of a pole can be beneficial in the long run. But ski poles are an essential tool that enable us to balance, support and time our turns on the slope. In modern day downhill skiing we use two poles, one in each hand. >> Continue reading

One of the most important items of equipment to purchase before going skiing is a good set of skiing goggles.

It does not matter what level of skiing you are at, from first time beginner to professional racer, a set of goggles is essential for many reasons. There are a wide variety of models available that have a range of prices, to suit all budgets. Typically, you can spend between £30 to £120 (€35 to €150) on a set of goggles.

The differences in pricing mostly reflect the goggles lenses and the added benefits more expensive lenses would offer.

Why do we need to wear ski goggles?
There are two main reasons why we wear ski goggles: The first is protection from the wind and the cold on our eyes when we are travelling >> Continue reading

The debate regarding the question over ski helmets and skiing has been going on for many years. Recently, the news headlines have brought this subject to the public’s attention with the sad death of the actress Natasha Richardson.

There is debate and conflicting opinions regarding the effectiveness of helmets when skiing. Would Natasha Richardson still be alive if she was wearing a helmet? I cannot answer that question, but clearly a helmet can protect certain head collisions from causing more injury than if a helmet was not being worn.

The vast majority of skiers do not wear helmets and certainly throughout the history of skiing this has been the case. Downhill skiers have worn helmets for many years, although racers in other disciplines, such as slalom, giant slalom and freestyle have only >> Continue reading