Fashion at the snow

By CATHRIN SCHAER

Once upon a time it was obvious what you needed to look good on the slopes: a pair of stretchy, skin-tight pants made of wetsuit rubber and a fitted, pink jacket with matching gloves.

Throw in some blonde hair dye, a pair of furry ear-muffs or maybe a knitted headband and you were bound to have the Swedish ski instructors swooning with delight and offering you their last cup of gluhwein.

And if you were a juvenile snowboarder, it was only a few years ago that voluminous pants, a wallet chain and an oversized jacket were just the thing to get those skier babes in pink checking out your slope style. Never mind that the cap and the do-rag made you look like a cross between Santa Claus and Eminem. Or that a trouser crotch that low meant you couldn't snowboard properly for fear that your pants were going to fall off.

My, how things have changed. When it comes to winter wear those stereotypes have disappeared like fresh snow on a hot spring day. It's no longer possible to tell whether a person snowboards or skis simply from their outfit. The two schools have merged, in terms of attitude, sporting preferences (for instance, both skiers and snowboarders now like to ride the terrain park) and definitely in terms of clothing.

Most of a resort's younger clientele are wearing slightly baggy trousers and comfortably loose jackets. There's nothing too tight, nor too loose, about the typical snow sports person this century.

"There's a real cross-over," says Sarah O'Leary, who looks after the ordering of clothing at the Snow Centre in Newmarket, Auckland, where they cater mainly to skiers but are also trying to make an impact on the snowboard market. We do get specially branded snowboard labels but skiers certainly buy them too. Sure, the people who have been skiing for 30 odd years will come in and say: "oh no, that's a real snowboarding pant - it's low cut and baggy. But in general, I don't think there's a difference between them any more."

"Snowboarding clothes were comfortable, good looking and considered fashionable," adds Christine, the manager of Snow and Sport in Christchurch. "And skiers have wanted a part of that."

While comfort and function are important, that's not all snow clothing is about. It's true, even the most hard-core riders and skiers, dedicated to their sport and the mountains, still check themselves out in the mirror and have colour preferences.

Fashion does have an impact - and this season it's probably seen in the more monotone colours coming through and the subtle sprinkling of retro, 80s-style fluoro to be seen on some of the most forward-thinking labels.

So what's more important when it comes to choosing snow clothing: fashion or function?

"Function," says Dan Buckley, designer at Huffer, a local company producing high-quality, good-looking snow clothing. "Good design is always about function first. But a mixture of both is pretty good. I mean, you want to feel good, too."

Consider this when buying snow clothing.

Fabric

There are so many different fabrics around these days that it's confusing even for an expert snowboarder or skier. Every snow clothing company that makes its own fabric has to copyright it, hence all the different names. On the whole, these fabrics are different versions of a similar thing.

It started with an American fabric called Gore-Tex and as O'Leary will tell her customers all the other kinds of fabric, something like Japanese-developed fabric Entrant, for instance, are simply updated versions of this. "It's the new Gore-Tex," she says.

Still confused? Okay, what you should really be looking for is a balance between the waterproofing a fabric has and the breathability. These kinds of fabrics have pores in them; they're a kind of membrane. The pores are big enough to let air out but too small to let water in.

Ask about the "mm" rating. That's short for millimetre and reflects the results of a test where water pressure is increased on the fabric slowly. At the stage where water starts to seep through, the millimetres of water are counted and an "mm" rating is given. As O'Leary says, anything over 1500mm is waterproof. More affordable brands might have a waterproofing of about 2000 whereas the top of the range brands can come in as high as 40,000. This means if you're sitting on the snow or being rained on for long periods, you're not going to get wet.

You then need to ask about the breathability rating because finding the perfect garment is about reaching a balance. You won't want an "mm" rating of 40,000 with breathability of only 1000. You'll want something between, say 5000 and 10,000 "mm" and 5000 and 10,000 breathability.

Your retail assistant should be able to help you with this. If not, read the tag. The best snow-clothing companies always advertise these ratings.

Fit

Never mind the colour - it just has to be comfortable or you will be compromising your winter sports experience. Think of all the movements you'll be going through up on the mountain.

As Buckley says, an everyday suit jacket is cut out on a block where the arms are by the sides. Which means that when you lift your arms up, the jacket hem lifts. However, a snowboard jacket is cut on a block where the arms are at right angles to the body ,so that when you lift your arms, the hem stays where it is and you're kept warm and protected.

So when you're trying your potential purchases on, close the changing room curtains and jump around, lifting your arms and legs to make sure your movements are not restricted.

Added extras

It's often hard for newcomers to judge exactly what they need in choosing snow clothing.

There are some things you'd never even think about. For instance, your hands are going to be in gloves and/or cold so you will want a fairly bulky zip on your jacket and jacket pockets. Otherwise you'll be fiddling with the thing for hours.

Yes, a hood on a jacket is a good thing, but will you be riding in the terrain park? If so, you might be investing in a helmet and your hood becomes redundant. You might want to consider a removable hood or one that can be tucked away.

Then there are the things you like to do up the mountain. What do you want to take with you - are there enough pockets for your needs? Are they easy to reach?

Will you be carrying a portable music player? And if so, do the pockets suit you - will your earphones reach from them? Lately snow clothing companies have been making pockets especially for mini disc players and iPods.

Another rather handy feature on a lot of modern jackets is a ski pass holder. This could be a handy clear plastic pocket or a special tag, just so you're not struggling to find your lift ticket at the head of the chairlift queue.

You'll also find things like thermometers and hydration packs being built into jackets.

Then there are features such as an extra-fleecy butt on a pair of snowboarding pants (because you spend a lot of time sitting down when boarding) or extra lining on the rear of a jacket to insulate your back against those cold chairlift seats.

Venting can be useful if you get hot quickly or you're planning to do things like hike or ride in the half pipe - these are cunning little holes hidden around your jacket or pants. Simply unzip them and let a breeze flow through.

Another feature that seems to be exciting ski retailers is the extra pieces of fabric in jacket sleeves that can be pulled down and looped over the thumb to ensure there's no freezing gap between your wrist and glove.

Sadly, we don't often find the best use for a powder skirt in this country - it's designed to stop powder snow going down your pants and into your jacket when you're ploughing through the freshies after a snowfall. But, in New Zealand, it's more likely to be keeping your kidneys warm - and as anyone who has had cold kidneys knows, this is not a bad thing.

Location

Where are you going to be skiing the most? If it's on Mt Ruapehu, you'll probably want to be layering your snow clothes. It's the best way to dress here because the conditions are so changeable and wet. The main reason you get cold on Ruaephu is because of wind and rain.

This northern mountain is more affected by weather coming in from the sea than ski resorts in the South Island, where they are often part of large mountain ranges and more protected.

Up north a thermal under-layer is important and merino garments, such as those made by Icebreaker, are worth the expense. Add a lightweight fleece or jumper and, finally, a waterproof and breathable jacket.

Seam sealing is also something to consider when planning a winter holiday in the North Island. This is when seams are not just sewn together but also fused together; it ensures complete waterproofing.

One of the biggest misconceptions people have about snow clothing, says O'Leary, is that they need a bulky, warm jacket. "But there's actually a trend toward thinner, shell jackets," she says.

"When the fabric gets as technical as it is now, where it's both waterproof and breathes, then you can get your warmth from layering."

On a mountain such as Ruapehu, this also gives you more options should the sun suddenly appear.

"But you get quite a different clientele in Auckland," notes Christine from Snow and Surf in Christchurch. "When it's wet and raining down here, our mountains are closed. You need different gear for different locations. Cardrona, for instance, is a really cold field and you need to dress to keep warm there."

It's the same story for those planning to head overseas. In places such as Canada the sun might be shining but the temperatures will be below zero. If planning a trip there, you may want to consider a warmer jacket, rather than just a shell.

Safety

If you're planning on hiking off the ski field or riding and skiing in bad weather, invest wisely. Spend a little more money on your snow clothes, consider all the functions carefully and you may find that a jacket or pants will save your life, or at least protect you from injury.

Helmets

These are also becoming more popular.

Snowboarding beginners may also like to consider buying or hiring wrist guards, as a broken hand or wrist is one of the most common injuries learners suffer. Some ski-field rental stores give them out with gear but, if you're not sure, it's highly recommended you buy or borrow some before you head up the hill.

Essential fashion tips for beginners

You're just starting out, you're on a budget and you want to buy just one thing - what should it be?

All of our experts agree: trousers. "If you're a novice you're probably not going to be going out in really extreme weather anyway, which is when you need a good jacket," Buckley explains. "If you do, you'll just put yourself off. But no matter what the weather's like, when you're learning to snowboard, you'll be spending a lot of time on the ground. So some good waterproof pants are the best thing to invest in. A warm sweater or a raincoat will do for the top."

O'Leary also thinks investing in a good pair of gloves might be helpful. "Nobody really rents gloves and if you're getting cold hands, you just get miserable," she says.

The best gloves are not cheap; they're waterproof and breathable. What this means is that your hands won't sweat inside the glove and get cold.