Thinking of a family ski holiday this year?
Being well prepared for the many elements the mountain can throw at you in a single day has a huge impact on whether your day on the slopes is a success or not. Especially if you are skiing with young kids.
So much of enjoyment of skiing comes down to what you are wearing. Sweet Cheeks Merino is a family business and everyone in our family learnt to ski from the earliest of ages. We grew up with the extremely changeable conditions on Mount Ruapehu in the North Island. This is one of the reasons we are all so mad about merino wool. Every time we stepped a foot onto the snow, we were dressed head to toe in merino. And this has not changed in over 30 years.
We have outlined the reasons why merino wool is one of the best fibres you can dress in below.
- Merino wool is extremely fine and light weight. This is super helpful as it allows you to layer up multiple layers of merino under your ski jacket without feeling the bulk that you would if you had multiple layers of cotton or synthetics. Merino also has one of the highest weight to warmth ratios meaning that despite the fineness of the material, it still packs in a bunch of heat. Every snow-goer is familiar with the situation of looking out the window in the morning and seeing a blanket of grey clouds, gail force winds, freezing temperatures and dressing accordingly. Only to get halfway through the day and have the winds die, the sun comes out and the temperature soar. Next thing you know, your sweat is clouding up your goggles. Wearing multiple layers of merino allows you to easily strip the top one or two layers off and store without bulk in your backpack or jacket pocket.
- Even the most experienced skiers are not safe from taking the odd tumble and if you are new to the sport or a bit rusty then falling is inevitable. There is no worser feeling than picking yourself up from a fall to find that snow has found its way into every gap in your outfit and realising that you are going to be wet and cold for the remainder of the day. Not the case if you are dressed in merino! Merino has the ability to retain up to 30% of its weight in moisture. This means it can handle 30% more moisture before it starts to feel damp against the skin. And if it does become damp, merino will stay warm even when wet unlike cotton.
- It can be so time consuming once you have donned your jacket, helmet, googles and gloves to then be hit by an itch that just won't go away and having to take it all off before you can get on with your ski. Merino is naturally hypo-allergenic so it is kind on the skin and will not irritate or itch.
- Merino wool is extremely breathable meaning it quickly adjusts to changes in body temperature. We are all familiar with the warmth your body generates from flying down the mountain to the chill that descends upon you on the chairlift ride up. Wearing merino will help soften this drastic swing in temperatures so you will be less likely have to spend your day constantly removing or adding layers.
- The last thing you want to do when you get home from spending a massive day on the slopes is have to think about washing and drying your gear for tomorrow. You could try to avoid this by purchasing multiples of the same item to get you through the five days of skiing but the sport of skiing is already expensive enough...especially when factoring in ski passes and gear hire for the entire family. Luckily, merino can be worn multiple days in a row and simply by allowing it to air out overnight, it will smell and feel as fresh the following day as it did straight off the line. This allows you to pack just enough merino thermals for one full day of skiing, no matter how many days in a row you are planning!
- Lastly, the great thing about Sweet Cheeks Merino products is that they last! Your thermals will not only keep your little one warm now, they will also retain their softness and shape long enough to be passed down to younger siblings or family friends. This means for bang for your buck and less landfill waste!
Shop our range of thermal pieces here
