How to choose a ski ensemble

on Sunday 28 November 2010
by Federico Casnati
photo by casnas

A dilemma that plagues every skier, sooner or later, is the choice of technical clothing to wear on the slopes: what is the best choice for my budget?

Resumes series of tutorials / tips for buying inaugurated last year to disentangle the various models of skis and find the one best suited to their characteristics.

We are here to guide you about a brand or another because there are many factors involved, first of all aesthetics. It is not possible to determine in general the best aesthetic for limestone slopes, then a first screening of brands, models and colors can be entrusted only to your aesthetic sense.

Also, the budget plays a vital role to say the least: for a good suit is part of 400 euro to over 1800 euros! It is therefore necessary to set a spending limit and within that limit, try to understand what is the right choice.

In this short tutorial I will touch on three main points: waterproofness, breathability and fit of a product.

waterproof (or waterproofness in English, as is often reported on the labels) is the first thing that usually tend to look for in a head slopes. You will find, in addition to the assurances of the salesman, a standard index for the impermeability of ski jackets on the label, denoted by a number (usually very high) and followed by the words "water column".

The water column is the measure for the water resistance of a material and properly goes to indicate the pressure that the water exerts on a material before the material leaves the same penetrate the water.

The whole is measured in millimeters and is filled with a cylinder diameter of 10 cm with water. With a column of water exceeding 1300 mm, the garment is waterproof.

Fortunately for us ski jackets have mid-level impermeability of 5000 mm while the most expensive come to 22,000 mm

To make a choice must think, however, that in case of snow, will subject the garment, for at least 3-4 hours, to the elements. If then a column of 5000 mm gives security to the falls, snow ball fights and one or two hours of snowfall, it will not rain or very wet snow. To be sure it is therefore better to opt for the minimum of 10,000 mm.

data on water resistance, however, taken alone, is the most misleading of all when it comes to a garment. One thing to be waterproof, the high is like being with this item worn. We must not forget that we will use the ski ensemble in motion, and then probably we will produce our own body heat. A leader who is not only waterproof is fine in our case, we also need breathability for us in any case not drenched in sweat!

The index of transpiration (or breathability, as indicated on the label) is therefore essential for a ski jacket. Goes to show how much water vapor can pass the jacket over a certain period of time.

is indicated in g / m ^ 2, ie the quantity (in grams) of water vapor a square meter of fabric is able to expel within 24 hours, then it is usually abbreviated to G.

A great leader with 20,000 G breathability, the average is about 10,000 mm and the base is 4000 (the level which is usually taken for pants, jackets have a few thousand more) in this because you risk really find tarpaulins best suited to deep-sea fishing to skiing!

The last aspect is fit. It seems strange to say but not all of us think.

Making cuts more comfortable and that follow their movements well and the conformation of the body costs more (more fabric, more seams, the more processing time and trimmings) that make some simple "pipes" which put arms and legs. From how they are shaped areas around elbows-shoulders-knees-chest-life can dramatically change the feeling of being at one with what you wear and to have something too .

Sometimes there are some brands that advertise their excellent results and use of waterproof fabrics trademark, but then turn out to be resistant not only comfortable.

seems banal to say so but you have to move when you try a full, bend and hear how it fits behind, thinking that we'll never stop, and when we wear that for worst, least five years with a complete conviveremo we choose

There would be other things to point out, especially on the materials used, but here are totally different visions: who loves the Goretex who considers him evil, by those who want the Windtex instead the classic stuffing .. . but this will be an upcoming tutorial Neveitalia.IT

Stampa