3 ways to get ready for your first ever ski trip
It is often said in life that when you are looking to do something for the first time, thorough preparation will help make it all much easier. As the saying goes: “if you fail to prepare, prepare to fail.”
But what does adequate preparation look like for someone who would like to go on a skiing holiday, even if they have never taken to the slopes previously?
In our capacity as a leading UK ski shop at Ski Exchange, we have outlined three things you can do to get prepared for your first ski break or adventure.
Practise skiing in a snow dome first
One great thing about the UK, is that it is home to various dry ski slopes and indoor “snowdomes”. An example of such a facility is SnowDome in Tamworth, although you might be able to find a similar indoor snow skiing centre closer to you.
These venues provide an unintimidating setting in which to learn and master the basics of skiing, such as stopping and turning, before you head out to any of the mountainous snowy resorts you’ve been dreaming about.
Whether you head to an indoor snowdome that uses real snow (with the temperature typically kept at around -1 degrees C to -5 degrees C), or a dry slope that uses a synthetic surface, these can be great places to give your confidence a “head start” before you take on formal lessons.
Take skiing lessons geared to your skill level
We mentioned them above, so we might as well elaborate here; ski lessons are widely available in the UK at the aforementioned indoor snow centres.
As you might expect, such lessons take a broad range of forms, developed around the needs of beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiers alike.
You can also anticipate being able to choose between private, one-to-one lessons with personalised instruction, and group lessons in which you would be accompanied by other learners.
Presuming you’re reading this as a complete novice, investing in beginner lessons will enable you to be taught proper form, and to avoid bad habits developing.
Get together the ski clothing and equipment you need, whether you buy or rent
The ski items you can expect to need to obtain prior to taking to the slopes, include the likes of waterproof ski pants, a ski jacket, thermal layer(s), a ski helmet, goggles, gloves, and socks.
You will also, of course, require the actual skis, poles, and bindings. However, if you don’t already own these by the time you read this, you can look to rent them at the resort.
This brings us onto the important distinctions to be made between renting and buying when it comes to certain items.
While it is possible, for instance, to rent ski boots at the resort, this isn’t recommended. It is hugely important for ski boots to conform to the wearer’s feet, which means rented boots can often be very comfortable. For this reason, even first-time skiers are advised to purchase their own boots and have them fitted to ensure optimal comfort, confidence, and performance.
With the skis themselves, on the other hand, there is a somewhat less urgent need to buy instead of renting, when you’re still a novice getting adjusted to the basics.
Once you are beyond those initial adjustments, and you have greater confidence and awareness of what you do and don’t like in ski equipment, our UK ski shop at Ski Exchange can be your complete and dependable source, whether you visit us online or in person.
With that, we’ll simply wish you the very greatest enjoyment of your upcoming ski break!