We’re approaching the time of year when a lot of us are looking to start skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and any other winter sports or hobbies. All of them are great fun, of course, and perhaps the best part is when we get ready to pack it in for the day and return to our hotel or home to drink some hot cocoa and warm ourselves up.
It’s hardly a secret that these activities are cold, after all. As you can see on pages like this one, frostbite is a genuine risk if we aren’t careful to dress ourselves properly. What might that look like, though?
Today, we’re here to examine how we can keep ourselves safe even in the freezing cold. You may already have some ideas, but new technology keeps getting invented to help us protect ourselves from extreme weather of all sorts. If that sounds interesting, keep reading!
What are Base Layers of Clothing?
We’ll start off simply: by defining what we mean here. They’re a type of clothing that goes underneath our ski, snowboard, or ice-skating gear. Some folks call them “thermals,” although the wool and cotton ones from decades ago aren’t really in fashion anymore.
Nowadays, there are a lot of different types of under layers, and we can even get ones that are stylish and functional. After all, when you are finally home for the day or done with whatever activity you were enjoying, you’ll be in these clothes.
Different Types
We hinted at this above, but one nice thing about base layers is that there are several styles and even weight types to choose from. For example, you might be able to find heavyweight, mid weight, and lightweight options, all at the same place and in similar styles. You’ll get to choose which type will suit your needs best.
Obviously, we can also mix and match if we know that our legs always get colder than our torso, for instance. The materials vary between the styles, but all of them will help to keep us warm. It’s just your call on how cold you think you’ll get.
Now, the most popular material tends to be something known as merino wool, which is a specialized wool produced in specific countries across the world such as Australia and New Zealand. It’s soft, durable, and flexible, making it an ideal candidate for these types of clothing.
Browse the selections you find at your retailer of choice and see what looks most appealing to you. A lot of the lightweight garments are intended to be chafe-proof, meaning they can be excellent for the summertime too. Some folks opt to get this type of gear for any of their outdoor activities or exercises!
Is it Worth it, though?
While all of this probably does sound rather appealing, most of us are aware that these types of clothing come with a cost. It’s up to each of us to decide for ourselves whether or not it’s worth it, naturally. However, we’ll do our best to explain why so many people do think it’s worth the money.
For one thing, it’s a way to protect ourselves from extreme temperatures. More details can be found here: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-heat-and-health, for anyone curious about why that is. Really, it’s pretty self-explanatory.
Beyond that, there’s the matter of comfort. When planning a skiing or snowboarding trip, no one really wants to spend their days being miserable because of chafing or blistering. Having protective layers can help alleviate that or prevent it entirely. Anyone can wear them, too, meaning that you can also dress your younger party members without them getting uncomfortable.
Style
Although most folks aren’t buying underlayers to look pretty, there’s also something to be said about layers that aren’t overly bulky or in ugly colors. While they do need to have bright spots so that we can be seen in the dark, they don’t need to be hideous – plenty of retailers are able to blend them into the designs of the garments.
That may be something to look for, especially if you prefer to look stylish or be on trend with your outfits. When you’re at the ski resort, your cabin, or your home, you can walk around in these types of layers without having to worry about judgement. Instead, you can hold your head high knowing that your clothes are stylish and comfortable – a difficult thing to achieve.
Keeping Warm
Overall, though, this is undeniably the most important part of wearing layers when we enjoy winter sports and activities. Otherwise, there’s a risk of hypothermia or frostbite, just to name a few potentials. Make sure that you and your family are able to keep themselves safe and warm this winter, and prepare for a trip or outing like this well in advance!
