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Sport a work of art on the slopes this season!
Charity project, Snowcase, brings art to the slopes…
For all art loving adventurers out there, don't miss 'Snowcase' – an exciting charity project that will see thirteen of the UK's top artists auction off a unique, one-off work of art on a ski helmet.
Commissioned by Trespass outerwear, the fifteen pieces feature everything from a hand-painted glazed doughnut covered in sprinkles to a spectacular plastic-moulded skull, a wily bright pink octopus and an intricate tattoo-inspired design.
Stephen Wiltshire MBE, the world famous artist who suffers from autism and draws completely from memory, has contributed a stunning London cityscape, scrawled meticulously onto the helmet in pen. He said, "I have used a guitar, balloon and travel luggage as a canvas for my art before, but never on a snowboard helmet, so taking part in the Snowcase project was a fresh and enjoyable challenge.
"I decided to draw my favourite London landmarks from Royal Albert Hall to the Shard and add my motto 'Do the best you can and never stop' so my work might inspire people."
Stephen's artwork helmet will help raise funds for Barnardos. Other charities to benefit from the Snowcase project include: Prostate Cancer UK, Doctors Without Borders and Alzheimer's Research UK.
Stephen added: "I like to help in any way I can and representing Barnardo's for this auction is a really worthwhile way to help the charity, which provides much needed support for young people."
Morag McIntyre, Partnerships Development Manager for Barnardo’s, said: “Barnardo’s is delighted to be a beneficiary of the innovative 2016 “Snowcase” campaign, as we recognise 150 years of support for vulnerable children and young people.
"The money raised through Trespass charity auction and the contributing artists will help Barnardo’s give children who are in desperate need someone to turn to. On behalf of these children, thank you.”
The other artists involved in the project include illustrator and cartoonist Joe Berger, painter and experienced graphic designer Dairo Vargas and world-renowned artist Louise Dear. To find out more and to bid for one of the unique art works please visit: http://www.trespass.com/snowcase
***THE AUCTION IS CURRENTLY LIVE AND ENDS ON THE MORNING OF THURSDAY 11 FEBRUARY***
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Rocker Snowboards Explained
After rocker skis it was only a matter of time before rocker snowboards came on the market. Here's a good summing up of the new tech. Will you be trying one out this winter?
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Top Tips to Prepare for your Ski Holiday
Whoa how did that happen? Suddenly we're approaching mid-October. Ski Shows, Halloween and winter are round the corner. It's the ideal time to start thinking about getting ready for skiing. Whether you're taking the plunge for the first time or an experienced skier, a little bit of preparation and planning will make everything go a lot smoother.
1. Holidaying wth beginner kids? Get them some lessons.
It's hard for intermediate/experienced adults to remember how unfamiliar and strange everything was the first time you clipped into bindings. Cumbersome boots and planks under your feet is something we obviously don't experience everyday. Factor in your age and if you're under 10 the weirdness element can be mutliplied by 10.So what can you do to avoid a first day fall out – when you go to pick up the kids from ski school and find them in tears and vowing never to return? If you can, get them some pre-season lessons. Snow domes, snow centres and artificial ski slopes all over the country offer beginner lessons aimed at children from as young as 3. This can make an enormous difference to how successful the ski experience will be in resort – and will often allow your children to improve quicker once they're on real snow.
The UK Snozones for example, based in Milton Keynes and Castleford, offer the SnoAcademy for kids from the age of 3. It consists of weekend sessions and the emphasis is on fun and play whilst developing new skills. The Snow Centre in Hemel also offers group lessons for juniors (from age 4) and during school holiday periods, 2 day courses – you can book now for the upcoming half term week.
Whilst it may seem like an unecessary expense think of it as an investment. By the time you get them into resort and onto snow they'll know the deal and will be excited and raring to go, rather than scared!
2. Physical Preparation.
Ok so you say it every year about this time – I must get fitter for skiing. But somehow, with the pressure of work, family, social life, the best intentions get forgotten. Then suddenly you're at altitude and trying to negotiate something steep and you wish you'd taken the time to do just a bit more. Make this the year that you do something about it! Just stepping up your regular fitness routine by about 10-20% will pay dividends in a month or two – so by the time you're on the slopes you'll feel the benefit.
Just googling "exercises for skiing" will give you a great range of resources and tips. Start easy and adapt exercise to your level. It's never too late to start.
3. Do Some Research.
So you may have already booked your holiday or are looking around to see what's available. The main thing is to choose a holiday which meets your expectations. if you're a seasoned skier you'll have a good idea of what to expect and what you want. If you're not (or even if you are), spend the time and make a list of what's important to you. Do you need a short transfer? Some airports can be 3 hours or more away from mountain ranges. Do you want chocolate box charm? Do you want a lively resort with lots of apres ski? Do you want a good swimming pool, gym, ice rink, bowling alley? Are you looking to tour the local area – what are the roads like for driving? Is there public transport? What's your budget – do you want the best of the best, or cheap and cheerful? In your accommodation is wifi essential? how about a hot tub or sauna?
If you're organising the holiday, whether for a large group, family or just you and one other, it's a good idea to set the guidelines so that nobody is disappointed. If you haven't found your holiday yet then you could try The Solutions Room – that's where you can ask all your questions and see what offers/answers/solutions come back.
4. Learn about Snow Conditions
If you're an experienced skier/snowboarder chances are that you will at some point be skiing off-piste. Modern skis make it much easier for relatively inexperienced skiers to try the powder – and snowboarders have been doing it for years. So if you are going to do that it makes sense to learn more about the environment. During the autumn Henry's Avalanche Talk runs regular sessions in partnership with Ellis Brigham and the Ski Club of GB. 90% of avalanches are triggered by the victim, and in many cases the situation could have been avoided with a bit more knowledge. The HAT Autumn Tour kicks off in Manchester on November 29th. If you're an off-piste regular you owe it yourself and your ski/snowboard buddies to go along.
Will you be jumping for joy on your next ski trip?
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2014 Slope Style for Girls
January 2014 is well underway – and with more snowfall throughout the month, the slopes are more than making up for a slightly thin beginning. Whilst we may not have been getting the dizzying powder highs of last year, resorts can now boast good piste conditions and respectable snow depths. It looks like much colder temperatures are on the way too with more snow on the horizon.
So it’s a good time to capitalise on the good January conditions and excellent offers that are available right now!
If you’re looking for something extra special for your ski wardrobe this year, we’ve come across something new and extremely cool. Girls’ skiwear can often be a bit of a disappointment – girls want good quality technical clothing too and want to look and feel good.
So at CDHQ our female contingent are pretty excited by a new range of baselayers available from Geneve Designs. The baselayers have fun and funky prints depicting your favourite resorts – each one is a limited edition too. The retro prints are bang on trend and will help you stand out for all the right reasons. They’re also hardworking garments – blending silk and merino wool, the wonderstuff which provides warmth, wicks moisture away from skin and should keep its shape and serve you well for years.
To see the full range and to make a purchase take a look at: http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/partners/geneve/products
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Christmas Present Ideas for the Skier and Snowboarder in your life!
It's less than a week away – Christmas that is. are you still stumped for a gift for that extra special ski junkie in your life? Need some ideas? Here's some top tips to make them smile on Xmas Day.
Extra Special for that Extra Special Someone:
1. Clothing: Experienced skiers and boarders will generally prefer to buy their own jackets and pants as they will be looking for gear which is hardworking and technical – so it's always better for them to tell you what they want, or to choose it with you. Garments with Gore-Tex will add a premium to the price tag, but most brands will also have their own version which can be just as good at a much cheaper price. A good technical garment means that it will keep you warm and dry whether you're on the chairlift or in a couloir; it will have enough pockets to stow goggles, glasses and other paraphernalia; jacket hoods will cut out the wind without restricting field of vision too much, moisture generated by exertion will be wicked away so keeping the body dry. There are a lot of features to take into consideration – so make sure you know what they want.
2. Equipment: Again take them with you to the shops, or get a gift voucher. If he or she is a backcountry enthusiast you could also consider items such as beeps, probes, shovels, rucksacks – again unless you know exactly what they want, it's probably better for them to choose for themselves.
3. Holidays: Why not bring a big smile to their face and book a ski break for them? If you need some ideas take a look at Chalets Direct's promotions area, or try the Solutions Room.
Mid-Range Presents:
1. Accessories: Skiers and boarders need a lot of other items on the mountain – so this is ideal if you're not wanting to buy big but still want to make it meaningful. Items that could come in under the £100 mark include goggles, gloves, and glasses too.
2. Underwear: Baselayers are often overlooked by the beginner so would make a great gift. Good baselayers will keep the skin dry and so the wearer stays warm. This is particularly good for beginners, who will usually get hot and sweaty quite quickly with effort. If you get sweaty in low temperatures dampness on the skin can very quickly turn cold which will effect your enjoyment. Brands to look for include Helly Hansen, Odlo, etc – make sure that any baselayer garments you buy promise to wick moisture away from the skin. Merino wool base layers are very popular and do the job!
Stocking Fillers:
Socks, neckwarmers, hats, sunblock, hand warmers, hip flasks – you name it the gift is out there. The more experienced skiers and boarders will tend to shy away from novelty items – so maybe forget the hat with fake dreadlocks. For the intermediate to expert, look for function as well as funky.
When buying hats it's a good idea if these aren't too bulky – so that they can be easily put in a pocket if the temperatures rise, and also look for fleece lined hats which keep heads and ears much warmer than hats without linings.
Apps: There are loads of apps out there which can measure speed, altitude, distance covered, where the nearest bar is etc. So just shop around in the relevant app store to get an idea.
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Taking Kids Skiing? Mind the Goggle Gap
Just launched in the US, the Goggle Gap Project is an intiative designed to raise awareness of the problem of Goggle Gap amongst kids, pre-teens and parents. It's focus is on ensuring that your child's helmet and goggle system fits correctly and so erases the gap – any skin exposed on the forehead making it susceptible to wind/sun burn or frost bite.Whilst it's not yet in Europe, it's certainly something for all parents to be aware of.
When a helmet and goggle system doesn’t fit well together, it can leave a portion of the forehead exposed creating Goggle Gap. The space on your forehead, or Goggle Gap, can be left completely bare due to a poor-fitting helmet and goggle system, becoming severely sun or wind burned or exposed to frostbite on cold days.
“Like with any sport, there are many details to consider when purchasing ski and snowboard gear, the Goggle Gap Project is just another way that equipment manufacturers and specialty retail stores are collaborating to educate parents, teens and really everyone on the importance of proper fitting snow sports headgear,” says David Ingemie, president of SnowSports Industries America.
For a proper fit, the brim of the helmet should be flush with the top of the goggles. Any space larger than 1/4 inch means your helmet and goggle setup does not fit properly, 1/4 inch or more is probably acceptable only if the liner materials of the goggle and helmet cover all skin areas.
“With so many choices in goggles and helmets – there’s really no reason not to have a system that works great and looks great as well,” added Ingemie.
To fix the dreaded Goggle Gap, consumers can find information on helmet/goggle proper fit in the KidZone section of SIA’s consumer website Snowlink.com.
So whilst the campaign probably won't extend to Europe, we thought it was a useful point for parents to be aware of – especially if you're taking the family skiing at Christmas when there's less sunshine, it's cold and nursery slopes can often be in the shadows in lower parts of resorts.
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Time to get fit for skiing – useful handbook helps you get the best from exercise.
It's that time of year. You are thinking about your ski holiday, browsing the web and shops for the latest gear and grabbing moments of ski instruction clips on Youtube.
How’s your fitness? Do you need to get down to the gym? Dust off those running shoes? Lose a few pounds? How do you get really ski fit and reduce your risk of injury?
A book out by David Murrie, an expert skier and lecturer in Biomechanics, makes a very interesting read.David has coached many professional athletes at elite and Olympic level. His main point is that for exercise to be most effective it has to simulate the actual movements of the activity itself. You might be thinking you are getting fit but actually you are just getting better at whatever activity you are doing.
Dave focuses on the skier's knees and back, statistically the most vulnerable parts of the body, which can prevent skiers making the most of their ski holiday. He gives examples of exercises that should be done to enhance your ski experience and reduce injury risk. His key emphasis is on accuracy and the need to recognise when you are balanced whilst doing the exercises. Performing exercises just for exercise sake is far less effective than doing accurate well balanced sport-specific movements. Recognition of when you are balanced and how that feels is a vital part of that process.
Other chapters cover altitude, muscle soreness and recovery and are both educational and practical. Next time you are exercising for your ski holiday wouldn’t it be great to know you are doing it correctly and in the most accurate way possible?
Do not be put off that the book is published under the Ski Instructors Handbook series. There is a tremendous amount of knowledge a recreational skier can pick up, which if implemented will improve your ski fitness and allow you to have more fun on that mountain.
His book can be purchased on Amazon.
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Top Tips for Skiing in Early Season
The season has started with a bang! Loads of snow has fallen across Europe over the last 10 days or so, and there's more in the forecast. It's looking like it could be a record opening for many resorts – with snow depths already being measured in the metres, even in non-glacial resorts. The majority of ski resorts in Europe have opened last weekend, 15th December, some with limited opening. The rest will be opening for this weekend in preparation for the Christmas week revellers.It's looking like Christmas week will start mild and get colder. At the moment it's hard to say exactly but meteofrance for example is forecasting positive temperatures for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day becoming sub-zero by Boxing Day.
Skiing in December and January can often throw up different challenges as you try to cope with cold, wind, snow etc. How best can you prepare for changing weather and conditions? Here's some top tips to help!
1. Layer Up
It really is best to have good technical base layers. Forget your cotton vest and long johns, you need a wicking fabric which draws perspiration away from the skin. This is as important for beginners as it is for experts. Beginners will expend more energy in the early days than intermediates – the effort of staying upright and getting up after a fall for example, coupled with having to deal with unfamiliar equipment, will get you working up a sweat. On cold nursery slopes in December and January, which are often in the shadows, any moisture on the skin can cause you to get very cold very quickly. Wicking base layers means the skin stays dry and keeps warm.In milder temperatures the layering system means that you can easily drop a layer if you need to. Remember also that at this time of year when the days are at their shortest, the amount of direct sun you'll get will be minimal.
2. Morning Checklist
It's easy to forget those little extras which make life more bearable – especially if you haven't been on the slopes since last year. If you have kids to organise it's also a headache making sure they have everything with them. One seasoned ski mum we know posts a checklist in a very visible area – so that each family member will see it before they walk out. Her checklist includes essentials such as lift pass, goggles, ski poles, lip salve, gloves. sun screen. It's a good idea to have your own checklist and make sure everyone refers to it before leaving the accommodation.3. Eyewear – Make it Goggles
Goggles are really the only eyewear you should be wearing if the weather and light are bad. Goggle lenses allow more light in than sunglasses and provide better protection. Go for orange/red tinted goggles which give better visibility on "flat light" days – those times when it could be white-out conditions, or cloudy, and it's hard to see the contours of the slope.Treat your goggles well and they will last you years. Always use a goggle cloth to wipe the outside, never tissues or a sleeve etc, and NEVER wipe the inside of your goggles. This will just wipe off the protective coating and mean that they will steam up quicker.
4. Neckwarmers – the Skiers and Snowboarders friend
It's difficult to under-estimate how useful and effective these little items are. The neckwarmer covers that area between the top of your jacket and the bottom of your hat/helmet – commonly known as the neck! They also block out the wind and snow. They can be pulled up to cover part of your face on a cold chairlift. Choose one that's in a technical fabric so they will dry quickly and be ready to use everyday.5. Boots – Dry them out at the end of day
Wherever you're staying make sure you can keep your boots in a heated area overnight so that any dampness is dried out before the next morning. Moisture in your boots will quickly freeze and cause cold toes and feet – which can severely affect your enjoyment.Whether you're heading out for the festive season or shortly after we'd like to wish you a Merry Christmas and hope that you have a great and magical ski holiday!
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To Buy or Not To Buy – Top Tips for what Snow Gear to buy When
Steve Pangli of Powder N Shine compares and contrasts the merits of buying your own ski equipment.As the spring/summer sun threatens to break through the long-standing cloud and rain, sales are bound to hit specialist ski and winter sports shops, prompting many to consider buying last season’s lower-priced kit and equipment. Here I give my opinion on what to buy for next year’s ski trip. Firstly, I will highlight the pieces of equipment/skiwear that I believe are essential to own yourself – and the order in which I would recommend building up your kit collection: (More info on pricing etc can be found on a previous blog entry at http://www.powdernshine.com/essential-equipment-for-a-first-time-skier/786/)
Ski pants/jacket (buy):
This is mostly from a fashion/recognisability point of view, and many perennial skiers/snowboarders like to change their basic look as often as possible (maybe by having a couple of outfits at once), but for a beginner on the slopes, it is important to feel comfortable and happy with your “look”. It is possible, of course, to borrow these items of apparel, but with shops like TK Maxx widely available and selling well-priced items of clothing, you can kit yourself out reasonably cheaply.
Gloves (buy):
A very personal item of clothing – some people prefer standard gloves, others mittens which are often warmer – I would never want to share or borrow gloves from someone else. These are like a pair of comfortable shoes that to a certain degree mould to your hands. You can team warm, waterproof outer gloves with thin base-layer gloves (the more technical of which now come with a finger pad for use on touch-screen smartphones!) if you are prone to having cold hands.Thermal(s)/Base layer (buy):
Not an item you would want to share or borrow, these can be found quite reasonably in large sports shops.Helmet (rent first):
From this point on, my advice would be to rent initially, then to buy when you are sure you have something that fits, suits your style of riding and that you like. Most ski shops have a reasonable range of helmets that you can try out – either for your week’s skiing holiday, or just in the shop to ensure you find one that fits well. Initially most manufacturers tended to create more neutral colours such as silver, black and white, but these days you can almost match a helmet to any colour combination of your clothing.
Boots (rent for your first couple of holidays): The most important part of your larger outlay on equipment – more so for skiers than ‘boarders as ‘board boots tend to be more comfortable and slightly less crucial in overall performance. Hire boots are fine for learning the basics of snow sports, but once you are sure that you will return as often as possible, you should invest in a pair of boots. You can get great deals for boots online, though this can be risky and my strong advice if buying online would be to try the boots on in-store to make sure you get the right-fitting boots before considering an online purchase.
Certain manufacturers cater for particular shapes and sizes of feet – for example Atomic now have a (ski) boot specifically designed for wider feet (the Atomic B range), Dalbello, Head and Fischer also have a good selection for wider feet, whilst Lange, Scarpa and Solomon are known for typically making (ski) boots for narrower feet.Finally, for those buying ski boots, I would recommend considering buying specialist footbeds. Some boots these days come with a slightly mouldable in-sole in the boot itself, but boot-fitters such as Armando Podo in Les Menuires or Sole Boot Lab in Chamonix can build highly personalised footbeds that ensure your feet are held in the correct position, reducing injuries and ensuring most comfort.
Skis/Board (rent first, buy later):
And so to the holy grail for ski equipment junkies – the decks themselves. I hear countless hyperbole about whether you should buy your own skis/board, with the pro “you only need to use them 3 times for the costs to be covered versus renting” and the con “but technology changes so much that next year they’ll be out of date”.Quite honestly, I tend to agree with both, though I do congratulate the manufacturers on how much the general public seem to think technology evolves year on year. When deciding on whether or not to buy the skis or board, you should first examine the purpose of a potential investment – do you ski more than 2 or 3 weeks per year? Have you had bad experiences with the price/quality of equipment from hire shops in the past? Do you have a particular discipline that you would like to focus on that dictates that you will require certain equipment (off-piste/park/touring etc.)?
If any of the above apply (are you sure?!), you should try to find a shop that will let you test out equipment (for a small fee if you do not end up making the purchase) before making a final decision. Then you can let the sales people give you all the information about cambers, rockers, edges and flex (boards); rockers, shovels, twin tips and width underfoot (skis). The most important thing to consider if you are testing out equipment is whether or not you have enjoyed using that particular piece of kit. Many more people than would probably care to admit it buy stuff simply because it is new and/or they like the colour. Sure, what it looks like is important, but it should not cloud your judgement on ensuring the basic spec you are looking for (off- vs on-piste, freestyle vs classic style, more rigid vs more flexible).
My final word of advice would be to always try to push for a discount – shops have a bit of a degree of flex that they can show in pricing up equipment – you should always at least ask if they could go any lower – £20 or £30 can buy you a few drinks to wet the head of your flash new equipment!
Thanks for the advice Steve! Check out Powder N Shine's catered chalets in Les Menuires in France's legendary Three Valleys.
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Go Retro in the Portes du Soleil
If you're heading out with friends to the Portes du Soleil over the next few weeks and are looking for something a bit different, why not take a look at a great new "service" from an enterprising little company known as Retro-Rentals. Retro-Rentals will rent you 80's ski wear for the day, or longer, – think one pieces in neon brights and classic nevica pink and purple.Intrigued by the idea we got in touch with Retro-Rentals for a little bit of background info. Here's what Kyle, founder and 80's addict, had to say;
Q: Who are the brains behind Retro-Rentals?
Retro rentals is; Kyle and Rob, two Full time Seasonaires with a serious obsession with the 80’s.Q: How did you come up with the idea?
Retro rentals was born from a passion (or more like an addiction!) for 80’s ski wear. We had been collecting Retro Ski wear for years, scouring high and low for little gems of tight fitting, garish and multicoloured bits of one-piece Nostalgia.Pretty soon “Onesie’s” had taken over every spare inch of space in our apartment, and was threatening to burst through the ceiling with the weight! We had to come up with a plan to find a new home for our collection… That’s when we came up with the cunning idea of renting our outfits out, overnight Morzine looked like a scene from hot tub time machine, everyone was wearing a onesie, and Retro rentals was born.
Q: How long has Retro Rentals been going?
Since Cassette players were the height of technology, tight and bright was right, and the feathered mullet was king…Q: Do you have any funny stories/events/ things that have happened on a retro ski day?
Haha … We will have to be careful answering that one! We run a huge 80’s retro party every Monday at the Cavern bar in Morzine, it gets a bit wild! Let's just say that what happens in Cavern, stays in Cavern.I think the best thing for us is when we have 100’s people all dressed in 80’s ski gear together on a slope having a great time. It’s like being thrown back into the 80’s!
Q: Who’s your typical kind of customer?
We don’t really have a typical customer; we get everyone wanting to get involved in some retro action. More often than not its big groups of friends, who are up for a laugh and who don’t take themselves too seriously.
So if you're in Morzine, Les Gets, Avoriaz, and fancy a piece of the (retro) action, get in touch! They will also do rentals and events for bigger groups in Chamonix and Verbier, and have a mobile shop so could be visiting a resort near you! Take a look at www.retro-rentals.eu for more info.
