Category: Tips

Club Europe supporting sustainability through WhoSki.com

A huge cheer for school ski trip provider Club Europe, for taking strong steps towards improving sustainability in its operations. Not only is it recommending WhoSki.com as the place to buy and sell secondhand ski clothing, it is looking at ways to reduce its environmental impact across all areas.

The company is the latest to partner with us to help keep pre-loved ski clothing in active usage for longer and make skiing more affordable.

As Club Europe says: “The idea is simple: reduce the quantity of new ski clothes that are bought and old ones that are sent to landfill, by enabling families to easily buy and sell pre-loved ski wear.”

What to pack for a family ski trip

KEEPING SKI CLOTHES ON THE PISTE

Club Europe will be helping hundreds of youngsters take a school ski trip this season. If even a fraction of those young skiers and their families buy and sell their ski clothing via WhoSki.com, they will potentially help keep a mountain of clothing out of landfill and reduce its carbon footprint by extending its active life.

WhoSki.com co-founder Nicola Davenport says: “We are delighted to be working with Club Europe, a school ski trip provider that is committed to sustainable business.

“Raising awareness of WhoSki.com as a secondhand marketplace for good quality ski clothing helps not only keep textiles in circulation but also raises the profile of sustainability in the wintersports sector generally. The more we all do to think #SkiGreen, the brighter the future for our mountains.”

Club Europe is recommending WhoSki.com as a first stop for buying specialist kit for a school ski trip, as well as the best place to sell on unwanted but good quality ski clothes that no longer fit.

Club Europe: Committed to sustAinability

Alison Wareham, Club Europe’s sustainability lead, adds: “As a responsible travel provider, we are committed to sustainability in our development, operations and marketing. Partnering with WhoSki.com not only helps the environment but gives families a small financial boost – saving money on ski wear and perhaps by selling their own unwanted ski fit, making a few pennies too.”

Read more:
School ski trip essential clothing

What to pack for a family ski trip

Register with WhoSki.com to WIN a two-night cottage stay

Register at WhoSki.com using your special code (available via our social media or at The National Snow Show Oct 15-16) for a chance to win your two-night break.

Sign up to WhoSki.com here to enter this free prize draw.

Sleeping up to four people, boutique-style Barbers Cottage is tucked away in the beautiful town of Shaftesbury in North Dorset.

Register at WhoSki.com by October 31, 2022, using the promo code, to be automatically entered for the chance to win your relaxing two-night stay at Barbers Cottage.

it’s so easy to use whoski.com

Remember: once you’ve registered at WhoSki.com it is simple to sell on your no-longer-needed ski and snowboard clothes via our marketplace. Registration is free, plus we donate 25% of our commission to award-winning teen mental health charity stem4 on every sale.

Buying and selling your good quality wintersports clothing via WhoSki.com keeps it in active usage, out of landfill and reduces the carbon footprint of your ski or snowboard habit. Plus it’s the perfect way to keep your ski trip affordable and recoup some of the cost of your winter wardrobe.

Can’t be bothered to list those clothes yourself? Maybe get a family member to help, and let them keep the proceeds. Listing at WhoSki.com takes just a matter of minutes once you have completed our quick registration process.

Our free prize draw ends on October 31st, 2022. Click for full terms and conditions.

Sell your ski clothes in five simple steps

Embrace the re-sale vibe and sell on your no longer needed ski clothing. It’s simple with WhoSki.com. Here’s how:

Step 1: Clear out your SKI wardrobe

Motivate yourself for a ski closet clear-out by remembering that selling it on helps keep it out of landfill: you are doing the environment a favour. Plus you’re helping monetise your wardrobe – and keeping skiing affordable. Ski and snowboard clothes are hardwearing, so perfect for re-use and re-sale.

Step 2: Make sure your ski clothes are clean and in tip-top condition

Wash any items if needed and check for wear and tear so your buyer knows exactly what to expect. Better condition items will likely fetch a higher price. Any damage? Pay your local sewing repair shop a visit. You may be surprised what wonders they can work on a frayed salopette hem, dodgy ski jacket zip or gaping seam.

Step 3: Photograph and upload

When snapping your ski clothing, keep the background plain, photograph from front and back, capture details and highlight any damage / marks etc. Read more selling tips here.

Register at WhoSki.com (super-simple via any device: phone, tablet or PC), upload details of the ski clothes you are selling along with fixed price and images, and post for sale. It’s easy to edit the info afterwards so don’t worry if you make a mistake.

Top tip – make the first photo of your item ‘landscape’ as it fits better on the WhoSki.com shop homepage.

Step 4: Watch your ski clothes sell!

Secondhand clothing does not always sell immediately – although WhoSki.com does enjoy some instant sales, especially at peak ski season. Be patient and wait for the right buyer to come along. Share a link to your post on social media to help attract buyers – and remember to celebrate your sale. Remember too: at WhoSki.com we donate 25% of our commission to charity on every item sold.

Step 5: Wrap and post it

Delight your customer with a swift response by getting their ski clothes delivered as quickly as you can. Re-use packaging where possible; turn an old delivery bag inside out, recycle a tough paper bag, and think about using strong paper tape rather than plastic.

Keep your customer informed via the WhoSki.com private messaging system (and hang on to your postal receipt to track your item’s progress).

ANd that’s it: simple!

Let us know how you get on – are you happy with the process? How much money have you made on your good-as-new ski clothing – or how much have you saved by buying secondhand? Drop us an email with your comments.

Register at WhoSki.com to buy and sell, PLUS – coming soon! – receive updates about latest ski clothes that go on sale so you won’t miss out on the best pre-loved piste wear.

Cross-country ski clothing essentials

I am freshly back from my first ever cross-country ski experience, three days on the tracks in Kvitfjell, Norway, brilliantly organised by SkiSafari.com.

It was a short, try-out visit, but required an almost complete overhaul of my piste wardrobe. Ski clothing rental is becoming increasingly popular, thanks to our friends at ecoski.co.uk. However, cross-country, aka Nordic skiing, is still a minority interest for UK skiers. That meant no chance of hiring clothing for this ski mini-break.

Luckily, my husband and I both absolutely loved the sport and can’t wait to return, so our kit will be going back in the cupboard until we can get back to the trails.

Buy pre-loved if you can

I am certain that in future it will be possible to buy pre-loved cross-country ski clothes here at WhoSki.com, but these are early days for our peer-to-peer marketplace, so on this occasion, off to the (online) shops we went.

For downhill skiing, clothing needs to both breathe and keep you warm on ski lifts. The way most of us ski makes for short periods of extreme exertion followed by longer stretches of trying to avoid getting cold hands, feet etc.

In contrast, cross-country skiing is physically much tougher, especially for a beginner with poor technique. Bear in mind that you are likely to work up a sweat pretty quickly, so you would roast in your downhill ski jacket and pants. You do, however, need to stay warm while stopped or in bad weather. Yup: we are talking layers.

Lower body

Go for two layers on your legs: a pair of thermals with over-trousers on top. The thickness of your thermal base layer will depend on the outside temperature: thick for colder winter weather, thinner for spring-like temperatures. In late spring you might even drop the thermal layer, or choose a shorter three-quarter-length / Capri style pair of tights or thermals. These will allow more air to circulate and help prevent you from over-heating.

I wore the same thin base layer leggings which I also wear under my usual downhill ski pants, and they were just fine.

If you’re looking for a higher-intensity cross-country ski workout, ski tights alone – similar to running leggings – will suit. Those aiming for gentler touring on skis will also need a pair of shell-type Nordic ski pants to wear over your base layer.

I bought mine from Daehlie, a well-known Norwegian brand, and was very pleased with their performance; wind-resistant micro-fibre material at the front and stretch material at back with tailored legs, elasticated ankles and a small zip pocket. Warm and cool and comfortable.

Upper body

Think three layers, with a thin base layer next to your skin that will wick away sweat, a fleece on top of that and a lightweight over-jacket designed specifically for cross-country skiing. Odds are the fleece will come off as soon as you start working harder on an uphill stretch, so it’s as well to wear a small backpack for your trip out on the trails.

Your over-jacket needs to be windproof, and you might appreciate having a micro-down jacket that weighs light and packs small in your backpack too. You can slip this on for extra warmth on a cold day if you find yourself taking a chairlift or stopping for a prolonged rest.

I found a half-zipped base layer was perfect under my jacket: the zip allowed for extra air circulation when working hard on climbs. It’s the same top I use when downhill skiing, so that was one less item to buy.

Day one began with me wearing a mid-layer fleece – which came off very quickly – and I only wore it again to keep the wind off when we took a chair-lift to the start of a more distant trail. My Halti soft shell jacket also performed beautifully and looked good.

Accessories

Many cross-country skiers wear a headband/ buff to keep their ears warm yet allow heat to escape – a thick hat will be too hot for most of us. However, a thin beanie or cap with ear-flaps that fold up will also suffice.

Your downhill ski gloves are likely to be far too thick / insulated for cross-country skiing, so you might want to invest in specific cross-country touring gloves. Thicker running gloves would also do the job on warmer days. Mittens are recommended for those who suffer from cold hands. I do, but suffered no chills in my new cross-country gloves on this trip (bright spring sunshine, temperatures hovering around zero).

Regarding socks, alpine ski socks are fine although of course you don’t really need the padding or length. My husband was happy in good quality woollen socks. Cross-country ski boots are light yet warm and windproof – and so easy to walk in compared with their alpine equivalents. Heavenly.

As for all skiing, good quality sunglasses are essential (not goggles – too hot for cross-country) as snow glare can cause optical damage.

Make sure you carry a water bottle – cross-country skiing is energetic work. And the little Nordic ski straps provided by our hire shop were genius for holding together the skis when carrying them (which is a joy – they are so light).

Get in Touch

If you’re thinking about trying out cross-country skiing, do drop us a message on social media : @WeWhoSki on Twitter and Instagram. I’d be happy to share tips from our experience.
Nicola

What to pack for your family ski holidays

Most of us heading for the slopes this winter / spring will be seasoned skiers / snowboarders, but if you’re a ski holidays first timer, what ski wear essentials should be in your suitcase?

No one wants to (a) over-pack OR (b) be under-prepared. If you’re not a ski parent, however, it can be hard to know what’s a must-have, and what you can cross off the shopping list. Here’s the children’s ski wear I recommend, after two decades of skiing with children (from age 0 upwards):

SKI WEAR MUST-HAVES:

  • warm, waterproof ski jackets and trousers or ski suit. You cannot ‘make do’ with non-specialist equipment here: waterproofing, flexible movement, pockets and padding will make for an all-round better ski experience.
  • mid-layer. This can be a simple fleece, but make sure it has a zip so the wearer can open and close according to weather and exertion.
  • ski goggles. More protective than sunglasses, less easy to lose, warmer for the face on a cold day or when it is snowing.
  • ski gloves. Absolutely essential as it’s miserable to have cold hands, oft expressed by highly vocal wailing. You might also want to throw in a pair of thin glove liners. Mittens are warmer and perfect for little ones. Kids’ gloves tend to get drenched on a daily basis and they are slow to dry, so taking a spare pair is recommended.
  • ski socks. Longer than normal socks with heat-retaining qualities and the right padding in the right places, two pairs of ski socks for a week’s trip will be enough, provided they go on the radiator to dry between wears.
  • snowboots. No child or adult should ever go to the mountains without a chunky pair of cosy, waterproof snowboots. They mean kids can play in the snow without getting frostbite of the toes, and adults can walk to the bar/supermarket/ski school pick-up point without slipping over. Wear them on the journey to cut down on luggage weight
  • slippers/Crocs. Aka footwear you can wear between bootroom and chalet/hotel room. The first sign you will see at the entrance to your accommodation will be: no outdoor footwear. Without slippers (ideally, something robust with a sturdy sole) your socks will quickly be soggy. Yuck.
  • Lip balm and high SPF sunscreen. Take a few small tubes of suncream with you and slip into pockets so you can top up throughout the day. Ditto for lip balms, which are easily lost.

SKI WEAR NICE-TO-HAVES:

  • handwarmers. Keeping one of these in your pocket for those super-cold ski days can make a big difference, although there will be years when you don’t need them at all. Good news though: they don’t go off, so save them for next season if unused.
  • sunglasses. I would never go skiing without a pair in my pocket, but my kids have been known to stick with goggles whatever the weather. One less thing to lose, too.
  • thermal underwear. I always made sure my young kids wore thermals – and sometimes that was all they needed under their ski suits – but for teens, not essential.
  • helmet. Essential to wear, but easy to rent. You only really need to own one if you’re a habitual skier. For children, make sure there’s a clip at the back to prevent goggles from pinging off. As with cycling and motorcycling, never buy a secondhand helmet: you don’t know what it’s been through, plus build technology has improved year on year so modern styles are safer than ever.
  • ski boots. As above: wait to buy them until your child’s feet have stopped growing/you move to the Alps/you’ve got the ski bug.
  • multi-packs of a favourite sweet snack. Slipping a packet of Haribos or a chocolate bar into a child’s ski jacket pocket provides a welcome energy boost for little ones between runs.

Got children’s ski wear that no longer fits? Pass it on via our preloved ski clothing marketplace. Looking for ski clothes for your family? Browse our peer-to-peer marketplace for high quality secondhand ski gear.

Boom time for UK’s indoor snow centres?

Anyone else resigned to another DNS ski season? Like us, you probably have wintersports pals who have abandoned trying to pre-plan a ski trip. Maybe you’ve held back from the Eurotunnel crossing in favour of the increasingly common ‘wait and see’ approach – particularly if you’ve got school-age kids.

The complications of daily testing in resort, the risks of possibly racking up a Covid19 positive before starting the journey home and the dread of forcing children to miss yet more schooling through self-isolation on their return, make a pre-booked ski trip simply not feasible for many families.

Disappointing for us – but good news for the UK’s indoor real snow slopes that look set to mop up the thousands who are not going to make it to the mountains this winter.

The fact is that not being able to get to the Alps or Dolomites doesn’t mean you and the kids have to miss out on your piste time. This could be a bumper season for indoor snow centres as, to be frank, there really isn’t much in the way of outdoor skiing infra unless you’ve got Glencoe on your doorstep.

If you want your fix of the white stuff, you’re probably going to have to ski and snowboard indoors this winter.

Snow centres have come a long way since the Tamworth Snowdome opened back in 1994. Now there’s a growing network of indoor ski and snowboard centres across the UK. Check out the Ski Club of Great Britain info page here for the full range of real snow and dry ski slopes across GB.  

A word of advice: get your sessions booked NOW – we predict high demand this winter, with so many families disappointed by not being able to get their mountain fix. Why not take the opportunity to learn the basics on a snowboard, grab a few lessons to spruce up your technique or even take your Level 1 instructor exams (could be the perfect Christmas present for an older teen…)?

And fingers’ crossed that the health climate improves enough between now and Easter to allow that long-awaited trip to our favourite pistes before the season is through.

WhoSki.com join SATI (Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative): how to green up your wintersports habit

WhoSki.com was delighted to join a panel of major players in the snowsports field for last month’s virtual SATI conference.

SATI is the Sustainable Alpine Tourism Initiative which promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration on sustainability in alpine tourism. The circular economy was a focus for this conference. It’s exactly what we are trying to promote in the wintersports clothing sector by enabling you to buy and sell preloved items from your ski and snowboard wardrobe, extend their lifecycle and keep them out of landfill. Find out more about our eco-motivations.

Our SATI webinar back in December discussed the impact of mountain tourism and how to make the right choice for the environment when enjoying snowsports. Here are some of the tips we picked up from the event:

1 Booking your ski holiday

Look for a smaller, specialist company which works with specific resorts and can book you into accommodation providers with established sustainability plans to reduce their carbon impact. For example, bookdifferent.com will give you a “staygreencheck” rate, public reviews and carbon footprints as well as clear top tips for responsible holidays. The platform is simple and easy to use.
If you book though a major ski company, ask what they are doing to reduce environmental impact, how they are working with resorts and why they don’t do more to help consumers understand how to #SkiGreen.

2 Travel to your ski resort

Flight costs look likely to rise in the wake of last year’s enforced shutdown, plus we all know the environmental damage air travel causes. Driving might be tempting from a Covid-secure point of view, but the train is your most eco-friendly alternative.
Visit snowcarbon.co.uk for timetable information and travel options to your chosen resort. They’ve done the hard work to make booking easier for you. Or follow theskipodcast.com where host and creator Ian Martin touches on many snowsports-related topics, including vehicle-free resorts.

3 Do your research

Attend the www.NationalSnowShow.com this autumn. The #SkiGreen agenda will be a big part of their offering at the show at the NEC in October 2021 with input from a number of emerging green companies across the whole snowsports sector. Come along and find out more.
PS: bring your preloved ski clothing – WhoSki.com will be present to help keep your jackets and pants out of landfill and in circulation. We’ll be providing more info closer to the date.

4 Dress green

No longer wanted wintersports clothing is notoriously difficult to recycle with its mixed fabrics, coatings, zips and fastenings. That’s why so many brands are now using sustainable materials in their collections. But however eco your clothing’s credentials, re-use always beats recycle. Ensuring every item of clothing gets the maximum number of wears should be your goal.
That’s why we created WhoSki.com as the online marketplace where you can buy and sell good quality secondhand ski and snowboard clothing. Perfect for families and students on a budget. It’s also the ideal solution for Instagrammers wanting to snap a different look every day for their channel.

Look out too for brands like Planks, Picture, Surfdome and EcoSki which offer transparency in manufacturing and sustainability credentials. Some brands will repair damaged clothing including Patagonia and Norrøna. In Scotland, try Scottish Mountain Gear.
Even skis are going green, with some marques using wood and other natural materials to make them increasingly recyclable.

5 Get your voice heard!

Finally, we recommend you sign up to protectourwinters.uk which is lobbying government and business to act on the environmental impacts of wintersports. Follow us on twitter @wewhoski for more eco-ski inspo, and spread the word: it might just be the best thing you do this winter while ski and snowboarding is off limits.

Dress like a Norwegian to survive Covid-19 winter

It’s the new hygge: ‘friluftsliv’, literally free-air-life, or the art of living an outdoor lifestyle.

Apparently, it’s what has seen Norwegians through lockdown. More than one in three citizens have spent even more time than usual outdoors this summer.

Typical friluftsliv activities include relaxing, fishing, hiking and sleeping in “camping hammocks”, the Guardian reports. If you too have enjoyed getting out and about or simply hiking in local countryside Norwegian-style over recent months, you may be wanting to continue through autumn and winter.

Great idea! Just make sure you are properly equipped to enjoy rather than endure our colder, damper, darker months.

Wintersports clothing is perfect UK winter wear as it’s breathable and waterproof. Importantly, it also has plenty of pockets to store face mask and hand sanitizer too. A pre-loved ski jacket is just the thing: low cost and high value. Check our listings for everything from socks (perfect to keep your feet warm and dry in walking boots) to thermal underwear and wind resistant overwear for the whole family.

You’ll stay warm and dry, look stylish, do your physical and mental health a favour, and give good-as-new textiles an extended life. #PassItOn

Expert #SkiGreen tips from our webinar

We were delighted to assemble a super-knowledgeable panel of experts for our #SkiGreen webinar today, so we couldn’t let them get away without sharing their quick tips for improving your eco profile on the piste. Perfect timing for #WorldEnvironmentDay, and with one proviso: no one was allowed to promote their own business.

Our experts’ #SkiGreen tips:

1 Keep harmful microfibres out of the waste stream: use a Guppy bag when you wash your clothing.
– Rachael Westbrook, Founder of EcoSki clothing

2 Choose veggie or vegan food when you can, even while out on the mountain, to help make best use of the world’s resources.
– Iain Martin, Founder of Ski Flight Free and presenter of The Ski Podcast

3 Take the train to the slopes – it’s more fun, less hassle and massively reduces your carbon footprint.
– Jim Stewart, Founder and MD, BUTTA eco ski/board wax

4 Favour resorts that use renewable energy (there are plenty of them)
– Peter Speight, Team GB Olympic freestyle skier and account executive Futerra

5 Don’t wash ski clothes more than you have to – spot clean hot chocolate or vin chaud stains rather than putting the whole thing through the machine.
– Nicola Davenport, Co-founder, WhoSki.com

6 Provide environmental feedback to your ski resort, operator, supplier as it will encourage them to do the right things and address the things they are getting wrong.
– Daniel Elkan, Founder of Snowcarbon and sustainable travel journalist

Circular Economy Week, London 2020

The WhoSki.com #SkiGreen webinar, chaired by WhoSki.com Co-founder Sally Warren, formed part of this year’s ‘virtual’ CE Week London, with a a series of snappy presentations from our expert panellists followed by a Q&A session.

Topics covered included:

  • how to spot a ‘green’ ski resort
  • why we should all choose environmentally conscious wintersports clothing
  • how to organise your ski train trip to the mountains
  • why secondhand is no longer second rate when it comes to pre-loved
  • why PFCs are ‘the forever chemical’
  • how we can protect our mountains for the next generation

Many thanks to all who took part, Circular London for proving us with a slot at this prestigious event, and Sustainable Merton for supporting us with the advice and tech expertise that powered the #SkiGreen webinar.

Watch the video of our #SkiGreen webinar: 

https://youtu.be/ZfiL6yiNme4

Read the presentations:

See also: 3 ways to #SkiGreen this and every season

Join our #SkiGreen webinar to mark Circular Economy Week

We’ve gathered some of the leading voices in the UK’s eco ski movement to discuss in a free-access online seminar how we can ALL take actions to ski a bit greener once the slopes re-open for season 2020/21.

From the clothes we wear, the way we travel and how we maintain our kit, to the changes being made by resorts – our expert panel of ski businesses and lobbyists will be highlighting the ways we as consumers can take positive action to reduce our impact and help protect the mountains we love to visit.

Our webinar (11am-12 noon on Friday June 5, 2020) will help you understand more about where the issues lie and how small things can make a big difference. Plus you’ll take away some easy-to-implement top tips on how to ski greener next season.

CE Week London 2020

The event is part of a programme of seminars organised to mark this year’s ‘virtual’ CE Week London, with subjects ranging from fashion to building, finance to babies. The WhoSki.com panel will be promoting the broad #SkiGreen agenda.

Our webinar brings you a series of snappy, enlightening presentations from our expert panellists, followed by a Q&A session. Please feel free to submit questions in advance to info@whoski.com or ask questions during the #CEWeekLDN event (register for FREE to watch/listen and take part).

We’ll be outlining the ways in which skiers and snowboarders can reduce their impact on the environment before, during and after a trip to the slopes, including their wardrobe, travel options, destinations and actions while on the piste. The circular economy, recycling and sustainability are all key.

Our panellists:

Sally Warren and Nicola Davenport : Co-founders, WhoSki.com
Textiles, the circular economy and the impact of wintersports wear on the environment.

Jim Stewart: Founder and MD, BUTTA eco ski/board wax
Keeping fluorocarbons off the piste: how one small thing can have a big impact.

Daniel Elkan: Founder of SnowCarbon, and sustainable travel journalist
How easy it is to get the train to the slopes, and overcoming travel obstacles.

Iain Martin: Founder of Ski Flight Free and presenter of the Ski Podcast
How attitudes and behaviours towards the environment from a younger generation have started to influence consumers and the ski industry.

Rachel Westbrook: Founder of EcoSki clothing brand
How buying new wintersports wear from the right sources is a crucial cog in the circular economy.

JOIN US: 11am on Friday June 5, 2020. FREE registration via Eventbrite
SPREAD THE WORD: #WhoSki #SkiGreen #CEWeekLDN

Our thanks to Sustainable Merton for supporting this webinar event.

What clothing is essential for a school ski trip?

For many people, the first time they even think about buying ski clothing is when their child is signed up for a school ski trip. You’ve paid for travel, tuition and accommodation, but how many of those items on the kit list do you really need to buy?

See above a genuine plea for help from a mum-friend just this week. The message thread continued…

ski trip message continued...

Hmm, yes: having the wrong kit could well be a factor!

No parent wants their child to be uncomfortable on the mountain, especially if you’re skiing with them (every ski parent will do everything they can to minimise small skier whingeing, right?), so making sure they’ve got the right clothing is essential.

If you’re not a ski parent, however, it can be hard to know what on that lengthy list of recommended school ski kit clothing is a must-have, and what you can skip buying or borrowing.

Here’s what I recommend, after almost two decades of skiing with children (from age 0 upwards):
MUST-HAVES:

  • warm, waterproof ski jacket and trousers or ski suit. You cannot ‘make do’ with non-specialist equipment here: waterproofing, flexible movement, pockets and padding will make for an all-round better ski experience.
  • mid-layer. This can be a simple fleece, but make sure it has a zip so the wearer can open and close according to weather and exertion
  • ski goggles. More protective than sunglasses, less easy to lose, warmer for the face on a cold day or when it is snowing.
  • ski gloves. Absolutely essential as cold hands are a source of misery for many. You might also want to throw in a pair of thin glove liners
  • ski socks. Longer than normal socks with heat-retaining qualities and the right padding in the right places, two pairs of ski socks for a week’s trip will be enough, provided your child puts them on the radiator to dry between wears.
  • snowboots. No child or adult should ever go skiing without a chunky pair of cosy, waterproof snowboots. They mean kids can play in the snow without getting frostbite of the toes, and adults can walk to the bar/supermarket/ski school pick-up point without slipping over. Wear them on the journey to cut down on luggage weight
  • slippers/Crocs. Aka footwear you can wear between bootroom and chalet/hotel room. The first sign you will see at the entrance to your accommodation will be: no outdoor footwear. Without slippers (ideally, something robust with a sturdy sole) your socks will quickly be soggy. Yuck.

NICE-TO-HAVES:

  • handwarmers. Keeping one of these in your pocket for those super-cold days can make a big difference, although there will be years when you don’t need them at all. Good news though: they don’t go off, so save them for next season if unused.
  • sunglasses. I would never go skiing without a pair in my pocket, but my kids have been known to stick with goggles whatever the weather. One less thing to lose, too!
  • thermal underwear. I always made sure my young kids wore thermals – and sometimes that was all they needed under their ski suits – but for teens, not essential.
  • helmet. Essential to wear, but easy to rent. You only really need to own one if you’re a habitual skier.
  • ski boots. As above: wait to buy them until you’ve got the ski bug.

Looking for ski clothes for your child’s next ski trip or school ski trip? Visit the WhoSki.com shop for pre-loved, good-as-new ski clothing at a fraction of the RRP.

Got children’s ski clothing that no longer fits? Pass it on via our preloved ski clothing marketplace.

We donate to charity on every sale.

Stars and public pledge support for WhoSki.com

What a stimulating, long weekend we have just enjoyed at the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Festival in London’s Battersea Park.

Hundreds of visitors to the show stopped off at our chalet to find out more about how we plan to keep ski clothing out of landfill and in circulation. Our goal? To make it easier to sell on your pre-loved gear, and keep down the costs of looking good and staying warm and dry on the slopes. Remember: re-use beats recycle as the sustainable thing to do with no longer wanted clothes.

We very much enjoyed hearing your enthusiasm for giving your ski and snowboard habits an eco-boost, so we look forward to welcoming you to onto our peer-to-peer marketplace when we launch transactions in the coming weeks.

It was also inspiring to win support for our secondhand ski clothing resale concept from high-profile wintersports enthusiasts.

They included the legendary Graham Bell (Olympics, Ski Sunday), Woodsy (Olympic freestyle skier James Woods), Peter Speight (freestyle skier, two-time British champ, competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics), Jim Adlington (founder Planks Clothing, professional freestyle skier) and Neil McNair (professional snowboard coach).

Stars Peter Speight, Graham Bell, Woodsy, Jim Adlington, Sir Ranuloh Fiennes
Clockwise, from top left: Peter Speight, Graham Bell, Woodsy and Jim Adlington. Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes also gave us his seal of approval, signing our ‘I want to make skiing greener’ pledge, along with many, many more at the Telegraph Ski and Snowboard Festival.

Thanks to everyone who took time to visit our chalet, listen to our message and offer to use our soon-to-launch service. Watch this space! Sign up for our newsletter (below) to be kept informed.