Snowboarding Clothes for Women 101
I have been snowboarding for five or more years now and was lucky that someone could teach me the ropes when I first started so that I didn’t waste my time, energy, and money on useless stuff. So lets begin!!
When you first start out snowboarding everything is going to seem expensive but its better to buy the quality products that are going to last you, keep you warm, dry, and happy in the wet tiring conditions rather than being wet and miserable.
Base Layers
Base layers are the clothes that will touch your skin either keeping you dry or keeping you wet and cold. These base layers can be used all year long;
- under your normal street clothes
- back country skiing
- snow shoeing
- hiking
- dirt bike riding
- snow mobiling
Base Layers include
- Socks
- Shirt
- Pants
- underwear
- bra
- or onsie suit (I avoid these as they are not easy to use when going to the bathroom).
Yes they make snowboard specific socks, yes you need to buy them. The first reason I recommended snowboard specific socks is primarily for the added comfort that they provide. The socks are taller than your average sock to protect your skin from chafing in your boots. Additionally they are cushioned for those with sensitive feet to withstand the pressure of being on your feet for long periods of time.
I avoid synthetic fabrics because once they get wet with your sweat they take longer to dry and retain the stench of sweat which are harder to clean. Cotton is one of the worst fabrics you could wear skiing or snowboarding as it is the least breathable or forgiving against your skin.
I highly recommend and only buy wool base layers. The wool base layers do not retain the body odor stench and wick your body sweat away so that you don’t become chilled and cold. Believe it or not trudging around in the snow, especially if you are just learning can work up quit a sweat!
TIP: I buy my base layers on clearance towards the end of the season so usually around January to February you might start seeing some items go on sale through REI or EVO.
How to Buy Wool Base Layers
There are going to be numbers on the wool clothes to indicate what the ideal weather conditions are to wear them in.
I have a range of weights from 120g-260g for my shirts and leggings and I will use the lighter weight ones on warmer sunny days and the colder ones during most of the year. If you are in the PNW then I highly encourage you to stick with the 200+ weight because even on warm days its still cold. I also wear my leggings under my normal clothes, dresses, and skirts especially after coming off the mountain.
Yes there are merino wool bras, underwear, socks, and even hats!
Outer Layers Waterproof Rating
Jacket & Pants aren’t too difficult right? Well actually if you aren’t careful you could end up buying the wrong stuff. Always look for the tag that tells you what the water repellent number is.
Manufacturers will use two numbers to describe the garments waterproof breathability. The first number will be millimeters (mm) and measures the fabrics ability to withstand water absorption. If you took a 15k rated fabric and placed a 1”x1” tube over that fabric you could fill it with water to a height of 15,00mm before water would begin to leak through. The rule of thumb is that the higher the number the more resistant to water the fabric is.
The second number measures the fabrics breathability and is represented by how many grams (g) of water vapor can pass through a square meter of fabric from the inside to the outside during a 2 hour period. With a 20k fabric this would be 20,000 grams where the larger number equates to a more breathable fabric.
Nothing is waterproof and it will eventually lose its resilience over time. While a raincoat is perfect for standing out in a downpour it would not allow enough breath ability for perspiration to escape and you would be soaking wet if trying to perform highly physical activities in it.
What Rating of Outer Layers Do You Need?
If you live in a dry climate that isn’t bombarded by wet stormy conditions you can skate by with buying 5-10k gear but if you live in wet stormy conditioned areas I highly recommend 20k-gortex rated gear. Unfortunately for women there aren’t an abundance of options in these higher quality product lines and it took me a few years to buy gear.
FOR MORE INFORMATION and waterproof fabrics and their associated comapnies VISIT EVO here
My favorite shopping sources
EVO (no tax and free shipping, very informative site)
REI (clearance base layers)