How Ski Patrollers Stay Warm

An individual skis through splashing snow against a blue backdrop; lines point to black-and-white insets showing a gloved hand and a ski boot.

When Lindsay Wiebold started as a rookie ski patroller, she learned the importance of wearing the right gear the hard way, after developing frostnip (the stage before frostbite) on her toes on a brutally cold day.

Now, with 12 seasons of ski-patrol experience under her belt, Wiebold has learned a thing or two about staying warm in the harshest winter conditions. Ski patrollers spend the majority of their time out on the slopes, exposed to the mountain elements. Biting winds, wet sleet, freezing temperatures — even in some of the toughest winter conditions, ski patrol braves the weather to ensure the safety of the skiers and snowboarders enjoying the mountain. So it’s critical that their gear be up to the challenge.

To find out what cold-weather gear can stand up to the demands of high-alpine environments, I asked tenured ski patrollers who spend season after season on the mountain about their favorite ways to stay warm. I also visited Colorado’s Loveland and Arapahoe Basin ski areas in person, and I felt firsthand how cold the mountains can be when you’re wearing the wrong thing.

The gear that ski patrollers swear by isn’t just for slopeside search-and-rescue. From rugged gloves and waterproof pants to SPF balm that soothes wind-chapped cheeks, these cold-weather essentials can keep you warm and comfortable, whether you’re shredding down a black diamond run, building a snowman with the kids, or shoveling out your car after a storm.

 
A ski resort employee standing at a ski cabin under a sign that says "Fireside Ski Patrol."
Ski patroller Lindsey Weibold, dressed for duty at Arapahoe Basin.  Elissa Sanci/NYT Wirecutter


from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/lsQUMBF
via IFTTT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The 30 Most Popular Prime Day Deals, According to Wirecutter Readers

Image
Amazon’s summer Prime Day — which is now a four-day event rather than the usual two days — is well underway, and we’ve been working hard to surface the best deals for our readers. We’ve sorted through thousands of on-sale items to pinpoint truly excellent discounts on the things our experts have found are worth your time and money. Among the 500-plus deals we’ve posted so far —less than 1% of every discount we’ve reviewed — some have grabbed the attention of our readers more than others. Here are the 30 Prime Day deals that our readers have loved the most, including soft sateen sheets, a luxe leather tote, an investment-worthy blender, and more. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/tDSahdQ via IFTTT
Read more

The Nugget Is the ‘Original Play Couch.’ Costco’s Version May Be Better.

Image
If you’re a parent of a child under 10, you’ve probably heard of The Nugget, the beloved play sofa that launched a thousand (well, at least 20) competitors. I’ve only recently discovered the category; but now that my eyes are open, play-cushion sets seem to be everywhere — even at Costco. I’m inherently skeptical of any product that claims to solve a need that I’m unaware of having. But, last summer, a junk collector hauled away our sofa, whose base had finally broken clean in half from eight years of my son’s intense, anime-inspired dance-jumping. It turns out we could’ve used a play sofa — and saved our couch  (as well as our cushions). The Nugget , the first play couch to widely popularize the concept, experienced viral popularity during pandemic lockdowns in 2020. It is also a Wirecutter favorite . Its modular design is simple: There are two long, hinged cushions and two triangular bolsters, all with removable, washable covers. And while The Nugget is arguably the most popu...
Read more

We Bought a 450-Pound Mystery Pallet Packed With Returned Goods From Amazon and Beyond. Here’s What We Found Inside.

Image
When I convinced my bosses at Wirecutter to spend over $700 on a 450-pound, 6-foot-tall cardboard box filled with hundreds of mystery products that had been returned to Amazon and other retailers, I assumed that what we’d find inside would be a revealing snapshot of what shopping looks like today. Anyone can buy these pallets stuffed with discarded products. For months, I’d watched content creators on social media giggle in excitement as they’d pull packages one by one from their own surprise boxes and rip them open, ceremoniously revealing a bevy of weird and wonderful items. A sparkly diamond ring! A cozy custom blanket emblazoned with the faces of a young couple! Some sexy (unworn) lingerie! I was certain that my own box would be a mix of great stuff, mediocre stuff, and some downright lousy stuff. My Wirecutter colleagues and I would use the items we found to meditate on product quality, manufacturing, and the retail life cycle. And we’d likely discover something interesting an...
Read more