by Stein, Eric's Son
Clothes: The Outer Layer
The function of the outer layer of clothing is to protect
you from the wind, rain or sleet, and sun.
Wind Protection. Wind can make it feel much colder than
it is and quickly rob your body of needed warmth. For
this reason it's important that your outer garments are
windproof or wind resistant. This usually means outer
garments should be made of nylon or some other lightweight
synthetic material. In the old days, ventile (closely
woven) cotton was considered a good material for anoraks
and wind pants, but modern synthetics are lighter and
dry out quicker making them better choices. If you are
unsure about the windproofness of a material, hold it
up to a strong light and check the tightness of the weave.
Wetness Protection. Water conducts heat much faster than
air, so heat can be fully drawn out of your body if your
clothes are wet. So, on the one hand you want to avoid
getting wet from the outside, say from falling snow or
sleet. But you also want to avoid getting wet from the
inside from sweat, because cross-country skiing is an
active sport. This meant that in the days before garments
with semi-permeable membranes (e.g., Gore-tex) keeping
warm and dry was a constant process of changing and adjusting
clothing. Modern fabrics and garment designs have made
the task much simpler. Many garments are now made with
membranes or coatings that wick and transfer water vapor
(sweat), but not water droplets (rain, sleet).
In addition, garment design now includes draft skirts
and zippered vents that make it much easier to regulate
body temperature and moisture build up with the need to
remove clothing. Some materials even combine wetness and
wind protection, by virtue of using hydrophobic fibers
that are tightly woven in an interlocking pattern. The
3SP "X-C" garments made by Sporthill come to
mind. The functionality of these garments is further enhanced
by the addition of some "stretch" fibers, making
them very comfortable for active wear. The downside, of
course, is that garments made of these materials tend
to be pricey. But sometimes they can be picked up for
less in pre- or post-season sales.
Garments with coatings or membranes tend to be more fragile
and need to be kept clean to function properly. Therefore,
many skiers have simple nylon shells and wind pants that
they use for normal conditions, saving the expensive garments
for those conditions under which their special capabilities
are truly needed.
Sun Protection. Snow is one of the most highly reflective
of all surfaces. This makes it possible to actually get
a worse sunburn in winter than in summer. Especially since
due to lack of gradual everyday sun exposure, we are typically
at our palest during ski season. Ears, noses, lips and
hands can all get uncomfortably sunburned skiing on warm,
sunny days. For this reason, it’s a good idea to
buy outer garments with fold up collars and with sleeves
that are long enough to prevent gaps between gloves when
skiing. Light gloves, brimmed caps, and lightweight earmuffs
can provide additional sunblockage on warm days. On skin
that remains exposed, apply a sunblock with an appropriate
SPF rating for your skin.
