I had the chance to try the Helly Hansen ULLR Freeride Jacket all this summer and autumn. A great light jacket for all your outdoor adventures, also for skiing when you are skiing up the mountain, as it protects you without the bulk. If you are a bit of a cold bunny, you can always wear a mid-layer for colder days!
The Helly Hansen ULLR jacket, as photographed in Courmayeur.
I love its colour, it special pocket to preserve your mobile battery, and the zips you have under your armpits that you can open when you start getting hot going up the mountain. The pockets are well located and have a good capacity.
I have yet to use it skiing, but in the summer in my hikes, and under torrential rain in all my trips, it worked perfectly well.
I had the chance to get a Helly Hansen Men’s ULLR D Shell Ski Jacket from a trade event organised by Ski Press at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead.
It is too big for me, but I have still used it a lot in London, as I have yet to go back to the mountains for the summer. I got this jacket in May!
Helly Hansen ULLR jacket. Photo: The-Ski-Guru.
London had a very cold and wet summer – if we can call this summer! I have used this jacket pretty much every day to go to the park with my dog, and I have cared less if the weather was not good.
As this jacket is a Men’s Large (and I can use a Women’s Small or Medium), this is more like a raincoat to me. Nonetheless- for days when rain is coming side-ways, I am covered! This jacket is really waterproof and wind proof- I have tried and tested it on many days this “summer”.
UYN has unveiled its new technical underwear for the GB Ski Team. The athletes of nine other national ski teams: Italy, Austria, France, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Spain, China and the Austrian Freeski Team, together with the GB Team help the UYN engineers improve this line of underwear.
UYN, the Italian brand launched in fall 2018 by Trerè Innovation, an Italian company based in Asola (in the province of Manua). UYN stands for “Unleash Your Nature”. and is pronounced phonetically as “Win”.
The UK Ski Team is sponsored by UYN Technical underwear. Photo courtesy UYN
The new technology launched by UYN is called Natyon 3.0 and it features the innovative Natex bio-fibre derived from castor beans. Compared to traditional petroleum-based synthetic fibres, Natex has made it possible to reduce underwear weight by 34% and increase elasticity by 4% for greater precision and improved movement control.
It is starting to snow (and rain) in the Northern Hemisphere. This is a sign that the ski season is coming around the corner! This is a list I have done quickly of what you should think of getting, if you are planning to go skiing.
If you are a seasoned skier or boarder, you must have all your equipment, even though sometimes you want to upgrade something. If you are starting, this is a good guide of what to think to be warm in the mountains. And how to keep your family happy and warm…. Nothing is worst than having a crying kid because is cold!
I am putting all items you can find on Amazon, for a fast easy shop.
Nothing helps you better to stay warm than a thermal layer. I love merino as it keeps you warm and dry, and it does not stink as quickly as other materials. It is also cool for summer, so a great material!
Another thing to think, to keep happy feet, is to get at least two or three pairs of ski socks – so you can alternate during the week (more if you do not have a washing machine!)
You also want to have a warm head. Heat leaves you fast through your head and your extremities (feet and hands). So here is a selection of beanies – I prefer wool to synthetic ones, but that goes with taste. A beanie is also useful if you wear a ski helmet (it is obligatory for kids to wear helmets while skiing). If it is very cold, you can add the beanie under the helmet.
I’ve had the chance to try some ski apparel and equipment on my last trip to the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead. This is the indoors ski slope north of London. This review is of the pair of Maier Sports Vroni Slim Pants I have used there.
Yesterday I had the chance to test the new women’s Dynastar E-Cross 82 skis. I have not skied Dynastar for a long time, as I have sticked to my Volkl, and then only tried Black Crows in Aspen. I was really looking forward to testing these pair of Dynastars!
Here I was going to try the new women’s Dynastar E-Cross 82 skis-an all mountain ski. I was yesterday at the Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead, an indoor- ski slope fill up with man-made snow. That is tricky in itself, as in the mountain, it tends to be a better experience.
Still, I had a blast. These skis are so responsive, doing short or long turns with no problem. I could get on top the harder spots of the slope with complete control, pointing them down and turning immediately. I had an hour of pure bliss, just doing lap after lap, like a little kid!
Dynastar built this pair of skis thinking on an intermediate to advance skier who wants to ski on piste or be free to do a bit of freeride.
Testing the new Women’s Dynastar E-Cross 82 skis. The Dynastar waiting for me on the rack. Photo: The-Ski-Guru
Review of the new RS1 Panda Optics Goggles with Interchangeable Lenses
Just got in the post my new pair of Panda Optics Goggles. I have been skiing with them for a couple of years- just before Covid! I took them first to ski in Morzine, and also ski all the time with the Panda Optics lenses.
I am kind of a convert, but this is a new model, which has some new feature which I think it is a game changer!
Apart of the super wide lens, which helps for sideways vision, now you can change the lens in one minute. This is thanks to magnets attached to the borders of the lens. I have seen this technology before in a pair of goggles I have for one of my kids, and always thought it was amazing.
I have been for years changing lenses and try to fit them in the plastic ream of the googles… That is pretty much mission impossible, more if you are in the mountain and need to take your gloves to deal with it in the cold outside!
Your shopping guide to mountain hiking apparel and equipment
Now is the time to start dreaming of the great outdoors. Travel will not be as usual for the time being, but we still can get out. Trends are showing that people will prefer staycations or driving rather than flying. You can drive from home for your holidays. We can use this time to prepare our kit for this trip. This made me think of putting together a shopping list for your next hiking trip. Here it is:
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Too tired to hike. Going up to see the Monte Cervino in Cervinia. Your shopping guide to mountain hiking apparel and equipment.
Hiking shoes:
You need shoes to be comfortable. The shoes have a denser footbed and a harder tip than normal shoes to avoid hurting your toes. Shoes need to hug your feet well and leave space for your toes to wiggle. I have bought some low ankle hiking shoes but realised afterwards that a higher boot is better. I have weak ankles that tend to twist a lot, and the high ankle boot avoids me doing that. Here are my suggestion for hiking boots for male, women and kids:
Hiking shoes
Hiking socks:
You want to have a good pair of socks when going hiking. Do not go hiking with some socks with holes- your feet will be sorry for it! I like merino socks, they are a bit more expensive but worth it in any climate. Merino is a great fabric that is very soft and lightweight, wickers moisture fast and keep your feet dry. Merino keeps you warm in winter and cool in summer and is breathable and antimicrobial. This allows your feet odours to be at bay. Here are my suggestion of hiking socks.
Hiking socks – Hiking Mountain Apparel and Equipment.
Hiking pants:
Pants need to be lightweight, breathable and of a quick-drying material. This prevents you staying wet if you cross a stream or get drench after a shower. You have the options of pants with zip that can convert into shorts. I prefer pants if walking through a wood with high grass, as you never know what you might encounter. Depending the climate, it might be snakes, ticks and all kind of bugs. You don’t want your hike to ruin your day because of this! I have learnt my lesson of long pants when growing up in Argentina and going horseback riding. When you go to ranches, you see the ‘gauchos’ always with what we call ‘bombachas de campo’. These are some sort of pantaloon that is wider at the tights and skinnier by the ankle. They allow freedom of movement when mounting horses. Plus they avoid anything creeping from the ankle up. When horseback riding, sometimes you go through tall grass. Thistles could catch and prickle your skin. This is the same concept with hiking pants, you don’t want your skin exposed!
Hiking pants: Hiking Mountain Apparel and Equipment.
Hiking shorts
Sometimes it is too hot for pants and you will walk in rocky paths, with the absence of long grass. Shorts would be a great option for those hot days. On top, while you hike you can gain a tan! The same principle applies here: to be of a light material that dries fast and wickers moisture out.
Hiking shorts: Hiking Mountain Apparel and Equipment.
Hiking tops
If you can afford purchasing Merino, go for it! You will not stink to the rest of the group! If not get any light material that wicks moisture out and dries fast if wet!
Hiking tops: Hiking Mountain Apparel and Equipment.
Hiking fleece
It is good to take one, at least in your backpack, as you never know how weather will pan out. I like having some light fleeces. They dry if they get wet very fast.
Hiking fleeces: Hiking Mountain Apparel and Equipment.
Hiking Jackets
Always take a light raincoat. You can fold it into a small pouch and take it out if it rains. Some new materials are pretty good and allow moisture to evaporate.
Hiking Jackets: Hiking Mountain Apparel and Equipment.
Water bottle/carrier
Always carry some water for everyone. If you are going with kids, make them carry water and snacks in a small backpack. I used to have a camelback, that was useful while skiing or hiking. It is a small backpack with a pouch of water inside and a pipe for you to sip when needed. Lots of people love it and I loved the idea and used them a lot. I only find the water has taste and nowadays I prefer to have my own water bottle. There are some nice stainless steel bottles in the market. Beware if they fall, they do squash, and even I had one that got perforated! So you need to handle with care.
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Just after returning from Courmayeur, I had a late ‘Christmas gift’ delivered home. It was a brand-new Panda Optics goggles. I was just thinking that I wanted to upgrade from my Oakley goggles, that are not bad at all, but I find them to have a small lens for my face.
Trying the goggles to Ozzy. Review of the new RS1 Panda Optics goggles.
Also, my eldest has a pair of goggles with a wide lens which you could exchange using a magnetic system, which I love…so I wanted one something like that for me! I tend to use goggles mostly when light is flat, but I like the versatility of maybe using them all the time instead of sunglasses.
I’ve packed my Panda goggles with my helmet on my suitcase for last week’s trip to Morzine with some mum’s friends. We had four days skiing in Morzine, three with lovely weather and one with a bit of foul weather, snow on top and lots of rain on the lower pistes!
This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here.
I had the chance to get not one, but two pair of TOYSHADES lenses for using year-round and during this coming ski season. First of all, price is so cheap, that I was a bit sceptical how they would compare to my Oakleys or Raybans – the brands of choice since I was a young adult.
The TOYSHADES Hillwoods model, extremely light and with a lovely design.
I bought some lenses on the mountain two years ago in Pila, as my Oakleys were all scratched, and I was suffering then of conjunctivitis. The optician that see me at a ski resort, told me that I needed to purchase a new good pair of lenses. These were some cheap lenses bought at the ski school in Pila which were pretty decent, but not comparable to a more renown brand.
Two years ago, after the Mountain Travel Symposium, I’ve bought in San Francisco airport my last pair of Oakleys, which I love, and they are in very good nick. So, when I’ve got these two pairs of shades, I thought that they were not going to compare to my Oakleys. But I was surprised!
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