Boondock Puffins

Living in the Alps, you’d think we’d have been expecting it to be cold, but somehow nothing can really prepare you for the biting temperatures that appear onto of nowhere.

It’s such a different sort of cold to the UK, where the air is damp and the cold seems to seep into your bones. Up in the mountains, it is usually possible to build a successful barricade between yourself and the cold. The dry air doesn’t have the same tenacious persistency of its wet English counterpart – a sturdy layering system usually does the job of keeping the unwanted freeze out.

However, there is only so much that ski socks can do.

A pair of thermals are worth their weight in gold, as are waterproof trousers. These can be combined to go running, or can even be warn (multiple leggings if necessary under the waterproofs) under ski trousers. Had it got any colder, we would have needed to invest in puffer like trousers for Eliza, but thankfully it has never been cold for an extended period of time to warrant this purchase. For the top, merino thermals, puffer jacket and solid ski jacket are also essential. When out and about, mittens we have found are better than gloves at keeping hands warm, and a buff and hat/ear band are vital to keeping warm, particularly in wind. This gear can be used in different combinations for skiing, running, going to the shops, out for a drink, on a dog walk – you name the errand or activity, you will be thankful for your layers.

If you are someone for whom simple layers and thermals aren’t enough, then we have a few extra suggestions.

One of the best purchases we made was heaters for Eliza’s boots. She suffers from Raynaud’s so these have proven to be vital for any time out skiing really, even if it’s not -20. If we were making the decision again (and it wasn’t rushed on the morning before a long ski day where the temperature had dropped to -25), we would definitely choose to go for the heated socks over the heated insoles as they seem to be a lot more versatile. However, it is impossible for us to comment on the battery life of the socks, whereas the Therm-IC insoles last for several hours and can also be operated from your phone via Bluetooth, meaning you don’t have to faff with the battery at your ankle every time you want to change the heat setting. They have the option of heat 1-10, and also separate out the insoles so you can have different heat on each side (not that Eliza has used this yet, but still a cool option).

Similarly, as we’ve touched on before, Eliza has used her heated motorbike gloves for skiing in the colder times this winter and they have been invaluable. We wouldn’t have gone with these Keis gloves if we didn’t already have them to plug into the bike and so only needed to buy the external batteries to be able to use them away from an engine. That said, while skiing is clearly not their primary design, they have been faultless, and have attracted many envious stares at their little red flame symbol on particularly freezing days!

All in all then, yes, it gets very cold up in the mountains (who knew?)! But it is absolutely possible to be safe and warm with prior planning and good clothing choices.