My partner is a really good skier.
The type of person who just relaxes into their ski boots, lightly turns their ankles and knees and flies down the mountain at great speed while expertly staying in control.
It’s the sort of prowess that wasn’t afforded to me but with a positive attitude and a little bit of a push down some fairly hairy slopes, I managed to stay upright this weekend when we travelled down to the Snowy Mountains to ski at Perisher and Thredbo.
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And while developing my skills on top of the snow was the main objective, I also wanted to test out some new gear from Kathmandu, the kings of adventure sports, which replaced my thrice-worn Aldi ski jacket and salopettes.
The majority of Kathmandu’s ski gear is actually on sale at the moment so if you’re planning a late winter jaunt to the snow, now would be the time to stock up.
Like any skier worth their weight in snow I started strong each day in the KMDAction Baselayer Top ($79.98) and matching Baselayer Leggings ($79.98) which kept me toasty and warm while traversing green and blue runs.
They’re fabulously moisture-wicking so even if you find yourself with cold sweats at the top of the mountain you don’t feel “sweaty” — and I was locking myself into eight hour days.
Interestingly, the Polartec Fresh Face ingredient in the products, which is derived from mint extract, helps keep you fresh so you can wear it more often and wash it less (although both pieces are safely in the washing machine now).
To cover my base layers I opted for the PWDR-Days Women’s 2-layer Insulated Bib Pants ($359.98 down to $179) which are incredibly light, stay dry even if you happen to fall down or snow begins to fall and can easily be removed for bathroom breaks.
It comes in an on-trend black or khaki shade so you don’t have to sacrifice fashion for the sport.
The ski jacket I selected ended up being the $219 Women’s PWDR-Days 2L 3-in-1 Snow Jacket which has a waterproof outer shell on the outside to keep you dry and a cosy fleece inner for when you stop for lunch.
The large hood was particularly useful when it started to snow and I wanted to prevent getting my hair saturated.
But I was also fond of wearing a beanie when I wasn’t tearing up the slopes — particularly during afternoon Après — so the Fyfe beanie is a must-have for $20.99.
There is still plenty of time to stock up before the winter season ends and we all don our boardshorts once more.
To shop the clearance sale while you can, head to Kathmandu’s website here.