Confused about skiwear brands for DS- quality v cost?

[Slapntickleothewenches]

DS is going to Andorra over Easter 2015 with the school. I have a vague kit list of what will be required already and am keen to start assembling stuff now as the trip is quite pricey and I don't want to have to spend a big wedge just before he goes. He will be nearly 11 when he travels.
Which brands should I be looking for for salopettes, jacket and gloves? We are an outdoorsy family and DS has a selection of warm base layers anyway so should be OK in that respect. After bitter experience freezing my butt off while shooting I am overly aware of the quality/ cost compromise and will always buy the best we can afford. As far as DS is concerned I also like stuff that will have a decent resale value when he has outgrown it.
So what to choose? He likes Animal but I'm unsure whether I am simply paying for the name rather than exceptional quality? If so which other brands should I be looking at?

[MistyB]

Easter is unlikely to be extremely cold. If you are happy with your base layers, the sallopettes and jacket need to be functional but in my opinion do not need to be super expensive especially as it is a one off and not something he will need to wear week in week out. It might be worth getting him a good winter jacket that he can also wear for the rest of the season rather than just getting one for his skiing holiday then a pair of black sallopettes which will go with anything!

I think socks (high percentage wool ones like these) and gloves (hestra) are worth spending money on as cold feet and hands can ruin a day on the mountain. (My kids gloves cost more than their jackets this year but we ski envy weekend in all weathers!)

The Lidl / Aldi offerings are usually pretty good for the outer layers and tend to appear in the shops early autumn (less good for base layers). This set looks pretty good though I think you could find something cheaper. TKMaxx is always a good bet for ski wear too or ebay for a set worn similarly for one week only!

[smearedinfood]

We kitted ourselves in Decathlon and went to Andorra. I recommend it as a good place to start as they do have everything.

[funnyossity]

Dare I say Aldi do good skiwear, to me it's like C & A used to be. It will not be Canadian style cold and Aldi cater to the German market.

My teenager baulked at the (no) name but agreed the plain black salopettes were fine! I must say that I never get around to selling things and usually give stuff away.

[Slapntickleothewenches]

Thanks all.
As I said I am aware that buying poor quality is a false economy and I am happy to buy from eBay etc if I know the brand will be decent. I am as miserable as sin if I am cold and DS seems to be going the same way. Will definitely invest in decent gloves and socks (pretty much the same as shooting then!)

[VivaLeBeaver]

Decathalon and Aldi are fine. TK Maxx will have Trespass stuff in which is good. Animal is no better than these brands and pricier, not worth it for a week's school trip.

Have a look on ebay for new dare2b and Trespass stuff as well as companies often sell stuff off cheap.

[Artandco]

Merino or silk is the best

[funnyossity]

tbh Animal to me is a fashion brand; so not a "technical" brand such as my DH gets for serious outdoors stuff. It's like Hollister, I think.

[LIZS]

don't buy yet - Snow and Rock , Ellis Brigham etc will all have sales in March. For late skiing go for layers so if he'll use a jacket anyway a 3 in 1 may be a good investment. C and A in Europe sell Trespass, H and M are good for basics. If you are near any outlet centres look out for good buys on Columbia, North Face, Trespass, Tog 24 etc

[Francagoestohollywood]

Decathlon makes more than respectable ski wear. Plus, it's hardly going to be that cold by Easter!

[legalalien]

Agree re waiting for the sales. But why not try and borrow stuff if you're not regular skiers? Ds goes to a fairly well heeled school and borrowing is the norm.

On the offchance you're in london there are some places that sell and then rebuy second hand kit.

[legalalien]

Just to add, you can sometimes get great deals in the nz sales - particularly on icebreaker stuff which is great - and if you spend enough you get free international shipping.

Eg www.outsidesports.co.nz/Sale/Kids_Icebreaker.htm

[OwlMother]

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B008EHK466?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21 I just bought this Animal ski jacket for my youngest, in the mine craft type colour. He's very pleased with it. We also ordered the phantom colour. When we ordered amazon had a 20% off sports code so they cost £20 each. Jacket seems nice quality- warm but not puffy , which my doc prefer.

[flashheartscanoe]

I recommend surfanic and sports direct- great nevica gloves.

Mountain Warehouse- not so much - the zips on 2 of our broke really quickly.

My DS has his ski jacket as his main coat for the whole winter- this year we bought it from surfanic in the summer sales. I have just bought a brilliant pair of black salopettes for him from ebay for £4. My daughters stuff all came from ebay last year.
If he has thermals, a micro fleece, a full fleece and a jacket to choose from- he wont be cold.
If it is advertised as waterproof it has to be- theres no point spending alot while they are growing.

[Slapntickleothewenches]

Thank you again. I am currently stalking some North Face gear on eBay which should come out cheaper than buying new from Animal :)

[mimiasovitch]

To those who say the aldi stuff is ok, do you think it'll be fine for Austria at the end of February? It'll be around -14C, and having spent the princely sum of £15 on a jacket and salopettes, I'm now worried they won't be good enough.

[BikeRunSki]

Easter is really late this year, and Andorra is fairly south, they will probably be skiing in t shirts.

[QuintessentialShadows]

You will be perfectly fine getting salopettes, gloves and jacket from H&M, to be honest. It worked well all winter in the bloomin arctic, so I am sure it is fine for Andorra. It is reasonably technical, good quality and low cost. check this out

[AuntieStella]

We've had skiwear from Aldi and were really pleased with it (Alps, February). And you can get very good stuff from TKMaxx too. We got Trespass at a very good price there one year.

[LIZS]

but Easter 2015 is quiet early in April iirc. You have to be prepared fro extremes ime !

[AbiRoad]

We generally get boden/ johnny b. have been all times of year and been fine ( although did invest in good gloves)

[BikeRunSki]

Easter is 20 April in 2014

[WallyBantersJunkBox]

Agree with Quint H&M outerwear is amazing quality and value. They have good detail (thumb hole cuffs, label for naming etc)
I converted to buying it when in Sweden.

DS has winter sports (Switzerland) every Tuesday In school - every second kid seems to wear H&M, the others Jack Wolfskin hand me downs.

This year we bought one padded jacket and one of the shell type bonded ones. He prefers the bonded one with a H&M fleece underneath & over his thermal top.

The only downside is they stop doing the fleece bottoms aged 8+ but possibly because kids can just wear fleece joggers underneath.

[Suttonmum1]

Decathlon all the way here, esp as you can get everything in one shop but don't leave it too late as that will be at the end of their season.

Not Mountain Warehouse.

Try looking for a complete bundle on Ebay

[BikeRunSki]

Bargains on Dare2B website.

[BikeRunSki]

YY to H&M and Decathlon. I am a bit of an outdoor kit snob, but always get DS the H&M stuff for winter outdoorsyness. It has lots of features you'd usually pay a lot more for.