We love skiing as a family. It seems like the quad chairlift was designed with a family of four in mind. When introducing your kids to skiing, the most important thing is that they have fun. And cold, wet, miserable kids are not having fun.

Consider the investment in quality skiwear for your kids just that: an investment in your family's future skiing vacations. Start with an insulated jacket and pants layered over a fleece on colder days, or just a base layer on days when the temps stay above freezing.  On warm sunny days, skip the jacket altogether.

Many good quality jackets are treated with waterproofing that still allows the jacket to breath. Kids work hard when they ski, not just zooming down the slopes, but walking to the lifts, skating up small hills, getting up from falls. A jacket that breathes and lets sweat escape will keep them dryer in the inside, especially if you've remembered wicking wool or synthetic layers next to the skin. Look for synthetic fill such as primaloft or polarguard. Synthetic fill is preferable over down as it will retain warmth, even when it gets wet, a big plus on snowy days.

Obermeyer makes quality ski clothes that fit the bill and they gave us some to try out last year. What we like about Obermeyer is they put a lot of thought into their kids ski clothes and keep the prices reasonable. Their Frosty Pants for example, are $59 at retail and have features including their I-Grow system that lets you extend sleeves and pant legs to gain a full extra size out of the garment. Ideal for growing kids and it virtually guarantees your child will get two full seasons from the pants or jackets…maybe even three!

Our six year-old wore the Obermeyer Kismet Jacket and Utopia Pant last year for a weekend of spring skiing and temps ranged from 30 to 60 degrees. She stayed warm in the chilly morning with her jacket, ditched it around noon when the temperatures climbed and stayed comfortable in her pants and a turtleneck all afternoon. We loved the little touches like the bigger zipper pulls which make it easy to pull with bulky mittens on, the lift ticket tab on the side of the jacket (note, never put your child's lift ticket on their front zipper pull, if you do when the jacket is zipped the lift ticket flaps in their face as they ski down the hill), and integrated alligator clips to attach mittens to jackets.

Obermeyer also provided outfits for mom and dad to try out. Mom found found hers flattering and functional. She paired the Shasta Jacket with the Andorra Pant and was ready to go. Both had the right amount of insulation, both are waterproof and breathable, the pants have an adjustable waist, double seat and knees, and most importantly, they fit her just right. The only problem was she had to ship the items back after the test weekend!

Dad was styling in the Ketchikan Cocona Jacket and Kitimat Cocona Pants. Cocona is a unique insulating material that captures heat better for added warmth when needed, and evaporates water better to keep the wearer dryer and warmer.


So before hitting the slopes with your kids, make sure they are dressed for success in clothes that provide warmth comfort and performance. You’ll appreciate it someday down the road when you have the unique joy of skiing with your grandkids!

Note: Obermeyer gave us the clothes to test, but we had to send it all back afterwards.