With winter just round the corner and the first snow falling, thoughts turn to a ski or snowboard vacation or maybe a weekend away. Skiing and snowboarding are great fun. They provide plenty of exercise in a relaxed and spectacular environment. However in order to enjoy your winter sports experience you need the right equipment and clothing. Most beginners to either sport tend to rent the equipment to begin with because it is quite expensive and you really need to know that you will enjoy the sport and continue with it before making that kind of purchase. The Essentials Clothing however is different. Most people tend to buy the clothing because you can't really rent clothing (you can rent jackets and pants in some resorts or ski shops) and it can be used for other things other than just winter sports. This article will discuss some of the ski and snowboard clothing you need to stay warm and dry during your time on the slopes.

The secret to staying warm is to create a number of layers of clothing around your body. This provides insulation to the body by trapping heat within the clothing to keep you warm. Of course this really depends on how much you feel the cold. You may only want two layers if cold weather doesn't worry you. There are also times when the sun makes skiing or snowboarding hot work and you may want to just wear a t-shirt (and pants!) This will all become apparent with experience but it is always best to cater for the worst case scenario.

The base layer will consist of underwear. You can go for the long johns type underwear that covers most of your body. It's not sexy but it sure is warm. You can also wear a long sleeved top. Socks are particularly important because the extremities of the body are often the first to feel the cold. Make sure that the material for your socks is water resistant. Wool is a good fabric and you can get thick woolen socks that are ideal for winter sports.

The second layer provides the insulation between the inner and outer layers of clothing. This is typically around the middle of the body to keep the heart, lungs and stomach warm. For want of a better word, you need a waistcoat. Fleece sweater tops are popular items for this or you could wear a woolen sweater. The fleece tops are made by winter clothing companies and are the best option because the are easy to remove if you are feeling too warm. Some snow jackets come with an inner lining that can be removed easily if you are feel too warm and act as the second layer.

The last layer is the one that is open to the elements. This is your snow jacket and pants. In terms of keeping warm and dry you should go for a jacket that has an inner lining. There are all sorts of styles and most people tend to go by what looks good however you should be more concerned with the jackets waterproof qualities. Another factor to be considered, that seems to be at odds with the idea of trapping heat in, is proper ventilation. Snow jackets are designed to allow air to flow so that you do not get too sweaty after a long run. Your pants can be ordinary, waist fastening pants or salopettes or dungarees that fasten over the shoulder. They should have a gaiter that fits over the top of each boot so that snow doesn't get inside the boots to make your feet wet and cold.

Other Essentials Hoodie items are gloves, a hat or helmet and some form of eye protection. Your hands feel the cold and need to retain feeling because you are constantly picking up your skis or snowboard. Most of the body's heat is lost through the head so you need a hat (or helmet if you are planning to go off the groomed slopes). Sunglasses or goggles are a must to protect against glare from the snow. You may also want to get a scarf or neck gaiter to protect the neck, that is often the only part of the body directly exposed to the elements. It can be used to cover the face if conditions deteriorate and become windy or snow falls.