25.11.2023

HOW TO DRESS FOR SKI TOURING: THE LAYERS MUST WORK TOGETHER

When ski touring you often change the intensity of your movement. One moment you're climbing steeply uphill and sweating, while the next moment you're going flat, waiting for others or standing at the summit. On the more demanding stages it is important that your clothes do not get wet from sweat, but at the same time you should not get too warm when you move. On the quieter stages, however, you need good insulation to keep out the cold and unpleasant wind.

In this article you will learn:

What makes ski touring clothing special compared to ski clothing?
What materials are best for ski touring clothing and why?
How to layer clothes for the climb and what to wear for the descent?
How to make good ski touring pants choose?

What makes ski touring clothing special compared to ski clothing?

Compared to ski clothing, ski touring clothing is lighter and more elastic. While on a normal ski slope you spend 80% of the time going downhill and the rest of the time waiting or going uphill, on a ski tour it's the exact opposite. It would be difficult to go on a ski tour in ski pants and a ski jacket. After a while you would be too warm and freedom of movement would be restricted.

We rely on hybrid constructions for ski touring clothing. These combine windproof materials on the front (for jackets especially in the chest and shoulders area, for pants especially in the thighs and buttocks) and elastic, breathable materials on the back, on the back and on the back parts of the pants. At the same time, we work with high-quality insulating materials that are light, breathable and at the same time very effective at regulating heat.

Two or three layers?

While traditional outdoor clothing assumes three layers, this principle is changed in hybrid constructions. Namely, they combine the properties of the second and third layers. During intense activities, typically climbing, you can safely leave out the middle layer.

APPROACHES TO LAYING
	TRADITIONAL	HYBRID
1. Layer	Thermal underwear (Dri-release®, Merino)	Thermal underwear (Dri-release®)
2. Layer	Hooded sweater (Dri-release®; flís, mikroflís)	Hybrid jacket with active insulation and zones for protection against wind and moisture (Pertex® Quantum + Blizzard® Thermal Comfort + Polartec® Alpha® Direct)
3. Layer	Hardshell/High performance softshell (min. 10,000 mm H₂O / 10,000 g/m²/24 h)
Insulation layer	Warm jacket with insulation filling (Primaloft®)
Protective layer	Stopgap solution: lightweight, packable, waterproof and a windproof jacket

Bottom layer: thermal underwear

It is designed to wick sweat away from the body and into the next layer of clothing to keep you dry. The material that makes up the first layer should feel comfortable since you will be wearing it directly on your body. At the same time, it should be very elastic so that it does not restrict your freedom of movement. For the base layer we use the Dri-release® DUO material, which is perfectly elastic and dries extremely quickly.

Middle layer: insulation

This layer keeps you warm. It works well with both the bottom and top layers, especially when it comes to thermoregulation and wicking away excess moisture. Here too you will find the quick-drying and elastic material, e.g. B. Dri-release® DUO, or fleece or microfleece material, which ensures good breathability at high levels of exertion, but at the same time keeps the body warm at lower levels of exertion. With a hybrid jacket, the second layer can also be omitted. The decisive factors are the intensity of the movement, the weather conditions and how you perceive the cold.

Top layer: protection

The top layer primarily has a protective function, but in hybrid constructions it can fulfill several tasks at once.

The front protects from wind: At Northfinder we like to use an ultra-light, tightly woven fabric with a ripstop structure, Pertex® Quantum, for this part.
The shoulders and exposed areas are usually additionally protected by a membrane or a more resistant material, e.g. B. Softshell, protected.
On the back you will find breathable and elastic material that dissipates excess heat, such as: B. Blizzard® Thermal Comfort, a highly elastic, breathable and warming fleece that, thanks to its special weave density, maintains the internal temperature even when stretched.

Insulation - thermal comfort is guaranteed by the insulating material. The best choice is Polartec® Alpha® Direct active insulation, developed for the US Army special forces. It is lightweight, requires no lining and has the same insulating properties as high-quality synthetic insulation used in insulated jackets.

Layer for the summit and for the descent

In addition to the usual two to three layers intended for the climb to the summit, you should also pack a few insulating items in your backpack. You will use these on the summit and then on the descent. Most of the time, this involves warm jackets and insulated shorts or skirts that you can wear over what you're already wearing on top without having to go through the hassle of changing.

In extremely bad weather, you can also use a hardshell protective jacket that will protect you from the wind and prevent you from getting wet even in heavy snow or rain. It is important that such a jacket is light, easy to pack and does not take up much space in your ski touring backpack.

Ski touring trousers: elastic, durable and functional

With trousers, combining the layers is your individual decision. Some people rely on long thermal underwear under their ski touring pants, others rely on the ski touring pants themselves taking on the functions of several layers at once. The pants must also protect you well from cold, wind and moisture while at the same time being able to “breathe” well and regulate heat.

In this case too, we opted for a hybrid construction and chose similar materials to the jackets: lightweight membranes, active insulation, breathable fleece panels and abrasion-resistant technologies for greater durability. However, you can recognize high-quality ski touring trousers not only by their uncompromising materials and properties, but also by the following aspects:

Elasticity – Ski touring trousers must be elastic to ensure optimal freedom of movement.
Reinforced lower trouser parts – so that your trousers do not catch the edge of your skis or crampons damage.
Zip-off stretch cuffs - ensure a perfect connection to the ski boots and prevent snow and cold from penetrating inside.

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#Maintenance

27.04.2026

Care and maintenance of suede shoes

Impregnation determines how your shoes will look The first thing you need to do after buying suede leather shoes is to impregnate them. And that's even before the first use. The impregnation protects against the absorption of liquid dirt, as well as the penetration of dusty dirt into the shoes, which would subsequently be very difficult to clean. With impregnation, you will not only keep the nice new look of suede shoes for longer, but also extend their service life. It is important that you impregnate clean or cleaned shoes. In a shoe store, ask for an impregnation agent designed directly for suede leather, most often it will be in the form of a spray. On the contrary, do not use waxes and polishing agents for this type of shoes, the shoes would lose their nice polished look. For the impregnation injection itself, choose a well-ventilated place, preferably directly outside or on the balcony, and impregnate from a distance of approx. 20-30 cm from the sprayed surface. The impregnation is thus spread more evenly over the surface. Leave the impregnated shoes to dry in a ventilated place and you can repeat the process one or two more times. We recommend stuffing the shoes with paper or stretchers before impregnation, so they keep a nice shape. Cleaning and care If the dirty shoes are dry, you can clean them by brushing. Typically, it will be dust or dried mud. However, it is important that both the dirt and the shoes are really dry, otherwise you will just spread the dirt on the surface of the shoe and make cleaning more trouble than good. If the dirty shoes are wet or damp, get rid of coarse dirt with a damp cloth, especially around the rubber perimeter of the sole. Then let the shoes dry and clean them with a brush. The brush for suede leather is of two types, either bristle or rubber, and is sometimes combined in one tool. Start with the bristle part and finish with the rubber part for a nice look. In addition to impregnation sprays, there are also special cleaning agents for suede leather, thanks to which you will be able to better clean deeper dirt. After cleaning and drying the shoes, we recommend impregnating the shoes again. OrthoLite® shoe insoles can also be washed in a washing machine Leather shoes cannot be washed in a washing machine, they would be destroyed. However, this does not apply to the inner liner. In case of heavy soiling, you can easily wash the OrthoLite® insoles that we use in our shoes in the washing machine. We recommend the gentlest possible program, low temperature and also low spinning speed. Afterwards, dry the inserts spread out in the air and be sure not to use a dryer when drying. Thus, they will retain their appearance and all the comfort they provide to your feet.