Required gear to be comfortable when skiing 100 days a season rather than just 20 days

[Bad Bob]

A large bottle of ibuprofen helps too.

 

[jmills115]

What do you do for goggles? Visibility on snowy and cloudy/foggy days is sort of a biggie for me. My unsatisfactory solution at this point is to head for lower terrain.

@Jim Kenney, have you tried Smith Chromapop Storm lenses on foggy, stormy days? I have Chromapop goggles for Everyday and Sunnyday as well but it is on the fog days that I really find that Chromapop helps.

Oakley has a similar technology called Prism and I don't doubt that other goggle makers also have a similar enhanced lens.

@Jim Kenney This might be a problem.
I have found that letting you or Brandt take the lead on storm days is more helpful than the right goggles. I don’t feel quite as comfortable now reading you aren’t seeing so well .

I have used an Oakley frame with Prizm lenses the past few seasons. With mrsjmills having the same frame, I have loaded up on lenses when I see them on deal and have backups for most listed below.

Oakley Prizm
Sunny days
Black Iridium
Sunny-overcast days
Torch, Jade, Sapphire,
Storm days
Hi Pink
Rose
Non Prizm Hi Yellow

When I realized the frame had been discontinued, I bought 2 additional frames.
Jim, you are welcome to try the storm lenses (I hope they are needed again this season) or sunny.
I have only used the Jade and a half day with Hi Yellow before realizing it didn’t work for me and tried the Hi Pink and have been happy with it. The Jade is dark enough for me on sunny days so I’ve not tried the Black Iridium or the others I bought.
Having extra Oakley frames and lenses I did the smartest thing I could think of, I bought a Smith I/O Mag with Chromapop Sun Black and Storm Rose and am waiting on delivery of Everyday Green and Storm Yellow Flash. I used the new goggles for the first time today at Alta.

 

[anders_nor]

what are "really cold days"? I find at -20c to -25c (not counting wind chills and moisture) is very cold. something like a neoprene covering your nose is very very nice then if you intend to ski for more than 1-2 hours.

 

[Marathoner]

@Jim Kenney
I have used an Oakley frame with Prizm lenses the past few seasons. With mrsjmills having the same frame, I have loaded up on lenses when I see them on deal and have backups for most listed below.

Oakley Prizm
Sunny days
Black Iridium
Sunny-overcast days
Torch, Jade, Sapphire,
Storm days
Hi Pink
Rose
Non Prizm Hi Yellow

When I realized the frame had been discontinued, I bought 2 additional frames.
Jim, you are welcome to try the storm lenses (I hope they are needed again this season) or sunny.
I have only used the Jade and a half day with Hi Yellow before realizing it didn’t work for me and tried the Hi Pink and have been happy with it. The Jade is dark enough for me on sunny days so I’ve not tried the Black Iridium or the others I bought.
Having extra Oakley frames and lenses I did the smartest thing I could think of, I bought a Smith I/O Mag with Chromapop Sun Black and Storm Rose and am waiting on delivery of Everyday Green and Storm Yellow Flash. I used the new goggles for the first time today at Alta.

As you can see from this Oakley lens chart, there isn't a huge difference between Black Iridium down to Jade Iridium or even Torch Iridium as those tints all block a lot of light. One thing this chart can't show is how the Prizm lens technology really enhances contrast for the wearer while also blocking bright light.

Note VLT = Visual Light Transmission

 

[James]

Hi Pink Prizm for the East. Prizm Rose is way too dark for low light with 2 miles extra atmosphere and more clouds.

 

[BMC]

If I ever skied 100 days a season I think the thing I would be tempted to skip, because of my no doubt considerably improved skiing due to time on snow, would be lessons. So I think the thing I would really focus on doing in a 100 day season is lessons. It would be tempting to miss them, but a 100 day season for me would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to lock in improvements (Not bad habits!). I don’t suggest going overboard. Maybe after a few lessons at season start just one every week or two. But do them.

 

[NZRob]

Oakley Prizm
Sunny days
Black Iridium
Sunny-overcast days
Torch, Jade, Sapphire,
Storm days
Hi Pink
Rose
Non Prizm Hi Yellow

7 lenses! I get decision-paralysis/FOMO-dread with 3!!

 

[NZRob]

In a boring nod to reality, a 100 day season these days would be largely focussed on post-skiing recovery each day - eating right, stretching, massage, good sleep habits, etc. Voltaren of course.

Of all the other things already mentioned a good supply of base layers (esp. merino socks and underwear), a boot drier and alternate gloves would be the most essential.

 

[AtleB]

If I could ski a 100 days I honestly believe I would allow myself the luxury of not skiing the coldest days and still be happy with 90 days or whatever number that would give. I'd be careful not to make skiing feel like a chore.

 

[Ogg]

If I could ski a 100 days I honestly believe I would allow myself the luxury of not skiing the coldest days and still be happy with 90 days or whatever number that would give. I'd be careful not to make skiing feel like a chore.

Sometimes the coldest days have the best conditions. In the eastern US, for example, the only time you see anything close to blower pow is when it is brutally cold.

 

[François Pugh]

A really cold day, early morning on the north side of Tremblant, you can have the hill almost to yourself.

@anders_nor, to me, having grown up with Fahrenheit in Canada, "cold" is below 0 F, (-18C), and "really cold" is below -20 F, (-29 C).

 

[jmills115]

2. I have Oakley Airbrake XL goggles with Prizm lenses. I think that their Prizm Snow Rose lenses are excellent and are the best all around lenses that you can buy in the market today

My ski buddy has the non XL Airbrake and I saw him snap his low light lens on the mountain during a lens change.
I saw a used Prizm Snow Rose for the Airbrake at a good price so I bought it. It ended up being for the Airbrake XL. I missed the Amazon return window and will send it to you as a backup or if someone else has the same goggle and needs a low light lens I’ll send it to them.

 

[geepers]

For the OP... #1 is boot fit. Any pain issues are going to become unmanageable. The good news is there's plenty of time for tinkering for both comfort and performance if there's a great boot fitter handy.

The 2nd thing is to try and stay away from injuries.

I notice a lot of your days were shorter. When the 100 days are mostly lift start to close it becomes an endurance test. Found I thrived for the 1st 80 days after which it was all downhill. Ski addiction. Never became a chore but 1st time ever was looking forward to the flight home.

If I ever skied 100 days a season I think the thing I would be tempted to skip, because of my no doubt considerably improved skiing due to time on snow, would be lessons. So I think the thing I would really focus on doing in a 100 day season is lessons. It would be tempting to miss them, but a 100 day season for me would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to lock in improvements (Not bad habits!). I don’t suggest going overboard. Maybe after a few lessons at season start just one every week or two. But do them.

That's the beauty of long seasons. Can spend days working on just one drill (if so inclined) to lock in a lesson without getting overly concerned with missing out on normal skiing.

Voltaren

For 100 days?

No doubt you know your own situation. For many an adjustment of technique may be a better option. That was definitely my case. A good instructor can be a huge help.

 

[Andy Mink]

I like the "thumper". I got an Opove massage gun and use it when the legs get tired. Worth every penny.

 

[Bill Talbot]

"By getting in an hour or two most weekdays, I skied over 100 days this season."

Sorry, it doesn't work that way. That is closer to ONE full day in a weeks time.

 

[dbostedo]

"By getting in an hour or two most weekdays, I skied over 100 days this season."

Sorry, it doesn't work that way. That is closer to ONE full day in a weeks time.

Yeah, but I don't see anyone counting that way... if you made a couple of runs, that's a ski-day. Otherwise maybe we should count hours skiing... my app (Ski Tracks) tracks that, but I don't see a way to report total hours. You can just look at the individual day lengths. It DOES report total days though.

 

[KingGrump]

Yeah, but I don't see anyone counting that way... if you made a couple of runs, that's a ski-day. Otherwise maybe we should count hours skiing... my app (Ski Tracks) tracks that, but I don't see a way to report total hours. You can just look at the individual day lengths. It DOES report total days though.

Along the same line of thought. Do groomers really count?

 

[dbostedo]

Along the same line of thought. Do groomers really count?

For me? Yes. For you? No. Heck, for you bumps/steeps/trees don't even count unless you ski to the bottom without stopping.

Alternate answer... No, and therefore no one at a resort in the DC area has ever actually had a ski day.

 

[Andy Mink]

If I snap in and make turns, it's a ski day. Maybe not a day of skiing, but a ski day.

 

[jmills115]

If I snap in and make turns, it's a ski day. Maybe not a day of skiing, but a ski day.

I have a lot of these days and always feel better on the ride home than my way up.
I’m not going up just to post my days or vertical on a ski forum. I’m going to up to enjoy every turn or run I’m able to make. There are days where a run or three at Alta has made the issues of the day a little easier to deal with.