The ultimate gear guide

Breckenridge Ski Resort averages over 300 inches of snow each season. Combine that great snowfall with Breck’s five unique peaks, amazing weather, and great town environment – and it quickly becomes clear that it is important to bring the right gear to make the most of your trip. Wondering if your gear will hold up to a day on the mountain?  Be prepared from head-to-toe with our ultimate skier’s gear guide:

Helly Hansen:

Ask any local about the importance of layering for skiing and riding and it will quickly become apparent that there is a difference between layering correctly, and simply piling on heavy sweaters in cold weather. Breck loves Helly Hansen products for a variety of reasons, including their quality, style (just look at our employee uniforms!), and amazing layering system.

Since 1877, Helly Hansen has been on the forefront of innovative products.  Helly Hansen worked to develop what we know today as the 3-Layer System™, which calls for wearing a base-layer, mid-layer, and outer-layer to provide the best possible combinations for protection from the elements.

The first layer is your base-layer.  Lifa Flow delivers super quick drying next to skin and guarantees that you’ll always feel dry and comfortable. The HH Warm Flow High Neck 1/2 zip is our Lifa Flow Technology & HH Warm with Merino Wool create this 1/2 zip, higher neck layer. Ideal for cold weather pursuits. The second layer is your mid-layer.  Fleece is a standard mid-layer because it is appreciated for its warmth and comfort.

The final layer is your outerwear.  The outerwear is designed to protect you from the weather.  It will protect you from the wind and snow but also allows for heat and moisture to escape so your skin stays warm and dry.  The Swift 2 Jacket will help you stay comfortable and regulate your body temperature with our H2Flow system. Their insulation concept uses air to provide warmth while ventilation lets you control the airflow, cooling you down when necessary.

SmartWool:

It never fails – some of the best powder days on the slopes come with cold temperatures that can ruin your day if you aren’t prepared. Don’t let cold toes hold you back from an epic powder day in the back bowls.

If you’ve never worn a pair of SmartWool socks, your feet are in for a major treat. Wear a sock that is designed to celebrate the original sock with style – featuring SmartWool’s ReliaWool technology, the Slopestyle sock provides longer lasting protection to keep your feet comfortable.

When high impact absorption and ultimate warmth is needed, the PhD Ski Medium delivers.  Nature’s finest Merino combined with the latest technology creates socks that keep feet warm, dry and ready to go, run after run.

Smith Optics:

One of the most important pieces of gear on the mountain are your goggles. They need to be high-quality so that you can see clearly. They should be functional, so that you can avoid goggle fog. And of course they should be stylish, since we all know the importance of looking good on the slopes. For these reasons and more, Smith Optics goggles are the official goggles of Breckenridge Ski Resort.

Seven years ago Smith revolutionized goggles, introducing the first rimless interchangeable goggle to the world. Today, they’ve introduced the next level in rimless interchangeability with the I/O 7. Where others have chosen to sacrifice fit, flexibility, and ventilation to incorporate more parts, more weight, and more gimmicks, the I/O 7 is the ultimate in minimalist performance. Single-Pivot Quick Release, AirEvac Integration technology, and Facial Geometry frame design. The I/O 7 forges a new path forward in rimless interchangeability.

Looking for more gear advice? Check out our Gear Section on our blog for reviews, photos, and advice from the experts.

– Tony Cooper