Blog series: Tips on Ski Touring locations and gear
Where should you go? If you're at the beginning of your skiing career, I strongly recommend taking a Ski Touring course. It will save you a lot of time and money. I usually say that you should go where you think the snow and weather will be best. Be flexible in your choice of location. Finland doesn't have many high mountains, which means the descents themselves aren't very long, but there are plenty of fells to explore in Finland. A good beginner's area in Finland, in my opinion, is Saariselkä. As a beginner, I would choose a location and a country where I feel I understand and am comfortable. I've always preferred Northern Scandinavia: Lyngen, Senja, Narvik, Riksgränsen, Abisko, and Kebnekaise – these places are a bit like a second home to me. They are also locations that offer everything from beginner terrain to very complex terrain.
The Alps are both small and vast at the same time; the possibilities for different types of terrain and climates there are endless. I would say this: most locations in the Alps are good, it entirely depends on the snow situation and the weather. Book your flight and rental car, wait to book accommodation until you have an idea of what the weather and snow conditions will be like. Familiarize yourself with three or four different locations in different directions that you can reach from the airport. That way, you have the best chance of success on your ski trip."
Halti Gear
I’ve had the privilege to test and wear some of Halti’s Ski Touring and outdoor gear over the past 10 years. Here is some of the gear I use at the moment.
- Adrenaline Men's X-Stretch Pants
- Alpine Unisex 3L DrymaxX Shell Jacket
- Alpine 3L DrymaxX Shell Pants
- Joonas Men's Hybrid Jacket
I like the Adrenaline stretch pants and the Alpine jacket and pants. The stretch pants work really well, they are nice to wear and move in, and they can withstand wind quite well. In combination with the stretch pants, I tend to use a really thin wind breaker like the Control Men's Windbreaker Jacket.
The Alpine 3-layer jacket is a good heavy weather jacket that is still pretty light weight. I really like this jacket. A general rule is to wear layers that you can peel off or pile on depending on the weather and your body temperature. Staying dry and at a comfortable temperature is what's most important, all year round. Always keep in mind that the weather changes quickly in the mountains and it should always be easy to adjust your clothing.
I use three different types of down jackets: a thick, thin and a vest. All depends on the temperature. And all down clothes should be lightweight and stowable. I use down jackets all year round. If they are lightweight, they don´t take up much space in my backpack.
I wish you all readers great and safe time at the mountains!
Josef
