Have you never been on winter sports? Then this is a useful article for you. Winter sports are great fun, but there are a lot of things to take into account. That is why we have listed some useful winter sports tips for you in this article.
Top 5 winter sports tips
Below you will find the five most important tips to make your first time winter sports go smoothly.
1. The best time to plan your winter sports
If you are going on a winter sports holiday with your family for the first time, you may be dependent on school holidays (if you have children who are still going to school). If you choose to go skiing during a school holiday or holiday, there will be many like-minded travelers who want to ski or snowboard. If you are not dependent on children and can plan your winter sports whenever you want, it is advisable to plan your holiday around this.
The busiest times of the year are:
- Christmas holidays: from December 24, 2022 to January 8, 2023
- Spring break: south from 18 to 26 February 2023 and north and middle from 25 February to 5 March 2023
- Easter holidays: from April 1 to April 16, 2023
2. Choose a suitable area
In a winter sports area, a distinction can be made between different slopes with their own degree of difficulty. Below you will find all types of slopes:
- Green runs are for beginners
- Blue slopes are for intermediate skiers
- Red slopes are for advanced skiers
- Black slopes are only skied by experts
If you are going on winter sports for the first time, we recommend that you choose an area with many green and blue slopes.
3. Rent or borrow the equipment
The first few times you go on winter sports, it is advisable to rent skis or a snowboard. This saves a lot of luggage space and money if you don’t yet know if this is your thing. Purchasing this material can be very expensive. You can also get good advice from rental companies and you can exchange equipment to experiment with what you like.
Buying clothes can also be very expensive. It can therefore be useful to borrow this from someone the first few times. Below we have made a list of clothing you need on the slopes.
- Ski boots/snowboard boots (you rent these with the skis or the snowboard itself)
- thermic underwear
- Pullies/fleece sweaters
- Ski socks
- Ski/snowboard jacket
- Ski/snowboard pants
- Helmet (You can also rent this and is mandatory in some countries)
- storm mask
- Gloves (waterproof)
- Ski goggles and/or sunglasses
- Beanie, headband or cap
- Backpack for the slopes
- Shawl
- Wrist protection for the snowboarders
- Pajamas and relax clothes
- Evening wear (for Après-ski)
- Normal socks and (sturdy) shoes
- Snow boots
- Flip flops
- Swimwear (if applicable)
4. Take lessons
If you are new to skiing or snowboarding, you will undoubtedly need professional instruction before you start your skiing adventure. There’s no better way to put your kids off skiing or snowboarding than by taking a do it yourself approach to learning how to ski or snowboard.
You should probably forgo any stubbornness and hire a professional who will teach you (and your kids) how to ski as quickly as possible and help you with those first learning steps.
If your whole family is new to skiing or snowboarding, you can book a private lesson for a small group, which may not cost much more than several group lessons with other people of the same skill level.
It is also possible to take lessons in the Netherlands at an indoor track or at a brush track.
5. Think about other activities
Tip 5 of the winter sports tips has nothing to do with skiing or snowboarding, but it is very important. Whichever ski destination you choose, there’s a good chance there are many activities to take part in that don’t require a snowboard or skis. Think: playing snow with the kids, tubing, ice skating or enjoying the hotel’s hot tub. Skiing and snowboarding is fun, but extremely physically exhausting. Unless you’re in top shape (or just young and can handle anything), you can expect to want to give your legs a rest after a few days on the slopes.
If you’re planning a week-long ski trip for the first time, do yourself a favor and consider taking a break between days. Sleep in late, stretch your muscles and maybe even get a massage at your resort.