Cold-Proof, Considered and Chic Enough for Lunch: A Family Skiwear Edit
Cold-Proof, Considered and Chic Enough for Lunch: A Family Skiwear Edit
Family skiing is rarely the glossy fantasy it’s sold as. It’s early starts, fluctuating temperatures, wet gloves by lunchtime and at least one person either too hot or too cold at any given moment. It’s also the rare holiday where everyone is outside all day — moving, stopping, waiting, starting again — which means skiwear has to work harder than almost anything else in your wardrobe.
“When skiwear is designed properly, performance and presence stop competing.”
The pieces that earn their place are the ones that quietly adapt. Outer layers that move when you do but don’t lose their shape when you stop. Base layers that regulate temperature rather than trap it. Trousers that don’t fight back, jackets that don’t need constant adjustment, and colours that still feel right when the skis come off and the day drifts into lunch.
For children, that balance shows up as warmth without bulk and layers that don’t itch. For teenagers, it’s credibility — nothing overdesigned, nothing obviously chosen for them. And for you, it’s the holy grail: skiwear that performs properly at altitude while still paying attention to line and proportion — pieces that feel right the moment you zip them up, catch your reflection, and think, yes, this works.
This edit brings together the brands that understand that tension — skiwear where technical performance and style are designed together, not negotiated after the fact. You no longer have to sacrifice one for the other.
The Ones You Build Your Own Kit Around
These are the brands that anchor a ski wardrobe — the pieces you rely on day after day, in changing conditions, without thinking about them too much.
Aztech Mountain is uncompromising in the best way. This is technically advanced outerwear — serious membranes, precise construction, clean seam work — expressed through sharp, architectural silhouettes rather than sporty noise. Jackets hold their structure, trousers stay clean through movement, and nothing feels accidental. It’s skiwear for people who actually ski, and still care how everything comes together.
Fusalp understands something many ski brands still don’t: cut is performance. Warmth is mapped through paneling and stretch rather than piled on, which is why their pieces move fluidly and sit so well on the body. This is skiwear that feels engineered through pattern, not padding — and it shows.
Goldbergh embraces polish without diluting function. Fully insulated, properly weatherproof and built for cold days, but with strong lines and a confident surface finish. It’s skiwear that acknowledges you want protection and presence — and sees no contradiction between the two.
Perfect Moment brings energy to the slopes — graphic knits, bold stripes, statement layers — but its strength lies in understanding how those pieces sit within a functional ski wardrobe. Nothing here feels novelty-led, which is why the brand holds its place season after season.
More relaxed, more contemporary, and deliberately less alpine. Shoreditch Ski Club softens traditional ski looks with looser proportions and confident colour, working particularly well when mixed with sharper, more technical brands.
The Teen Section That Doesn’t Get Rejected
Teen skiwear has a narrow margin for error. It needs to perform, last, and feel effortless — anything that looks try-hard or overly technical won’t survive the week.
Dope Snow
Relaxed silhouettes, solid waterproofing and a street-informed ease that feels natural rather than engineered for approval. It works because it doesn’t overexplain itself.
8848 Altitude
Clean, functional and genuinely capable. Designed in Sweden for real winter conditions, 8848 Altitude gets the balance right between performance and wearability, with silhouettes that feel grown-up rather than junior.
Burton
Still here for a reason. Built for movement, wear and repetition, Burton’s outerwear holds up to real use — skiing, boarding, falling, repeating — and never feels out of place.
Oakley
Particularly strong here. Goggles that genuinely improve visibility in flat or changeable light, and helmets teens recognise — which matters more than most parents admit.
The Kit That Keeps Children Outside All Day
Kids don’t need fashion statements. They need warmth that lasts, layers that don’t irritate, and clothes that cope with movement, snow and repeated wear.
Helly Hansen
This is the backbone of many successful family ski trips. Properly weatherproof, sensibly insulated and designed for long days — ski school, chairlifts, snow play, repeat.
Mini Rodini
Mini Rodini does proper skiwear, not just playful layers. Warm, functional outer pieces with personality built in — serious enough for the slopes, joyful enough to be worn without complaint.
Roarsome
Bright, practical and genuinely warm. Visibility on busy slopes is an unspoken bonus, but it’s the comfort and freedom of movement that really matter.
Thermals, Done Properly
Good thermals don’t feel technical — they feel calm. They regulate temperature quietly, breathe when you move, and don’t demand attention once they’re on.
This is where We Norwegians excels. Their merino layers are warm without weight, breathable without feeling flimsy, and cut cleanly enough to sit under fitted skiwear. Many pieces double effortlessly as mid layers — the kind you keep on at lunch without feeling over- or underdressed.
For children, Polarn O. Pyret remains the gold standard. Merino-rich, soft against the skin, and excellent at maintaining an even body temperature without overheating or itching.
The Accessories That Decide the Day
Cold hands, fogged goggles or the wrong helmet will undo even the best jacket by mid-morning.
Hestra
The benchmark for warmth. Properly waterproof, built to last, and genuinely effective in very low temperatures. For children, mittens matter more than gloves — shared heat makes all the difference.
POC and Smith
Both combine serious safety research with designs that don’t feel bulky or clumsy. Ventilation is excellent, fits are intuitive, and helmet–goggle compatibility is strong — crucial when temperatures fluctuate.
Rossignol
One of the few brands that genuinely understands the whole picture. From skis to helmets, goggles and gloves, everything is designed with the same performance logic — which makes building a family setup far easier than mixing blindly.
When the Boots Come Off
Après doesn’t need explaining — it just needs warm feet.
Moon Boot remains unbeaten for this. Proper insulation, weatherproof construction and a look that feels intentional rather than accidental. They keep feet warm even when you’re standing still — which is when cold really creeps in
For older kids and teens who want something more low-key, The North Face does insulated snow boots that feel easy rather than bulky. And for boys who will test everything to destruction, Sorel remains the dependable classic — rugged, warm and built for snow.
