Gear Guide

The staff is well qualified to assess equipment needs. We may initiate this or you are welcome to ask. Please, learn about keeping skis tuned and waxed, either yourself or a shop. It really helps the athletes in training for skis to be tuned weekly. Wax often, particularly after a stone grind. Your child is at a disadvantage in practice as well as in races if their skis are not properly sharpened. This will allow them to develop the confidence that their skis will hold.

Additionally, proper boot fitting is essential for success. The appropriate flex for an athlete’s size, strength and skill is crucial for allowing the athlete to carve the ski. Please make sure that boots are buckled appropriately as well, loose buckles may be more comfortable but they hinder performance. Additional tips:

Item	Tip/Hints
Helmet	All kids need them all the time and they should be hard shelled helmets (no soft ear flaps). There are USSA certification requirements for helmets at all USSA races. Refer to page 138 from Chapter 8 of the USSA Alpine Competition Guide for additional details at http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/sports/alpine/rules/compguide.html.
Core Clothing Layers	On an “average” day, every child should have: - Base layer (long john top and bottom) - Turtle neck - Fleece top - Fleece bottom or jogging pants On a really cold day, add a second base layer and or a fleece vest.
Socks	Socks should be made for skiing, a medium to heavy knit. No street socks, their feet will freeze. “Extra-thick” socks can be a problem unless the ski boot is too big. Don’t have them wear two pairs of socks on a cold day, it is too bulky and cuts down circulation.
Warm-up’s	Kids should have a good pair of “zip” warm-ups. Make sure the zippers work. If the zipper pull breaks, use a paper click wrapped in duck tape or a zip tie.
Jacket	Most kids have jackets that do the job just fine. A nice warm coat that isn’t so stiff you child turns into a mummy will be perfect.
Boot Heaters	Totally optional and fairly uncommon . If you get them, make sure you are comfortable your child is responsible enough to use them correctly and not loose them.
Gloves	Good gloves make a difference. They seem to cost way too much, but your kids hands get cold fast and they make a difference. Mittens are great on a cold day. Glove padding is nice, but not a must have enough they are cross blocking (more later on cross blocking).
GS Suite	Totally optional, but they generally make kids feel faster and more confident. For me, it should be the athlete’s choice. If they want one and you can afford it, great. If not, they will be fine. If you get one that does not look “too baggy” it will stretch for years.
Armor	In general, U12 athletes most likely to need armor, but only if they are skiing very aggressively. Any athlete cross blocking needs shin guards and pole guards. The pole guards come as ½, ¾ or full-coverage. For J5’s, ¾ of full coverage is best. A ¾ coverage pole guard covers the knuckles, but does not go up over the top of the pole. A full pole guard goes up over the knuckles and screws into the top of the pole. Pole guards are often to “big” to fit the shaft of a J5 pole. Use duct tape or any other space that allows you to get a good tight fit to the pole shaft. Shin guards should be JR shin guards that cover the knee, but don’t ride up into the thigh. A shin guard that rides up the leg is too big. Chin guards that mount to the helmet are optional. If used, they can only be used in SL and have to be removed before training or racing GS.
Poles	To see if the pole is the right length, using the following test: 1) Flip the pole upside down 2) Stand straight 3) Grab the pole under the basket 4) Tuck the elbow to your side with the forearm at a 90 degree angle If the forearm is not at 90 degrees, but slopes up slightly that is fine. If it slopes down, the pole is too short. If it slopes up more than a few degrees, it is too long. U10’s can you use one pair of poles, but some kids prefer separate pools for GS and SL. Once you are cross blocking, you need two pairs because you shouldn’t use pole guards when running GS. The GS poles are bent so they naturally wrap around the body when in a tuck.
Skis	Most manufacturers make a good race ski 130 CM and longer. Shorter than that, talk to a coach. You don’t need SL and GS skis as a u10. Get a “mid length” SL and you will be fine. However, your athlete will perform better with two pairs. General guidance is to have 2 pairs for last year U10's who have high expectations or when it’s something you can afford and want to do. In general ski length can be tested as follows: - For an SL ski, the ski should be between the chin and nose - For a GS ski, the ski should go to the top of the head
Tuning Gear	We can’t over emphasize how important well tuned ski’s are. Refer to Ski Tuning Guide for detail.
$$$$$$$$’s	No way around it, skiing is an expensive sport. If you need something for your athlete and want help, there is a good chance someone else in the club has what you need and would let you borrow or buy cheap. The best way to find out is to post an inquiry at the club house or send an e-mail. If you would prefer one of the coaching staff or club officers can inquire on your behalf.