Choosing a good ski helmet....

Choosing a good ski helmet should be getting easier - more brand choice, more designs and more safety innovations - perhaps that means it's actually getting harder!

At Sports-Outlet we like to think we've done some of the hard work for you.  By just selecting a few select brands that, without exception, offer that cliche 'style and performance' - well-designed helmets that will fit well, are compatible with your goggles (avoid that tan streak on your forehead!) and offer superb protection...

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Here are just a few examples:

With Brim
Smith Variant Brim RRP £135.  Our price £90

Without Brim
Smith Aspect RRP £95 Our price £71

With Venting





Smith Variant RRP £130.  Our price £87



And Without Venting
The Scott Scream Helmet RRP £74.99.  Our price £59.99

And How About a Bit of Colour...!

For more ideas take a look at www.sports-outlet.co.uk

Any questions - just get in touch: sales@sports-outlet.co.uk or call us 0845 388 9558

Scott Ski Goggle Lenses: The Buying Guide

SCOTT are world leaders in ski goggle manufacturing and their goggle lenses deliver unbelievable levels of clarity. All SCOTT goggles offer 100% UVA/UVB/UVC Protection and the lenses are either Cylindrical or Spherical giving superior optical clarity: (cheap ski goggles use ‘stamped lenses’ which are flat).

Buying a good pair of ski goggles is obviously essential for maximising your vision and enjoyment on the slopes.  Lens technology has advanced so much in recent years, but it can sometimes be confusing to know which lens to use when.

SPORTS-OUTLET stocks a huge range of SCOTT goggles: at the best prices online, offering discounted junior and youth ski goggles, as well as OTG, male, female and unisex ski goggles for all conditions.  

SUNNY BRIGHT DAYS

Look for lenses that produce highest level of protection against the dazzling effect of the sun and snow glare, enhancing clarity and contrast:

• SCOTT SOLAR 3 
• SCOTT SILVER CHROME 
• SCOTT NATURAL LIGHT NL-15

MIXED CONDITIONS

Lenses portray true colours enhancing clarity and contrast, giving the clearest view.  Also reduce eye fatigue from taking goggles on and off.

• SCOTT NATURAL LIGHT NL-40
• SCOTT GREEN, BLACK, YELLOW, BLUE or PURPLE CHROME
• SCOTT LIGHT SENSITIVE BRONZE CHROME (lens automatically adjusts to available light)

CLOUDY DAYS

Exceptional contrast in flat or low light conditions.

• SCOTT AMPLIFIER
• SCOTT ILLUMINATOR
• SCOTT RED CHROME

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Scott Spherical and Cylindrical Injection Moulded Polycarbonate Dual lenses are computer engineered to match the natural curvature of the human eye.  This allows light to pass undistorted through the lens to the eye, delivering a completely unaltered natural view.  This, coupled with the use of an injection moulded polycarbonate lens, delivers unmatched optical clarity and durability.

• NO FOG™ ANTI-FOG LENS TREATMENT – to prevent condensation and fogging
• 100% UVA/UVB/UVC RADIATION PROTECTION – to screen out these harmful rays
• SUPER SOFT FACE FOAM – for all day comfort and protection if you fall.
• DUAL LENSES – integrated 2-layer barrier to reduce condensation and fogging
• HELMET COMPATIBILTY
• REVOLUTIONARY AIR MANAGEMENT (RAM) – patented frame ventilation system
• AIR CONTROL SYSTEM (ACS) – air intake/outtake vents.

The Power of Gore-Tex® in a Ski Jacket!

When choosing a new ski jacket most are looking for the same thing - qualities of a jacket that will provide endurance and performance...so it's decision time - to Gore or not to Gore?!

Endurance: Gore-Tex® is the top of the range fabric for the slopes: highly durable, breathable, completely waterproof and windproof.  It really is every skier's dream, but comes at a cost.  Most of this season's Gore-Tex jackets start in the region of £300.  Worth checking out www.sports-outlet.co.uk for some genuine savings on quality Gore-Tex® jackets:

• 20% off the Scott Ralston Jacket now £252! (RRP £315)
• Even bigger discounts of previous season's GoreTex - how about £215 for the best-selling Scott Preston Jacket!?   
• Scott Lombardo Jacket 2014 - 10% off £284
• Scott Explorair (Shell Touring Jacket) now 50% off! £182.50
• Many more bargains online!

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Performance: So you've chosen the fabric - now look for extra features like underarm venting and functional storage in your new jacket.  Adjustable hoods if you need protection on those chairlifts and powderskirts to keep the white stuff out when you're heading back down the hill. Do you need just a shell jacket or some insulation where you need it most?  

Looking Good: the toughest jacket in the world has still got to look good!  The trend now is very much on block solid colours, rather than patterns which date faster.  We love the bright colours - but make your choice: bright top, dark pants; bright top, bright pants; dark top, bright pants....but never dark pants, dark top - don't play it that safe!

New Season Scott Mountain Hard Shell Jackets

Suddenly the summer button has been turned off and it's all systems 'are GO' to get ready for the new  winter season.  So what is new for this winter... let's start with a run through of all new in the SCOTT 2013/14 ski shell jacket range:

Starting with 'Mountain Hard Shells': these are the lightweight shell ski jackets that offer supreme protection and performance for alpine athletes.  No insulation, but breathable, water-tight fabric you can rely on.

The Explorair NG Gore-tex Pro Shell is the ultimate in mountain protection: retailing at £370... we also love the lightweight jackets available in this range - the SCOTT Exploit (RRP £220) and Viretta (RRP £200) which are great for all-season wet-weather protection...we would wear them day in day out!  

And with 10% off at www.sports-outlet.co.uk they won't stay on our shelves for long!

All about Bern Helmets

Bern Helmets caught our eye at www.sports-outlet.co.uk as a truly innovative brand with something just that bit different to offer.  The way they look is truly unique, but still offers full certified protection on the slopes.

Style: we love the way that the fit is so snug.  Definitely no 'mushroom heads' in sight.  Their signature shape is amazingly low profile, combined with a deep surround fit and feel.

Comfort: A Bern helmet is unbelievably lightweight - you really don't know that it is there!

Adaptability: a feature that truly sets Bern helmets apart.  Their philosophy is 'one lid for all seasons'.  By changing the liner inside the helmet from 'summer' to winter' the helmet can be used all year round.  For warm weather action sports just put in the lighter liner, or pad it out in the winter with their toasty winter knits for full snowsports protection.

EPS: at  www.sports-outlet.co.uk  we stock the Bern helmets that are aligned with EPS foam which are fully certified for snowsports for high-impact protection.  Meets CPSC, ASTM F 2040, EN1077B and EN1078.

Music on the Go: Select a helmet with an in-built audio system to listen to great quality sound on the move.

Great Design: have a look at these - just a sample of the great designs from Bern.  For our full range please click here to browse our full range of Ski Helmets at Sports-Outlet

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Guide to Buying Good Ski Pants or Salopettes.

A nippy bottom sitting on a chairlift is an experience worth avoiding!  A good quality ski pant is a great investment and you don’t have to spend much more to get the performance that will make all the difference. And usually the more you can spend the longer they will last...so look for the following:

Warmth:  Insulated or not – that is the question!  You may prefer to wear a thermal base layer that can be worn on colder days and is easily washed.  A good quality waterproof fabric will keep the cold out, but also provide protection against abrasion – your pants get more abuse than other clothing - getting on and off lifts, sitting down on the snow, etc.  Better quality fabrics like Spectrm™, Dermitrax or Goretex will be more hardwearing and last longer.  Check out the Scott Enumclaw Pant or O'Neill Grunge Pants

Dryness:   5000mm is a standard minimum rating.  However for those with more time in contact with the snow – beginner or powderhead - look for 10000mm and above.  For maximum performance the Scott Goretex Unltd Pant

Breathability: As well as keeping the wetness out, you don’t want to keep it in either!  Consider 8000grs as a good standard.  Many pants also have leg vents which you can unzip to cool down.  Loving the Scott Academy Pants especially with 40% off RRP! 

Style: Loose, regular or slim fit.  Just down to personal taste!  Scott Omak - for a relaxed fit (and only £55!) and O'Neill Slimfit Concrete Pant

Brand:  Obscure cheap brands just won’t last or perform and you’ll probably need to purchase again for your next trip…so false economy.  Don’t put fashion before function!  

Colour: oh the debate on this! You can go for grey or black with a bright jacket, or bright pants with a muted jacket (especially if you wear your jacket away from the slopes too).  You can wear bright pants with bright jackets - can look very cool - but never wear dark jacket with dark pants...dull dull dull!

Ski Poles: The buyers guide

Ski Poles: The buyers guide according to Sports-Outlet!

Big basket? Aluminium or Graphite? Lightweight vs strength? Correct Length?  Why is nothing easy!  So what do you need to consider:

1. Ski Pole Material: most are made from aluminium: strong and affordable, but can snap on big impacts.  Composite ski poles can be more expensive (hang on - our Scott Composites are only £27 - that's 40% off RRP! ) but longer lasting
2. Ski Pole Basket size: bigger for softer off piste snow, smaller for hard packed pistes.  Are you more on than off?!
3. And most importantly Getting the Correct Ski Pole Length: too short and you will lean forwards too much; too long and the opposite.  When you ski with a pole that suits you well, you'll notice and feel an improvement in your stance and skiing...it all counts!

MEASURING YOURSELF

1. Stand with your arms at your sides and hold your elbows at a 90 degree angle.

2. Make sure that your upper arms are touching your sides and that your lower arms are held out in front of you. It's as if you were actually holding ski poles.

3. Make a fist as if you were gripping imaginary ski poles. Make sure you check that your lower arms are parallel to the floor. Look in a mirror or have somebody present to check for you.

4. Get a friend to measure the distance from the top of your thumb to the floor.

5. If you do not have someone to measure this distance for you, then repeat steps 1 to 4 facing a wall. Whether you use a pencil or a piece of tape, lightly mark the spot where the top of your thumb is. Then, measure from that mark to the floor.

6. The measurement that you come up with is the length of your ski poles. It is important to add 5cm to this length, because the combination of your ski boots and skis will make you slightly taller.

Tip: Ski poles are measured in centimetres.  Ski poles are sized by every five centimetres.  So, if you need to round your size, it's better to round up.

Our best buys:

Scott Ladies MJ Ski Poles: Just £22 (reduced from £36)

Scott Metric Ski Pole 2013: 20% off RRP - combination of bigger diameter 3.8 basket and P-core grip lets you ski everywhere.   In white, blue or black

Scott Pro-Taper Ski Poles: £48 - reduced from £70!  Carbon composite performance ski poles