Gear of the week | The skisuit

There are things that you see again and again and that always come back into fashion. Presumably because they are more than just a fashion accessory. Sometimes there's at least one colour from every outdoor manufacturer, other times there's a lull in the market. And it is precisely then that these pieces of equipment are celebrated the most. In this case, we're talking about the powder cowl, the flightsuit for flying through the snow and whether it's called a jumpsuit or one-piece, we're usually talking about a ski suit.

Over the decades that these great suits have been around, there have certainly been some updates to the state of the art and even more to the state of fashion. In the end, however, it is always a garment that, as the name suggests, is worn over all other clothing or at least as the top layer. This also brings us to the biggest advantage of the ski suit, as there are no open areas at the back or hips through which snow can penetrate. This makes the ski suit a dry filling of the onion, since there are very breathable membranes. You can go apnoea powdering.

I can understand that it's easier to take off the top layer on a tour with a suit. However, the upper part can easily be rolled up for shorter climbs and knotted around the hips. The technique also makes it easier to perform all the necessary squatting positions and can be skilfully rolled down to the back of the knee. Then, with a little care, nothing ends up in the hood... Very few people do this without taking off their rucksack. Unless they use the cistern as a support.

Whether this is an advantage or disadvantage is a matter of opinion given the good sealing of the membrane. Some people feel like opening the zip up to belt height in the gondola when it gets a little too hot. However, this often causes a stir among fellow travellers in the gondola, as previously held back outgassing now finds its way out into the open.

I'm still a big fan of my ski suit and repair it as best I can. The membrane is no longer very waterproof, but still very windproof and as long as it can be patched up halfway, I'll have to wait for fashion to come along until another model comes onto the market that suits my taste. It's probably only a matter of time.