I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Cathy and Lee Quaglia, owners of Aspen East Ski Shop in Killington, Vermont and their Manager Lisa Leimgruber, to discuss the fine art of selecting the right ski jacket and ski pants, something I know skiers take very seriously.
Cathy and Lee have operated Aspen East for 34 years and have been, from the beginning seeking out the best ski apparel to pass on the skiing public. Not necessarily the most expensive and not necessarily the least expansive, but what is the best available in Features, Function and Fashion.
Fashion, Function and Features
If you want to get the best ski jacket or ski outfit look at the garments for Fashion, Function and Features. You can put the 3 Fs in any order you prefer, but by checking for these you can get the best that you personally want when shopping for ski clothes.
Visiting all the major ski fashion "runway" shows and pouring over all the details in the manufacturers "Lookbook" leads Cathy, Lee and Lisa to the final criteria to make the Aspen East collection - Does this Fashionable garment have the Features to Function in whatever conditions I want to wear it in while skiing?
Being ski apparel buyers over the years, Cathy and Lee know ski fashions can be as fickle and fleeting as the snows of last winter. According to Cathy if some manufacturer takes a new direction, or if a new manufacturer looks to put out a line of ski clothes the new Fashion should meet Features and Function standards.
Must Have Features
I recently had Cathy look over a ski jacket, designed and made in Europe by a established fashion house just making their first venture into winter sports apparel. Cathy gave it a look on me, examined it for a well memorized list of "must have" features and checked the tags for specified numbers and material that mean little to the general public, but a lot to an expert looking for quality.
Then she gave me what amounted to a verbal printout what was good, what was not so good about the product and what improvement could be made to make it make it better. Bottom line was nice coat, but the features didn't meet the minimum for the price and it was limited in function to easy groomed run skiing. However, as a first offering, the company had direction and could definitely improve with direction, if they so desired.
In an industry that covers traditional, conservatively dressed skiers to the freerider look popular on young skiers I trust the opinions of experts who can look beyond their own style favorites to offer select items in different styles. In most speciality ski shops you will find different brands and most all are flashy and fashionable.
To get the most for your money, here is how the 3 Fs can come together.
Features
- Removable Hood
- Pit Zips
- Sealed Seams
- Velcro Cuffing
- Insulation or Shell
- Powder Skirt
Function
- Parks - helmet compatible hood,free arm movement
- Backcountry - powder skirt
- pit and/or core zips
- All weather - insulation, waterproof/breathable
Fashion
- Color or colors
- Embossed design
- Street neat
The best tip I got from Cathy, Lee, and Lisa of Aspen East, Killington is compare the Fashion, Function and Features of different brands and don't be afraid to ask to see similar to what you like. Knowledgeable specialty ski shop retailers know their inventory and can quickly lay out the best of what you want.
Here's a look at this season's top women's ski jackets, women's ski pants men's ski pants, and men's ski jackets.
Happy Shopping - It's another fun part of the ski life!
