Tune Up:
Before your skis are going to be ready for this ski season you need to blow the dust off your skis and get them back into shape. During a day of skiing you can get scratches and gouges in the bottom of your skis. These scratches and gouges cause surface friction and will actually reduce your speeds and your control over the skis. It won't affect you that much unless you are a professional racer, but by taking care of your skis they will last you longer. Skis come with sharp metal edges and every year if not every week during ski season these edges need to be sharpened with a file. This edge is for cutting into the ice incase you hit a slick spot on the slope during a turn. A sharp edge will help keep you in control.
Footwear:
Special hard shell boots are used in skiing. The boots snap into the bindings that are mounted to the skis. These boots have foam inserts to provide great comfort to the skier to prevent things like blisters from destroying your ski trip. The hard outer shell keeps you from twisting your ankle if you should fall by keeping your foot and ankle totally immobilized in the boot.
Your polls:
The ski polls you need depend on the type of skiing that you are going to be doing. Straight polls are for downhill recreational skiing and bent polls are for racing so that they can be tucked in behind your body to make your body more aerodynamic. Just like the edges of the skis need to be sharp the tip of the ski polls need to be regularly sharpened for the same reasons. Ski polls also provide balance for beginner level skiers. Ski polls have to be the right height for their user. When the poll is planted in the snow you want your hand to be on the grips and your arm should be bent at 90 degree angle.
Hand Protection:
Just keeping your hands in your pockets when you are on the lift is not enough to keep your hands warm. When you are skiing it is a must to have a good pair of gloves. The gloves must be insulated to keep your hands warm and be water resistant, to keep your hands dry.
Long Johns:
Long Johns are insulated tops and bottoms designed to keep your body heat close to your body and the cold winds out, and are not only good for skiing but any activity that puts you out in the cold for several hours.
Pants and Jacket:
Ski pants and jackets are designed to keep the wind out and will stop water from penetrating in case you should fall and get covered in snow.
