Protect your body

Goggles

Sunglasses or goggles protect against UV radiation and snowblindness. Goggles also help you see better when it’s snowing. Special goggles and helmets with visors are available for people who wear prescription glasses. If the goggles do not fit the helmet, this leaves a gap that can lead to frostbite in cold temperatures.

Functional clothing

Winter sports clothing should withstand even the worst wind and weather and keep you comfortably warm and dry. Layering is particularly suitable.

First layer: underwear/base layer
Second layer: insulating garment/mid-layer
Third layer: weather protection/shell layer

Back protector

The risk of injury to the back is much higher in the terrain park than on the pistes. A back protector offers protection against sharp objects and cushions falls onto hard edges, e.g. on boxes and rails. It should fit snugly against the back and extend from the coccyx to the shoulder blades – check this regularly in growing children. But bear in mind that a back protector isn’t very effective at preventing twisting or compression injuries, e.g. from tumbling.

Wrist protectors

Snowboarders’ hands and forearms are particularly exposed in a fall. Beginner snowboarders in particular are advised to wear wrist protectors. Depending on the model, the stabilising element is located on the palm or the back of the hand. Wrist protectors should fit well and be firmly fixed on the hand and forearm. This protects the wrist from overextension and cushions impacts. The stabilising element should stretch from the mid-hand to mid-forearm. Wrist protectors for snowboarding are standardised (EN 20320).

Knee protectors

Knee protectors offer protection against hard objects on the pistes (e.g. blocks of ice) when telemark skiing.