3 Cool Men Share Their Ski Essentials
Toby Watkins
Creative Director, Videographer & Model
The Ski Background
I've been skiing since I was three or four years old. I used to go with the whole family to Méribel and La Tania in the French Alps. I used to run away from ski school because I had massive FOMO of all my family skiing together. When I was younger, I was just obsessed with skiing. Now, I'm very lucky that my partner’s parents live in Val d’Isère for half the year, so I get to go once a year at least.
The Layers
I’ve been wearing a base layer from Uniqlo then just a normal t-shirt over the top of it. Above that, I wear a black Arc’teryx Atom hoodie. It's insane. I love it. You can also wear it whenever – it doesn't just have to be in the mountains.
The Jacket & Salopettes
I've just bought the Beta jacket from Arc’teryx in olive green. I love the way Arc’teryx pieces look and the quality of them, so I'm excited for that to stand the test of time. It’s quite an expensive jacket, but it looks good worn in London too.
I've actually just sold my old salopettes, but I am looking to buy a new pair from Picture Organic. The look is a little bit more freestyle skier. I prefer that to the more traditional gentleman ski outfits.
The Helmet & Goggles
The most important thing is getting a good helmet. I was reluctant to, but looking after your head is the number-one priority. A helmet with MIPS certification offers an extra layer of protection. POC and Giro do good ones. I had a Salomon helmet for years, and I've travelled around with it a lot, but when I upgrade, I’m going for a POC black helmet. I use Oakley goggles that you can change the lens on – definitely get interchangeable lenses.
The Socks
Thick Salomon S/MAX socks are my go-to.
The Tech
The app for the resort that you're going to is always a good idea. I know Val d’Isère and Trois Vallées have one. This means you can check out your routes, resort updates, and the weather for the day.
The Warm Item
When you're at lunch, you're not wearing a helmet, and I always have hat hair from the helmet. My advice would be to bring a beanie. I’ve worn a lot from Colorful Standard.
The Skis
I have a pair of Faction Mana 4 Freeride Skis. They’re an all-round ski that you can do jumps on, but also carve and enjoy some fast on-piste skiing with. They’re brilliant.
The Boots
I invested in a pair of Nordica Promachine 120 GW Ski Boots that have a cork lining, so they’re super comfortable anyway. Then I had them moulded to the exact contours of my feet by Pro Feet. I couldn’t recommend this enough. It makes the whole experience of skiing more enjoyable, relaxing, and it allows you to be confident in your skiing.
The Gloves
A pair of Hestras. They're really well-made leather ski gloves. I got black and white ones.
The Watch
Last year, I bought the black Omega x Swatch Moonswatch, which is a nice, smart, Omega-branded watch, but it's a bit more sporty. I put a WristBuddys strap on, which is a Rolex Oyster flex, so that it looks even more sporty. It’s just a good all-around watch.
The Sunnies
Either a pair of wraparound Oakleys, or recently I've become obsessed with a pair from Hot Futures. They are quite square, about £150, and they fit my face really nicely. I keep those in my pocket and wear them at lunch.
The Luggage
I just got an all-black bag from Antler, and it's the perfect ski bag. It’s a duffel bag on wheels, so you can get loads of stuff in it. It looks smart, and it's practical for when you're wheeling it around on the mountain roads and streets.
The Grooming Essential
A good SPF like La Roche Posay, and Weleda Skin Food for when your face gets dry. It feels nice after a long day of skiing, like you're really getting the moisture back in your face.
The Après Footwear
Salomon XT-6s. They’re beautiful. If I'm going out for dinner, I have a pair of Zara boots that I wear if it’s slippier – they're suede but with a really thick sole. Massimo Dutti also does a really cool, thicker black boot with a good tread.
The Après Clothing
I always wear a Luca Faloni black polo-neck cashmere jumper. It looks smart, but it's also warm enough that you can wear it under a jacket. It's the perfect top.
The Fragrance
Tom Ford Soleil Blanc. Or, for something a little more wintery, Tom Ford Rose Exposed.
The Tip
Get a well-fitting pair of ski pants. I didn't realise what I looked like until I saw the holiday pictures of myself in some very ill-fitting salopettes, and I looked ridiculous. So, check the fit. Also, don't put stickers on your helmet. Do you think you look like a professional skier? I put a Red Bull sticker on my helmet. It made me look like I should be able to do backflips, but I certainly couldn't.
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Harry Sellers
model & co-founder of Lemonade Golf
The Ski Background
Inconsistent but enthusiastic. I started skiing as a kid, fearlessly bombing down the blue runs. The French instructor said, “Harry, you must know pizza and chips.” Let’s just say I was a chips kind of guy, skis parallel, and going straight down the slopes. These days, I’m somewhere between pretending I’m in a Moncler campaign and trying not to fall over.
The Layers
I used to be a technical person, more practical than stylish. But now I’ve grown up and discovered après. You want to look cool at La Folie Douce, so I go for a vintage Ralph Lauren number.
The Jacket & Salopettes
Perfect Moment Glacier Down Jacket plus Cordova Ski Pants is the ideal balance between alpine chic and technical performance. Perfect Moment’s silhouettes look as good at après as they do at 2,000 metres, while Cordova’s tailored salopettes are proof that ski gear doesn’t have to look bulky to work hard.
The Helmet & Goggles
POC Obex MIPS Helmet and Oakley Flight Deck Goggles. POC’s design language is minimalist but serious about safety. Paired with Oakley’s oversized lens goggles, you get a full field of vision and that pro-skier aesthetic without trying too hard.
The Socks
Falke SK2 Merino Blend Ski Socks are worth every penny. The right socks mean your feet stay warm, dry and don’t feel like they’ve been in a vice all day. Merino regulates temperature and kills odour – a small win after après-ski.
The Ski Tech
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro. It tracks your runs, heart rate and altitude, and even tells you when to stop for a drink (my favourite feature). It’s as much a badge of honour as a piece of kit.
The Best Safety Kit
Black Diamond JetForce Airbag Pack. If you’re heading off-piste, this is your seatbelt. Engineered for serious conditions, it’s the kind of tech you hope you never have to use.
The Warm Item
Arc’teryx Atom LT Mid-Layer. Lightweight, warm and layerable, it’s the one piece you’ll live in from airport to après. It’s that rare combo of technical and tailored.
The Skis
Faction Dancer 2s are a perfect all-mountain ski for those who want performance without needing Olympic quads. Designed in Verbier, made for the guy who wants to do a bit of everything.
The Boots
Salomon S/Pro Supra BOAs. No more heel lift, no more fiddling with clasps in the cold. The BOA system tightens evenly, and they’re some of the most comfortable boots on the mountain.
The Gloves
Hestra’s Heli Ski Gloves are a classic. Built for the harshest conditions and lined in soft fleece, they have earned cult status for good reason.
The Watch
If there’s ever a setting that justifies a rugged luxury watch, it’s the mountains. The Rolex Explorer II is tough enough for altitude, stylish enough for après.
The Sunnies
Vuarnet Glaciers have that retro mountaineering energy that’s suddenly cool again. They’ve been around since the ’60s, but they feel more relevant than ever.
The Luggage
Away’s Large Flex Suitcase offers built-in compression and sleek design. It’s also durable enough for a few tumbles off a luggage carousel. No overthinking, just pack and go.
The Grooming Essential
Dr Barbara Sturm Ski Cream. Formulated for extreme cold, this is the kind of thing that separates seasoned skiers from first-timers. It keeps your skin from turning into sandpaper.
The Après Footwear
Diemme Roccia Vet Boots. Waterproof, sturdy and good-looking enough to wear to dinner – you’ll live in these once the lifts close.
The Après Clothing
Aimé Leon Dore Fleece and Loro Piana Cashmere Beanie. The après look is about effortlessness, like you didn’t plan it but somehow nailed it. A heavy fleece and soft beanie does exactly that.
The Fragrance
Le Labo’s Thé Matcha 26. Calm, confident and quietly expensive.
The Tip
Use your space wisely. Stuff your socks and pants into your shoes. Wear your ski jacket on the plane, and pack a board game for the quiet nights in the chalet.
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Harry Jameson
CEO of Pillar
The Ski Background
I've skied every single year since I was six, and I'm now 43. Of all the things I do in my life, I'm best at skiing, and I love it the most. I learned to ski in La Clusaz, which is now, very sadly, a little bit too low on the mountain to be able to go at Christmas – there's just no snow there at that time anymore. I go to Val d’Isère these days – the Experimental Hotel is phenomenal.
The Layers
I've just got one base layer, then a jacket. It's a really short polo neck from Moncler – it doesn't come right up, it's kind of mid-neck. When you get to your long lunch, where hopefully it's sunny, you can whip the jacket off.
The Jacket & Salopettes
Pants and jacket are J.Lindeberg. They marry style and functionality. They are stretchy, wicking and do all the functional stuff – and then they made them look great. I like the classic way JL tailors its clothes classic – not too skinny, not too baggy.
The Helmet & Goggles
My helmet is the Oakley Mod7 and it comes with interchangeable visors: an orange one for the lower light and a black one for a brighter base. They look pretty good, and they’re fucking convenient.
The Socks
My ski socks are from FALKE, a German brand. While they’re thick enough to keep your feet warm, they’re not overly thick, so they sit comfortably in the boot.
The Tech
The best app has been Ski Tracks for years. It keeps a record of where you've been all over the mountain, but it also tracks your top speed. So if you are slightly kamikaze and slightly competitive, you can try to top 100kph. It can get dangerous.
I've also got the new Powerbeats Fit from Beats by Dre, which have great noise-cancelling features. If you're someone who likes to listen to music and ski (not me) you can have them in and go to transparency mode, so you can hear everything else going on around you. If I want to take a phone call on the lift or listen to music, I can just flick down my phone and, bang, I'm in.
The Warm Item
A snood from Fusalp on cold days.
The Skis
I rent my skis based on the conditions. I don't own skis because the technology evolves way too quickly.
The Boots
My boots are two or three seasons old now. Rossignol is my brand. There's a brilliant service at Snow + Rock in Covent Garden where they heat-mould and vacuum-mould your boots to your feet. Then they put a kind of base plate in, which is a bit like an orthotic foot liner. And then, they're completely yours.
The Gloves
I've got the polyester-leather hybrids from The North Face. They've been good to me.
The Watch
My timepiece is universal. It’s a rose gold Patek Philippe Aquanaut with a chocolate face, and it’s probably the thing I love the most in the world. It’s locked in the safe during the day and paraded at night. When I ski, I take my Apple Watch.
The Sunnies
I have become quite obsessed with Chimi. They're amazing quality, the frames are brilliant and, yeah, there's always a sale on. If you can buy nice sunglasses for less than £100, you’re doing well.
The Luggage
With SwissAir you can take your ski kit for free, and they don't charge you for boots. I can get it all in as an oversized cabin bag, so you can, in theory, only pack an oversized carry-on, a backpack and a boot bag. My backpack is from Stubble & Co – it's great because it's got a laptop holder, a passport holder, and can slide into your carry-on.
The Grooming Essential
As a man who shaves his head, my grooming essential is my Philips Shaver S9000 Prestige so I can keep my beard and head hair fully under control.
The Après Footwear
Timberlands. They’ve got good tread. While I'd normally wear more of a Chelsea boot, they wouldn’t respond well to snow. You also need something you can get a drink spilt on it or get a bit mashed up.
The Après Clothing
I used to overpack for the evenings and never end up wearing any of it. But I've got two dark grey cashmere hoodies and an oatmeal one that I love from Luca Faloni. If you've got a cashmere hoodie on, life is good. It goes with everything, it fits the style of skiing, and I get good wear out of it.
The Fragrance
My fragrance is universal, and it is Santal Le Labo. It works wherever I am on the planet, and I don't feel you can go wrong.
The Tip
I have become a much lighter packer. For four days I can now get away with a large carry-on. Don't pack 50 things you aren’t going to wear. Go higher in quality and lower in volume.
Follow @HarryJamesonPT
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