A General Guideline

First and foremost, choosing clothes that make you feel most comfortable should be of top concern, but here are a few guidelines and ideas to keep in mind to help you choose what might be the best fit. One of my top, though maybe seemingly unhelpful tips is to try on a lot of different options. It feels like this one goes without saying, but different brands have varying styles and fits, so it may take time to hone in on what fits your body type the best. The process can feel like a time consuming to-do, but remember this gear will last a while -- as long as you take care of it. 

Whilst in the fitting rooms, keep in mind that if it’s a bit uncomfortable now, you won’t want to be wearing it for hours out on the hill. In a similar vein, if you are unsure and don’t love it before you even leave the store, you won’t be all too excited to wear it later. If you’re someone who prefers a more tailored or cropped fit, it’s also important to remember all of the bending, moving, falling, etc. that might happen out on the hill, so make sure you have room to breathe and room for error. Getting snow down your back or too tight pants on the lift is enough to sour the mood. In general also, think about what kind of layers you typically wear underneath or what your maximum layering might be so that when the time comes, you don’t feel too constrained and bulky. It doesn’t hurt to wear similar layers to what you might wear on the slopes while you’re trying on, or at least grab a couple things off the rack to do the trick. Comfort is key when you’ll be out for hours. 

Jackets

When fitting a jacket, a few points to pay attention to are the jacket length, sleeve length, and shoulder room. There are plenty of stylistic choices to fulfill your heart’s desire, so how you want the jacket to look is totally up to you. Once you grab a few options and sizes you might like, here are a couple tests to run to help narrow your choices. First, to help determine if the length of the jacket works for you, move around a little bit -- bend, twist, sit, etc. -- to see how it moves and if it rides up. If you snowboard and spend time sitting on the snow, I might suggest a longer jacket to help keep you a bit more dry and warm.

Second, to help assess if the jacket might be too tight, hold your arms straight out in front of you and see if you feel any pulling or tightness in the shoulder area. Also note sleeve length here. You don’t want the sleeves to be too short, else you risk getting snow in your cuffs. Check the jacket features as well to make sure it has what you might need. Are there enough pockets? Inner pockets? Vents? There is nothing wrong with trying a few different options to figure out what you truly need in a jacket before you fully commit! You'll be glad you took the time to find your perfect fit when you're finally out on the mountain looking good and feeling comfortable!

Pants

If you’re unsure of where to even start in terms of pant sizing, note that they’ll often run similar to regular pant size -- think sweatpants sizing. Generally, in men’s pants, a size medium will fit waist sizes 32-34, so start there for an average. Women’s pants come in both numeric and alpha sizing which also runs similar to standard pant sizing like in sweats or jeans. Again, this is not foolproof! You’ll have to try on a couple to find what specific size you might be in different brands. On average, European brands will run smaller than average, so size up here if this is your selection. Once you put them on, go ahead and move around some more! Squat down, take a seat, bend around and see how the pants feel. It’ll be more comfortable to size up if you’re between sizes. Also don’t forget that you can always fine tune the fit. Pants will often come with velcro adjusters at the waist, but if by chance they don't, a belt or a pair of suspenders is always an option to tailor the fit to exactly how you like. Some pants also come in size variations, so look for a petite, short, or long if need be. In terms of length, you don’t want the pants to be so long that they drag on the ground, for obvious reasons. They should hit around the ankle, and don’t forget that they’ll be pulled up a little bit once you have a boot underneath. 

Accessories

Base Layers

Base layers should fit fairly close to the skin. If they’re too tight, they’ll feel restrictive and uncomfortable. If they’re too baggy, all the extra lumps and bumps will add bulk and might become twisted and turned as you’re moving around. It’s also important to consider that there should be minimal layers inside your boot, so considering a cropped capri pant can be a good option.  

Gloves

The fit of your gloves or mittens is important to maximize warmth. In general, a mitten will be warmer than a glove, and if you prefer the dexterity of the glove but want some extra warmth, split the difference and opt for a three finger glove! When deciding which size fits the best, keep in mind that there should be a little bit of room at the tips of your fingers to help the warm air circulate. If you feel like you’re between sizes, choose the slightly larger one. It will keep you warmer and also allow you a bit more wiggle room to add a liner or a heat pack if you so choose. You may also notice that some gloves are sized numerically. If this is the case, try on ones similar to what your shoe size might be. It may not be perfectly accurate, but it’s a good place to start. Keep in mind too if you prefer your glove cuff to fit under or over your jacket sleeve. Another glove feature to also keep in mind, though not totally related to fit, having a pair of wrist cuffs attached to your gloves to help prevent dropped and lost mitts.

Helmets 

When fitting a helmet, it’s important to try on a few different styles. Even within the same brand, certain models may fit a bit differently even though you might be trying on all the same size. Nowadays, a generous amount of helmets will come with a boa dial at the back to help micro-adjust the fit and minimize movement. Try them on with the boa all the way loosened and turn it to tighten once it's on your head. If you find that you’ve maxed out the boa, that’s a sign that you should size down; and if the helmet feels a bit tight with the boa not engaged, try on a size up. Make sure the helmet is pitched correctly too -- the brim should run fairly parallel with your browline. Shake your head yes and no to give a quick test if the helmet fits snug enough. There should be minimal movement, but it shouldn’t feel too tight on your head. It’s also generally a good idea to keep minimal layers under your helmet -- i.e. nothing or only a thin layer. 

Tots to Teens

One of the top concerns when trying to find snow clothes for a toddler is how everything will fit throughout the season and into the next, as they seem to just keep growing and growing and growing. To help with this, garments will often have removable seams or buttons to allow the cuffs to grow with the child. Just remove the indicated stitching and the pants and jackets can adjust about 1.5 more inches. 

When trying to find appropriate sizing for young kids, it’s a general rule of thumb to start looking in the size range of the child’s age plus one. For example, if looking to outfit a ten year old, try to start pulling options from the size 12 section. Because kids grow so quickly, people often tend to want to size up to give the outfit a bit more longevity before it’s outgrown. This can be an okay option as long as they aren’t swimming in it. You don’t want to risk pants getting caught up in bindings.

With teens, oftentimes their top concern is the look. If they don’t like it now or don’t feel comfortable in neutral conditions, they surely are not going to want to wear it out on the hill. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be on trend or wanting to curate a specific look -- I think it’s fun! -- but it’s also important to remember that snow clothes do have a function outside of how they look --to keep you warm and dry -- so it’s important that they do also fit properly and comfortably.