How to make sure your child's ski suit is waterproof & warm
A practical GUIDE to understanding SKI SUIT waterproof ratings
In our most recent FAQ video the first question that we answered was “How waterproof are your suits?”
It’s not the first time we have been asked that. We know that keeping your kid warm and dry means happy faces for the family after a day in the snow.
When Matt, our Zoo Chief (Head of Product & Operations), is normally asked this by parents, he always proudly replies “They are completely waterproof with a 10k rating”
Sounds good doesn't it?
Well we want to go a step further and tell you why 10k waterproof means we can guarantee your little one will be warm, dry and wild on all of your ski trips!
By the way, if you are a TL;DR (“too long didn’t read”!) type of parent, then here’s the short story:
Waterproof ratings determine how much water pressure a fabric can withstand (5k - 20k+).
Anything more than 10k waterproof isn't needed for children who are casual skiers.
Our ski suits are made of 10k waterproofing and also have taped seams and aqua-seal zips!
What does a 10k waterproof rating mean?
To get any type of waterproof rating for a piece of fabric, the manufacturer has to do a test to see how much water pressure it takes before water seeps through the fabric itself.
10k refers to 10,000 millimeters (mm). This means that a 10k rating can be applied to any piece of fabric that can hold a puddle of 10,000 mm of water on top of it without any water dripping through.
The good news is that all of our ski suits are made of this 10k waterproof fabric!
Just to be clear, as much as Matt loves being involved in the production of our ski suits he’s got some clever people in our product team doing that waterproof work for him!
So in simple terms, 10k waterproof, means your child can play in the snow all day and there are no worries for them getting wet.
All of our suits are made of 10k waterproof fabric which keeps the cold snow out!
Are there other waterproof ratings?
Yep there are higher and lower waterproof ratings.
Below is what is commonly used for ski gear and waterproof apparel. We also wanted to provide a guide for choosing the right rating:
Less than 2.5k-5k - This is the minimum you’ll need to stay dry. If you’re sitting in snow all day some moisture might start to seep through but for casual skiing this will work.
6k - 10k rating - This is where you should be looking for kids really. Anything above 5K will keep your little ones dry unless they fall in a river or it’s torrential rain all day.
11k - 15k rating - There is absolutely no need to go higher than this. Breathability will be affected with any higher waterproofing so our recommendation is 10K.
15k+ rating - For professional off piste skiers in waist high powder. Unless your little one is Candide Thovex, you’re not going to need this!
When designing our suits, Matt (with his previous experience of managing a successful ski brand) decided to use 10k waterproof rated material.
Why’s that?
Well it's all your child really needs for a day in the snow. Anything less and you run the risk of some water getting in and anything more is just overkill in our books.
In fact, we guarantee that our snow suits will keep your child warm and dry. If not, contact us and send back the suit to get a full refund!
That's how much we believe in our product.
Put your hands up if you love waterproof ski suits!
What else do I need to know about waterproofing?
This is really important to consider because when choosing a ski suit for your child, it's not all about the waterproof rating.
A good quality kids ski suit should have the following as a minimum:
Taped seams (ensuring all stitch holes are waterproof too!)
Water resistant zips
Elasticated boot covers (to keep snow out of boots)
Spandex thumb mitts (to keep snow out of sleeves)