Preconceptions
When Sharlene first heard about XTM, she never imagined it would become her very own go-to ski gear. In fact, for years, this mum of three only bought XTM for her kids from Rebel Sport, and associated it with entry-level, budget pieces, something she wouldn’t wear herself.
A Mind Shift
A recent chance to test the gear in Japan completely changed her mind. After testing it in Japan’s freezing conditions she was impressed by how well it performed
“In sub-zero conditions, minus 15 on some days I took the XTM jacket and pants down steep runs, through trees, and across icy terrain. And honestly, I was blown away. The fit was sleek but never restrictive, and the merino base layers kept me warm, dry, and comfortable all day, even when I worked up a sweat on tougher slopes. I stayed agile, warm, and most surprising – I found the outfit stylish” The stats on what keeps you warm on the mountain is 140 gm insulation through the body area.
Style and Fit
Trying on the Chamonix jacket, Sharlene found the sizing erred on the larger size, so she went down one size for both jacket and pants, something to keep an eye on. She really liked the pocket placement and how you could detach the hood “I like to take the hood off when it’s snowing so snow doesn’t collect in the hood and go down my back”.
The jacket has a dedicated ski pass pocket and Internal media, phone & goggles pocket too.Other features include removable powderskirt, articulated elbows, metal YKK main zip and a 4 way stretch outer.
Next for the pants, Sharlene notes she felt warm all day in them. They have waterproofing at 20,000mm and are breathable at 15,000gm and have 4 way stretch outer and Bonded fleece lining, YKK zip fly with snap closure, belt loops, articulated knees and elasticised boot gaitors.
The Sofia pants weren’t a style Sharlene would usually go for, they have lower leg zips with gussets. “But I actually really ended up liking them, they looked much better on”.By the end of the trip, this mum of three, formerly hard to impress, wasn’t just a skeptic; she was a convert and was impressed by the waterproofing (20,000mm Breathable 15,000gm). She also liked how the Olympians and Paralympians wore XTM in Milano-Cortina. “It is now my trusted gear, no longer just for the kids, but for me too”.
