Junior ski champions: the best kids’ ski gear put to the test

Frugi snuggle fleeces, £30 (some designs currently on sale)
Also available from selected stockists from the end of January
welovefrugi.com

For keeping kids warm on the slopes – or at home – the Frugi snuggle fleeces can’t be beaten. Our junior testers absolutely loved them. They are very warm, reversible (meaning twice the wear before you have to wash, right?) and the poppers are easy for little hands to manage. Made from soft, 100% organic cotton, but with the feel of fleece on the inside. Frugi also have cotton leggings in a variety of sweet prints which make a toasty warm layer under salopettes and can, of course, also be worn throughout the year in less snowy conditions. For really little ones, the tights are also a great, soft, thick cotton.

Muddy Puddles base layers and snow boots, £10 and £21 (on sale)
muddypuddles.com

You could kit up your kids with absolutely everything they need for the slopes from Muddy Puddles, from ski mitts to socks via boots and base layers. The latter are particularly good – breathable merino, warm without being at all itchy and perfect for layering under ski clothes. Our testers also just loved them for lazing around. The outerwear is superb quality, and all the ski clothes are just as useful for cold rainy winter days in the park as the simple, plain colours will go with most outfits. The robust snow boots will keep feet warm and, more importantly, provide a bit of grip so they stay upright when stomping in slushy puddles.

Wigwam snow socks, £13
wigwam.com

Ski boots and cold weather require good-quality socks – one area where budget buys aren’t necessarily a good idea. These Wigwam ones are excellent, providing a good fit to avoid any uncomfortable seams once they are locked into those ski boots, and snug and warm enough to keep the toes from getting frosty. They dry really quickly, too.

Ski jacket, £60-65,
boden.co.uk

The best quality ski jacket on the market, bar none – wonderfully warm, lined in fleece with a (fake) furry collar and hood to keep out snow flurries or wintery showers. Despite the warmth, it’s not bulky at all, and our junior testers absolutely loved it. There are numerous handy zipped pockets for keeping snacks, ski passes or the mysterious small items that all children seem to amass. There’s a “snow skirt” inside to make sure any falls in the snow don’t let water creep in, and both the hood and the fur trim are also detachable. Worth every penny – not just for skiing but as a great quality winter coat.

Vertbaudet fleeces, £15.20 and salopettes, £17.40 (on sale)
www.vertbaudet.co.uk, 0844 842 0000

Vertbaudet is a great choice for affordable ski wear for kids. You can buy multipacks (for example, two sets of warm, thick stirrup leggings for £15) or just good-quality basics, such as their salopettes. The fleeces are particularly nice, great not just for the slopes but for day-to-day winter wear. There are good unisex colour choices, too. Our testers wanted to wear them for weekends and after school. Vertbaudet also offer good accessories, such as ski gloves or mittens.

Mittens, £6.40, hat, £11.20 (both on sale) sunglasses £6,
jojomamanbebe.co.uk

Jojo Maman Bébé is another great place to stock up on ski outwear that’s good for general winter wear too. But it’s particularly strong on the accesories; soft fleece hats that even outdoor-clothes-wearing refusniks will want to pull on, and mittens with clips so you don’t lose them within minutes. The sunglasses are also a good buy – and can, of course, be bought out again come summer.

Merino base layers, £39 and leggings, £26
kozikidz.com

Though they can wear the half-zip top under a ski jacket or fleece as a base layer, it’s also great winter all rounder. It’s made from a soft, non-scratchy merino that washes well and is thick enough to allow you to wear it on its own under a ski jacket on milder slopes. A firm favourite with the junior testers and in simple block colours that will go with everything else.

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