What I Wear for Skiing as a Tall Woman
Hey Tall Girl!
There is nothing like Opening Day at Sun Valley! This year it opened late, which hasn't happening in nearly 50 years! When they finally announced their opening day, my whole body remembered how much I love ski season! And like many tall women, that excitement always comes with the annual anxiety of putting on all the layers and pulling out the gear that actually fits our proportions. Once I do find something that works, I hang onto it for years (sometimes decades!) because good tall-woman gear is worth its weight in gold. Most of my favorite gear that I haven't made myself or Alta Reina, I have found at thrift shops
One of the first pieces I get questions about is gloves and mittens, and honestly, they’re more important than most skiers realize. Long fingers mean standard gloves often pinch or fall short, which leads to cold hands, struggle to hold ski poles, and simply frustration. When I finally find a pair with extended finger length, real insulation, and a cuff that actually meets my jacket without a gap, I commit—they stay in my kit for seasons and seasons because replacing a great fit is nearly impossible. I love my Hestra mittens. I may have had them longer than I have had children... My oldest borrowed them last year, and now I think they need some patches!
Another essential I’ll never ski without is a balaclava (neck gaiter) that fully covers my long neck. Many are too short, super narrow gaiters that leave a little strip of skin exposed to the wind (tall-girl problems), so when I find one that’s warm, stretchy, and long enough to tuck comfortably into my layers and my helmet, it becomes a long-term staple. Good coverage means fewer cold spots, easier temperature control, and fewer distractions when I’m focused on linking turns on Baldy. I think mine is a SmartWool gaiter from when I worked at REI... so again I've had it more than 15 years.
Finally, we have ski boots. The heart (and horrors) of your setup and the one piece I’ll happily keep for a decade if they fit right, I bought my current ones in 2017 after ten years with my old ones. As a tall woman with bigger feet it is super hard to find boots that have larger calves (anatomically, women's and men's calves are different) and a narrower, lower volume fit. Just like all branding~all brands have their own fit... so try them all on. Also, I just learned this last year, a custom liner makes an enormous difference... If you struggle with boot discomfort (nearly universal skier experience) then invest in a good pair and you'll keep them for a LONG time. With our taller bodies, we have more leverage and longer limbs, boot fit matters even more than just for comfort it helps with balance, warmth, and control.
And of course! I never ski without my Alta Reina Adventure Teal base layers. The leggings ALWAYS! honestly, sometimes the top is too warm, but this week they were perfect as a stand-alone under my lightly insulated jacket.
Finding gear as a tall woman can feel like its own sport, but once you dial in the pieces that truly work—gloves, balaclavas, boots, jackets, skis and of course a base layer that finally reaches your wrists and ankles—you keep them close. Because when something fits right, it doesn’t just last years… it becomes part of your winter story.
Cheerfully,
Suzi
