FAQ’s Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a shop?

The most common question we get!

The answer is – we don't have a static shop. We are a mobile business travelling mainly to schools that provide ski trips for their students. If you would like us to attend YOUR school – please pass our details to your ski trip leader.

Alternatively – ask us about this seasons details for our popular Village Hall weekend sale days. https://www.ski3up.co.uk/weekend-sales/

Please do NOT assume that the Carshalton address is a shop – it is purely an office and no stock is held there.

We love to help!

We are passionate about making sure all our customers are knowledgeable about what they need for a safe, fun ski trip and if you have any additional questions to those listed below – please just contact us.

Email is info@ski3up.co.uk

Phone is 07711 636497

Or send your question via our contact page. https://www.ski3up.co.uk/contact-us/

FAQ

How can I place an order?

  • You can place an order directly with us by email or phone if you already know exactly what you require or wish to discuss options. Payment by card can be taken over the phone or you can deposit the funds directly by BACS transfer.
  • You can place an order through our website by visiting the shop. Payment is requested via PayPal or Stripe.
  • If we are attending your school and we don’t have a product / size / colour with us at the time, we can take an order along with payment on the night and arrange delivery after checking stock availability.
  • Gift vouchers are available at our school meetings, village hall sale days and online. These can be redeemed by contacting us directly and discussing your order requirements.

All orders can either be collected at our office address at a pre-arranged date and time or posted to your delivery address. Postage costs will be determined by the weight and size of your parcel. Postage will usually be through Royal Mail on a 2nd class signed for service, unless otherwise agreed. Tracking numbers will be given so that you can track your parcel through the Royal Mail tracking service. Full payment must be received before deliveries are dispatched.

How do I know what size to buy / order?

Ski clothing is just clothing! So, order the size as you would any clothing item.

Your base layers need to be fitting close to the skin. Your mid layer should be a little looser. Your outer clothing – Jacket and Salopettes need to be comfortable to give maximum movement when skiing. Save the lycra wearing for the professional downhill skier! – you want to be warm and comfortable. We like to call it the ‘duvet’ effect. Your clothing won’t MAKE you warm. It will KEEP you warm by trapping the warm air that your body is emitting, whilst allowing excess heat to be wicked away from your body. Thus keeping your temperature controlled.  Gloves or Mitts should be worn with a little ‘room’ to spare. Wearing any skiwear too tight will squash the insulation and result in you feeling cold.

Our ski wear is good quality, affordable and fit for purpose. Warm, water-resistant, snow-proof and breathable. Please don’t be fooled into buying cheap skiwear that could be inferior in quality and function.

You don’t want to damage or lose your clothing – retailers in resort will happily empty your wallets at hugely increased prices – so look after your kit!

How do I measure for a ski helmet size?

This is a question we are asked all the time and we are often reluctant to answer – because there are so many variants.

If you go online, you will often be asked to measure the circumference of your head – and that is a good starting point. However, we are all unique and all have different SHAPED heads as well as different sizes. Some of us are oval, some of us are round, for example. And the helmets will differ too from manufacturer to manufacturer. Different styles and shapes to provide a wide range of choice. https://www.ski3up.co.uk/product-category/helmets-and-body-protection/

So, our recommendation is to try a helmet on. We pride ourselves on a helmet and goggle fitting service and are passionate that you are as safe as can be on the slopes.

If your ski helmet is too loose – it will bounce around on your head – it could knock your goggles / glasses off and you won’t be able to see where you are going. It could come off in an incident rendering it useless. And in the event of a fall, it will be the helmet that hits your head instead of absorbing the impact.

If your ski helmet is too tight – it may give you a headache. You are often in your ski gear for 4 or 5 hours per day and you need to be as comfortable as possible.

So please – come and see us and get a helmet properly fitted. It’s an important item of ski gear and you don’t want to cut corners on being safe.

Please also remember – if you have longer hair, please start a ponytail at the base / nape of your neck – never wear a high-top style – this too will affect the fit of your helmet. And never wear a hat underneath (especially a bobble hat) – the only thing we recommend is a helmet liner. It will serve you in two ways – if you are wearing a hire helmet it is a good hygiene protector from the last user of that helmet! And as it covers your neck and ears, it prevents wind-tunnelling which can be cold and uncomfortable in skiing conditions. https://www.ski3up.co.uk/product-category/accessories/neck-protection-accessories/

What is the ski-way code?

  • You are responsible for your actions and you must not endanger others
  • You must ski / board in control and adapt to all conditions
  • The skier / boarder in front has priority
  • An overtaking skier / boarder is wholly liable if a collision occurs
  • When merging with a slope or starting after resting, check up and down the slope
  • If you stop on the piste move to the side and avoid narrow places or areas of restricted visibility
  • If you must go up or down the slope on foot, move to the side
  • Respect all piste signs and markings
  • Accidents – you are duty bound to assist
  • If involved in an accident, those involved, plus witnesses must exchange names and addresses – hit and run is a criminal offence

Where can I view the stock?

Ski3Up is a mobile shop. We don’t have a static site. Our main business is travelling to schools that have invited us along to their parent information meeting for students that are attending their ski trip. We mainly travel in the South East, London and around the M25 area. If your child is due to travel on a school ski trip and you would like us to attend the meeting, please either pass our contact details to the ski trip organiser at the school or contact us directly. During the evening we will set up our mobile shop and after a short personal presentation giving advice and tips, you will have the chance to browse, try on and purchase everything you could possibly need to kit your child out for a safe fun ski trip. Our checklist is a handy tool to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything, and our YouTube videos will take you through all you need to know. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvvX0tQI3YLWewXoU_VZ7gg

If you are not a school trip customer or don’t wish to purchase during the meeting, we hold weekend sale days throughout the ski season at our local village hall. https://www.ski3up.co.uk/weekend-sales/ These are held in Leigh, Surrey – in-between Junction 8 and 9 of the M25. There is free parking and we are open from 10am till 430pm. You can either turn up to browse and purchase or if you would prefer, we offer a private advice and fitting service. We will give you up to an hour of our time to walk you through all the products available. If you would like an appointment, please book in advance by contacting us for available timeslots.

Or you can view and purchase our stock online through our website and web shop. https://www.ski3up.co.uk/shop/

Dare2B Size Guides and Information

FAQ

Do you accept exchanges and/or offer refunds?

Usual terms and conditions:

We can exchange items before your ski trip takes place. Items being exchanged will need to have original tags attached and be in a re-saleable condition. A copy of your original receipt will be requested as proof of purchase.

We can refund items within 2 weeks of purchase. Items being returned for a refund will need to have original tags attached and be in a re-saleable condition. A copy of your original receipt will be requested as proof of purchase. We can either refund directly onto a bank card or by BACS. Cash refunds are not available.

Any items requiring an exchange or refund are to be sent to our Carshalton office. This can either be in person by prior appointment or by post, at the buyers’ expense. Please ensure that this is a signed for service to avoid any missing parcels.

In addition to the above we offer a Salopette buy-back scheme, which replaces our old hire scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to lessen your expense on an item that you may not wear again. If you purchase a pair of NEW Salopettes, for the full purchase price, we can buy them back from you at a set price of £15.00 The Salopettes will then go into our clearance section to keep our full range affordable. We ask that you do not launder the Salopettes. The Salopettes must be returned to us, at our Carshalton office by the end of the current ski season, in a re-saleable condition. This can either be in person by prior appointment or by post, at the buyers’ expense. Please ensure that this is a signed for service to avoid any missing parcels.

What are the essential items to pack for a ski trip?

Within our brochure, we have a checklist of items that you will need for a safe, warm, fun trip to the slopes. We also have three informative and fun videos on YouTube explaining, what you need, how many you need, why you need it, and how to pack it! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvvX0tQI3YLWewXoU_VZ7gg

Our essential items are:

Ski Socks / Layers – Base and Mid / Thermal Lining Gloves / Gloves or Mitts / Neck Protection / Eye Protection / Hat / Jacket / Salopettes / Helmet / Sun cream and Lip balm

Our ‘nice to have’ items are:

Après Ski Boots / Wheeled Travel Bag, Rucksack or Bumbag / Face Mask / Wrist Warmers / Glove Buddy / Flottle Water Bottle / Handwarmers / Ski Ties / Boot Carrier / Phone Bungee

Are ski helmets necessary / compulsory?

It is always wise to check the country / resort that you are travelling to as to what their laws / rules and regulations are regarding the wearing of ski helmets. If you are travelling with your school, it may be that your council / school policy is that it is compulsory to wear a ski helmet even if the country / resort doesn’t require it. It may also be an age-related regulation.

Ski3Up strongly recommends the wearing of a ski helmet, whether you are new to the sport or experienced in skiing / boarding.

Please remember, a ski helmet is there to aid you in an accident – it does not make you indestructible – but it does take the impact on a fall rather than your head – therefore giving good protection.

Accidents can and do happen – skiing and boarding are extreme sports and you are in hazardous conditions – so please don’t think that you are invincible. You must always listen to your instructor, teacher, leader and the ski-way code. Being sensible and safe is always the best way to enjoy your time on the slopes.

How can I be as fit as possible when skiing?

Much of this is common sense:

  • It is hard exercise – eat well, particularly energy foods and carbohydrates
  • You will dehydrate – drink lots of water – check out our refillable water bottle! https://www.ski3up.co.uk/product/flottle-bottle-foldable-drinking-bottle/
  • Do not underestimate the strength of the sun – remember your sun cream and lip protection
  • Do not ski until you feel like dropping. REST reduces accidents
  • There is safety in numbers on the slopes so always ski in a group
  • Let people know where you intend to go on the slopes
  • Carry ID and evidence of insurance
  • Carry a piste map and make sure you know how to read it

How much exercise should I do before a skiing trip?

You’re going off to do 4 to 6 hours of hard exercise every day for 5 to 6 days. Not only that, you will be doing this up a mountain where air pressure is low, and temperature is low. The question is – how much exercise do you normally get? For some people this week of skiing will result in more exercise than they get in a whole year. Don’t delude yourself. Most people need to prepare their bodies for skiing/boarding. The price of not doing so, increases your chances of injury and not getting as much out of an expensive holiday as you could. The great thing about skiing and boarding is that you will be able to do it and you will be aware of improvement every day that you go out. You won’t need to be a great athlete, but just be prepared. Personally, I like to go swimming for exercise, but you must choose whatever is appropriate to your circumstances and what you enjoy.

However, remember that whatever you do, you must:

  • Increase the workload of your heart and lungs
  • Improve your endurance for long periods of repetitive activity
  • Improve your strength. Not only the obvious work on the legs. Beginners will use upper body strength to get up after a fall
  • Improve overall flexibility. This will help to prevent injuries when you fall