80 Sports Categories are Selling in Decathlon

The past week, I was invited by Decathlon China team to fit and review their new products they promote for this season. Decathlon China is now upgrading their sports accessories to more than 80 categories, which is huge. As I live 70% of my time under no roof, outdoor clothing is probably taking most charge of my wardrobe. If let me choose one must-have piece, wind jacket is that kind of piece I would recommend to beginners who'd like to start experience an outdoor life, such as hiking, city cycling, or snowboarding.

A wind jacket is so multi-tasking that works beyond your imagination.

• Hiking is a common scene that you would need a jacket, it prevents you from being hurt by branches, maintains your body temperature and also protects you from a sudden rain.

• On a cold/windy day, you can also wear a wind jacket as a fashion piece, though we normally wear bike suit that just fits our body shape. But city cycling does not always request a very professional suit, as long as it is save and comfortable, it is the right ones

• For snowboarding riders like I am, wind jacket is also a good choice during winter if the budget is limited. Wind jacket with water-resistance function can also replace the snow jacket for beginners. Because beginners would not be recommended to ride on a blue/black slope or on a tough weather, it should be just OKAY if you start on a green slope. 

Decathlon's jacket caught my eyes so quickly as soon as I walked in their stores. The bright colors attracted me more than their traditional beige/dark/nude colors. I styled a few looks and it is your turn to decide which is preferable?

How to Choose your Base Layer for Snowboarding

The last snow season, I received a set of merino wool blend base layer from Snow Path (山雪道). 

They invited me to try their new merino wool blend base layer for snow season 24-25, which they designed the base layer with few color choices. I love the green design that embraced a symbol of reborn and growth. The 15um merino wool technology they applied on the base layer upgrades the heat preservation function, as well as offers a higher breathability for sports like ski/snowboarding. 

There are few factors we should take into consideration while picking the perfect base layer for snowboarding:

• Heat preservation. Although the middle layer plays the main character role of preserving your body heat, all three layers fundamentally should all have this function. When choose a base layer, choose fabric that has a high level of heat preservation/needling system that offers better system that reserves temperature.

• Breathability. Consider if it has one-way dry-fast function to prevent the wetness being transported from the outside to your skin, but wicking quickly from your skin to the outside. Indeed, isolate your body from the outside air, but makes your body easy to breath at the same time

• Fit. The base layer should JUST FIT your body curve or a little BIT TIGHT. Such preference leaves no room/space between our body and the base layer, therefore, less possibility that cool air would get in and preserves heat better.

The design of the base layer also matters, because all the ski resort maintains a super warm temperature in their guest house. Who would not like to look fashion and chic when we take the jacket off?

Base Layer from SnowPath

Pants from Searipe

Photo shoot @Burberry Genting Snow Park

Wear Bib Pants like a Pro

During the winter, I have a lot of beginners messaged me consulting what they should wear to go ski/snowboarding. 

Here are some survival tips for beginners who would like to try a First Timer session. Nathan, my partner, as a ski instructor for 13 years has also been consulted by his student what kind of clothes they should wear to his first session. It motivates me to write a post to introduce the outfit I would recommend to all the riders/rider to-be. lol.

This outfit is a typical outfit I would wear for snowboarding. There are few reasons for choosing a bib pants as a beginner:

1. Protective. As a beginner, be prepared to crash. Ski/snowboarding is a sport that you need to learn from crashing. Snow gets into gaps between the bottom of the jacket and the top of our snow pants. Even some jackets and pants are designed to have edges that prevent snow gets into the gaps, but bib pants are better choices to eliminate that gap.
2. Storage. I find bib pants have more storage than ski/snowboard pants, which they are commonly designed to have pockets in front of your chest, on the side of your both knees. I bring some chocolate and energy bars with me, as well as my daily-pass. So, the more storage, the better for me 
3. Uni-sex. Some gear brands are now designing the bib pants to suit both male and female. I always size up when choosing ski/snowboarding clothes. I am 166cm and the size I choose mostly fit people 170-175cm. Nate is 178cm, and he fits some of my bib pants as well. Sometimes it is really fun to exchange outfit and see him wear bright colors 

When the question comes to exactly how many layers you should wear, I suggest a "sandwich layering"method. Technically, wear an inner layer (quick-dry set), middle layer (heat preservation layer), and outer layer (windproof& water-resistant jackets). We can also talk how to examine if the lay is suitable for your activity and what are the brand that fits in your budget in the upcoming posts.

Hope this post helps to you who would like to give it a ride this snow season.xoxo

Bib Pants from Molocoster

Step-on Boots from Nitro