European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine equipping your body for the slopes by Janet Nelson new York times i clothing comes with a Library of tags that spell out the marvels of the fabrics used on the inside outside and in Between. All the design claims May overwhelm the potential buyer. A Little knowledge goes a Long Way in helping to sort through the Thicket of fabrics and High tech surprises. Fabric developments in recent years provide garments that seem too Light to be warm said Dave Jacobs president and designer of spider Active sports inc. But they can be As warm As heavy clothes plus they Are More flexible less Bulky and they Are Waterproof and  about 10 years ago Gore Tex created the first Waterproof breathable fabric by laminating a special membrane to outer Shell materials. This layer allows moisture from the body to get out but keeps larger droplets of rain and melted Snow from getting inside. In recent years other manufacturers have created different methods including less expensive coatings to make fabrics Waterproof and breathable. Today practically All ski garments have this technology applied to fabrics. Gore Tex has been around the longest and has worked out the bugs in the process. For example Gore Tex is Able to strictly control the thickness of the laminate to insure better beat ability. However it is generally More expensive than other Waterproof breathable fabrics. Synthetic insulation used inside ski Wear have also undergone technological changes. They Are almost As warm a s Down and do not lose insulating ability when wet As Down does. Because they Are synthetic the new insulation also can be More weather and function specific than the Down and batting of the past. Thicker or High loft insulators for instance Are Best for extremely cold temperatures or relatively inactive outdoor pursuits while thinner Low loft insulators Are better for warmer Days and heavy exercise such As Cross country skiing. The main disadvantage of synthetic insulation is that unlike Down they May be too warm or too Cool for certain conditions and you will not know which until you re out there sweating or freezing. That s Why Down is still used in some ski garments that have a Waterproof outer Shell. In addition to High tech synthetic fibres ski garments Are being designed to provide More Protection and to function better in cold weather. Today ski clothing designers Are almost like engineers said Hollis Brooks fashion editor for skiing Magazine. I Call ski clothing equipment for your body.1" one reason for More functional styling is that Many of the current generation of Young designers have been skiers since they were children. Because they Are skiers said Jackie Mathys fashion editor of powder Magazine most designers know where you need something that snaps easily and things like pockets that Are accessible in cold  the functional design changes Are most noticeable in parkas. We try to educate our customers about these features said Marcia Ott manager and buyer at Sno Haus ski shop in Huntington . I explain features such As double flaps on the zippers to keep out drafts elasticized waistbands for warmth adjustable cuffs and Nylon zippers that won t freeze  also look for parkas with Long pull tabs on the zippers for easier use by hands wearing gloves. For added warmth the zippers should be covered on both sides with flaps of material to keep out drafts and they May run diagonally or on either Side of a jacket for better front Protection. Some construction features Are not visible and could the perfect Utorka High Vert r can be zipped up Over the Mouth endnote for added Protection. Nylon Tipper won  weather and the putt Tab make it easier for use by Glove hands. Hidden Hood May be shaped Toa Howford greater vision. Flange at shoulder provide abrasion resistant fabric where the skis Are usually carried. Wind flaps on outside and inside of jacket keep out drafts snap cuffs at wrist can be opened Toleta Orfei. Covered  Waistband keeps out now and drafts. Lift ticket Loop is a Nice extra be overlooked by skiers. We show them hoods that Are inside the collars said Joy Gibbons clothing buyer for ski barn in Paramus . In the past you could t see to the sides when wearing a Hood now they Are Cut out for peripheral vision. Some Are also gathered so they fit tightly around the neck for extra  you have to look for Comfort As Well As fashion in a Parka said Jay Fuerst president of Pedigree ski shop in White Plains . Action Back pleats and inserts at the Arm pits Are comfortable for the shoulders and they prevent tearing of the seams. High collars Are warmer especially if there is a knit Collar inside the outer Collar. And parkas that zip from the Bottom Are useful to let air in if you get too warm. Parkas Are often oversized or Cut Fuller to allow for layers of clothing underneath Fuerst said. But they should t be too big either because then you can lose warmth. In fact when buying ski clothes ignore the size on the Label and Wear what fits Best. Fit and Comfort is what  a few other features to look for Are abrasion resistant fabric Over the shoulders where the skis Are normally carried and a lift ticket Loop somewhere on the jacket or in a pocket. Some of the jackets come with ventilation panels in front at the sides or under the arms that can be activated by unzipping. For extra warmth longer parkas often have an elasticized Waist or a cinch Cord to pull the Waist tight to keep out Snow and drafts. These Days ski pants May be simply a Shell of Waterproof breathable fabric with or without insulation to be worn Over polypropylene underwear fleece pants running sweats or Blue jeans. These shells May be reversible with two different colors. They often have some of the same features of parkas such As covered zippers and multiple pockets plus special items like a Waterproof coating applied to the seat and scuff not Shields on the inner leg at the hem to prevent damage from Sharp ski edges. If they Aren t simply shells ski pants May be made of stretch fabric and come As in the Boot or Over the Boot styles. The two styles have their devotees but Dave Jacobs prefers Over the Boot pants because they keep Snow out of boots and they allow for a More comfortable Boot fit. These pants May also have padding at the Knees or on the shins a feature originally designed to protect racers As they hit slalom poles that May add some warmth and wind Protection too. A drawback to the new skiwear is that it is often specialized however there is a new generation of parkas that Are designed with crossover Wear in mind. These jackets have conservative styling and components that can be layered for different weather conditions. Columbia sportswear and the North face offer a system of interchangeable and reversible inner jackets made with Down fleece or synthetic insulation that zip into outer shells. Both use Bright primary colors rather than Neon or Day glow colors or Geometric prints and designs that limit the use of some ski Wear to the slopes. As the innovative ideas have been applied to the new skiwear the Cost has gone up. Parkas with these fabrics and features for instance can Cost in the United states anywhere from $150 to $400. Beware of Parka bargains they Are often made of Cotton polyester the worst material for warmth Many of the exotic fabrics Are very expensive to manufacture and the garments themselves require detailed sewing of Many pieces of fabric plus attaching All those snaps zippers and Hooks and extra Steps such As seam sealing to keep water out. Ski Wear does t come easily and it does t come cheap. Tuesday january 10, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 13