Skiers advised to wear cut-resistant underclothes as crash protection
Ski-racing season is in full swing, bringing triumphant victories and narrow defeats along with it. But it does have a dark side: falls and injuries. As a result, the International Ski Federation (FIS) has ruled that winter sports athletes should wear cut-resistant base layers next season. These specialised garments could protect you too.
Aleksander Kilde’s horrendous crash at the 2024 Lauberhorn downhill race will still be vivid in many people’s memories. The Norwegian skier crashed at around 100 km/h, suffering a serious laceration to his leg as well as other injuries. Although he might be the best-known skier to fall foul of sharp ski edges, he isn’t the only one.
Loïc Meillard, Bode Miller, Aksel Lund Svindal, Jared Goldberg, Henrik von Appen and other elite skiers have spoken publicly about their own cut injuries (first link in German).
«I started skiing when I was two (years old) in 1979. Since then, I’ve been cut by my skis or bindings in the neighbourhood of 60 times,» Bode Miller says in an interview with Ski Racing. His super-G crash at the 2015 World Championships in Vail brought an end to his racing career. Having sustained a laceration during the fall, he needed to have his tendon sewn back together – and 50 stitches.
Alongside Pirmin Zurbriggen, Hermann Maier and Marco Odermatt, Bode Miller’s one of only four professional skiers ever to have won World Championship titles in the downhill, super-G and giant slalom.
The fact that these injuries don’t just break the skin, but also sever tendons, muscles and, in the worst case, arteries, makes them particularly insidious. Artery injuries can be life-threatening if medical assistance doesn’t arrive quickly, so some skiers already wear cut-resistant base layers for races and training.
The International Ski Federation (FIS) has now decided to make cut-resistant undergarments compulsory in all disciplines of the World Cup and Continental Cup from the 2025/26 season onwards. For now, the rules cover leg protection i.e. long johns, while protective long-sleeved shirts are «strongly recommended» for the upper body. However, it’s possible that protective tops will soon be made compulsory too. The FIS has recommended the gear for other races and junior skiers too.
Swiss manufacturers working on new protective gear
As yet, only a few brands manufacture clothing with the three-star certification required by the FIS for World Cup approval. Spanish brand Diston, which I reported on last year, is one of them. Italian brand Energiapura has also been awarded three FIS stars.
When I asked Swiss manufacturer X-Bionic about cut-resistant clothing, the brand confirmed it was collaborating with Swiss Ski and the manufacturer Vix to produce particularly cut-resistant gear in time for the next Ski World Cup season. «These are highly complex product developments. What we can say is that in the next World Cup season, we’ll be equipping athletes with an FIS 5-star certified product in collaboration with Vix,» says X-Bionic CEO Maximilian Lenk.
Racing pros aren’t the only ones at risk of ski-edge lacerations
If you think the only people at risk of lacerations are pro skiers whooshing down the slopes at breathtaking speed, stretching their material to the limit, you’re mistaken. Although we don’t have exact figures, a study of more than 20,000 skiers found lacerations to be the third most common type of skiing injury. This includes cuts caused by razor-sharp ski edges.
«Even if cuts aren’t the most common type of ski injury, they have the potential to be dangerous,» says the FIS Athlete Health Unit’s Michael Lasshofer. He adds that while traditional ski clothing does provide better protection than a racing suit, it’d benefit the sport as a whole if people were better informed about gear that protects against lacerations. «Alternatively, a protective layer of fabric could be incorporated directly into existing ski clothing,» he adds.
Cut-resistant base layers for recreational skiing already available
When it comes to recreational skiing, there are already a few examples out there. X-Bionic and POC have offered cut-resistant base layers for amateur skiers for some time now.
POC started using high-performance Dyneema fibre in its ski undergarments back in 2016. Since then, they’ve made further developments to the garments to improve characteristics such as comfort and breathability.
X-Bionic’s range of cut-resistant base layers designed for amateur skiers under the name Armadillo. Unfortunately, we currently don’t stock Armadillo gear.
X-Bionic will continue to consider improved injury protection as part of its clothing in future: «Athlete safety and performance are our top priorities. That why cut resistance is such an important part of our innovation pipeline. We can’t say much more about it at this time, but it’s an exciting road ahead,» says CEO Maximilian Lenk.
Cut-resistant ski clothing
Would you wear cut-resistant ski underclothes?
If you’re interested in cut-resistant ski base layers, you’ll find a selection from manufacturer POC here.
Header image: Shutterstock
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Siri Schubert
Senior Editor
Siri.Schubert@digitecgalaxus.chResearch diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.
