Henrietta Holderness Base Layer Review

Base layers are a key component of ski clothing and the only way to truly test performance is to take a product to the slopes. Ski Club's Bella Charlton put H. Holderness thermals to the test in Avoriaz... 

H. Holderness is a British female-led company that creates practical and stylish thermal base-layers. The all-mountain designs are made to ‘perform on the slopes and look good enough to show off after,’ so you can wear them for morning yoga, shredding the piste and on the dancefloor at après without needing to change your look. 

With more and more women choosing to wear sports leggings under their skiwear rather than traditional thermals, H. Holderness combines both elements to create technical under-layers that also transform into sports leggings, day-to-day activewear or whatever else you want them to be! The base-layers take the quality features that you would expect from thermals and add a trendy modern twist. I took the leggings to the snow with a friend to see what they had to offer.  

On our first morning in the mountains, we started the day with some stretching and yoga before hitting the slopes. The flexibility of the leggings was fantastic and it was handy being able to pop salopettes straight on afterwards. The sizes did come up slightly larger for us, so I would advise checking the measurements before you buy. This was particularly obvious around the waistline where the excess material seemed to gather the most. On the other hand, the leggings didn’t wrinkle around the knees and the high-waist design kept them in place whilst playing around the mountain all day. 

From fast-turning through tree-lined runs to cruisey blues, the thermals felt like a second layer of skin and adapted well to all types of movement without any restriction, especially during our Instructor-Led Guiding introduction to off piste session, where we (and our gear) were put through our paces! The breathability allows you to ski comfortably all day without overheating or trapping excess moisture. The thermals also offer anti-bacterial properties for those hardworking powder days and the soft-brushed interior comes in handy for the long windy ski lifts in between runs. The base layers do not completely prevent the cold, especially without salopettes over the top, but the thermo-insulating design kept our legs nice and toasty all day when we decided to catch the cable car up Super Morzine and explore the Avoriaz ski area on foot.

Even with no snow, there are plenty of reasons to wear these thermals on the mountain. I’ve used them for morning runs and weekend walks during the chillier winter months as they are comfortable for day-to-day use, sports or lounging around when you just want to put your feet up. They really are a great addition for us snow-lovers both on and off the mountain.

My friend and I loved the bright colours of the base-layers and the fact that we could sport them travelling, around town, or for a stroll through the snow. With such an array of designs on offer, there is something for even the most understated traveller if bright colours are not your style. Moreover, H. Holderness is not solely limited to base-layers, they also stock incredibly comfy hoodies, practical jackets and stylish tops.

H. Holderness have taken the functionality of traditional thermals and the style of activewear to create a smart but equally stylish product that ought to be the latest addition to any skier’s wardrobe.

Pros Great quality all-mountain activewear in fabulous designs

Cons Check the sizing measurements before you buy

You can check out the full collection at:

www.h.holderness.co.uk