Mons Powder Day: Layering Guide

The forecast's gone white, the group chat's gone feral, and you've already mentally called in sick. Good. That's the correct response to a 20cm + powder day at Cardrona or Treble Cone, otherwise known as a Mons Powder day. The only thing standing between you and first tracks down Soho or getting amongst The Saddle rope drop is getting dressed properly... and somehow that's the part people still get wrong.

Overdress and you're peeling layers off halfway up the first chair, sweating through everything before you've even dropped in. Underdress and you're doing the whole day in survival mode, thinking about your toes instead of your turns. Neither one is the vibe.

The trick is layers that do a job, not just take up space

Start with something against your skin that can handle effort; storm riding, hiking to the goods, and powder day sends. It needs to move when you move and deal with sweat without holding onto it, because feeling wet and cold is the fastest way to ruin a good day.

Add a mid-layer for the actual cold part; the bit that's doing the insulating while you're out in the elements lapping up freshies. It should breathe, because skiing and riding in powder can be sweaty business.

Then a shell that keeps the mountain out; wind, spindrift, the inevitable face-plant reload, without trapping everything you just worked so hard to wick away. Ideally you want something with a powder skirt or bib to keep the snow out.

That's it. Three jobs, three layers, no overthinking it.

You can get Mons Royale online, in store in Wānaka and Queenstown, or if you're already up the mountain we stock them in our on-mountain retail stores too. If you want gear built around exactly this logic - their stuff is designed by people here in Wānaka, who know their way around a good Cardrona and Treble Cone powder day, and know their stuff.

A few extras that matter more on a powder day

• Gloves that can actually get wet and still work; layered with a pair of Mons Volta Meino Glove liners

• A buff or neck warmer, to keep your face toastie. If you’re going for style we recommend the Daily Dose Neckwarmer X Finn Bilous edition

• Merino socks, engineered for adventures, keeping your toes toasty and combating stinky feet at the end of the day.

Want to score some merino goodies?

Every day this season that we have 20cm or more at either mountain, it's officially a Mons Powder Day. The team will be handing out some merino goodies, plus, tag us in your powder day content for shot at winning a Mons base layer pack.

🚩 On the day, keep an eye out for the Mons flag. The team will be handing out spot prizes on the hill, first in first served.

📸 Tag us in your Mons Powder Day shots and you'll go in the draw to win a Mons base layer pack and a day pass. A couple of days after, we'll pull together our favourite shots and let our community vote for their favourite Mons Powder day shot.

Powder days at Cardrona and TC aren’t ones to miss – when it’s on, you go, and the last thing you want is your gear getting in the way of it. Sort the layers, forget about them, and go find the goods.