I%26#39;ll be in Munich for the entire month of January 2006. I%26#39;m a male college student from Texas and I dress pretty casual and naturally don%26#39;t need a lot of cold weather gear living in Dallas. I%26#39;m trying to decide what to pack for Munich in January without buying stuff I%26#39;ll never use again or without breaking the bank.
Do I really need insulated snow boots or could I get by with some Doc Martens and just some good wool socks? Do I need a parka or could I get by with a fleece jacket? I know I should wear layers but it is the outerwear that is causing me trouble. Should I splurge for a goose down or gortex coat or could I get by with something lighter weight? I also would like to try snowboarding while I%26#39;m there, and am wondering if I can rent gear (ski pants, jacket, boards, etc) or should I bring my own. Also any good places to try snowboarding that would make for a good weekend trip from Munich would be appreciated. Thanks!
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What a list of questions! But I%26#39;ll try to answer you at least some.
January is definetely the coldest month of the year in average. You hate to epect temperatures from -15 to +10 degrees.
I%26#39;d recommend a warm and *wind-proof* jacket. I fleece jacket might not fulfil this.
Your shoes will be okay. But you have to epect snow and then boots or shoes with a higher shaft are quite useful.
I usulally wear if I don%26#39;t need a suit a Jeans, if its very cold long undertrouwsers, wool socks, a long-arm shirt, a warm pullover and a winter jacket.
I don%26#39;t know how good you are in snow-boardning. But If you are a beginner you will definetely need a water-proof pants and jacket.
You can rent boots and board without problems. But I never heard of cloths.
I%26#39;m only skiing, but if there is enough snow It%26#39;s quitecomfortable to go to the %26quot;Sudelfeld%26quot; because it%26#39;s easy to reach by train. Just take the %26quot;BOB%26quot;-Train from the central station to Bayrischzell. From there 5-10 Minutes walk.
Other way: Buy a ticket to Kaltenbach at %26quot;Autobus Oberbayern%26quot;. They offer day tours to Laltenbach in the %26quot;Zillertal%26quot; in Austria (~200km from Munich). It%26#39;s pretty high (~1800m above sea level) and very snow save, but thats in general not %26quot;the%26quot; point in January.
If you got any further questions just ask.
Philipp
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As a foreinger from a warm country who lived in Germany for 2 years, I have a good suggestion for you to save money and stay warm. Why not kill 2 birds with one stone and buy yourself a windproof, waterproof jacket that can be used for snowboarding as well as a general jacket? Many people wear these jackets when walking around the cities in winter as they really keep you dry and warm. If you dont want bright colours, just go for plain black, grey or brown.
Also, dont compromise on quality by buying a very cheap one, as generally with jackets, you get what you pay for. Try snowboarding shops in America, Im sure someone can advise you. Ones that zip up your neck and have removable hoods are brilliant at keeping wind and snow out. And you will appreciate it when snowboarding or walking home at night!
Like the previous poster, I have never heard of renting snowboarding pants, but you should be able to pick up a cheapish pair for about €30 in Germany. You will probably only use them a few times, so dont spend too much. But, at the same time, you will definitely need waterproof ones as jeans will become soaked! The shop C%26amp;A in Germany generally has good quality and inexpensive snowboarding clothes, otherwise ask around. There are lots of places to buy and you will probably get it on sale as its after Christmas. You might even befriend someone who can lend you pants, so dont worry about it too much before you get there.
As for your other clothes - I wouldnt worry too much. Normal running shoes, boots, jeans etc all work fine in winter. You wont be spending hours outside anyway. Get a wool hat/beanie and some good gloves.
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Thanks to both of you for the great replies!
You both gave me some good info and it will help me hopefully make some good choices. I really want to pack light so I%26#39;m trying to keep the big bulky winter clothes to the minimum. Think I%26#39;ll just buy the ski pants etc. in Germany. Gonna get a good jacket that will do double duty in the snow and just for walking around the city. Will I stand out like a neon sign if I wear bright colors like red or blue. I%26#39;ve heard everyone in Europe wears black!
Thanks again!
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Yes, they all wear black and drink blood...
:)
No, not really, but I do think a neutral colour is the safest option. You can wear any colour on the ski slopes but if you want to look slightly cool in town, you should go for something that doesnt scream colour. So black, brown, grey, dark blue, dark green are common colours. I think bright sunshine yellow might be overdoing it?
Dont worry, Im sure you will fit in. Young people everywhere dress pretty much the same.
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I am going to Munich about the same time, but I do not snowboard. I am a young professional, and am wondering if a wool coat will do in December weather. I will be there in 2 weeks.
Thanks,
Steven
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If you are from Boston - from all I have read you will find Munich winters mild in comparison.
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It%26#39;s funny you%26#39;re deliberating over outerwear... my husband and I are doing the same thing for our New Year trip to Germany and WE LIVE IN CHICAGO so wasting the outerwear is not an issue. It%26#39;s the idea of being away from home and work all day and having to find a single solution for all possible weather conditions due to being out all day sightseeing.
Since you%26#39;re there a month, don%26#39;t worry. If you pack too light you can always go to a department store and buy something.
My suggestion is the Land%26#39;s End 4-in-1 jacket or its equivalent from some other outdoorsy store. It is a water-resistant outer shell with a zip-in fleece jacket. Of course you could go with separates but at Land%26#39;s End they give you a temp rating... the combined jacket is supposed to keep you warm over a sweater down to 15 below. Back in Dallas they become separate pieces.
Your shoes should be fine but I%26#39;d consider either fleece socks or thin thermal socks to layer. Also you can oil them and buy a waterproofing spray.
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If you haven%26#39;t bought it already, you might want to invest in some silk long underwear. LLBean has some good, not too expensive varieties as does Eddie Bauer if memory serves. Thin and light to pack and will keep you very warm without bulk but wick away the moisture when you perspire. I wore them all the time my first winter here and they are great for snowboarding.
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