In a recent opinion piece, freelance writer Emma Loffhagen has described skiing as a 'collectively sustained fantasy' and 'the emperor's new clothes of leisure pursuits'. She argues that the activity is vastly overpriced, uncomfortable, and potentially dangerous, questioning why it remains so popular.
Ms Loffhagen, who tried skiing once and reportedly hated every second, highlights the exorbitant costs involved. She notes that beyond chalet fees and flights, skiers must purchase specialist equipment such as jackets, trousers, gloves, goggles, helmets, boots, poles, and skis. She describes these items as 'the ugliest clothes you have ever seen'.
The writer also cites the risk of injury as a major deterrent. She claims that every skier she knows has returned home with a snapped ligament or a 'mysterious knee problem', and suggests that orthopaedic surgeons may rely on this ecosystem of injuries.
Comfort is another point of contention. Ms Loffhagen finds it perverse that people willingly spend their annual leave being colder than usual, damp, windburnt, and bruised, all while paying for overpriced pasta. She contrasts this with a tropical holiday at a fraction of the cost.
She also criticises the après-ski culture, describing it as a 'circus' where loud people shout over EDM-Ibiza pop beats. Ms Loffhagen concludes that she feels like an outsider observing a cult, noting the adamantine belief in superiority, ritualised suffering, and evangelical urge to convert sceptics.
