From the 2026/27 season onwards, any skier taking part in an FIS alpine skiing competition must wear cut-resistant protection on their legs. The measure, which was initially restricted to the highest levels of competition, has now been extended to the entire FIS circuit.
Safety continues to reshape the equipment used in competitive alpine skiing. Following the mandatory introduction of airbags in certain speed events, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) is taking a further step for the 2026/27 season.
The new regulations are unequivocal:
“Cut-resistant trousers or undergarments will be compulsory at all FIS alpine skiing competitions.”
The 2026/27 edition of the Specifications for Alpine Competition Equipment, officially published by the FIS on 6 July 2026, stipulates that the protective gear must cover the entire area between the iliac crest – the upper part of the pelvis – and the top of the ski boot. Furthermore, it must meet at least the FIS three-star protection level. This change is significant because it considerably increases the number of competitors who will have to comply with the regulations.
From the World Cup to all FIS races
Cut-resistant protection did not suddenly appear in 2026. During the 2025/26 season, the FIS had already made cut-resistant trousers compulsory in Level 0 and 1 competitions – that is, primarily at the highest levels of international competition. For all other levels, their use was recommended. But now things have changed.
The regulations now specify that cut-resistant trousers are compulsory in “all FIS Alpine Skiing events”. Consequently, the measure no longer applies solely to the international elite but now extends to skiers competing at the various levels recognised by the Federation. This detail is particularly relevant for clubs, national federations, coaches, young skiers and families, who must ensure that the equipment used does indeed meet the required certification standards.
Why might a ski break?
It may seem paradoxical that one of the key elements of protection for a skier is a garment designed to protect them… from their own skis.
However, the metal edges used in competition are designed to provide extremely high grip on very compacted snow surfaces and, in certain circumstances, can act as a cutting edge.
The problem mainly arises during a fall. A ski may come loose, get caught up in a skier’s leg or strike the skier themselves – or another skier – at high speed.
The German Institute for Textile and Fibre Research (DITF), which is involved in the tests used by the FIS to assess these fabrics, explains that injuries caused by the edges can be serious and, in extreme cases, even life-threatening for the athlete. In fact, one of the accidents that brought the issue to the fore occurred in January 2024 at the Wengen event. The Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde suffered a violent fall on the Lauberhorn downhill run and sustained, amongst other injuries, a deep cut to his leg.
The FIS itself has subsequently cited Kilde’s case to explain the need for the new measures. Markus Waldner, race director for the Men’s World Cup, pointed out that the Norwegian was not wearing cut-resistant protection and that the injury he sustained to his calf was particularly serious. And the problem is that this was not an isolated incident.
Concerns about this type of injury had been growing for several years within the circuit and amongst manufacturers. Athletes such as Breezy Johnson began to wear specialised clothing, and other top-level skiers gradually started to adopt it before the FIS decided to make it compulsory.
What does it actually mean for a pair of trousers to be ‘cut-resistant’?
The FIS itself expressly warns that these garments offer additional protection, not absolute protection. They must be worn in the correct size, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and without any modifications to the certified product. To determine their resistance, the FIS uses the FIS-DITF 2021 standard, developed in collaboration with the German institute DITF. The system classifies fabrics into five levels.
One star corresponds to a shear force of 100 N; two stars, to 200 N; three stars, to 300 N; four stars, to 400 N; and five stars, to 500 N.
“This season, the FIS requires a minimum of three stars, which corresponds to a rating of 300 N.”
Furthermore, the material is tested at orientations of 0°, 45° and 90°, and it is the least favourable result that ultimately determines the garment’s FIS rating. This detail is important because an edge does not necessarily come into contact with the fabric in line with the direction of its fibres.
How can you tell if a pair of trousers complies with the regulations?
It will therefore not be sufficient simply to purchase an item of clothing marketed as ‘cut-resistant’; in order to compete, it must bear the relevant FIS conformity label.
In the case of trousers, this label must be permanently attached to the back of the lower left leg, just above the boot cuff. The label indicates compliance with FIS specifications and uses stars to show the level of protection achieved. To obtain this certification, the manufacturer must submit the relevant test protocol to the FIS Athletes Health Unit.
Therefore, for a skier taking part in a FIS event this winter, there are two essential factors to check: FIS approval and a minimum three-star rating.
What about the upper body?
For the time being, the general requirement set for 2026/27 focuses on the legs.
Protection must extend from the iliac crest to the top of the boot. By contrast, the FIS strongly recommends – though does not make them generally compulsory – cut-resistant shirts and full-body protection; however, given recent developments, it will not be long before they become mandatory.
This distinction is important because it gives an insight into the direction in which safety in competition may evolve. Technology already makes it possible to protect much larger areas of the body, and the regulations expressly provide for certified upper body garments. However, extending the protected area also raises issues relating to mobility, breathability, comfort, cost and the fit of the equipment.
Safety is changing the equipment used by runners
Cut-resistant trousers are part of a profound transformation currently taking place in competitive alpine skiing.
The FIS has been introducing new requirements for ski helmets, protective gear, boots and airbags.
“For Level 0 and 1 speed tests, for example, an airbag is compulsory.”
These devices must automatically detect a fall and deploy without any action on the part of the runner; the regulations even specify a maximum inflation time of 200 milliseconds and require that they remain fully inflated for at least three seconds.
Before being introduced, the technology underwent thousands of development runs. The FIS reported more than 7,000 test runs, over 300 crash tests and more than 200 athletes involved in the process. The philosophy is similar in the case of cut-resistant clothing: to try to minimise the consequences of accidents that are unlikely ever to be completely eliminated.
Greater safety, but also more equipment and higher costs
This development raises another particularly sensitive issue in competitive skiing: to what extent can the list of compulsory equipment be extended without excessively increasing the cost of taking up the sport?
This is precisely an issue that Olmo Hernán, chief executive of the Royal Spanish Winter Sports Federation (RFEDI), recently addressed in an interview with I Love Ski.
When discussing safety and developments in equipment, Hernán highlighted the need to analyse the financial impact of the new requirements on athletes and their families:
“Improving safety – whether through airbags, protective fabrics or systems to prevent cuts – comes at a cost, and a reasonable balance must be struck.”
The extension of cut-resistant trousers to all FIS races inevitably fuels the debate about the cost of kit, particularly for clubs and families. But when it comes to minimising the consequences of a fall and protecting athletes’ safety, safety must remain a priority.
The new FIS regulations for 2026/27 are a step in precisely that direction. It may seem like a minor change, limited to an item of clothing that is barely visible beneath the competition suit, but it forms part of a much more far-reaching development: harnessing technological and material advances to better protect athletes without altering the essence of the sport.
Alpine skiing will always remain a high-speed sport in which risk can never be completely eliminated. The aim is not to eliminate it, but to do everything possible to minimise the consequences when an accident occurs.
Helmets, back protectors, airbags and cut-resistant fabrics all follow the same principle. And if a new technology can prevent a serious injury, its introduction represents another step towards safer competition, where the pursuit of performance is always accompanied by the greatest possible protection for those on the track.
