Going on a ski trip is an incredibly fun experience. There are few things better than spending your days on the hill and relaxing in the lodge or going out on the town during the night. Whether you are with your friends or family members, a ski trip can be the highlight of your winter.
Before you race out your front door and toward the nearest mountain resort, you should be aware of some of the things you need to take care of first.
There are a number of items you need to pack and bring along to help everything go as smoothly as possible. In this article, I will look at some of the basic things that are necessary to pack for your next ski trip.
Contents
1. Suitable Clothing
Something you need to be sure to bring on a ski trip is suitable clothing. You’ll want clothing that is warm enough to keep you from freezing, without being too bulky and restricting.
The things you should bring include a ski jacket, ski pants, warm gloves, sweaters, a snow hat, and some quality socks.
If possible, try and ensure that everything you bring is waterproof to keep you dry, even after the inevitable wipeouts. Also, having long underwear and warm base layers is a good idea.
Tip: bring a lot of layers, so you can add or remove them when you are too hot or cold.
Now let’s take a look at another important aspect of packing; your ski equipment. This will include things like a ski helmet, goggles, ski boots, and skis.
Also, before you leave for the trip, it is a good idea to do a little skiing in your local area to make sure that all of your clothing and equipment still fit and is fully functional.
2. A Hydration Pack
You will need to drink a lot of water during your ski trip to stay hydrated in cold weather and high elevations. While you could bring some water bottles, this isn’t the best way to go about things.
Not only can a water bottle easily freeze, but you will have to grab it out of your backpack numerous times during the day, and their capacity simply isn’t that large.
Instead, opt for a hydration pack. These are essentially backpacks full of water, generally up to a couple of liters in capacity.
This should be more than enough for your day and they are quite comfortable to wear and ski with. Many also come with added compartments for storage and cool features like a whistle.
3. Snacks
While you’ll surely have some real meals on a ski trip, you should be sure to pack some snacks. You might get hungry throughout the day, and not want to take off all of your gear to go in for a bite to eat.
Having some granola bars, trail mix, nuts or other healthy and easy-to-pack snacks can be a great way to satiate your hunger.
Of course, you can always pick up snacks on the way, if you don’t have them at home. If you are buying snacks at the resort you are heading to, be prepared to pay a little more for them.
Either way, your future self will be thankful if you have some snacks in your bag for those midday moments of hunger.
4. Sunglasses
Because most ski trips happen in winter when it’s cold, many people completely forget to pack sunglasses. This can end up being a huge mistake as the sun can shine just as bright in the winter as the summer. Not only that, but being around all that fresh white snow can make things even brighter.
If you don’t want to be squinting all day or having trouble seeing anything, be sure to pack a pair of sunglasses.
Of course, make sure these are relatively sporty or secure as wearing expensive fashion sunglasses while engaging in an action sport can be a recipe for disaster.
5. Lip Balm
This is something many might forget but is incredibly important. The air can be quite dry up on the hills and this can lead to your lips becoming very chapped and cracked, which can be quite painful and unattractive. If you often struggle with chapped or cracked lips, the cold weather and wind are only going to make it worse.
As a result, you should be sure to bring some lip balm with you on the trip. This will keep your lips moisturized, and many also come with SPF included to protect the sensitive skin on your lips from the sun.
In addition to packing lip balm for your dry and cracked lips, bringing other medicated ointment or gel for sore muscles or joints is also a good idea. Your body will be going through a lot during the hours and hours skiing, so be prepared to deal with the potential pain or tightness.
6. Your Technology of Choice
Technology is a bigger part of our lives than ever before. As a result, there is likely some technology you will need to pack up for your ski trip. This could be anything electronic including your phone, an external battery charger, a camera, a drone or an action camera.
While not everyone will bring lots of technology, everyone should at least have a phone or walkie-talkie with them to stay in contact.
Getting separated from your group on a hill at a giant ski resort isn’t a very fun time. Also, be sure to bring the right battery chargers or spare batteries for your devices to keep them running.
Final Words
I sincerely hope that this article has been able to help you pack for your next ski trip. The things you pack (or forget to pack) can have a huge impact on whether the trip is a success or a failure.
Are there some items that you always pack for a ski trip that I didn’t include? If so, leave a comment below as I would love to hear from you!