Ultimate Ski Holiday Packing List

There's no doubt that ski holidays are the best way to spend your winter! Huge mountains, amazing snow, and delicious food...What more could you want?!

But packing for your ski or snowboard holiday can be a little daunting. That's why we've come up with a super helpful ski trip packing list AND written a list of our Top Ten Holiday Hacks to help you get the most out of your time on the slopes!

You can download the list as a printable PDF too so you can check items off as you pack! The link is at the end of the article.

Holiday Hacks: Ski or Snowboard trip.

1) Always take slippers or some kind of indoor shoes to wear in the chalets. Snowy footwear has to be left at the boot room so something comfy to slip into is a huge bonus. 

2) Get your equipment serviced at a shop locally before you travel. This way you don't have to worry about getting to the shop before lifts or spending a bunch in resort. 

3) After a day on the hill, pull your boot liners out and put them close to a radiator/towel rail to help them dry completely. Putting on wet boots is horrible! Drying them thoroughly prolongs their life and reduces discomfort on the hill. (The same goes for gloves. Dry them out asap) If you're staying somewhere that doesn't have a place to dry your kit you can grab a boot dryer here and these will work for gloves too! 

4) Don't wipe frozen goggles! If your snow goggles fog up and freeze you have to resist the urge to wipe them. The ice will scratch and peel the anti-fog coating and they'll never be the same. If possible find a cafe and pop the lens out to defrost, then dry it when only liquid water remains. (Best for this is a dryer in the restroom but be careful not to heat the lens too much)

5) Moisture wicking base layers will keep you warm and dry much much better than a thick t-shirt. When you sweat the thermal base layers will pull the water away from your skin to keep you dry, where as your t-shirt will saturate and trap moisture on your skin. That get's damn cold when you get on the next chairlift!!

6) Sun Cream: Make sure you pack a sunblock with a decent SPF factor that doesn't freeze and definitely put it on even on grey days. Trust us, it's still strong enough to burn even in the clouds.

7) Stretches and fitness. Get some stretches going before you go out there. You'll be moving in ways you don't normally and it pays to get your body a bit prepared for it. Our local partners Cadbury Physiotherapy have an excellent article about it here

8) Embrace the buffet! Your chalet host is not going to mind you taking some extra breakfast food to go and having a snack on the hill will help you keep going through until lunch. (Don't take moist foods, they tend to freeze. Think sandwich not fruit salad.)

9) When you stop for a break, don't put your goggles on your head/hat. The heat and moisture will steam them up really quickly! (Ideally, leave your goggles on your helmet and take some sunglasses with you for lunch breaks - The Gogglesoc covers are really helpful for this!)

10) Check what your insurance covers and write the information down on a card or on your phone so that you can tell people if you need to. 
(It's also a good plan to take a pic of your skipass so you can get a replacement if you lose it!)

11) put at least two piste maps in your jacket. Someone always forgets one and it's great to know your way home at the end of the day. 

12) Always check your pockets are zipped up. Hotels and chalets aren't fans of lost keys, and if you drop your phone/wallet/skipass it can put a downer on your trip.

13) Take ski or snowboard lessons before you go! If you've never been before, then it can be a great help to go and get an introduction at a local ski centre. At Snowtrax, we have plenty of different ski lessons and snowboard lessons to choose from that can really help boost your confidence before you get out to the mountains. 

14) Hydration matters! Dry cold air will dry you out pretty quickly when your exercising at altitude. There are lots of options to choose from but if you're looking for something thermal check out these from Hydro flask.

15) Duct Tape!! Amazing for quickly fixing a tear in your waterproofs or ski gloves. A whole roll is too much but you can fit a usable amount buy wrapping it around your ski pole or around an old credit card for easy transport.

Packing list:

Download Printable Packing List Here

TEXT ONLY VERSION OF PACKING LIST

ON THE HILL

Skis/Snowboard

Ski/Snowboard Boots

Helmet

Goggles & Lens Wipe

Protection & Wrist guards

Ski Poles

A Tool/Screwdriver to adjust Bindings

Ski/Snowboard Lock

Jacket

Pants/Salopettes

Ski/Snowboard Socks (multiple pairs)

Gloves/Mittens

Glove Liners

Thermal Base Layers

Mid Layer/Fleece

Face mask/Balaclava/Neck warmer

Bladder/Camel Pack/Drinks Bottle

Lip Balm (with SPF)

Backpack

Sun Cream

Lanyard (for non electronic lift pass)

OFF PISTE / BACKCOUNTRY

Relevant Insurance Policy

Avalanche Transceiver & Spare Batteries

Probe

Folding Shovel

Avalanche Bag

Handheld Radio

Skins

APRÉS

Hat

Warm clothing

Snow boots (or snow proof shoes)

Normal gloves

Scarf

Sunglasses

Decent footwear for ice / slush

DOCUMENTATION

Passport

Boarding Pass

Local Currency

Insurance documents/EHIC Card

Transfer Info OR Rental Car Info

Driving License

ACCOMMODATION

Comfortable clothes

Underwear

Swim-wear (if applicable)

Nightwear

Toiletries

First Aid Kit/Medication

Slippers / Indoor Shoes

ENTERTAINMENT

GoPro

Magazines

iPod/Music device

Mobile Phone

Laptop

Travel plug adapter

Chargers for electronic devices

Pack of cards

Books