Ski Vacation Packing List: What To Pack For A Ski Trip

Are you heading to the slopes for a ski vacation this winter and wondering what to pack for a ski trip?

There are a lot of ski essentials to think of and other things you need for skiing. From packing ski clothes to bringing the ski or snowboard gear itself to other gadgets that you may need on the slopes.

Here’s our Ultimate Ski Vacation Packing List with what to bring on a ski trip including a printable ski trip packing list that you can download and print out.

What to Pack For A Ski Trip

Table Of Contents

Layers To Wear When Skiing
Clothing Needed For Skiing
Essential Ski Gear List
Ski Bag To Pack Your Ski Equipment
What To Bring For Après Ski?
What Else To Pack For Skiing?
Ski Trip Packing Checklist

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What Do You Need For Skiing?

There’s a ton of things that you need for skiing. With all that ski gear to think about and multiple ski outfits and snow clothes to pack, it’s very easy to forget something! We have all been there!

Ski Trip Checklist

This is why we have created this ski trip checklist for you and let’s be real for us too. It includes all important skiing necessities and gear that you can and should think of.

We are starting out with the clothing needed for skiing, followed by an essential ski gear list, and concluding this post with a printable ski trip packing list PDF.

Ski Trip Packing List

Affordable ski outfit for women — Ski Trip Packing List

Layers To Wear When Skiing

First things first: Should you wear layers for skiing? And if so, how many layers for skiing do you need?

The answer is, you usually wear three layers when skiing and snowboarding, especially if it’s really cold. On warmer days wearing only two layers may be enough.

Clothing Layers For Skiing

Base Layer
Thermal, skintight & breathable
Mid Layer
Keeps body heat to stay warm
Outer Layer
Shields from snow and wind

In the following we’ll go over what each of the three layers for skiing consists of.

Clothing Needed For Skiing

Outer Layer For Skiing: Ski Jacket

A Ski Jacket is among the most important items for a day on the slopes to keep you warm so it should be number one on our packing list for a ski trip.

(You wouldn’t believe how many times there are situations where people forget this very obvious piece of ski clothing.)

Skiing Outer Layer: Snow Pants

Packing insulated snow pants goes without saying, just like a snow jacket. You don’t want to freeze your butt off! So, do not forget your snow pants either! 😉

Mid Layer For Skiing

Yoga pants and fleece sweater if you are not into thermal underwear. I actually prefer wearing yoga pants, since you can take your snow pants off when inside and don’t have to walk around in your underwear then.

Base Layer / First Layer

Thermal underwear and ski socks as a base layer to keep you warm.

Other Skiing Necessities To Pack

Ski Gloves / Mittens

Other important necessities on every skier’s checklist are insulated and waterproof ski gloves or mittens to keep your hands warm. Buying good-quality snow gloves goes a long way.

Neck Warmer

Your skiing checklist should include a scarf or even better a neck warmer. A neck warmer not only keeps your neck warm but also serves as a face mask shielding you from the sometimes harsh weather conditions on the mountain.

Beanie

Beanie for under the helmet for those really cold ski days.

Clothing: Packing List For A Ski Trip

Things You Need For Skiing

What You Need To Ski

Cheap ski outfits. Wearing matching affordable ski clothes. — Essential Ski Gear what you need to ski

So, what about all the equipment? What do I need to ski? Here’s our essential ski gear rundown of what you need to ski.

Essential Ski Gear List

Skis

The ski equipment list always starts with skis, of course! You either do have skis already or you can rent them at the ski resorts or nearby the slopes. If you plan on going skiing often, it definitely makes sense to buy skis instead of renting them.

Ski Boots

Right after the skis themselves follow the ski boots on the ski equipment list. If you don’t own any ski boots, you can of course rent them at your ski resort.

Ski Poles

There’s no skiing without ski poles, unless you are a pro! It’s best to pack the poles together with your skis so you won’t forget them.

Ski Helmet

Your skiing packing list should always include a ski helmet unless you plan on renting one at the ski resort. It should go without saying, that skiing without a helmet is a really bad idea. Safety first!

Snow Goggles

Snow goggles – Depending on the weather conditions you may want different tints. I prefer darker tints for sunny bluebird days and lighter tints or even clear snow goggles for low visibility days.

Skiing Essentials To Carry The Skis In

Ski and boot bag to fit all your ski gear and skiing essentials including helmet and poles. Get a ski strap & pole carrier to make carrying your skis around the ski resort a lot easier.

Gear: Skiing Essentials Checklist

What Do I Need For Skiing

What To Pack For Après Ski

Aprés ski at German Alpenrose restaurant in Vail Colorado — Après Ski Checklist

OK, what do you need for skiing is covered, but what about the after skiing? If you are into après-ski and hanging around the resort a little longer after your day on the slopes you will find this overview helpful:

Sunglasses

Sunglasses – A must on a bright and sunny day if you don’t want to walk around in your ski goggles.

Light Gloves & Beanie

Lighter aprés ski gloves or mittens and a cute beanie for that stylish aprés ski look

Snow Boots

Snow boots – Especially after a long day on the slopes, your feet will thank you to get out of those ski or snowboard boots.

Après Ski Checklist

Après Ski Packing List

What Else To Pack For Skiing?

Affordable ski outfits to rock the ski resort slopes in style — Skiing things what to bring on a ski trip

Wondering what else to pack for skiing? Over the years we have found there are some additional things that make your day on the slopes more fun and comfortable.

For instance, we always like to bring food and warm drinks to the slopes as food and beverages are always super expensive and most of the time not really good. Unless you are in Europe! We sometimes also like to record our rides and bring a camera or GoPro.

Tiny Backpack

Tiny backpack – A small backpack is great to bring your things with you on the slopes without bothering you. We always bring sandwiches and instant soup to have our own lunch.

Insulated Thermos

Insulated thermos – Pro tip! Bring a hot beverage in a thermos to the slopes. We always make Glühwein (mulled wine) to drink on the slopes and warm up. It is such a great idea and it tastes so good on a cold winter day.

Rechargeable Hand Warmer

Having a rechargeable hand warmer or any kind of hand warmer is one of the best things for skiing on freezing cold days. You will be so glad you can warm up your fingers, trust us!

Sunscreen & Lip Balm

On the other end of the spectrum, sunscreen and lip balm are essential things for skiing during springtime and those really sunny days. With the high altitude and all that white landscape reflecting the sun, you will burn a lot more easily than usual.

It’s sufficient to pack a small tube of sunscreen and a lip balm with SPF to protect your lips too.

GoPro & Gimbal

GoPro to take those ski selfies and epic videos. A gimbal stabilizer helps to keep the videos smooth.

Additional Skiing Things Checklist

What To Bring On A Ski Trip?

Ski Trip Packing Checklist

Summary: What To Pack For A Ski Trip

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FAQ

How To Prepare For A Snow Trip?

Since a trip to the snow requires quite a lot of equipment and things to think about, we recommend starting planning and packing early. Check out our skiing packing list above to know what to pack for a snow trip. We list what ski clothes to pack, what ski gear you will need, and other useful things for skiing.

Once you have an overview of what to bring with you preparing for a ski trip will be quick and easy. If you don’t own the ski gear, make sure to reserve that in advance to save money and time.

How To Pack Ski Clothes?

Ski clothes aren’t usually that heavy but most of the time pretty puffy and bulky. When we travel to a ski resort by car, which is usually one of the many Lake Tahoe ski resorts, we usually just throw all the ski clothes in one big suitcase.

If we travel further away to for instance Vail or Whistler Blackcomb Mountain and have to fly, we usually compress everything in a carry-on to save on extra baggage fees. Another option is to wrap your ski clothes around your ski gear if there is still space in your ski and boot bags. (This is technically not allowed by some airlines, however.)

Do You Have A Skiing Checklist For Beginners?

If you are a first-time skier and wondering if there is something like a first-time skiing checklist you can use our regular skier’s checklist here or head over to our First Time Skiers Guide which has a specific checklist for beginner skiers and first-time skiing tips.

Family Ski Trip Packing List

For a family ski trip, we recommend multiplying everything from our regular skiing packing lists by the number of family members you have. Hopefully, you have a big car or big suitcases to fit all those ski outfits and equipment.

Ski Vacation Packing List

What To Pack For A Ski Trip

We hope you found our ski trip packing list helpful and now know what to pack for a ski trip to the mountains. Feel free to print or download our skiing checklist so you don’t forget anything.

Happy skiing!