The Perfect Ski Trip Packing List for Your Vacation

Check out our ski trip packing list for your next trip. Come wintertime, we pack up our bags and begin chasing the snow. In this post, we cover some tips, tricks, and gear that we’ve come to love over time.

After all, you are relying on your clothing, gear, and accessories not only to have a good time but to keep you safe as well. Whether it’s your first ski trip, your first time traveling with your gear, or your tenth trip to the snow, it’s never a bad idea to make sure you are adequately packed.

The Perfect Ski Trip Packing List  

• Thermals/Base Layers

Base layers or thermals are the first line of defense against the cold. It’s vital that the base layer is moisture-wicking, dries fast, and is comfortable for all-day wear. We like a large waistband for the legs and a top with a collar for better protection. A great option is to have top thermal with a 1/4 zip as it allows you to dump heat when you get hot.
Base layers for your legs are also great for walking around the town or a resort. You don’t want to wear your ski pants to the bar, but jeans may be too cold. However, if you slip on a pair of thermals underneath, it makes life a lot warmer. When purchasing, note size charts as top and bottoms sizes can be different.

• Wool Socks

 For the average ski trip packing list, I would suggest two pairs of ski socks and three pairs of socks if it’s an extended trip. Like thermals, opt for a material such as wool or synthetic for your socks. When skiing, do not wear cotton socks as it will almost certainly lead to cold feet. Any pair of wool socks or warm synthetic socks will do the job for most.

• Snowboard Jacket
  • Insulated Jacket:There are many jackets available, and every company has a multitude of options. Most choose from two basic options for jackets, insulated and shell. A three-layer system that consists of the shell jacket with a mid-layer and thermals offers the best performance. However, it can be expensive and a little cold for beginners and intermediates.An insulated jacket is considered “resort wear,” and it’s a perfect jacket for most to have as it works well in everyday life. Resort wear insulated jackets come in a wide variety of price points and performance packages. Most casual skiers, resort-focused skiers, beginners, and intermediates should consider an insulated jacket instead of a shell and mid-layer. 
  • Shell Jacket:A hardshell jacket uses a waterproof and windproof material that offers superior protection from the elements. These premium jackets most commonly utilize a multilayered nylon GORE-TEX material for the jacket’s exterior. As a result, a hardshell jacket provides exceptional protection from the snow, wind, and moisture. Hardshell jackets are excellent, but they come with a high price tag, and most lack any form of insulation.

• Midlayer Jacket

If you opt for a layering system, then a mid-layer jacket is where you’ll get the majority of your warmth. Mid-layers go on over your thermals and operate as a jacket for when you’re not skiing or snowboarding. 

• Snowboard Pants
  • Shell Pants
  • Bibs
  • Insulated Pants

There are three basic styles of pants to wear hardshell skiing pants, bibs, and insulated pants. Hardshell pants tend to fetch the highest price tag and offer the most significant technical capabilities but provide little to no insulation.

Bibs come in both shell and insulated versions and offer the most outstanding protection from snow. However, they are more expensive than pants and can be too warm for mild ski days. Insulated pants are friendly and generally the most affordable as entry-level pants. The insulation can make these pants the most restrictive or hot on a mild day.

We would advise that you need a lot less insulation in the legs than you think. It’s not your core, and it’s where the vast majority of your movement comes from when you ski. Everyone’s body is different, so you should dress for what’s comfortable for you.

• Mitts or Gloves

Quality gloves will be your best friend on the slopes because cold hands or feet will ruin your day. The main reason people don’t enjoy skiing or snowboarding is due to the cold. When dressed appropriately, you’ll never be cold.

There are a ton of options for gloves! However, snowboarders should consider a pair of mittens. Mitts keep your fingers together and allow less surface area to the cold. It means your hands stay warmer in mitts than gloves. Snowboarders don’t hold ski poles, so it’s an easy decision to wear mitts.

We went through a couple of pairs of soft gloves and mitts made from synthetics when we started, and they all kept our hands warm. However, they kept wearing out, so we switched over to Hestra leather gloves a couple of seasons ago, and they show no signs of wearing out any time soon. A worthy investment for any who rides a lot, plus they look sweet!

• Balaclava/Face Mask

It’s always good to pack some snow protection for your face. We’ll go without anything on sunny days, but we expect snowy conditions on the mountain more often than not. We generally switch between two different styles of face protection.

The primary for bad weather and cold days is a merino wool balaclava. We’ve tried a bunch of different balaclavas, and it’s tough to get one that doesn’t collect tons of moisture before freezing to your face. As for the best warmth and performance, we’ve found the balaclava from BlackStrap can do wonders.

• Buff Headwear

The balaclava is for cold days or heavy snow. On most days, we get by just fine with a Buff that can be worn around our neck or pulled to cover the face when needed. They make several versions of the original Buff, but the merino wool version is excellent and only $10 more.

• Goggles

Unless you’re on a budget, getting quality goggles is a good idea. They are an essential part of your ski outfit and a lifeline when riding more demanding terrain. Goggles protect your eyes and aid your vision on the mountain.

The Smith Mag 4D are the latest and greatest in snow goggles and what we’ve been using for three seasons now. With that new technology, expect to pay a premium at $320. Of course, they are arguably the best ski goggles on the market. If you don’t want to drop $200-300 on goggles, there are some excellent budget options.

• Helmet

Not wearing a helmet is a thing of the past. Do yourself and your noggin a favor and wear a helmet when you snowboard. A helmet applies whether you are a beginner or an expert. The great thing about helmets is that they keep your head and ears warmer than hats!

We rock the Smith Quantum Helmet as it’s considered one of the best helmets on the market. It provides robust protection around our head, plenty of ventilation, and a cozy soft interior. The easy-to-latch and unlatch helmet buckle can take off with gloves on! It also features MIPS technology which allows the helmet’s interior to move independently from the shell minimizing lateral brain trauma in an impact.

After getting a concussion last snowboard season, while wearing a helmet, it’s not something I plan to forgo anytime soon.