The time has come, your ski trip is right around the corner! You are STOKED to hit the slopes and unwind, but first you need to pack your bags. Let’s run through the essentials our experts bring on every ski trip so that you can tackle your packing process and be confident you are filling your ski bag with all the necessary items. Spoiler: you’ll need 3 different sets of gear: your ski gear, casual clothes, and clothes for hitting the town!

Ski Gear

To get things going, it's best to start with the most essential items, your ski gear! First, make sure you avoid any unnecessary rental costs after your long drive or flight by packing all of your own gear that you plan on using on the mountains. Check if you have all of your ski equipment that you already own and don't plan on renting like skis, goggles, ski poles, helmet, ski boots, and ski gloves.

Ski Clothes

Then complete your on-mountain kit and pack your ski clothes that you will be wearing while you are out on the slopes. Make sure you have your ski jacket, ski pants, mid layer, base layers for both top and bottoms, neck gator, and plenty of ski socks - trust us, you’ll want fresh ones everyday. See our other article for more details on how to dress when you are out on the mountain. We all agree, it’s extremely helpful to lay all of these items out on your floor before you put them in your bag to make sure you haven't forgotten anything!

Casual Clothes for Lounging

The next set of clothes on the list are casual clothes to wear around the house after skiing! It's a great idea to pack some of your favorite comfy clothes for lounging around and relaxing because when you get back from the mountain and take off your wet ski clothes, you’re not going to want to put on a button down collared shirt, a nice pair of pants, or a fancy dress. You’re going to want to hop straight into your favorite t-shirt, a pair of sweatpants or pajamas you wear every night, a nice cozy merino wool sweater or hoodie and maybe even a pair of flip flops or slippers! Pick your favorites for sitting around the fire enjoying a nice cup of wine or hot chocolate after an epic day on the snow!

Clothes for Going Out

The third set of clothes you will want to make sure to make room for in your bag is warm clothes for when you are out on the town in the cold weather. Whether you are making a quick run to the grocery store, going out to dinner and then to the bar, or just walking around the ski resort shops, it is going to be chilly and there will be snow on the ground. So don’t forget to bring your set of warm going out clothes. Consider a winter beanie or hat, sun glasses, waterproof shoes or snow boots, a fleece jacket, a couple pairs of jeans or pants you can wear your long johns underneath, some thick warm socks, and a warm waterproof jacket that is not your ski coat.

Swimsuit

Another essential item that might be counter intuitive or come as a surprise for some is your swimming suit! There is nothing better for soothing the muscles and relaxing a bit after a long cold day on the slopes than hitting the hot tub! Many hotels and condos, as well as the local recreation center, have one.

Mountain Essentials

Now, for the most important and most often forgotten items! A day pack is life-changing to bring along! A small backpack filled with mountain essentials to keep you fueled while shredding is a must and can go a long way in helping you avoid having any potential on-the-mountain-week wreckers. Some mountain essentials are a water bottle or hydration pack, your favorite to-go snacks, lip balm, sunscreen, hand warmers, and maybe a small first aid kit with some mild painkillers like ibuprofen, icy hot, bio freeze, or tiger balm! There is nothing worse than getting an unfortunate goggle burn or chapped lips on your first day on the mountain and having to walk around looking like a fresh Florida lobster the rest of your trip!

Bonus Items

Some of our favorite pro tip bonus items are any type of self massager you have, such as a shiatsu, theracane, hot pack, or foam roller. These can be a great way to clock in some self care on your trip and keep your body feeling good! Your legs and your back are almost sure to be sore after a few days of riding and these items can go a long way in keeping your body happy! Plus, a self massage is a must when your friends are going to be just as tired and just as sore as you are (aka minimal motivation to give you a massage, trust us we have asked our friends).

Another one of our favorite bonus items is a beer koozie, and this time it is actually not just for the beer, it’s for you too! A cold can in the mountains doesn't have much trouble staying at a crisp and delicious temperature, but bringing a koozie with you can help keep the beer cold and your hand warm when it’s below 32 degrees outside!

We hope this list gives you a solid start to packing your bags and getting up into the mountains for a warm, comfortable, and fashionable time in the snow!

Top Ski Trip Checklist

• Ski gear
• Ski clothes
• Comfy clothes for at the house
• Comfy clothes for out on the town
• Swim suit
• Day bag - lip balm, sunscreen, pain killers, icy hot
• Bonus items - self massager, a koozie