You’ve booked your flights, reserved your room and got your lift pass sorted. But what’s on your packing list for skiing? No fear if it’s currently empty – in this post, I’ve listed absolutely everything you need to buy and pack for your next ski trip.
I’ve also taken this opportunity to recommend some of my favourite ski products and places to buy ski trip essentials from, but if you’re just here for the packing list, click here to go straight to the downloadable list!
Ski Clothing & Essentials
The items below are what I consider to be the essential things to pack for a ski trip. In other words, these are the things that everyone who goes skiing will need to take with them or plan to buy or rent as soon as they arrive at their ski resort.
You’ll notice I’ve left ski boots, helmets and skis off this packing list, despite them being absolutely essential for skiing! But the truth is, these items are best to rent from your ski lodge, particularly if you’re a beginner and aren’t sure you want to invest in such expensive ski equipment!
Ski Jacket
If you want to stay warm out on the slopes, you’ll need to invest in a ski jacket. If you’re new to skiing or like to get the most for your money, consider buying one you wouldn’t mind wearing out and about at home.
My top picks for women’s ski jackets:
My top picks for men’s ski jackets:
- Protest Men’s Timo Jacket
- Columbia Men’s Iceberg Point Jacket
- Planks Men’s Good Time Insulated Jacket
Ski Goggles
Protecting your eyes is very important when skiing. Not only is the glare from the sun on the snow very real, but once your skis start sliding down the slopes, the wind burn can be too! Pick yourself some ski goggles with UV protection for the ultimate in comfort and style.
My favourite ski goggles for women are:
My favourite ski goggles for men are:
Gloves
Make sure you’ve got a pair of good ski gloves to keep your fingers toasty when out on the slopes. If you don’t have any, I’ve listed some of my favourites to pack in your suitcase below.
For women:
- Mountain Equipment Women’s Mountain Gloves
- Montane Women’s Windjammer Gloves
- Rab Women’s Storm Gloves
For men:
- Mountain Equipment Men’s Mountain Gloves
- Dakine Men’s Nova Mitt
- Sealskinz Men’s Waterproof All Weather Gloves
Salopettes/Ski Pants
Ski pants (also known as salopettes) are another item you’ll need to pack in your ski bag. They’ll make sure you stay warm when skiing and store your ski passes and mobile phone, but they’re also essential for your safety. With plenty of padding, ski pants will protect your knees, legs and skin from grazes, ice burns and the cold if you fall over in the snow.
My top picks for women’s ski pants are:
- Protest Women’s Kensington Snow Pants
- Columbia Women’s On The Slope ii Pants
- Roxy Women’s Backyard Pants
My top picks for men’s ski pants are:
- Planks Men’s Easy Rider Pants
- Helly Hansen Men’s Velocity Insulated Pants
- Columbia Men’s Kick Turn ii Pants
Bobble Hats & Beanies
You’ll want to keep your head warm, so make sure to pack a stylish, cosy and downright adorable bobble hat. Of course, you can wear it out around the ski resort, but you may also want to wear it on the slopes too.
If you are a beginner likely to stick to the nursery slopes, a bobble hat is ideal in place of a ski helmet. That said, ski helmets will be available to hire from your hotel or rental shop should you decide to take on the steeper and more difficult ski slopes while you’re there.
Here are my favourite winter hats for women:
- Jack Wolfskin Women’s Highloft Knit Cap
- The North Face Women’s City Coziest Beanie
- Mountain Equipment Women’s Flash Beanie
And for men:
- Rab Men’s Elevation Beanie
- Mountain Equipment Eclipse Beanie
- Sealskinz Men’s Waterproof Cold Weather Roll Cuff Beanie
- Dakine Men’s Tiffany Beanie
Socks
Ski boots are notoriously uncomfortable, so it’s important to wear the right pair of socks to cushion your feet from structured boots rubbing you up the wrong way. Choose wool socks to keep your feet warm, or recycled materials for their anti-odour and moisture-wicking properties.
My favourite ski and hiker socks for women:
- Falke Women’s SK2 Ski Sock
- Smartwool Women’s Ski Targeted Cushion OTC Socks
- Bridgedale Women’s Merino Hiker Sock
And my favourite socks for men:
- Smartwool Men’s Ski Full Cushion OTC Socks
- Falke Men’s SK4 Knee High Skiing Socks
- Stance Men’s Snow Performance Socks
Fleece
If you need an extra layer between your base layers and ski jackets, I highly recommend a nice warm fleece. Mid layers like fleeces are a great way to maintain your core temperature and, by using layers rather than bulky clothes, you can add more layers on colder days and remove them when the sun shines.
For women:
- Ayacucho Women’s Crevasse ii Fleece Jacket
- Jack Wolfskin Women’s Elkstone Fleece Jacket
- The North Face Women’s 100 Glacier Full Zip Fleece
For men:
Base layers
No ski packing list would be complete without base layers. Being a winter sport, of course, skiing can leave you cold, but with the right tops and leggings under your ski jacket and salopettes, you’ll stay at a comfortable temperature even on the chilliest of days.
My top picks for women:
- Odlo Women’s Natural Kinship Long Pants
- Artilect Women’s Boulder 125 Leggings
- Odlo Women’s Performance Light Long Sleeve Base Layer Top
- Artilect Women’s Gold Hill 125 Zoned Long Sleeve Crew Top
My top picks for men:
- Odlo Men’s Performance Light Long Pants
- Mons Royale Men’s Double Barrel Leggings
- Odlo Men’s Performance Light Long Sleeve Base Layer Top
- Odlo Men’s Performance Warm Eco Long Sleeve Crew Neck
Snow Boots
When you’re not skiing, you will need some waterproof and comfortable snow boots with lots of treads to wear around the resort. Invest in a good pair so you’ll be able to wear them back home on snowy days, and not just when you’re on a ski trip!
My favourite snow boots for women are:
- Sorel Women’s Explorer ii Joan Cosy
- Sorel Women’s Explorer ii Joan
- Ugg Women’s Lakesider Heritage Mid Boot
And for men:
Apres Ski/Non-Ski Clothes
After a full day out on the slopes, you’ll want to change into something more comfortable for travelling as well as the apres ski and evening entertainment in your resort.
Sweaters/Jumpers
Warm jumpers and layers are the order of the day when packing for apres ski. You’ll want to stay cosy and warm when out and about, but with the option of removing layers if the heating is on too high in your bar or restaurant.
My favourite tops for women include:
- Tentree Women’s Highline Rib Cropped Mock Neck Jumper
- Tentree Women’s Highline Wool Turtleneck Sweater
- Patagonia Women’s Organic Crew Sweatshirt
- Craghoppers Women’s Inessa Overhead Calico
And for men:
- Tentree Men’s Highline Cable Crew Jumper
- Tentree Men’s Highline Wool Crew Sweater
- The North Face Men’s Drew Peak Hoodie
- Craghoppers Men’s Barker Jumper
Bottoms
Long pants or trousers are another essential for your ski bag. Avoid denim because it doesn’t dry very fast after a period of rain or snow. Instead, opt for quick drying materials that wick away sweat and are comfortable to walk around the resort in.
The best bottoms for women to wear on a ski trip include:
- Tentree Women’s Tencel Pacific Joggers
- Rab Women’s Elevation Pants
- Craghoppers Women’s Kiwi Pro ii Winter Lined Trousers
And for men:
- Tentree Men’s Destination Stratech Pants
- Mountain Equipment Men’s Ibex Mountain Pants
- Craghoppers Men’s Kiwi Pro ii Trousers
Other
Of course, you’ll also need:
- Underwear
- Pyjamas
- Evening clothes
Accessories
Sunglasses
Don’t be fooled by the cold weather. The sun is just as strong up in the mountains as it is down on the beach. In fact, with the glare from the snow, it’s even more important to have UV protection for your eyes.
Here are my top picks for sunglasses for women:
My top picks for men’s sunglasses:
Scarf
Scarves are a great way to warm up in the cold weather, but if you choose one that’s larger enough, you can also use it as a blanket or pillow when travelling!
My favourite scarves for women are:
And for men:
Toiletries
Most ski lodges and hotels provide body wash and shampoo, but there are some toiletries you’ll need to have on your ski packing list. Make sure to pack:
Technology
Camera & Accessories
One thing I’m never without, regardless of the type of trip I’m on, is my camera. Though I’m not brave enough to take it on the slopes with me (I’m sure I would fall and drop it!) I love taking photos around a ski resort because the landscapes and sights are always stunning.
The things you need on your packing list are:
- Camera – I love all of my Fujifilm cameras and highly recommend investing in a camera from the XT range to help you take stunning high-quality photos. I swear by my XT3 and XT100, but there’s plenty of choice at Amazon too.
- Lenses – Select a wide-angle lens to help you fit as much of those snowy mountains as possible in your viewfinder. I love my Fujifilm 18-135mm lens, but there’s lots more choice over on Amazon if you need it.
- Memory Cards – Because you can never have too much storage! This 128 GB has plenty of space for all your shots.
- Batteries – You will always wish you had more battery power, so why not pack a spare? This is the battery for my XT3.
Travel Adapters & Chargers
Make sure to pack all the cables and chargers you’ll need to keep your devices charged. Here’s a list of my own essentials:
- International travel adapters – Depending on where your ski resort is, you may need an international travel adapter. Make sure you select the right one for your destination and your origin:
- Universal > Europe – for travellers from the US, UK, Australia and more to use in Europe.
- Universal > North America – for travellers from the UK, EU, Australia and more to use in North America.
- Phone charger – Something that’s very easy to forget is your phone charger. If you need a spare one, check out Amazon’s selection here.
- Camera charger – Even with spare camera batteries, and especially if you don’t have any, you’ll need your camera charger or battery charger, like this one for Fujifilm.
- Portable charger – Less essential, but still a great idea for your ski bag is a portable charger. You may have a long bus journey between the airport and your ski resort, and there are only so many podcasts you can listen to or movies you can watch on your device without needing to recharge!
Entertainment
Though most of your time will be spent skiing or exploring the resort, you may want to pack some entertainment in your ski bag to help pass the time when travelling. Consider packing books, games and headphones for your trip.
Books
When not sliding down the slopes, you’ll wish you had a good book with you to while away the hours.
Here are my current favourite books:
- Bullet Train by Kotaro Isaka is a dark, comedic thriller that tells the story of five assassins on a train, all vying to kill each other. It has recently been turned into a Hollywood movie, so you know it’s a page-turner! Buy it from Amazon now.
- How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie is a lighthearted crime novel that you won’t want to put down. It’s about a girl who has been wronged by her biological family and is out for revenge. Check the latest price on Amazon now.
- One by One by Ruth Ware. I had to include a snowy novel on the packing list! This is a modern whodunnit surrounding a group of colleagues snowed in at a rustic chalet after an avalanche hits. Find it on Amazon right now.
Games
A good travel game is a great way to waste time on a long bus journey. My favourites are easy to pack and fun to play:
- A Deck of Cards – Cheap and cheerful, you can play Cheat, Solitaire, Snap or many more with a good deck of cards.
- Uno – The classic game of Uno is quick and easy to play in a pair or in a larger group. Perfect for an apres ski with a beer!
- Mini-games – Lots of traditional board games are now available in travel formats, including Battleship, Connect4 and Clue.
Headphones
Pack a pair of headphones to keep you entertained on your flight, as well as on those long bus journeys between the airport and your resort. Choose a pair with noise-cancelling technology to drown out the noise of other travellers or the engines around you.
My favourites:
- My Bose QuietComfort headphones have kept me entertained since I bought them over 10 years ago (granted I have the wired version from back then!). Their noise-cancelling technology is second to none and can drown out the noise of jet engines. If you’re bothered by noise when trying to relax or get comfortable flying, make sure to choose these.
- I can’t sleep without a soundtrack, so Sleephones are always one of the first things I pack whenever I go away. Sleephones are headphones that are as thin as a couple of pieces of fabric within an elasticated headband that you can sleep comfortably in. Pick up a pair for yourself with 10% off using the code ‘reallywildlife’ and link here.
Documents
Make sure you remember to pack physical copies of these essential travel documents:
- Passport
- Vaccination certificate
- Any Visa evidence or required documents
Luggage
Now you know what to pack for your ski trip, where are you going to pack it? Lucky for you, I have recommended my favourite travel bags and suitcases below.
Duffel Bag or Suitcase
It can be difficult to drag a wheelie case through snowy streets on your way from and to your hotel. That’s why I recommend a duffel bag or a suitcase that’s comfortable to carry without wheels to make travelling as easy as possible.
Here are my favourite flexible luggage options:
- Craghoppers 40L Kiwi Duffle Bag
- Craghoppers 40L Hybrid Holdall
- Craghoppers Wheelie 40L
- Rab Kit Bag ii 80L
Daypack
You’ll also need a smaller bag to carry your essentials with you when on a day out or on the journey between your hotel and the ski rental shop. You may be able to leave it in the lockers there when not on the slopes to keep it safe.
My favourites are:
- Craghoppers 14L Kiwi Classic Backpack
- Craghoppers 7L Kiwi Backpack
- Fjallraven Kanken Daypack
- Osprey Daylite Daypack
Downloadable Packing List for your Ski Trip
As well as the full packing list below, I’ve created a free downloadable for you here to make sure you tick everything off as it goes in your case.
Ski Clothing & Essentials
- Ski Jacket
- Ski Goggles
- Gloves
- Salopettes/Ski Pants
- Bobble Hat or Beanie
- Socks
- Fleece
- Base Layers
- Snow Boots
Apres Ski/Non-Ski Clothes
- Bottoms
- Sweaters/Jumpers
- Underwear
- Pyjamas
- Evening clothes
Accessories
- Sunglasses
- Scarf
Toiletries
- Sunscreen
- Moisturiser
- Lip balm
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
Technology
- Camera & Accessories
- Travel Adapters
- Phone Charger
- Camera Charger
- Portable Charger
Entertainment
- Books
- Headphones
- Games
Documents
- Passport
- Vaccination Certificate
- Visa evidence or other required documents
Luggage
- Duffel Bag
- Daypack
***
And that’s it! Everything you need to chuck in your suitcase ready to hit the slopes. Have an incredible time, no matter where you’re going!