15 Sep Experience Life Outdoors In North America: What To Pack For Your Skiing Adventures
As we enjoy the smells and feels of Summer approaching us here in South Africa, a lot of our readers are getting ready for Winter already. Many people across North America are dreaming about the coming snow and exploring the beautiful winter wonderland in a post-lockdown world, so today’s post is for all of y’all planning some upcoming skiing adventures.
Let’s start off by saying that the two best ways to enjoy the snow are flying down the slopes on a set of skis (or so we’ve been told, as our experience in speedy skis is limited to the training slopes of Finland) or gliding across the snow on a cross-country skiing adventure (like that time we did it when visiting Norway). Whether you’re a skiing beginner or preparing for your annual family skiing trip, it is important to plan what to take skiing. You must ensure you take everything you need, not only to have fun on the slopes, but also to stay safe and healthy in the wintery outdoors. Here’s how you can do that:
Compile A List For Your Skiing Adventure
The best way to ensure you don’t forget anything, is to make a comprehensive list of everything you need for your skiing adventure. We similarly made a list way back in early 2015 before venturing off on our world adventures…and I must admit, I’m a bit of a list-making nerd, but there’s definitely reason to have one when planning a ski trip, so start by writing down these 7 headings:
- Essential items
- Ski gear
- Other equipment
- Ski clothes
- Other clothes
- Toiletries
- Other vacation essentials
Essential items
There are some items that you literally cannot survive without. What these items are, depends on you as a person, and what activities you plan on doing during your skiing adventure. For example, if you’re the kind of adventurer who loves to wander off the beaten track to ski along back-country trails, you’ll need a mobile GPS unit with built-in maps to stay on course. For emergencies, pack a locator beacon and a first aid kit (they could help save your life). Additionally, the band-aids from your first aid kit are useful for dealing with any blisters you may suffer from. Anyone who suffers from a serious medical condition should ensure they pack their medication as well – this includes an EpiPen for skiers who have allergies.
Ski gear
Skiing beginners should consider hiring ski equipment from the ski resort. Until you’ve tried skiing, you won’t know if it’s really your thing, and good-quality ski equipment can be expensive. Also, you can make better purchasing choices after you’ve experienced skiing for yourself. However, we would recommend buying your own ski goggles. These touch your face, so it’s more hygienic to use your own (especially in a COVID-19 world). More experienced skiers should pack their own skis, ski helmet, ski poles, and ski boots. Take special care to ensure you purchase a well-fitted ski helmet. Your life could depend on it. A ski bag is also useful for transporting all your equipment to the slopes. Cross-country skiers will need a small backpack. If you’re exploring the trails with children, you might find a baby pulk useful. There are also pulks for transporting other items you may require, such as camping equipment and food for long-distance skiing adventures.
Other equipment
While you’re staying at your ski resort, you might also want to get involved in other exciting outdoor activities. You might take a snowboard in a snowboard bag or pack some ice skates. A GoPro or DJI Osmo Action is great for capturing the action on and off the slopes. A good-quality wildlife camera will be useful if you go hiking, for which you may need snowshoes.
Ski clothes
Like with skiing equipment, specialist clothes for skiing are expensive. You can hire good-quality ski jackets and ski pants from many ski resorts. However, if you’ve been skiing several times and have become addicted, it’s a good idea to invest in your own. If you want to buy a jacket for your first skiing adventure, choose an affordable one that won’t look out of place when you’re hiking or sightseeing. Using the same jacket for multiple purposes will create space in your suitcase. Don’t forget your extremities when skiing too. A neck-warmer fills the gap between your ski jacket and helmet. Ski socks and ski gloves protect you from frostbite. While your ski boots provide added protection for your feet, you can purchase glove liners and ski mittens to better protect your hands as well. We wrote another post about dressing for the extreme cold, so check that out here.
Other clothes
Underneath your ski jacket and ski pants, prepare to wear layers. These layers should include thermal underwear – some modern winter clothing includes chemical or electrical heating systems even to keep you toasty warm without resembling the Michelin Man, so definitely look at getting some of those. Then remember that during your skiing vacation, you won’t just be skiing. Don’t forget to pack T-shirts for informal indoor activities, and perhaps a dress or suit for more formal occasions. When sightseeing, you’ll need boots to protect you from the snow and it goes without saying that even in snowy conditions you’ll need sunglasses to protect you from the bright sunlight.
Toiletries
Because your skin will be exposed to rapidly changing temperatures, abrasive wind, and damaging sunlight, lip block, sunblock, and skin moisturizer should be on your packing list, and if you have long locks like Chanel, you’ll find hair ties useful when squeezing into your helmet. When traveling with children (or even now during these COVID-19 times), baby wipes are essential. Hopefully, the ski resort shop will stock everything you need, but bring your own if you prefer a specific brand or suffer from an intolerance or allergy to certain products.
Other vacation essentials
Whether you’re skiing or sunbathing, there are key documents you must take whenever you go traveling, such as your passport, driver’s license, international driving permit, bank cards, and travel documents. While hopefully you’ll enjoy a trouble-free skiing adventure, you should protect yourself and your family with adequate travel insurance and take your insurance documents along on your vacation.
We hope this post has helped you in planning your skiing adventure packing list! Although it looks like we’ll be South Africa bound for at least the end of the year, we’re certainly dreaming of snowy vacations and will hopefully be joining you on the slopes soon.
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