What to take skiing

What to take Skiing?

For those new to skiing, you will soon discover it is a holiday or a sport which comes with a lot of extra packing admin! There’s a lot to remember and to think about, and everyone has a different system of what they like to take with them for a day skiing.

Firstly, make sure you are wearing the correct clothing to protect you against the elements for the day. If you want to read more about this, you can read our blog on ‘how to stay warm skiing’ here.

Backpack or not?

Some people choose to ski with a backpack, and some without. Ski jackets and pants often come with big pockets for the essentials, but if you choose not to take a backpack, you are more limited to essentials.

If you’re skiing on the pistes in the main ski area, there are plenty of restaurants to get water and snacks or lunch, so in this scenario it’s not always necessary to have a backpack. This makes riding chairlifts easier and for some people it’s easiest to learn without the extra weight of a backpack. In this scenario we recommend the following:

• Ski pass
• Wallet
• Phone (with local piste patrol number saved)
• Sunglasses – optional for coffee breaks and lunch time!

We don’t recommend skiing with anything bulky, especially in chest pockets such as small water bottles, as this can cause or worsen an injury in the event of a fall.

If you are an on-piste skier but prefer to be a bit more prepared, a backpack is perfect. You may wish to take the following with you

• Extra layer (it’s also a good idea to leave a bit of space in case you want to take off a layer too!
• Water
• Snack / lunch

For off-piste skiers, you will also need to make sure you have the following as a minimum

• Transceiver (worn on your body)
• Probe
• Shovel