Every ski trip has a moment in the parking lot when someone pats their pockets and goes quiet. Usually it's goggles. Sometimes it's a boot, and then the day is over before first chair.
This list is sorted by where things go, not by what they are: the boot bag, your layers, the ski bag, your pockets, the carry-on and the bag for the evenings. Pack one at a time and nothing falls between them. A printable checklist of all 42 items is at the end.
The short version
If you only check ten things, check these. Everything else makes the trip better. These end the day if they're missing.
- Ski boots
- Skis and poles, or a rental booking
- Helmet
- Goggles
- Gloves or mittens
- Ski socks
- Base layers, top and bottom
- A waterproof jacket and pants
- Your lift ticket or pass
- ID and a payment card
The boot bag
Pack this bag first. It holds the things that are hardest to replace once you're on the mountain. Rental skis are fine. Rental boots rarely are, and a lost pair of your own can cost you the week.
If you're flying, keep your boots with you when your airline's carry-on size allows it. A late checked bag then costs you a day on rental skis, not the trip.
- Ski boots. Buckle them loosely before they go in the bag, so the shells keep their shape.
- Ski socks. One thin pair at a time, wool or synthetic, never cotton. Two pairs at once squeeze your feet and make them colder, not warmer. Bring a pair for each day, or three you can wash and rotate.
- Helmet. Most resorts rent them, but one that already fits is worth the space.
- Goggles and a low-light lens. Lenses are rated by how much light they let through. Giro's guide puts full-sun lenses at 8 to 18 percent and overcast lenses at 43 to 79 percent. A dark lens on a flat-light day hides the bumps, so pack both.
- Gloves or mittens, and liners. Mittens are warmer. Gloves are easier with buckles and zips. Thin touchscreen liners let you use your phone on the lift without bare hands.
- A neck gaiter or balaclava. It closes the gap between helmet and collar, which is where the wind finds you on the chair.
- Hand and toe warmers. They're cheap and light, and on a cold day they decide whether you ski after lunch.
Layers
Ski clothing works in three layers, and each has one job. Get them right, and you can ski from a cold morning into the afternoon sun by changing one piece.
- Base layer, top and bottom. Merino wool or synthetic, fitted against the skin. It moves sweat away. Cotton holds it instead, then chills you on the lift.
- Mid layer. A fleece or a light insulated jacket. This is the layer you change with the weather.
- Shell. A waterproof, breathable jacket and pants or bibs. It stops wind and snow so the layers underneath can work.
For a week, two sets of base layers are enough if you rinse one each night. Merino goes several days between washes without complaint. Add a warm hat and a jacket for town. An uninsulated shell won't keep you warm standing at a bus stop.
The ski bag
- Skis and poles. Strap the skis base to base so the edges don't cut each other in transit.
- Ski straps. One pair holds the skis together on your shoulder and in the bag.
- A ski lock. Small and light, for the racks outside the lodge at lunch.
- A rental confirmation, if you're renting. Booking online usually costs less than walking in, and the shop has your sizes ready.
Flying with skis is simpler than it sounds. Most major US airlines count a ski bag and a boot bag together as one checked bag. United, Delta and Southwest cap the pair at 50 pounds combined, according to SnowBrains' airline roundup. Fees and rules change, so check your airline before you pack. Some charge extra when the ski bag is stuffed with clothes.
Poles travel with the skis. The TSA doesn't allow ski poles in the cabin.
Your pockets
Everything here goes in a zipped pocket you can open with gloves on.
- Lift ticket or pass. Give it a pocket of its own. Resorts with scanning gates often ask you to keep it away from your phone, your keys and anything metal, as Loon Mountain does.
- Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF. UV rises 10 to 12 percent with every 1,000 meters of altitude, according to the World Health Organization. Fresh snow reflects as much as 80 percent of it back at you. You can burn on a cloudy day.
- Your phone, in an inside pocket. Apple designs the iPhone for 32 to 95°F. Below that, the battery can drain fast or the phone can shut off. Body heat keeps it going.
- Tissues and a snack. Cold air makes noses run, and the lodge is busiest at noon.
The carry-on
- ID, payment cards and confirmations for lodging, rentals and lessons.
- Spare batteries for heated gloves, heated socks or a power bank. The FAA requires spare lithium batteries in your carry-on. They're not allowed in checked bags.
- Chargers and a long cable. Outlets in ski rentals are rarely by the bed.
- Medications, and something for sore legs on day two.
- One base layer and a pair of ski socks. If your checked bag is late, you can still ski the first day in rentals.
The evening bag
Half of a ski trip happens after the lifts close. It's the half people forget to pack for.
- Slippers or warm house shoes. After a day in ski boots, they're the first thing anyone wishes they'd brought.
- A swimsuit, if there's a hot tub where you're staying.
- A boot dryer. Boots that start the day damp start it cold.
- A water bottle. Mountain air is dry. The CDC says altitude illness can begin at 8,000 feet, and many resort towns sit near that height or above it. Its advice for the first 48 hours up there is no alcohol and no heavy exercise.
- Moisturizer. Wind and dry air chap skin overnight.
- A deck of cards. It packs flat, needs no Wi-Fi, and gets the whole house to one table. (We're biased, but we recommend the ski-themed Alpine Edition deck.)
- A book for whoever goes to bed first.
For games, start with Hearts for four, Crazy Eights when kids are playing, and Gin Rummy or Cribbage when it's down to two. Card Games for Two has more.
For kids
- A spare pair of gloves. Kids' gloves get wet, then lost, usually in that order.
- Name labels on helmets, goggles and gloves. Every ski school cubby looks the same by nine in the morning.
- Snacks in packets they can open themselves, in a pocket they can reach.
What to leave at home
- Cotton next to your skin on the mountain: T-shirts, hoodies and cotton socks.
- Jeans for skiing. They soak through on the first fall and stiffen on the lift.
- A second jacket and second ski pants. One of each lasts a week. They dry by morning in a warm room.
- A hard-sided suitcase, if you're sharing a car. Soft bags fit around skis and boots.
Printable checklist
Print it a week before you leave, put it on the fridge, and check each item as it goes into the right bag.
Common questions
What should I wear skiing for the first time?
Three layers: a merino or synthetic base layer, a fleece or light insulated mid layer, and a waterproof jacket and pants. Add one pair of ski socks, a helmet, goggles and gloves. Rent skis and boots, and ask the shop to fit the boots snug.
How many layers should I wear skiing?
Three on most days. On a very cold day, add a second mid layer. On a warm spring day, leave the mid layer in the car.
Can I bring ski boots on a plane?
Yes. Boots can go in your carry-on if they fit your airline's size limit, or in a boot bag checked with your skis. Ski poles must go in checked baggage.
Do skis count as a checked bag?
On most major US airlines, a ski bag and a boot bag together count as one checked bag. United, Delta and Southwest set a combined limit of 50 pounds. Check your airline's current rules before you fly.
How many pairs of ski socks do I need for a week?
A pair for each day is simplest. With a sink and a warm room, three pairs will do: one on, one drying, one spare.
Should I rent skis or bring my own?
Bring your boots if you own them, since fit matters more than anything else you'll wear. Skis are easy to rent, and renting saves airline fees and carrying. Bring your own skis if you ski often and know what you like.
What do people forget on ski trips?
Goggles, gloves, chargers, sunscreen and lip balm are the usual ones. So is everything for the evenings, which is why this list has a bag of its own for them.
Lay it all out the night before, bag by bag. Then sleep.