Everything you need on the slopes and off — from thermals and goggles to lip balm and après-ski clothes. Your complete winter holiday checklist.
A ski holiday is one of the most gear-intensive trips you can take. Forget your goggles and you're either buying overpriced replacements in the resort or squinting all day. Forget your thermals and you're cold within an hour. This checklist is organised by what you actually need: what to hire, what to bring, what to wear on the mountain, and what to pack for the evenings.
The things experienced ski & winter holiday travellers wish someone had told them before their first trip.
Wear a moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating mid layer (fleece or down), and a waterproof outer shell. This system works for any temperature — add or remove layers as the day warms up.
UV radiation increases about 4% for every 300m of altitude. At 2,000m you need SPF 50, not SPF 15. Protect your lips too — SPF lip balm is essential and easy to forget.
Skis, boots, and poles are heavy, awkward to transport, and relatively cheap to hire. Unless you ski more than 10 days a year, renting in the resort makes more financial sense than checking equipment as luggage.
Ski boot liners get sweaty. Remove them every evening and let them dry separately — this makes a significant difference to comfort and warmth the next day.
The full ski & winter holiday packing list, broken into categories. Use our free interactive tool to check items off, add your own, and export to any format.
The most frequently asked questions about packing for a ski & winter holiday.
We are working on a beautifully designed printable version of the Ski & Winter packing list. Ski Trip PDF
Roamers List has personalised packing lists for all 9 trip types.