If you want to try skiing for the first time, you’ll be thinking about many things and feeling a lot of different things. It’s often fun when you try something new, but you might also feel nervous because you don’t know what to expect. Don’t worry; those nerves will go away soon if you plan and prepare well. Here are all the ski essentials you’ll need for skiing, whether going to the slopes with friends or on an extreme backcountry trip.
Many of the basics, like skis, poles, and boots, can be rented at most ski resorts or indoor ski centers, so you won’t have to buy a lot of expensive gear right away. Before buying a lot of gear you might not use again, it’s always a good idea to try out a new sport or activity to see if you like it. Read on to find out what you need to do before your skiing trip starts.
What Does a Pro Skier Bring to The Slopes?
When making this list of ski essentials to bring on a ski trip, we wondered what a pro skier constantly pushing themselves to the limit would have in their backpack. What are the ski essentials that a pro freeride skier, sometimes literally, couldn’t live without?
Before Beginning Your Skiing Trip
The first step might sound strange, but it’s the most important thing for a good ski trip: figuring out what your main activity will be. What are you going to do? You might think that there’s not much difference between the two, but that’s not the case.
1Choose What You’ll Do
Skiing is more accessible in some ways than climbing. Even though snowboarding looks cool, it can be challenging for beginners to learn how to do it because it goes against what your body tells you to do. Whether you choose to ski or snowboard can affect many other things, like the gear you buy and even the mountain you go to.
2Choose Where You Want To Go
It also matters which mountain you choose. If you want to shred the slopes, you could go to Schweitzer Mountain in Idaho, Breckenridge in Colorado, or Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia. All of these places are great for snowboarding.
Mammoth Mountain in California is a good place for severe snowboarders, but it also has a lot of areas that are good for beginners. Vail, in Colorado, has some of the most technical and challenging ski runs in the world. It also has high-end places to eat, craft breweries and distilleries, and unique places to camp. Sun Valley, Idaho, is mainly for people who are just starting. There are great places to Nordic (cross-country) ski, snowmobile, and even ride a sleigh.
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3Get Your Gear (Or Rent It)
You probably don’t want to wear jeans on your ski trip. If you don’t want to look silly and be cold, you’ll need to buy some ski essentials gears before you go. Get yourself a base layer. You will also need a top layer (ski socks, pants, a coat, gloves, goggles and a hat). Experts argue about whether or not you should buy your helmet. If you don’t want to buy your helmet, you can rent one.
4Select Your Instructor
If going down moguls doesn’t scare you, and you don’t think twice about taking a detour through off-piste, tree-lined trails and backcountry skiing, you don’t need any lessons. But the rest of us might want to think about it. Many people in our groups haven’t skied in years or have never done it before. For sure, putting people who aren’t ready on the slopes, especially kids, is the best way to ruin a trip.
5Plan Out Your Routes and Passes
The lift pass is a ski essentials gear that new skiers can easily forget. When you first see it, the price of getting up the mountain may surprise you. For example, an adult can spend close to $200 on a single-day pass at Aspen Snowmass. Buying early helps get a package deal when you book your resort and pick them up at a local ski store.
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6Think About Off-Piste Fun
People on winter vacation can sometimes get so caught up in skiing that they forget how much fun to be had away from the slopes. So, it makes sense to think about what you want to do when you are not on the mountain. Don’t get me wrong, most ski resorts have a lot of other things to do, like dog sledding, snowmobiling, tubing, snowshoeing, and so on. Some mountain towns also have great food, fancy spas, and fun things to do.
What Ski Essentials Beginners Need to Bring with?
7Helmet
You’re going to fall as a beginner skier. Often. Because of this, you need a good helmet. You can spend as much or as little on everything else on this list, but a properly fitted helmet is a must for beginners. Warm beanies are an additional consideration for female skiers to wear under the helmet
8Anti-Fog Goggles
Skiing without goggles is hard and painful, especially on snowy or windy days, but this essential is often overlooked.
The best ski goggles protect your eyes from wind and snow when you’re going down the mountain, but they should also keep harmful UV rays from getting in and fogging up. Many rental goggles don’t fit well, and you might have trouble seeing through them if they fog up.
9Ski Pants That Don’t Get Wet
If you don’t want to ski while wet and half-frozen, you need a good pair of snow pants that don’t let water in. Arctix snow pants are best sellers on Amazon and come recommended because they’re affordable, keep you dry, and are rated to keep you warm down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
10A Warm Coat For Skiing
A jacket with a puffy goose-filled liner that can be taken out and a shell with pockets and a hood is recommended.
11A Neck Warmer That Is Very Soft For Cold Days
You don’t want an oversized, heavy scarf that will get in your face while you’re skiing. A neck warmer will do the job without adding extra weight or coming apart halfway down the mountain.
12Ski Poles
The list of ski essentials can be hardly complete without mentioning ski poles. Many kids take ski lessons without sticks when they are learning to snowplow. When you are trying to go uphill, you realize that you could use some sticks to help you move forward. Kids may need a little help from your stick to move if they don’t have any sticks.
13Gloves
Gloves can make a game fun or make it miserable. They are also important for safety since frostbite is a severe condition. It won’t take long for cheap gloves to make your fingers feel numb in cold weather.
Choose gloves that are water-resistant and made for cold weather. Whether you like mittens or gloves with fingers is up to you. Mittens keep your fingers warmer, but they make it harder to move them.
Conclusion
If you are planning your first ski adventure then keeping these ski essentials at your fingertips might be the best advice possible.
Make thorough preparations and you will surely double your fun.
Did I miss something important? or do you have a story to share about your journey? Do comment below.
