Packing For Ski Vacations - It Aint No Day At The Beach

Let’s face it, packing for a beach vacation is a walk in the park compared to packing for a ski vacation. With a beach vacation you drop a few pairs of shorts and tops and your swimsuit into your bag and you’re ready to go.

Not so for a ski vacation. If you’re bringing your own ski equipment you have your skis, boots, poles and bulky ski pants and jacket. What’s a ski enthusiast to do?

If you’re driving to a nearby ski resort or area, packing all that equipment isn’t much of a problem. But, if you’re flying on your ski vacation, there are a couple options which will make the packing much easier.

First, you might want to consider leaving your ski equipment at home and renting your boots, skis and poles at the resort. Of course, you may be the type to be horrified at the thought of using rented equipment. But, you might want to weigh your discomfort with the hassle and inconvenience of packing and traveling with these bulky items.

If the idea of renting equipment is worse than the inconvenience of traveling with your own equipment, then perhaps you might think about shipping your ski equipment and clothes to the resort ahead of time, so that they will be there for you when you arrive. Be sure to call the lodge or resort ahead of time to make sure they will accept and hold the package. In most cases they probably will. Be sure, of course, to tip them well for their efforts, and send the package to yourself, in care of the resort. Shipping can be overnight, two-day, or three-day depending on how far it has to go. You may even find that shipping your equipment to yourself is cheaper than paying the airline for the extra baggage.

Besides your equipment, ski clothes and other warm winter wear, what else must you pack for your ski vacation? Well, here’s where packing for a beach vacation and packing for a ski vacation is similar. For both types of vacations you need to make sure you bring your sun block. Many people make the mistake of thinking they’re out on the snow and don’t need protection. When the sunlight reflects from the snow and hits your skin you could end up with a nasty sunburn, so do lotion up before skiing. Also, you want to make sure your lips are protected with a good lip balm.

In addition, as with a beach vacation, you want to make sure to stay hydrated. Again, many people think they don’t need as much water because it’s not hot. Wrong! When you engage in any activity for an extended period of time, you have a tendency to sweat and can lose up to a quart of water per hour. Skiing is certainly an activity that causes fluid loss, so it’s wise to carry a couple quarts of water with you.

The easiest way to carry water while skiing is with a hydration pack. You can buy a simple hip pack or a vest hydration pack that fits around your chest containing a reservoir, with a tube that transports the water from the reservoir to your mouth. Expect to pay anywhere from $40 to $80 for a good hydration pack, which can also be used for other sports such as hiking or cycling.

Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of a ski vacations site, where you can learn about such things as New England skiing.

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