I have put together a very extensive list for what you will need to pack for your family ski trip.  Packing for a ski trip is not for the faint of heart.  It requires diligence and patience because there are a lot of little pieces and accessories that are needed for a mountain getaway on the slopes.

I have tried to break it down for you the best way that I know how and include all the tips I have learned over the years skiing for the last 3o years.  It is one thing when you are only responsible for yourself, but it is a whole other thing when you have an entire family to pack.  I have learned that being obsessively organized when it comes to ski gear makes my life SO much easier.  I am not OCD about most things, but I have become pretty OCD with this chore.  You will not only see inspiration for ski clothes and a list of ski items to pack in this post, but also the way we store our ski gear year round at home so that everything is organized and has a place.

Let’s jump right in…

SKI TRIP PACKING LIST

SLOPE STYLE FOR THE LADIES

Here’s a look at a list of items that you need while you are skiing.  I have shared an inspiration board here of some of my current favorite items to give you an idea, but I have shared a variety of brands that I love in the text below.  There are tons of options out there and you just need to find a brand that works for you as well as a price point.

 

• Thermal Underwear (2-3 pairs) –  I like to have 2 to 3 pairs of thermal underwear aka your base layer.  This is the tight fitting layer you wear under your ski outfit and keeps you extra warm.  I have base layers from Lands End, Perfect Moment, and Half Days and  love them all.  Just find your price point and get two pair so you don’t have to stress about laundry.  For the kids, I love Smart Wool the best and Lands End and you can also find our favorites on Amazon.
• Ski Jacket – Find a ski jacket that you love and may be able to mix and match with other pants that you own.  Perfect Moment has been my favorite ski clothes for me over the last several years and I also love Bogner.  There are tons of options out there to begin looking.  Saint Bernard has a great selection of different brands to take a look at.
• Ski Pants – I found a pair of ski pants that I absolutely loved the fit of on me and now I own them in 3 different colors.  I think a pair of black or ivory pants are great to have because you can wear them with a lot of different jackets.  These are my pants but look through different styles and see what your preference is.  
• Snow Gloves – I am a big fan of the Swany toaster brand leather gloves.  I like a ski mitten (that still has the fingers on the inside) because I think they keep you the warmest.  Hestra is another great brand that we love too.  Since we ski fairly often, we have now invested in nice gloves for everyone because it is one thing that can really make or break your day.  Everyone hates freezing cold fingers!
• Glove Liners – These can be really nice to have, but are not a necessity.  They are so small that they can be easy to lose, but they can help keep your mittens dry and give you an extra layer of warmth. I like these by Smart Wool.
• Snow Shoes – Moon Boots / UGG / Sorel – You almost always need some type of easy boot to walk around in before or after you put your ski boots on.  I love something that is warm but also slips on really easy.  I wear my Moon boots for this, but Sorel and Ugg have great options too.
• Ski Socks – They have lots of options out there but I love the Smart Wool brand for us and the kids. Adult version.
• Ski Goggles – I think our whole family wears the Smith goggles now.  They make adult and kids goggles and they last well.
• Neck Gaiter – I love these Powder puff collection gaitors for me.  The silk on the outside and fur on the inside keeps me so warm and cozy all day long.  They also look really cute too.
• Head Gaiter (the full face style if it’s going to be really cold) – I keep these for really cold days and the kids like to ski in them.  They stay up on their face a lot better than some and they are comfortable.
• Hand Warmers – You can buy disposable hand warmers to zip in your swany toaster gloves if you want and they also my rechargeable electric hand warmers that are great too.
• Leg Warmers – These are really just chic and fun and probably better for apres ski then on the slopes.  I love these down leg warmers and I have also seen some really fun fur options to wear off the slopes.

If applicable: 

These may be items that you rent when you get to your location.  We always rent our helmets, boots and skis when we get there.  If you do own your own ski boots, this is one of my favorite bags for traveling with your boots on vacation.

• Helmet
• Ski Boots
• Ski/Snowboard

SLOPE STYLE FOR THE KIDS

The kids have the same packing list as the one above.  We have loved Spyder ski gear the most I would say with our kids.  It has lasted so well and we pass it down to my nephews and niece after my kids grow out of it, so it has been worth the investment.   I would also suggest looking into borrowing from friends as well since these kids do grow out of gear pretty quickly and you may only ski once every few years.

:: Shop the Kids ::

APRES SKI

Here is a look of items that you will need when you aren’t on the slopes.  The mountains are usually pretty casual all around.  You can find lots of people in jeans and warm tops and jackets almost anywhere.   But you will also find people in mountain glam with lots of fur and fun accessories, so you decide what works best for you.  Again, this is some fun inspiration for warm clothes to wear during the day if you are walking around town or at night when you are headed out to eat.

The list below also works the same for clothes that your kids will need after skiing.

APRES SKI CLOTHES:

• Fleece Leggings – I love to pack leggings for ski trips because they are comfortable and always pair well with an oversized, cozy sweater.  
• Sweaters – Pack a couple of cozy sweaters to wear out at night that look great with jeans or leggings.  
• Matching Lounge Sets – I love a great matching set to put on in the evenings especially for those nights that you decide to stay in.  I’ve lived in this one and this one and can’t wait to buy this one.
• Tights – If you plan to wear any skirts or dresses during your stay, don’t forget the tights.
• Winter Coat – Pack a warm coat that works for daytime or nighttime.  This is a great time to pack your longer coats.
• Scarf – Throw a scarf in your bag or bring one with you on the plane that works as a blanket and you can wear it as a scarf on your trip.
• Hats / Ear muffs – Furry ear muffs, cozy beanies, trapper hats, or fur head bands are all acceptable in the mountains.
• Evening Gloves – Pack your leather or fur gloves to wear at night.
• Evening Socks – Dress socks that you can wear with your boots at night.
• Swimsuits –  Don’t forget your swimsuit for the hot tub or spa.
• Underwear / Socks / Bras (regular and sport) – I sometimes forget to pack sports bras when I go skiing and I get so mad at myself.  I much prefer a sports bra when skiing then a regular bra.
• Pajamas – Pack up your warmest pajamas for your trip.  I love these from Lake below because they double as lounge wear as well.
• Slippers or Warm Socks – The floors get cold, so grab a pair of slippers or cozy socks.
• Crossbody Bag / Purse – Don’t forget a purse you can wear from day to night when you aren’t skiing.

APRES SKI EXTRAS:

Here is a round up of extra stuff that I love to have with me in the mountains since the climate is so different from where I live in Florida.  I find my skin so incredibly dry that it makes me uncomfortable, so I like to pack all the things that will hydrate my skin and make me feel comfortable out there.  It may seem like a lot, but I promise you will thank me later 🙂

TOILETRIES:

• Body Oil – It is so dry in the mountains, make sure you pack some type of body oil.  I am telling you, regular lotion hardly does the trick.  I love the inexpensive cocoa butter oil.  Smells like a dream and this chapstick too. 
• Eye Patches – Again, you just feel dry and wrinkled the second you land; so make sure you hydrate. 
• Face Cream – I love a nice thick face cream to lather on my face before bed when I am in the mountains.  La Mer is my favorite for this.  
• Face Oil – I love an oil in the morning when I wake up and this Vitamin C oil has been a long time favorite. 
• Laneige Lip – This is perfect to sleep in all night and wake up with your lips feeling hydrated.
• Hair Products / Hair Iron – brushes, curling irons, etc.
• Razor and Toiletries – the rest of your toiletry items would look adorable in this perfect ski toiletry bag.  I am obsessed with ours.  They wipe clean and are water proof.

EXTRAS:

• First Aid Kit / Medicine – it always helps to travel with a small first aid kit to have handy.
• Epsom Salt  – I love having this after a long day of being on the slopes and my shins are sore.
• Sunscreen Stick – Even on snow days you need some sun screen.
• Cocoa Butter Lip Stick   – I constantly need something on my lips and love this stuff in the mountains.
• Travel Humidifier – Often times your accommodations will supply a humidifier, but in case they don’t, I like to travel with these small size humidifiers.
• Travel Games  – It’s nice to travel with a small game to play in the evenings or out to dinner with small kids.
• Static Spray – My clothes and hair can get so staticy out there, so this stuff comes in handy.
• Electric Hand Warmers – These rechargeable hand warmers can help keep your hands warm all day long.
• Airtags –  We love these for our luggage when we are traveling with the airlines, but then use them on our kids once we get on the ski slopes so we can always look and see where they are if they aren’t with us.
• Ipads / Kindles / Chargers – Grab all of your electronics and chargers for the whole family.  We love these all-in-one chargers as well to have for on the go.

SKI TRIP PACKING TIPS

Packing Cubes – I love using packing cubes to keep all the ski accessories organized.  I have used a system where each family member has one large packing cube with their name on it and I keep all the ski accessories in that one cube.  That includes gloves, glove liners, thermal underwear, socks, goggles, gaiters, and ski masks.  That way I can just take one quick look in their packing cube and see what is missing or they may have outgrown that year.  It is a system that has worked for me and I have loved it.  I keep everything packed in the packing cube year round and have this little list that I keep with it so I can make sure we have everything.

Air Tags – AirTags are so nice to have on these trips and I always start by putting one in our luggage for the trip out there and then I grab them out when we arrive and put one on each of the kids for ski days.  It makes me feel better to know they have them on.  I will say, that on a lot of the mountains, it has trouble showing an exact location; but you can get an idea of where they are.

Ski Rental Companies – I have not used one of these, but if all these clothes and things feels too overwhelming; they do have companies out there like Kit Lender, that you can rent all your clothes from for your trip.  I know people do it and it often makes sense for kids that are constantly outgrowing their clothes.

Clear Compression Travel Bags –  We use these for each person in our family to store their ski jacket and ski pants.  I put each outfit in one of these compression bags and then we put all of our ski clothes in one of these large duffle bags and travel with this.

HOW WE STORE OUR SKI CLOTHES AT HOME

I keep a hanging rack from Target in our walk-in attic and that is wear I hang my ski jackets and ski pants.  I have found that to be easier for me because I don’t pack all my ski jackets for a ski trip.  These are jackets that I have collected over the last 15 years probably.  They last a long time 🙂

I mentioned above that I use a large packing cube to keep each family members ski accessories in.  I have found this system works best for us.  Each cube includes gloves, glove liners, thermal underwear, socks, goggles, gaiters, and ski masks for that family member.  That way I can just take one quick look in their packing cube and see what is missing or if they may have outgrown something that year.  I used these little label holders to stick onto each packing cube and made the little checklist for each family member in Canva.  These all get put right back together after we take a trip and I keep them in a storage bin in my attic so they are all ready to go when it’s time for our next ski trip.  I also keep a copy of our ski packing list in there as well.

We use these clear compression bags for each person in our family to store their ski jacket and ski pants.  I put each outfit in one of these compression bags and then we put all of our ski clothes in one of these large duffle bags and travel with this.

 

Last thing I do is keeping a running list on the notes app in my phone of anything that I know needs updating for each persons ski wardrobe so I know what to purchase for the following year.  This is easiest to do when we finish up a trip and I have a pretty good idea what each kid has grown out of or will be grown out of by the time we take our next trip.  I also keep a list on my google drive of our Ski Inventory for each family member.  Then I can take a quick peek and know exactly what we have and what else we may need.

SKI TRIP GROCERY LIST

I decided to include this because often times when you are skiing, people rent a condo or a house where they may have a kitchen to enjoy for the trip.  It is really nice to have some everyday items in your condo to keep your mornings running smooth as well as having some dinner items for those nights they everyone is just too pooped to go out to eat.  I have a running grocery list that I utilize for ski trips to remind myself of the items that we love having on hand.  This also includes some of the home supplies you may need to keep in your condo.  You can often google a grocery delivery service these days for whatever mountain you will be skiing or if you go shopping when you get there, hopefully this list helps you out.

Ski Vacation Grocery List

PANTRY ITEMS

• Ground Coffee
• Sweetener 
• Powerade
• Bottled Waters
• Hot Chocolate
• Marshmallows
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Bread
• Cereal
• Pancake Mix
• Vegetable Oil
• Syrup
• Chocolate Chips
• Protein Bars
• Chips
• Cookies
• Non Stick Spray
• Pistachios / Mixed Nuts
• Mac & Cheese

FRIDGE ITEMS

• Orange Juice
• Milk
• Half & Half / Coffee Creamer
• Butter
• Eggs
• Bacon
• Cinnamon Rolls
• Biscuits
• Sliced Cheese
• English Muffins
• Bananas 
• Strawberries
• Grapes

• Apples
• Frozen Pizza
• Frozen Nuggets
• Beer / Wine

HOME SUPPLIES

• Laundry Detergent / Supplies
• Paper Towels
• Disposable Plates
• Disposable Cups
• Coffee Filters
• Dr. Teals Epsom Salt

Here is a copy that you can take and edit of our Ski Packing List and Ski Grocery List.  Just make a copy of it and you can editand make it your own.

Ski Packing List

Ski Grocery List

More Ski Slope Style Posts

Here is a look at a few post that I have done in the past that has some women’s and kids ski fashion as well.

My favorite Ski Clothes
Ski Season | Fashion + Function
Slope Style

Our Previous Ski Trips

A look at our family ski trips from years past…

Deer Valley Family Trip December 2024
Snowmass Family Trip March 2022
Aspen Adult Weekend December 2022
Vail Family Trip March 2018
Vail Family Trip March 2017
Aspen Family Trip December 2014

 

Okay, if you made it to the end of this then bless you!! I hope this was really helpful for any of you that are getting ready for maybe one of your first family ski trips. These are always helpful for me to do too even though this took me an embarrassingly long time to write!!