What to Pack When Skiing

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The House of Fauci’s went skiing before Christmas and we actually survived! It was our first time skiing as a family and since we are from Texas we knew that we did not have the right kind of gear to go skiing. After a lot of time and research, we learned what to pack when skiing. Depending on where you are going skiing at will depend on what you need to pack. I’ve compiled a list of items that you should pack for some of the coldest days on the slopes. Keep in mind, I am no expert on this subject but want to share with you what worked for my family.

When you go skiing, it is important to layer because the weather changes at different parts of the day. There may also be parts of the day where you get hot because of how active you are or very cold because of how not active you are.

• Ski Jacket (Top Shell)– You will want to look for a waterproof and windproof ski jacket. I made sure that my jacket was not too tight because on the very cold days I would wear a thinner jacket underneath my ski jacket. My suggestion is to purchase a jacket that is different in color from others so that you can be easily identified on the ski slopes. I would avoid a black or white jacket and purchase a fun bright ski jacket. With a bright or unique jacket, your friends and family members will be able to find you better. Lastly, make sure that your ski jacket has plenty of large or regular size pockets. Pockets are necessary for tissue, your cell phone, or/and lip balm.
• Jacket (Undercoat jacket or thin coat)– Remember it is important to layer, so you will want to purchase a thinner coat that fits comfortable underneath your ski jacket. I wore a North Face jacket. It was lightweight, warm, and perfect as the under layer when it got too warm to wear your regular ski jacket.
• Ski Pants– Unless you are a professional whose bottom will not touch the ground when you fall, please do not wear jeans to go skiing. Ski pants are important because they will keep you warm and dry and once again, I suggest a bright pair of ski pants with a good amount of pockets.
• Ski Socks– Warm feet are a must so you want to make sure that you buy the right socks. We liked socks that were long and made of wool. These did great at keeping out feet warm.
• Base Layer– In an effort to help regulate your body temperature, you need to wear a base layer. Wearing a base layer helps to move perspiration away from your skin, which will help keep dry and staying dry allows you to stay warm and much more comfortable. There are a lot of brands to choose from, but the best one that we discovered were Hot Chilly’s. These are priced a little bit higher than some of the other base layers but they are work and that’s what is important.
• Gloves and Glove Liners– Cold hands are not fun. It is important to choose the right gloves that fit your hands properly. In addition, one mistake that we made was not wearing glove liners underneath our gloves. On very cold days, our hands were burning because we did not have the extra protection against the cold.
• Ski Goggles– If you plan on really skiing hard, you will want to invest in some ski goggles. I wore sunglasses because I only skied down a baby slope, but the rest of my family skied down the big mountains and their ski goggles helped to protect their eyes and also helped them to see.
• Snow Boots– When you are not skiing, you will want to make sure that your feet stay dry. It is important to wear snow boots that are not only comfortable but more importantly snow boots that are waterproof. I will be the first one to say that wet toes are not fun!
• Snow Hat– There are so many different types of snow hats. I know that most girls want to buy the cutest hats but whatever hat you choose, just make sure that it keeps your head and ears warm.
• Balaclava– My husband loved his Balaclava. If you are going to ski on the big hills, I highly suggest wearing a windproof Balaclava.

In addition, to the clothing, you will want to make sure to pack sunblock and fragrance-free lotion if you experience wind burn. What other items do you suggest packing when going skiing?