What Do We Take On A Ski Holiday?

Preparing for your first ski trip can be a confusing period, with “what to take” being one of the primary topics of conversation that is raised by those heading overseas on their (potentially first) ski holiday with children. 

We decided to ask around our Head Office to see which members of staff take what as their key items when heading overseas on a ski holiday, in order to give you a little bit of advice.

A BUFF® (or equivalent) can make the difference between being comfortable and cold. Try and get one with the fleecy lining. It keeps your neck warm whilst skiing (it’s awful having a cold neck) and you can cover your mouth when it is really really cold (or you are on a chairlift).

Ski balm/Deep Heat! If you have not skied before you will find yourself using muscles you wouldn’t usually think exist! After a long day out on the pistes, it is good to get your muscles relaxed and ready for your next adventure. If you have not skied in a while you may have forgotten about the aches after your first day on the hill, so keep yourself refreshed with this stuff!

A purpose-made goggle wipe! Condensation on the inside of goggles is an all-too-real problem. Having a purpose-made goggle wipe will allow you to clean out your goggles with minimal fuss and help try to prevent future fogging up. What’s the point in skiing in the beautiful Alps when you have zero visibility?

I have a number of things that I would always take. A second pair of gloves (especially for children, the first ones are inevitably going to get wet) so that fingers don’t get cold when skiing, a little pack of tissues is also handy as the fresh mountain air gets right in the sinuses making your nose a little runny (ew!) and finally a pair of slippers for in the chalet.

I second what Tom has said about a second pair of gloves. I would also suggest taking hand warmers and certainly snacks for during the children’s lessons! They will always have the chance for a break and a little bit of food will be great to pick them up until lunch time. Always take sunglasses for after skiing too!

Suncream! Essential because of the power of the sun at altitude, not to mention the reflection of the sun on the snow, it is really easy to get sunburnt. They say goggle tans are cool, but goggle burn certainly is not.

I would always recommend taking an extension lead with a French/Austrian/Italian adapter to ensure that you are able to charge all of your gizmos at the same time. It means there isn’t a fight to see whose iPad is the next to get some more juice in it!

For me it has got to be a woolly hat (as big as possible and with a HUGE bobble on top). Not only does this provide excellent warmth for when you’re not skiing, but the hat will also provide that much needed cover for your helmet hair!

The importance of re-hydration on the mountain cannot be underestimated. When my family and I go skiing, I always carry a hydration backpack with me that we can use for all the family. They’re available in different sizes so you can take enough water for the entire family. They also have enough little pockets to squeeze in other items like suncream that others have mentioned. A fine-knit balaclava wouldn’t go amiss during the colder months, either.

I would always vote for goggles over sunglasses in any condition, you get much better protection from the sun wind and snow, as well as superior vision. If you don’t know which lens colour to opt for, for your first pair I would go for an orange lens, as these work brilliantly in low light conditions (for those cloudy days) but also perform fine on sunny days.

Still have questions?

If you have still got one or two questions to ask, visit our #AskEsprit campaign pages to see what has already been asked. We’ve got another session coming up on the 14th September, 2015 for your chance to ask us direct and receive real-time answers to your queries.

You can also visit our Frequently Asked Questions pages, where you’ll no doubt find a quick answer to that niggling question.