Ski Packing List: Everything for a Week on the Slopes
The best ski packing list is the one you finish on the Sunday before you fly, not at 1am on the day. Below you’ll find a complete list for a week in the Alps: what to wear on the piste, what to hire instead of carry, what belongs in your hand luggage, what to pack for children, and what to have ready for the journey from the airport to your resort. 🎿
We run private ski transfers from Geneva, Lyon, Grenoble and Chambéry airports, so we see what travellers climb out of the car with. We’ve watched people arrive in cotton socks and a fashion puffer, and we’ve watched others discover at the baggage belt that the goggles are still in the cupboard at home. This list is built to stop both.
TL;DR
Pack in layers: thermal base layer, warm mid-layer, waterproof shell. Avoid cotton, which holds moisture and chills you.
Hire skis, boots and a helmet in resort if you ski only a week a year. Bring your own goggles, gloves, socks and base layers.
Check your travel insurance covers winter sports and mountain rescue. A GHIC or EHIC does not.
Keep passports, medication, chargers, goggles and one day of warm kit in your hand luggage.
Tell your transfer provider about skis, boards and child seats before you travel, not at the kerb.
Table of Contents
Start with the paperwork and insurance
Before a single sock goes in the case, sort the things that can ruin a holiday in one phone call.
Passports, in date, with enough validity for the country you’re entering. Check the current rules for UK passport holders before you book.
Travel insurance that names winter sports. Standard policies often exclude activities such as skiing, and the UK government is clear that EHIC and GHIC do not replace insurance because they don’t cover repatriation or mountain rescue costs in ski resorts.
Off-piste cover, if you plan to leave the groomed runs. Read the small print on guides and avalanche equipment requirements.
Booking confirmations for accommodation, lift passes, lessons and transfers, saved offline on your phone as well as emailed.
Your driver’s contact details, so you can reach them if your flight lands early or late.
If you’re travelling with a group, one person holding everything is a single point of failure. Share the documents with at least two people.
What to wear on the slopes
Skiing is a dance with gravity, but gravity doesn’t care if your gloves are damp. The trick for mountain weather, which can swing from bluebird sunshine to whiteout in an afternoon, is layering. Pick synthetic or wool fabrics and leave the cotton at home: cotton holds moisture and cools you down.
The core layers
Item | How many for a week | Notes |
Thermal base layer tops | 2 to 3 | Merino or synthetic, close-fitting |
Thermal base layer leggings | 2 | Wear one pair, wash the other in the chalet sink |
Mid-layer (fleece or light insulated jacket) | 1 to 2 | Add or shed it as the temperature changes |
Waterproof, breathable ski jacket | 1 | Check it has a snow skirt and a lift-pass pocket |
Ski trousers or salopettes | 1 | Waterproof, with ankle gaiters that fit over boots |
Ski socks | 5 to 7 pairs | One thin pair per day, never two thick pairs |
Gloves or mittens | 2 pairs | A spare pair is the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy |
Neck warmer or buff | 1 to 2 | Doubles as a face mask on windy chairlifts |
Hat or helmet liner | 1 | For off-slope warmth |
One sock rule is worth repeating: a single thin ski sock pulled up smooth inside the boot beats two layers every time. Wrinkles and tight fits cause cold toes and blisters.
Helmet, goggles and sunglasses
Wear a helmet. The UK government’s winter sports advice suggests thinking about wearing one, and the Foreign Office notes that many insurers insist on a helmet on the slopes, so check your own policy wording. For children, a snug, properly fitted helmet is treated as a must by injury-prevention specialists.
Goggles deserve a bit of thought:
Pack two lenses if you can: one for bright sun, one for flat light and snowfall.
Bring sunglasses too, for lunch terraces, the drive and low-effort days.
Put goggles in a soft pouch. Scratches on a lens are permanent.
Sun protection (yes, really)
Sunburn is the most common souvenir nobody wanted. Altitude and reflective snow increase exposure, so pack a high-factor sunscreen (SPF 30 or above is the usual advice) and a lip balm with SPF. Apply it even on cloudy days, and reapply at lunch.
Hire or bring your own?
A week of skiing doesn’t require a car boot full of kit. Most resorts have hire shops within a short walk of the lifts, and fitters who will adjust boots on the spot.
Usually worth hiring: skis or snowboard, boots, poles and a helmet. You skip the airline fees, the awkward bag and the risk of damage.
Usually worth owning: boots, if you ski more than a couple of weeks a year (fit is everything), plus goggles, gloves, socks and base layers.
If you do fly with your own gear, it pays to read the airline’s rules in advance. There is little consistency between airlines on carrying skis, and restrictions can vary by ticket type, so check before you pay for the bag at the airport.
Après-ski and everyday clothes
The slopes are only half the story. Evenings in a mountain resort call for warm, dry and a touch of style. 🍷
Waterproof snow boots with grip for icy village streets
Cosy slippers or thick socks for the chalet
One or two warm jumpers and comfortable trousers or jeans
A warm coat for the walk to dinner (your ski jacket works, but you may want something drier)
Swimwear if your hotel or chalet has a pool, hot tub or sauna
Pyjamas, underwear and a laundry bag for damp kit
Not sure how much to bring? Aim for five days of non-ski clothes at most. Mountains are forgiving, and you’ll wear the same favourite jumper three nights running.
Hand luggage essentials
Bags go missing and flights get diverted, so build your hand luggage as a mini survival kit. If the hold bag turns up a day late, you should still be able to get on the mountain.
Passports, boarding passes and insurance details
GHIC or EHIC, as a backup but not a substitute for insurance
Prescription medication in its original packaging, plus a basic first aid kit with plasters, blister dressings and painkillers
Phone, charger, power bank and a plug adapter for the country you land in
Goggles, gloves and a base layer, so you can ski if your bag is delayed
A refillable water bottle and snacks for the transfer
Travel sickness tablets if you or the children are prone to them: mountain roads wind
Cash or a card with no foreign fees for lunches, tips and lockers
Headphones, a book or downloaded films for the journey
One thing to note about batteries: cold drains them fast. Charge your phone fully and carry a spare power source, because accidents often happen late in the day when both you and your phone are tired. Mountain rescue teams also recommend registering your phone with the emergency SMS service for your destination.
Packing for children
Kids are tiny furnaces that also manage to lose a glove a day, so double up on the small stuff.
Two or three pairs of gloves or mittens, and a waterproof spare
Base layers for every day on the snow
A snug helmet. Hire or buy one that fits properly, never borrow a loose one
Goggles with a strap that adjusts down to a small head
Snacks, a favourite toy and tablet for the journey
A medical card with the child’s weight and medication details. Medex advises parents of children at altitude to plan for slow ascent and good hydration, as children can struggle to explain how they feel
A child seat or booster for the transfer. Tell your driver the age and size of each child when you book
The same Medex guidance suggests talking to your doctor at least three months before travel if you have specific concerns about taking young children to altitude. For anything medical, a GP or travel health clinic is the right person to ask, not a packing list.
If you’re heading off-piste
Leave the groomed runs and the list changes. Off-piste skiing needs the right equipment, training and, ideally, a qualified guide.
Official advice is to carry a shovel, probe and transceiver if you go off piste. Some guided trips make a backpack, metal shovel and probe mandatory.
If you pack an avalanche airbag, check the airline’s rules first. Gas canisters are restricted on many flights, and battery systems have their own limits.
Carry a paper map and compass as a backup. Phones lose signal and battery in the cold.
Make a Plan B. Mountain rescue experts say that human factors such as ignoring forecasts and tiredness at the end of the day cause many avoidable incidents, so be willing to turn round early.
The transfer checklist: from the baggage belt to the chalet door
The journey is the part of the trip most people leave until last, and the part that sets the mood for the first night. A few tidy details help a lot.
Book before you fly. Pick the right airport for your resort and send the flight number, so the driver can follow your arrival.
Count the bags and the people. Tell your provider about skis, boards and boot bags, and whether you’ll bring a child seat or need one supplied.
Save the address in two places. Give the driver the exact chalet or hotel address, plus the access code or check-in time.
Keep hand luggage with you. Warm layers, snacks and water for the road should not be buried in the boot.
Wear something warm to the airport. You may step out into snow at the other end.
Have your phone charged. You’ll want it for photos and the booking details.
We built Alpy around these points: English-speaking professional drivers, all-inclusive pricing with no hidden fees, free sports luggage and child seats, automated reminders and flight monitoring.
Perspective: why we pack the same way every time
We spend winter meeting people at arrivals who have been up since 4am. The ones who start their holiday best are rarely the ones with the most expensive kit. They’re the ones who sorted the boring stuff early: insurance, a charged phone, the right bags told to the driver, and a warm layer where they can reach it.
Our advice is to treat the first four hours of your trip as part of the holiday. A door-to-door private transfer means you aren’t dragging boot bags through a station, and no one is hunting for a shuttle stop with tired children. It’s the same logic as packing well: remove the friction, and the skiing takes care of the joy.
— Rolands
Booking your transfer
If you’re flying into Geneva for the French Alps, our private ski transfers take you from the airport to your accommodation, with flight monitoring and automated reminders so you’re not chasing details. We also cover Lyon, Grenoble and Chambéry airports. Popular routes include Geneva to Morzine, Geneva to Méribel and Geneva to Courchevel, plus Avoriaz and Les Gets.
Printable checklist
Copy this into your notes app and tick as you go. ✅
Documents: passports, insurance policy (winter sports and rescue cover), GHIC or EHIC, booking confirmations, transfer details, lift pass or lesson vouchers
On the slopes: jacket, salopettes, base layers, mid-layers, socks, gloves (two pairs), neck warmer, hat, helmet, goggles, sunglasses, sunscreen, lip balm
Hire or own: skis or board, boots, poles, helmet
Après-ski: snow boots, slippers, jumpers, casual trousers, swimwear, pyjamas, laundry bag
Hand luggage: medication, first aid and blister plasters, chargers and power bank, adapter, goggles and gloves, snacks, water bottle
Children: spare gloves, helmet, goggles, medical card, child seat booked, snacks and entertainment
Off-piste only: transceiver, shovel, probe, airbag checked with airline, paper map and compass, guide booked
FAQ
How many layers do I need for skiing?
Three is the standard: a thermal base layer, a mid-layer such as a fleece, and a waterproof shell. You can add a thin insulated jacket for very cold days. Avoid cotton next to the skin, because it holds moisture.
Should I take my own skis on holiday?
For a week-long trip, most people are better off hiring in resort. You avoid airline baggage fees and the risk of damage. Own boots and accessories like goggles and gloves are worth bringing if you ski regularly, and you should check your airline’s rules before you commit.
Does my GHIC cover skiing accidents?
No, not fully. The UK government says that EHIC and GHIC are not alternatives to travel insurance, and they don’t cover repatriation or mountain rescue. Check that your policy names winter sports, and ask your insurer about off-piste skiing.
What should I keep in my hand luggage?
Passports, medication, chargers, a power bank, goggles, gloves and a base layer. If your hold bag is delayed, you can still be dressed for the mountain, and you’ll have what you need for the transfer.
What do I tell my transfer provider before I arrive?
Give them your flight number, the number of passengers, the amount of ski and luggage, the age of any children needing seats, and your exact address in resort. Then they can plan the right vehicle and follow your flight.
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