What to wear, pack, buy & hire
Straightforward ski gear and packing advice covering what to wear, what to bring, what to hire and what may be worth buying before your ski holiday.
Pack smarter for the mountains
Ski holidays require more specialist clothing and equipment than most trips, but that does not mean everything has to be bought before you travel. Our gear content helps separate the essentials from the optional extras and the equipment that may make more sense to hire.
Base layers, insulation and weather protection each have a different job. We explain how ski clothing fits together so you can stay comfortable without simply packing the thickest clothes you own.
Packing lists should reflect the length of the holiday, how you are travelling and what equipment you plan to hire. The aim is to avoid both forgotten essentials and unnecessary baggage.
Skis, snowboards, boots and other equipment are widely available to hire in ski resorts. For occasional skiers and first trips, hiring can avoid the cost and hassle of buying and transporting bulky equipment.
Practical gear advice
Buy because it improves your trip, not because every ski checklist says you need it.What is worth owning depends on how often you ski, your budget, how you travel and what matters to you personally. Our gear articles aim to explain those trade-offs rather than treating every product as essential.