It’s strictly business.

I’m pretty good at packing for ski trips these days. I do it a couple of times each year so it has become routine operation. Most of my ski clothes have been washed after my last trip and are sitting up the far end of of the wardrobe, with my boots underneath (with buckles done up so they don’t lose their shape) and my skis tucked behind (with the edges waxed to prevent rust). Everything gets tossed into compression bags or stuffed around my ski equipment in a proper ski travel bag. DON’T FOLD your clothes, just shove everything in anywhere you can find a gap. Look for extra room inside ski boots (undo them, stuff in some socks, then clamp them closed) and around poles and bindings. If you need to take a few nice shirts, then make sure they go in the compression bags as these tend not to wrinkle as much. They still won’t look perfect, but you’re on holiday, not at a fashion show.

Assuming you don’t have washing facilities, you want to get your clothes-per-day ratio exactly right so you come home wearing your last pair of underpants. My only strict rule is DON’T skimp on undies. They don’t take up any space so take at least as many undies as days you plan on being away. Everything else you can get at least 2 or more days wear out of. Just make sure you put your gear over the fireplace as soon as you get in each day. The smell of wood-smoke and butterscotch schnapps will overpower even the most pungent man-stench.

Some people swear by thermals, but unless you’re going to the arctic I think it is overkill. If you layer properly (Remember in this order - Wicking, Warmth, Wind) and you’re still cold, then it is probably too cold to be outside in the first place. Don’t forget that skiing is highly energetic, and while you might be cold waiting at the bus stop, it only takes a few minutes to warm up, and those thermals are going to confuse your body’s internal thermometer. When you ski, you’re supposed to sweat, but if you’re wearing thermals the sweat is going to be held against your skin and as soon as you slow down those soaked thermals are going to get REALLY cold. Thermals don’t make a good ‘wicking layer’. Your first layer should be a synthetic fibers like polypropylene or thermastat. Over that I have a warm layer, usually a polar fleece of some sort. I have a heavy duty polar fleece jacket, a thinner lighter fleece, and also a vest to choose from depending on the temperature. On top of that is the water-proof layer - the ski jacket. The water-proof layer doesn’t need to provide warmth, just water and wind protection, so a thin jacket is best. For extra warmth, add layers UNDER the jacket.

Cold toes can be a killer (literally). The most common cause is having your boots done up too tight, cutting off blood circulation. Often people will do their boots up even TIGHTER when they get cold toes because they think it will help keep out the cold, however that’s a one-way trip to stubsville. The secret to cozy toes is to loosen the boots and wear thin synthetic socks because the wicking ability of the sock is more important that the thickness of the sock. Avoid those big thick woolen socks that are often marketed as ’skiing socks’ at all costs.

As a general rule, if you’re away for 1-2 weeks, if you can’t get EVERYTHING into one reasonably sized ski bag, you’ve packed too much.

Books, toothbrushes, deodorant (please!), ski jacket, and flight amenities can go as hand luggage in a small backpack that can double as your ski pack on the mountain.

I’m about to head off to New Zealand for a week, hence my motivation for this post. It took me all of 10 minutes to pack my bag tonight.  I remember when I used to spend HOURS packing and then I’d sit on the plane in a panic trying to remember everything I’d forgotten.