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Headed to the snow for the first time? Here's how to make it an epic trip!
- By Saskia Geraghty
Your first snow trip is kinda like your first time having a sleepover at a friend's place when you’re a kid. Everything is so exciting, you know you’re going to have heaps of fun together, and you’re also totally clueless on what to pack … although, you’re mum probably packed your bag for your first sleepover. Oh to be 10 years old again! Think of us like your friendly travel mums, because we’re about to get right into the details on everything you need to know and bring to make your first snow trip just as fun and wild as that first all girls sleepover. Pillow fights not included. But snow fights? Definitely.
The first thing to get clear on is it’s going to be properly cold. Not just oh pop on a hoodie cold, but like three layers, a proper jacket and beanie cold. So make sure you have plenty of layers including thermal leggings and tshirts; we recommend Merino Wool ones like these ones by Icebreaker. It’s up to you whether you want to save them for the evenings or wear them underneath your ski or snowboard gear. Personally, it’s nice to have a fresh clean set for the end of the day when you won't be moving around as much. We like to go for sports leggings, cotton shirts and a fleece long sleeve to wear during the day under our snow pants and jackets.
Real wool socks. Let’s talk about them, because they are probably the most essential thing you can invest in if you’re going to be going to the snow or even just hiking and travelling. We’ve mentioned these before, but wool regulates with your body temperature so you’ll have perfectly cosy feet. Sounds weird that we care so much about feet, but they’ll be carrying you throughout your journey so you want to keep them comfortable! There’s nothing worse than having freezing toes when you’re trying to enjoy yourself.
Whilst on the topic of feet, you’ll need a pair of waterproof and sturdy boots. These can be hiking shoes, Doc Martins or specific snow shoes that will keep your feet warm when travelling to and from the slopes. Plus, you may like to take a walk through the snowy terrain and explore your surroundings. There’s nothing better than walking in a snow covered forest, you just need to have the right footwear to make your adventure full of fun instead of catching the flu. Speaking of, you’ll want a nice comfy and cosy beanie for your head too.
If you can’t already tell, everything we’re talking about involves staying warm! So a good quality down puffer jacket is also a must. Patagonia, The North Face and Arcteryx all do really high quality jackets that will last you a lifetime of adventuring in the snow, or even just winter camping trips. These are lightweight but keep you toasty warm and protected from the damp moisture when you’re not in your proper snow gear. By the way, if it’s your first time in the snow you can hire your snow jacket and pants along with your skis or snowboard so you don’t need to worry about dropping hundreds of dollars on these as you’ll only wear them once or twice a year (if you end up liking the snow…we hope so!).
Now for the safety part. Injuries are really common in snow sports because well, think about it, you're throwing yourself down an icy mountain on a board or two, and using nothing but your muscles to guide your way down. So if you have any kind of weaknesses or previous injuries bring lots of strapping tape and potentially knee braces or supports so that you can keep yourself in top top shape the whole trip. No one wants an injury on day one, and for that we do also say just have common sense when out on the slopes. It’s like driving a car so be mindful of other people, those going faster or slower than you, and always keep your eyes and ears open!
Skiing and snowboarding is so much fun and there’s nothing like your very first trip. There can be so many logistics and hidden costs which is why we organise our own trips every year - nothing you need to do or worry about except packing all of the above gear and being ready for an absolutely epic week of snow, smiles and soul sisters.