School Ski trip what’s needed?

[storminabuttercup]

DS is due to go on a school ski trip for 7 nights next year, we are total novices and I’ve no Idea what he will need but as we approach Christmas family are looking for suggestions on what to buy him and have suggested ski gear but I’m not sure how much of each thing he needs
obv only one ski jacket
we’ve bought ski trousers does he need more than one pair?
then I’m guessing thermals but do people generally wear them more than one day or will he need x7?
we have gloves and goggles
any help would be super appreciated

oh he’s going to Austria if that has a bearing on things
thank you

Watching!

He’ll have a great time! Bear in mind he will likely only be on the slopes for five days, and is unlikely to need thermals on travelling days. One pair of outer trousers is fine. I recommend good ski socks, but decathlon ones are alright. Gloves can get very wet when you’re learning, so a second pair can be useful.

• Ski jacket
• Ski trousers
• Ski socks
• Gloves (ideally with elasticated wrist straps)
• Sunglasses AND/OR
• Goggles
• Scarf/neck warmer
• Layers for under ski jacket (long sleeve tops/ leggings/ thermals)
• Indoor shoes
• Outdoor shoes/boots. Snow boots - bring if you have them but at this time of year you can manage without.
• Woolly hat
• Clothes for the evening
• Towel
• Sun cream, lip salve
• Tissues
• Toiletries
• Roll on or ‘stick’ deodorant (can’t use sprays in rooms)
• Bin bags! (for dirty/wet clothes)
• Backpack (small to use in the day)
• Pillow for travelling
• Power bank

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I would buy second hand on Vinted for jacket and salopettes. I’d buy thermals for 3 days and ask him to wear them twice. Depending when he goes he might not need them and you can return them (you have 365 days so buy now and take back after trip). February won’t be too cold (usually) Easter will be warmish.

He doesn’t need 2 pairs of salopettes. I only take 3 socks for 6 days as 3 pairs in decathlon is £30.

I’d say a couple of sets of base layer thermals, but not 7. We tend to dry them on rotation, so maybe three sets? You can get away with a single good quality thermal mid layer (fleece jumper type thing). My kids like a thin snood for on the lifts to keep your face warmer if it’s bitingly cold. For me snow boots are a must, but I tend to slip and slide in snow. I’m assuming he’d wear other clothes in the evenings. Otherwise it would all get a bit stinky. But I prefer not to take too much.

One ski jacket
One pair ski trousers
Thermals top and bottom - they get a bit sweaty so 2-3 sets depending on sweat levels
Vest for under the thermals (maybe just me)
1 x thin jumper to wear over the thermals if it’s absolutely freezing
Ski socks x 3 pairs
Snood thingy for round the neck
Goggles
Helmet
Ski gloves- worth getting a step up from the basic
Sunglasses and hat and snow boots or warm water resistant boots for when not skiing. And normal clothes obviously
Sun cream and UV lip cream. Really important.

Much of this will be available second hand, check ebay and specialty places like Slope Off. Decathlon is a good bet for socks etc.

A lot depends on time of year. If going in Easter hols then you can dial back the thermals and he may be ok with trainers rather than snow boots. If January then dial up the warm stuff especially for evenings as it’s freezing. Also depends how high the resort is, 2000m is obviously colder than 1000m! Can wear ski jacket for eves, no need for separate coat.

Aldi usually have good base layers and thin sweatshirts to layer under a ski jacket - we bought second hand off Vinted but he was snow boarding and the jackets are quite loose and baggy so fit wasn't as important

Are they flying or going by coach. If by coach, give him a pillow to take with him.

My boys are lucky enough to have been on many ski trips and I only ever send them with 2 sets of thermals, sometimes they only wear one! I always send them with 5 pairs of socks (or 6 if they are skiing 6 days) - it's horrible wearing ski socks twice! One jacket (make sure has a ski pass pocket), one pair of salopettes (a spare pair if you have but not essential). One fleece top midlayer. 6 pairs of pants and normal socks. A good pair of skin goggles really makes a difference and can make a good xmas present. No need to spend 100s, we get unbranded ski goggles off amazon for about £30 and they are excellent. Same with a nice fleece neck warmer and gloves.

For the eveing/non ski days, pair of jeans, a jumper, couple t shirts and a hoodie. A seperate jacket for evenings can be useful if they are going out as the ski one might be wet/drying. Hat and gloves as well, put in pockets of evening coat as they will forget to take them out. Chunky trainers or boots for evening.

Label everything, it will get lost!

I also put a balaclava in pocket of ski coat in case it's a white out freezing day.

Excellent lists already here. The school will probably provide you with a list at some point - it will look very much like the list that @Thelondonone has posted above.

As others have mentioned, Decathlon and Aldi are good for thermals, socks and an extra pair of gloves at reasonable prices. Look out for Aldi's "Ski" week which is usually in November.

A couple of zip-lock sandwich bags are always useful - he can put some cash, lip balm, phone etc in a bag if the weather is snowy to prevent them from getting wet. On the subject of cash, many shops and mountain restaurants in Austria are still cash-only, so having a little cash is always a good idea, even though the bigger shops in the village will accept cards/ApplePay etc.

A wooden clothes peg with his name on ... to clip onto his ski boots when they're in the ski cellar. Ski boots tend to all look the same. Likewise, a couple of velcro ski ties (write his name on) so he can identify his skis - available from any ski shop or online for a few quid.

All this but to confirm, only 2 sets of thermals and 3 prs ski socks required. Can wear for more than one day.

This is all so helpful thank you all so much
its February they go and are flying so will need to pack quite light I guess
he will change on an evening and he will have to wear those clothes twice or he will be way over the weight limit
the letter says they are hiring snow boots etc but I’ll do the peg thing!!

They pretty much wear the same t shirt/jeans/hoodie in the evenings so do t worry too much about the weight limit. I normally put all the essential ski stuff in first then add couple t shirt, pair tracksuits, jumper and that always seems to be fine. They have ever complained about not having enough clothes and often come back with unworn t shirts.

Neck warmers are the only thing they consider essential above ski jacket, salopettes, socks, thermal, fleece, gloves.

My son went on a school ski trip and found it hard to dry the socks so as many socks as days if possible.

Are they hiring snow boots or ski boots ? They are two different things. Most resorts you can only hire ski boots. So he will
need snow boots/ or a waterproof warm equivalent for waking in snow when not skiing.
You can probably get away with waterproof type timberlands/ hiking boots if warm enough socks if you already have. But depends on what kind of activities they will be doing.

small battery pack for phone. The cold kills battery on phone. So get him to keep phone in inside pocket of snow jacket. The warm from body will help battery and he has to hand if he falls on butt and needs to call anyone

When my dc started I got the ski bundles from mountain warehouse, pretty cheap but did the job fine

@storminabuttercup

Snow boots - like hiking boots or other outdoor boots (which he can also use), which he will need if there is significant snow on the ground or if they are going tobogganing (which they probably won't as it's regarded as being too dangerous).

Ski boots - special boots for skiing, which he'll get from the rental shop in the resort along with the skis, ski poles and helmet.

Oh sorry yes it’s ski boots they are hiring not snow boots…
I’ll go look at snow boots but will be a nightmare for him as he hates anything but trainers I’d not thought about them walking around!

Brill thank you!

think his dad has hiking boots he may just borrow those! He’d walk about in soggy trainers or worse crocs if I let him!

In Feb it could be really cold or surprisingly warm. My boys never wear legging thermals nor does DH. I do occasionally. Don’t go overboard with clothes…. He’s going to be pretty active and prob a long sleeved t-shirt /thermal, plus a usual sweatshirt (I love decathlon ones) and jacket will be sufficient.

id say 3 pairs socks unless he’s got particularly sweaty feet.

oh that’s interesting thank you

do your boys take snow/hiking boots?

My kids never needed all that for a school ski trip is was all provided by the tour company that the school used. The hire fee was included in the cost. So maybe check with school first?

Ski equipment hire is included = ski boots, helmet, poles.

Everything else I have always had to provide (3 schools)?

OP, don't bother with snow boots or hiking boots is my advice, he will refuse to wear them, none do. Just make sure he has chunky vaguely waterproof trainers like Air Force 1 or similar and that will be fine (not light adidas fabric type ones that will get wet). For some reason teenagers consider snow boots the work of the devil (I grew up in a snowy country and remember well everyone getting off the school bus in waist deep snow, ditching their snowboots behind the lockers and putting trainers on). The ski resorts schools go to will be well groomed pavements, snow cleared and if its snowing heavily they won't be allowed out.