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RUTH'S LIST
 Long established as THE authority on what to bring on a ski Trip, Ruth Lowen (Gord's Daughter and our co-owner) Put together her list... Memorize it as it's what most of us go by when it comes to packing for a ski trip. Here, for your traveling pleasure, is the Holy Grail of to-bring lists:
[1] Dynastar Legend Mythic Riders Skis
[2] Lange G9 boots
[3] Exel Free Poles
[4] Patagonia Primo jacket
[5] Patagonia Primo pants
[6] Patagonia R2 fleece jacket
[7] Patagonia R1 tights
[8] Patagonia Stretch Element gloves
[9] Patagonia Cap 2 glove liners (2pairs)
[10] Grando Micro G mitts
[11] Patagonia Cap 3 tops & bottoms
[12] Patagonia Cap 2 top
[13] Patagonia Winter tank
[14] Smart wool top and bottoms
[15] The North Face Cirque fleece top
[16] The North Face El Cap zip T
[17] The North Face TKA 100 zip T
[18] The North Face TKA pants (apres)
[19] Fox River Socks (5 pairs)
[20] The North Face Red Point jacket
[21] Giro Fuse Helmet
[22] Oakley Crowbar Goggles
[23] Smith Slider Sunglasses
[24] Thermic boot heaters
[25] Fog 0 and Smith No Fog cloth
[26] Camelbak
Yes, Ruth went well over the allotted 20 items... But who are we to tell yoda his speech ran a little long? Just accept it, soak up the wisdom and follow the lead of she who knows.
SOCKS
 It boggles our mind that when we sell people boots they usually only cave-in to buy ONE pair of socks with said boots... Now just think about it: Most of our customers only ski for one extended trip a year: 5 to 10 days... and they're only buying ONE pair of socks. Here's what we thing is happening: [a] They like to have insanely smelly feet. [b] They already own many socks of the same thickness. [c] They prefer the apres-ski "sink sock washing" thing to the "lay in front of the couch with a hot chocolate and Bailey's" thing. [d] They enjoy spending 20% more for the same sock at the hillside ski-shop. PACK MORE THAN ONE PAIR OF SOCKS PER DAY! One for skiing/boarding, the other for apres-ski activities. Your family will thank you.
THE BOOT-IN-AIRPLANE THING
 Of all the bummer situations you could ever encounter, having you arrive to Whistler on a blue-bird powder day sans-ski gear is certainly one of the shittiest. Some of us won't even think of checking-in a ski boot. Carry-on is the way to go for them. after all, you can always buy or rent most everything else... but a proper fitting boot is not an automatic, no matter how much room you have on the Platinum Visa, if you've got 'special' feet, missing boots are an absolute trip killer.
Some of us go about it differently, like arriving early at the airport for a ski-trip flight or booking non-stop flights to where we're skiing or snowboarding... Some of us will simply refuse to book a flight where a change of aircraft is scheduled. The line of thought is simple, stuff doesn't usually fall off a plane mid-air.
TOP 10 SAVE-YOUR TRIP ITEMS:
I never ski alone, I have never been on a trip with fewer than 6 people along... and guess who's the shepherd on these things? Here are a few items that I've found to be lifesavers on most every ski trip I've ever been on:
[1] Duct Tape
[2] Leatherman Tool
[3] Zip-Ties
[4] Quality Utility Knife
[5] Medium Size Paperclips
[6] Wide Waterproof First-Aid Tape
[7] Tensor Bandage
[8] Boot Dryer
[9] Wet Stone / chrome file
[10] Anti Inflammatory
HELMET PACKING:
Did you know that whacking your helmet on the floor, head inside or not, has a seriously negative effect on the life expectancy of said helmet?
 It's a fact, Most helmets are designed for one substantial impact before they need to be replaced.
You'd be surprised
to know that most helmet replacements occur because of damages sustained during transport, from being dropped or simple poor packing.
With that said, make sure to take particular care when packing your helmet in your luggage ... so as to protect it from impacts. It'll save your helmet AND it might just save your life.
GENERIC TO-BRING LIST :
Sure, an iPod is a wicked thing to have along, so is your most favorite base lube but there are a few necessities that no-one would fathom leaving behind, stuff like:
Boots
Bra (sports and regular)
Ski Jacket
Sweater / Fleece
Light jacket
Underwear
Casual Pants
Pajamas/Sleepwear
Sandals / shower shoes,
Shorts
Casual / Resort Shoes
Socks
Swimming gear
T-shirts
Underwear
Hat
Bandana
Gloves or mittens
Safety Pins
Scarf
Goggles
Sunglasses |
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Toiletries
Anti-bacterial cream
Comb or Brush
Contact lens or Glasses
Dental floss
Deodorant
Earplugs
Fingernail clippers
Hair products
Lip balm
Make-up
Mirror
Moisturizer
Nail file
Razors
Shampoo and Conditioner
Shaving Cream
Soap
Sunscreen
Tampons and Pads
Toothbrush, Toothpaste |
THE TUNE-KIT:
So you're skiing and/or snowboarding, right? Are you going to do a mid-trip overnight tune-up drop off somewhere where they offer STONE GRINDING? (that's must unless you want to wreck your sweet gear) If that's not in the cards, you might ant to consider bringing a few tune-up goodies...
 [1] Zardoz: Keeps your base fast and lubed. Make sure to apply it OVER a well-waxed base.
[2] Wax: If you're out for more than 5 days, your base will want to be re-waxed after 4 days... Make sure to Zardoz-it once you've waxed it, though.
[3] Iron: you need to melt that wax... What some of us do in hotel-room situations is vigorously rub the wax on everywhere on the base THEN run the iron on the base to melt said wax. Easy, minimum scraping, clean, fast.
[4] Scraper: To Scrape wax.
[5] Wax brush/soft scouring pad: To structure the wax right before the Zardoz application.
[6] File & Gummy stone: To tweak out your edges.
[7] P-Tex Sticks: To fill in the unfortunate gouges, make sure you pack matches to light the thing.
BACKCOUNTRY TO-BRING LIST
Clothing:
Synthetic or capilene underwear, capilene long underwear, insulating pant layer, (i.e. expedition weight capilene), synthetic or capilene long sleeve top, insulating top layer, (i.e. fleece or down jacket), waterproof/breathable shell jacket and pants, gaiters or super gaiters, glove liners, heavy weight glove liners and shells, baseball cap, fleece or wool cap, sock liners, hiking boots, or other sturdy footwear.
Equipment:
s Snowshoes/Skis/Board (of course), poles, (adjustable poles are recommended), day pack or fanny pack, avi beacon, shovel, avalanche probe, plastic garbage bags for refuse, map and guide books, compass, insulated water bottle. Plan your equipment creatively and don't depend blindly on what any checklist indicates. Improvise and experiment so that your equipment will meet the varying conditions you find in your area. Make sure to replace or repair any defective gear. Repairs are always easier done at home or in a shop, as opposed to in the backcountry.
Personal gear:
Sunglasses, headlamp or flashlight, moisturizing lotion, sunscreen, skin protector, handkerchiefs.
Repair kit:
lighter, pocketknife, and duct tape (most important).
Emergency and first aid kit:
One per person. Note pad and pencil, space blanket, long burning candles, waterproof matches, mirror, steel wool or other fire starter, whistle.
Food:
Easily digestible/ packable food, plenty of water, high energy/carb bars.
LUGGAGE SELECTION
Extreme travelers are proponents of getting by with a single carry-on whereas seasoned travelers recognize that this is often not practical, especially when work or other commitments require you to pack items beyond just your own clothes and toiletries.
 A single large suitcase with a telescoping handle and rollers (like the Daking Split Roller) is easier to manage than two smaller ones so if you are going to check a bag anyway, make it a big one. Try to limit yourself to one suitcase when leaving in case you want to check an extra suitcase on the way back.
Check the manner in which the rollers are mounted to the suitcase. If the rollers are exposed they will eventually be caught in the luggage handling equipment and break. Look for designs where the rollers are practically embedded, avoid designs where they are sticking out. Especially avoid suitcases with the rollers mounted to a separate piece of vinyl that has been pop-riveted to the bottom of the case.
The second consideration in selecting a suitcase is the price. Matched sets of premium luggage look great in the store but none of them are a match for the steel mesh conveyor belts used for luggage handling at the airports. So as you are standing there admiring that $400 or $500 set, imagine how you will feel when it comes off the luggage carousel sporting a big wide skid mark down the middle of it. The best values are the inexpensive but well designed generic brand suitcases. These can usually be found priced under $100.
 Many duffel/gear bags look alike so unless you enjoy standing beside the luggage carousel carefully reading the tag of every bag that happens to be the right color... Like the HUNDREDS of black bags... Now if you are one of the millions who can't fathom owning anything else than black luggage, do something to make yours stand out from a distance. One of the easiest ways to do this is by banding it with one of those brightly colored canvas straps. They are inexpensive and can usually be found in the immediate vicinity where ever suitcases are sold. Pick bright colors that contrast well with your bag.
THE UNIVERSAL PACKING LIST
One of the worst feelings in the world is leaving for a long trip and feeling like you forgot something. Even worse, though, is getting where you planned to go and finding out that yes, you did forget something. The Universal Packing List at http://upl.codeq.info/ was designed to help us absent-minded travelers make sure we pack everything we need before we leave the house.
The site is simple to use: Select when your trip begins and ends, your gender, and the minimum and maximum temperature of your destination; then fill out other information about your trip, like what activities you plan to do when you get there, (climbing, snorkeling, etc) and how you plan to travel. Select the size of your bag, from "extremely small" to "I've hired sherpas," and the list will generate a printable page that includes all the basics that you'll need on any trip as well as a number of suggestions based on the options you selected.
If you're planning to take a digital camera, the packing list will include your camera and a memory card. If you're planning to go glacier walking, the list will remind you to include an ice axe and snow anchor. The site even has a map-based version that offers additional advice based on the countries and locations you plan to visit. When you're finished, print out the list, use it as your packing guide, and say goodbye to that "I think I forgot something" feeling.
The only bummer about this thing is that out of the 10 times I tried to use it, it only worked 3 times. Looks like MANY people are using it. Be prepared to get the unfortunate "Service Temporarily Unavailable" page. |
Here's how we do it: We select the best riding boards, we pick the best decks for the money, we only deal with companies that'll stand by their product and while we certainly don't carry the latest fad, we do have the latest technologies. We carry Burton, K2, Nitro (we like Nitro boards lots) Arbor (another staff fav) Head, Flow, Drake, Thirty Two and more... Drop on by, let us help you cut through the BS and ride the best! While you're at either store, ask us about our legendary bootfit guarantee. No one cares more about your experience. Drop on by, we'll explain. For more about how we do boards, do yourself a favor, check out our snowboard page