What to Carry on the Hills: A Skiing and Snowboarding Guide

When it comes to alpine sports, Canada has some of the best mountains and resorts in the world. From Banff to Mont Tremblay to Whistler and all the resorts and ski hills in-between, there is likely some quality skiing near you to enjoy.

First time skier or snowboarder? You might be overwhelmed by all the gear you might need to get out on the hills. That is why we wrote this ski buying guide: to make getting on our world class mountains easy.

Like many winter activities, what you wear while skiing and snowboarding can really make or break your experience. Higher elevation means cooler temperatures and whipping winds. If you are not dressed warm enough to be comfortable on the hill, you will not likely enjoy your skiing experience.

Not only can skiing be a colder past time, but it can be dangerous one too. While most skiing accidents can be avoided by knowing your skill level and staying in your comfort zone, we will also cover some necessary pieces of safety equipment you will need to ensure your wellbeing on the hill.

More than anything, enjoying a ski trip revolves around being prepared for whatever the mountain throws at you each day you go. Chances are, you will not need everything on this list before you go skiing – safety equipment aside. This guide combines extensive research as well as our own experiences on the hill to bring a list of each type of gear you might need for different uses, as well as some product recommendations if you do not know where to start.

In the past, I threw on my ski jacket and snow pants without giving what went underneath too much thought. Sweatpants? A natural choice since they’re warm and non-restrictive. Doubling up on socks? Gotta keep your feet warm! However, after getting off the hill cold and damp numerous times, I realized staying warm and dry on the hill is as much about what goes underneath as much as what goes on top.

For more thermal shirt base layers, we made this buying guide here.

Ever since I purchased my base layer earlier in the season, I have seldom left my house without it on underneath. Base thermal layers improve the warmth and comfort for any winter activity.

Thermal layers are designed with warmth, fit, and moisture wicking in mind. This is important with an activity like skiing, with periods of increased physical assertion broken up with the inactivity of sitting on the chairlift. If you are underdressed, you may be miserable going up the mountain. If you are overdressed, you may work up a sweat going downhill, only to be moist and shivering once you stop. Base layers do not accumulate moisture like other material (like cotton), and help you regulate your body temperature more effectively. Look for materials like wool or synthetic materials like rayon and polyester to ensure solid water-wicking performance and long-lasting warmth.

Note that for base layer bottoms, many swear by base layers that are ¾ length, as longer bottoms can bunch up in your ski boot or rub between the boot and your skin. However, this is not ideal if you want to wear the base layer off the hill as well.

Depending on when you plan on skiing, it might not be enough to throw on a base layer and a jacket on top. Mid layers are designed to do the bulk of the insulating, combining with shell type jackets for all around performance on the hill or with typical ski jackets for additional warmth.

The coldest days might require thick fleece or a down jacket, while warmer and wetter days might call for a lighter weight fleece or a synthetic jacket. Really, you can use any sweater, hoodie or insulated jacket for a midlayer, but we still recommend staying away from cotton.

For a complete buying guide on our favourite ski socks, check out our article here.

Socks are another important of gear that are worth seriously thinking about. You should aim to only wear one pair of socks with your ski or snowboard boots: these boots are designed to provide some warmth and should be tight enough that you will not need extras. So instead of bundling up socks, maybe consider a nicer pair of ski socks. Improving the moisture wicking and heat retention will do wonders for your feet.

Whenever I am doing outdoor activities and the weather may get cold, I always opt for merino wool socks. They are famously warm, breathable, moisture wicking, and odor resistant.

We recommend socks from Smartwool and Darn Tough as the main brands making high quality ski socks. Across each company’s product ranges, there are consistently warm socks for your winter sport needs.

What you wear as your outer layers matter greatly in keeping you warm, dry, and comfortable on the hill, to a great degree. You can get by without buying layers for underneath, but if you do not have a jacket, pants, and gloves for skiing, you will have a bad time on all but the warmest days.

You likely already have a coat or jacket for whatever Canada’s winter wants to throw at you. However, whether or not your jacket will have you covered in the coldest days on the hill might be a surprise.

Typically, you need two things to stay warm and dry for winter activities: insulation for warmth and a waterproof layer to keep snow and moisture off you. Many winter jackets can do both, but some may be lacking in one department or are not ideal for skiing for other reasons. Jackets designed with skiing and snowboarding in mind include a whole bunch of additional features to keep you comfortable on the hill, including powder sleeves and skirts to prevent loose snow getting inside through where garments meet, pockets designed to keep your items safe and secure, and

If you plan on accumulating different layers to wear in different conditions, you might consider getting a shell jacket instead of a typical ski jacket. Shell jackets have strong weatherproof and windbreaking features, while lacking the insulation so you can wear the right amount of insulation for however cold the day is. Hard shell jackets feels like they have a slightly crinkly feel texture to them, while soft shell jackets feature other materials that are less-waterproof and more water-resistant (here’s a great article with a more thorough breakdown).

Your legs need some warmth and water resistance too. Not only are these parts prone to getting cold and are essential to skiing and snowboarding, but any falls (or even just connecting your boots to your snowboard) will leave you feeling cold and wet. For pants, we think being more waterproof is more important than the insulation – since you can layer underneath. You also want a full range of movement in your ski pants – how else are you going to shred that fresh powder?

Gloves that keep your digits warm and dexterous while whipping down a cold hill are a necessity. You need more insulation for your hands than what your everyday pair of gloves or mitt will likely provide.

You have the choice between gloves, with individual fingers, or mittens, with a pocket that keeps your fingers together and warm. It does not really matter which style you prefer: mittens will be warmer, while gloves provide more dexterity for snapping in your boots into your bindings.

There are plenty of expensive gloves or mitts for extreme conditions. You probably do not need a top of the line pair of gloves or mitts, unless you do not let extreme conditions deter you from the slopes (but, you probably should let it deter you). At the minimum, you will need gloves or mitts designed with skiing in mind.

Gaiters are the preferred method of ensuring your neck and collar is warm. Neck gaiters slide over your head, and insulate your neck, as well as wick moisture away from your skin. Scarves will blow around and prove hazardous.

There are plenty of ways of keeping your ears warm on the hill, but finding the right one for you can involve some trial and error. Some helmets might have adequate ear protection, while you might need to wear a toque or a headband with some others. Ensure that your helmet fits correctly if you do intend on wearing a toque with it, as a bulky hat may take up too much space, stopping the helmet from working as intended.

Like many sports, safety equipment is a necessity. Skiing and snowboarding are essentially just going down a mountain really fast, so obviously things can be dangerous if you are not careful. Every rental facility at every ski hill will have helmets to rent, and there will be helmet regulations at most, if not all, ski hills you visit.

While fit and protection are obvious features that you should prioritize when looking for a helmet, ski helmets provide other features that other helmets do not – they keep in mind warmth and breathability, have hooks to ensure your goggles stay attached.

For a thorough buying guide covering all of our favourite goggles, check here.

Goggles are not strictly necessary like a helmet is, however once you ski with the right pair of goggles, you may never go back. Goggles protect your eyes from the conditions and improve your vision on the hill, making them an indispensable part of my skiing equipment every single outing.

Goggles do many things more than just stop snow and wind getting in your eyes. They often provide UV protection, as well as colour correction so you can see well in whatever conditions you ski in.

While we covered many different ski goggles in the buying guide above, you can trust Smith, whether you are looking for budget goggle (Smith Range) or a top of the line goggle (Smith I/O Mag).

Now we are getting into rental territory. Both ski boots and snowboard boots can be rented, just like the skis and snowboards they attach to. However, not everybody is super into the idea of putting their feet in rental boots, or you just might want to save some money for the next ski season. But regardless of whether or not you are skiing or snowboarding, the boots is essential.

We were planning to commit hours into research and going to list some ski boots worthwhile – however, we quickly found that your boots should be fitted by a professional. How well your boot fits can be a make-it or break-it, and not every boot will work for different people. As a website, we cannot do some of the essential things a bootfitter can do for you, like measure your foot or ensure that you have the right amount of room in your boot’s shell.

Your bootfitter should ask about what you like to ski, what you like and dislike, and consider your weight, age, and fitness level. A good bootfitter will also consider the length of the boot (many skiiers wear boots that are too big (they should not be 1:1 for your actual shoe size), the width, the flex of the plastic, and the cuff angle (the relative angle of the foot vs the sole of the boot).

Shopping for skis can be daunting from a first-time buyer’s perspective. There is so much terminology, so many different makes and models, and so many different pieces of equipment you may or not need that it can be dizzying if you do not know where to start.

This can be hard to gauge but understanding what types of features are better suited for different styles or difficulties of skiing is more than half the battle.

Beginners are recommended to choose skis with a softer flex, since these skis are “more forgiving” – meaning they can be easier to control or correct mistakes on. Beginner skiers might prefer skis with a shape described as “combined camber and rocker,” which arches up in the middle yet the tip and tail also curve upwards.

Once skiers get to the “intermediate” or “expert” level, they will probably then want skis that do exactly as they want – this means more width, rocker tips to let skiers tackle the back country easier, etc. As you ski more, you also will learn what types of conditions and terrain you like to ski in, and as a result, you can fine tune your skis to your style.

If you like moguls and carve up and down the mountain, certain materials like Titanal or Carbon will absorb the vibrations and improve the stability of your ride. These skiers might also choose thinner skis (60-99mm) which make it easier to switch edges when carving. If you carve mainly on groomed runs, consider widths on the upper end of the “groomed run” skis, which is between 75mm and 84mm.

If you like to go when and where the fresh powder is, opting for thicker skis (100mm+) with either a rocker tip or full rocker camber will float above even the fluffiest snows.

Back country skiers might either be happy with the thick skis we mentioned previously, or carbon skis that are stiff yet lightweight.

Finally, if you are a jack-of-all-trades skier, look to all-mountain skis, ideally between 85-110mm widths for use in Canada’s west, but you can go slightly thinner if you are sticking to mainly out east.

Ski length and width are not the only important aspects, and the natural shape of the ski also have an important role. Camber and rocker are two types of arches skis may have

Camber – Camber skis have an arch where the tip and the tail contact the snow, and the middle raises off the snow when unweighted. This can aid turning and have a typically softer flex than other styles.

Rocker – Rocker is the reverse of a camber – the tip and tail raise up, and the middle is the point of contact with the snow beneath. Rockers provide float for use in powder, but lose performance in harder snow, and turning can be more difficult as well.

Combined camber and rocker – This style combines the camber shape, with a tip and tail that also rise up off the ground. Difficult to visualize? Think of the shape of a pencil mustache. These skis both help floating in powder while improve maneuverability.

The sidecut is an inward curve along the length of the ski. The sidecut is calculated from the ski dimensions, written as three numbers, for example, those numbers might be 122 – 86 – 115. The first number is the width of the “shovel,” or the widest part of the tip, the second is the narrowest part of the ski, and the third number is the widest part of the tail of the ski. The bigger the difference between the bigger and the smallest numbers, the bigger the side cut and as a result, the shorter the turning radius. However, less of a sidecut improves performance on powder, so like everything relating to skiing, what type of sidecut you want depends on how you ski and where you ski.

Ski flex refers to the stiffness a ski responds with when turning. The more flex, the easier for turning and maneuvering. However, they are known for chatter at higher speeds. Beginners are recommended to choose skis with more flex, while more intermediate or advanced skiers might choose for more rigid skis.

Just like skis, first time snowboarders might be overwhelmed by the range of products available and the lingo involved with snowboarding. The lingo is similar, although there are some notable differences in what to look for in snowboards.

The shape of snowboards may change, based upon certain riding preferences. One of the most important aspects that influences shape that is unique to the snowboard is how they ride: either regular or goofy. These terms refer to which foot is forward on the board: left foot first downhill (regular) versus right foot first downhill (goofy). Boards that can be ridden either way are called twin boards. “True twin” boards are completely symmetrical, making them great for terrain park riding, while “directional twin” boards are good for use all over the mountain. Directional boards are usually asymmetrical have one correct direction they should be ridden on and are designed for high-speed boarding or free-riding.

 Just like skis, snowboards also have an arch or shape to them also called a camber or a rocker. These terms mean the exact same thing for skis as they do boards, but for a quick refresher, here are the differences, with some unique combinations you might find when looking for boards.

Camber – Camber boards have a slight arch in the middle, and when unweighted, touches the ground on both ends only. Camber boards provide a stable yet enthralling riding experience, with a responsive feeling on hard packed or groomed runs.

Flat – some boards are either flat or almost flat, with no curvature in the board. This style enables quick turns while increasing the float of the board.

Rocker – Just like rocker skis, the tips and tails of the board are curved and do not meet the ground, instead meeting the ground in the middle. Rocker boards handle very well, making them a favourite among novice riders.

Camber / Rocker – skis also have a similar style, where the tip and tail of the board are lifted off the ground, yet the middle arches off the ground as well. The goal is to provide the edge hold of the camber with the easy turning and flotation of the rocker style.

Flat / Rocker – This style of snowboard is similar to the rocker style, but is flat underfoot. to provide a decent edge hold on hard snow and rockered tips and tails for stronger turning and good float.

Once you have snowboarded enough that you know what you enjoy, you can plan to get a board that is specialized for how and where you like to board. Different types of boards have specialized features that improve their performance in certain conditions or part of the mountain. There are about 5 different types of snowboards – all mountain, freestyle, freeride, powder, and splitboards.

All mountain – All-mountain boards are designed to handle whatever you throw at them – from greens to double black diamonds, from the terrain park to backcountry.

Freestyle – Due to their lightweight build, flexible material, and twin tips, freestyle boards are a favourite among terrain park frequenters, but can handle most places on the mountain. However, they are not ideal for going fast on hard snow due to a general lack of stability.

Freeride – If you want to do the majority of your boarding in the backcountry, a freeride board is up your alley. Freeride boards are directional, meaning they are designed for one end always facing downhill. These boards have less flex, and are stiffer than freestyle boards.

Powder board – These boards are for shredding some serious powder. With a nose designed to cut through powder and bindings located further back than other boards, these are solid choices to take into the back country.

Splitboard – Here’s something new to us: a split board can be rode as a snowboard or break into two pieces and become skis. Splitboards are designed for backcountry use, allowing you to climb backcountry slopes on the skis and reconnect them together to board downhill.

The downsides however to splitboards involve the complexity of this board and the skills and confidence to make the use of it. This board is kind of a novelty, and should only be considered if you really plan on doing some serious ski touring, but only on a snowboard.