Download the Windy.app Skiing Checklist. Everything you need to practice this winter sport

Skiing is great, but not the easiest sport to practice. It requires not only the right weather forecast and skills but also special equipment, consisting of a lot of important things that are easier to forget than to remember, right?

To prevent this from happening to you, check out the Windy.app Skiing Checklist. The list is versatile and will work for freeriding, backcountry, ski-touring, and others types of skiing.

We have tried to make the list as complete as possible with about 100 items in it. So it is not necessary to bring all the things on the list, but only the ones without which you actually can't do skiing. For example, you should not neglect everything about safety in the mountains in winter, even if it seems "unnecessary". Conversely, it is quite possible to neglect things like "a favorite skier's book that I have long wanted to read," or an extra tube of sunscreen that you can buy in any store in a ski resort. See for yourself according to your situation.

Download and print out the skiing checklist (430 KB, PDF, Google Drive) to make sure you have everything with you when it comes to the actual skiing adventure.

1. Skiing equipment, spare parts, and repairs

Alpine skis depending on the purpose
Ski boots: normal and with "Riding-Hiking" function
Ski and telescopic poles
Ski touring crampons and bindings
Climbing skins for touring skis
Ski helmet
Ski mask or goggles (category 3–4)
Backpack for 20–30 liters for day skiing
Ski case
Ski boots bag
Rubber traction pads on ski boots
Ski straps for Alpine skis
Body protectors
Ascender
Set of mountain climbing carabiners
Ice axe
Mountaineering harness
Climbing self-belay
Different rappelling gear
A 30+ m rope
Spare parts for skiing equipment
Various tools for repairing ski equipment
Ski wax
Swiss Army Knife or similar
Scotch tape (including for climbing skin), glue, a big needle, and strong thread
Shoe dryer
Gas burner, 230-430 ml gas cylinder, and utensil set
Thermos
Water bottle for 1 liter minimum
A snack and meal
Travel bag on wheels, duffel bag, or large backpack for 45–60 liters
Airtight bags for packaging
Other

2. Safety, emergency, and useful items

Avalanche transceiver (beacon)
Avalanche probe
Avalanche snow shovel and saw
Avalanche airbag with ABS / JetForce / Alpride systems
Black Diamond Avalung
Electronic goniometer (inclinometer) for checking the temp. and the slope angle
Tent
First aid thermal (space) blanket
Light sleeping bag at 0 ºC (32 ºF) and below
Polypropylene seating mat
Beacon light
A lighter and matches (both are required)
Catalytic hand warmer
Whistle
Signal mirror
Headlamp and spare batteries
Basic all-purpose first aid kit and emergency kit
Dry or liquid alcohol
Knee pads, elastic bandages, and other means of body fixation
Notepad, pen, and pencil
Other

3. Clothing, accessories, and personal hygiene

Two sets of thermal underwear and base layers
Fleece sweater
Fleece pants for cold weather
Down jacket or vest
Ski jacket: warm and thin
Ski pants: warm and thin
Two pairs of thin and warm ski gloves
Two fleece or wool hats
Two fleece scarves or buffs
Helmet balaclava
Three pairs of ski socks minimum
Warming insoles
High-protection sunscreen and lip cream
Other

4. Navigation, mobile connection, and energy

Windy.app Pro weather app
Local snow report
Paper and electronic maps of the ski resort and region
Route description printed on paper
GPS navigator (GPS trekker)
Radio direction finding (RDF)
Radio (walkie-talkie)
Mobile or satellite phone
Smartwatch with altimeter and track recorder app
A small camera, GoPro, and the like
Headphones
Powerbank
Portable solar panel
Other

5. Identity papers, money, and insurance

National ID
Drivers license
International passport with a visa (if required)
Skipass
Any types of permits (if needed)
Rules of transportation of skis in luggage and payment
Emergency phone number and other contacts
Your itinerary and contacts left to this service, friends, and hotel
Credit card
Cash in local currency
Health, travel, and sportive insurance
Other

Check other Windy.app checklists. Soon we'll share similar checklists for all other top 20 outdoor sports and activities you can practice with the Windy.app.

Text: Ivan Kuznetsov, an outdoor journalist, editor and writer from the Dolomites, Italy, and Karelia, Finland, with 10 years of professional experience. His favorite sports are hiking, cycling and sauna. Read his other articles

Cover photo: Tim Arnold / Unsplash