Some Of My Ski & Après Ski Essentials -

It’s sort of ironic I’m posting about a completely different climate & experience than what I’m currently in LOL. If you follow me on IG, then you know I’ve been on a tropical island getaway for the past 7 days & feeling the effects of sunburn rather than windburn. To be honest, I meant to have this post go live before I left for my vacation but naturally, life & all it’s distractions got in the way.

But now that my vacation is sadly coming to an end, it’s time to get back to reality & remember that I’ll be doing plenty more skiing than sunbathing in the next 2 months. Provided I’ve spent most of my life on the mountain during the winter, here are some of my ski & après ski essentials I’ve found to be most beneficial to take with me on my trips.

If you’re a skier or snowboarder, then you understand the importance of warmth by layers better than most. I personally hate being cold more than anything else & tend to “over-layer” out of precaution. My motto is that you can’t always add (a layer) & that it’s always easier to subtract (a layer). Plus, I find when I wear a ski jumpsuit that I’m WAY better insulated & warm than I would be in a jacket & pants that can catch a cold wind underneath the flap (or cold snow down the waistband if I take a tumble.)

If you have your own ski/snowboard stuff, then you also know how much of a bitch carrying it all can be (especially if you live in a city..) Having a bag, that doubles as a backpack, that can carry my boots & helmet as well as my ski clothing gear has truly been a blessing. I also can’t stress enough how having a waterproof nylon bag can do wonders for traveling too, as most of your clothing will be wet with snow/ice or sweat by the end of your trip.

As for on the mountain, you of course want to capture the moment on your phone (otherwise did you even shred the slope, brah?) Gotta document for proof. Little do most know that in extreme temperatures below freezing, your phone battery will drain within hours regardless if you’ve even touched it. For that reason I like to carry a mobile charger (or 2) with me for when my battery dies mid-day on the mountain. I’ve also learned from experience that having a wrist tether for those chairlift selfies can help rest assure you won’t drop your phone and never see it again.

For those of you that don’t ski or snowboard, you can still enjoy one of the main perks of mountain life – Après Ski. Personally, I love packing an extra few layers to change into so I can be warm, dry, & cold-weather cool for the bar scene after a long day out.

What you absolutely MUST MUST HAVE, regardless of your ski/snow ability, is a down-filled coat & winter boots designed for sub-zero temperatures. If you don’t have either, then you’ll be surely sorry. Mountain life is casual-COOL for a reason; almost every place you’ll go requires a layer or two indoors. But this just gives you the perfect excuse to wear the best outfit ensemble over & over again: leggings, snow boots, oversized sweater, coat, & your choice of winter accessories (i.e. beanie, scarf, gloves, or all 3!)

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