10 Things Necessary To Start Your Ski Season

Are you ready for the slopes? We are! Starting a new ski season is exciting. If you're eagerly watching the weather forecast to see when the good powder is going to show up, then now's the time to make sure you have everything you need to hit the slopes as soon as they open.

The Right Boots

Your ski boots are as important as your skis or snowboard. You need the right boots for your sport,  circumstances, and most importantly, your style! If you are into all-mountain skiing and freeride touring, you may want to try the Atomic Hawx Prime.  Snowboarders love the Vans Invado Pro, equipped for all-terrain snowboarding, including backcountry and park/street.

For extra comfort, get your boots customized. And check their ski/walk performance so you can go straight to the apres-ski.

Smith Squad MAG™ Goggles

Snowblindness can really ruin your fun. The Smith 4D MAG™ S Goggles have an anti-fog inner lens, and ChromaPop™ lenses to help keep colors natural. With these high-end ski goggles, you can change your lenses out right there on the mountain if the weather or snow conditions change. 

Smith MIPS Helmets

You should never ski or snowboard without a helmet. If you are still using an older helmet, now is the perfect time to upgrade to one of the Smith multi-impact protection system helmets, such as the lightweight Mirage. Invented in Scandinavia, MIPS technology causes the liner of the helmet to rotate with your head when you take a tumble. This helps reduce rotational force from angled impacts and significantly reduces your risk of a concussion. They're no heavier than your old helmet and provide added protection for your time on the ski mountain. Always wear the best helmet technology, just in case the mountain turns against you.

A New Pair of Skis or Snowboard

Now is the time to evaluate whether your skis and/or snowboard still meet your needs. Is it time to repair, replace, or upgrade your gear? If you typically rent your skis,  moving from beginner skis, or thinking of trying something new, it might be time to add a new pair of skis to your quiver. You may want to try backcountry skiing, then we have the upgraded skis for you. We have skis for the backcountry, skis for aerials, and, of course, easy-to-ride skis for the more casual skier. We also have snowboards for everyone from the beginner still learning the sport to those who want to be able to handle any mountain.

Roundtrip Ski or Snowboard Bags

Unless you plan on renting your ski gear, you need to protect your skis or snowboard in transit. The Roundtrip Ski Bag is spacious with padded, cinch-top ski sleeves. They also offer a Roundtrip Snowboard Bag to secure your snowboard & snowboard gear in transit. These bags are also stylish, black with light blue trim, and fit any skis or snowboards. The best way to make sure your gear makes it to your destination safely.

Kulkea Thermal Trekker

You get to the top of the mountain, put on your boots...and they're freezing cold.  The answer to this problem is Kulkea's heated ski boot bag. The Thermal Trekker uses a thermal conduction design to heat both sides and the bottom of both of your boots. The center compartment for apparel is also heated and has space for your gloves, water bottles, lunch, face masks, bandanas, etc.). The heat is adjustable depending on conditions and your preferences; no more cold fingers and toes while you're traversing the ski slopes.

Bionic Drytex Knee Sleeve

Skiing and snowboarding are hard on the knees. Make sure to wear good knee braces. The Donjoy Bionic knee brace supports and protects your knee from lateral forces. It's a wrap-around design so you don't have to take off your shoes and it even has a little pocket you can put your cards and keys in. It's handy to have around if you previously injured your knee or if you’re simply wearing it to prevent an injury.

Trail Walking Poles

Sometimes, you just want to see the mountain in a more relaxing & tranquil way. Pack a set of good trail walking poles, such as the Atlas Trail Walking 2-Pc Pole, and your snowshoes. Another nice advantage of these is that while we recommend them for snowshoeing, you can use them for summer hikes in difficult terrain too. Spring doesn't mean we have to give up the mountains altogether, traverse the mountains year-round with these handy walking and hiking poles.

Snowshoes

It might be less high-octane than your skiing and snowboarding adventures, but slowing down and spending some time on snowshoes can be a great way to really see the mountain.

Atlas is a great brand and the Helium Trail is a fantastic snowshoe for beginners and casual snowshoers. It's a good trail walking shoe, has easy entry and exit, not lacking in traction, and with a lovely black and green design. Great if you just want to start trying the sport or if you’re a veteran looking for a daily pair for consistent usage.

A Thermal  Water Bottle

 It's remarkably easy to get dehydrated on the mountain. A lot of less experienced skiers think they don't need to drink as much because it's cold, and they couldn't be more wrong. Make sure to stay hydrated with the Boone Ski Nalgene 32 Oz water bottle. It's easy to fill, easy to drink from, and has a loop-top design so you can't lose the lid. It also has our cute flying pig logo. This makes a great stocking stuffer for a skier in your family too.