KIT 01Ski Kit
Everything I put on before a lift in Utah, Colorado, and — yes — the Midwest.
It took a few seasons and some genuinely cold fingers to get this list right.
The Shell
Non-negotiable. Skip the shell, and you will freeze your butt off on the lift, which I can confirm. Layer it right, and it covers more days than an insulated jacket ever will.
Mammut Stoney HS Jacket
The only ski jacket I wear. All the technical bits, and it still looks good in the lift line.
Mammut Stoney HS Pants
Waterproof without the crinkle. I can bend, carve, and hike in them without the fabric fighting back.
Baselayers
The layer against your skin decides whether you’re warm or just damp. Merino, every time.
Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Crew Base Layer Top
Handles a sweaty climb and a cold lift ride the same way.
Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Bottoms
Worn under the pants every single day I ski.
Skis & Poles
Both are French, both from Chamonix, and neither has given me a reason to shop around.
Black Crows Camox Birdie Skis
Designed in Chamonix by people who ski the French Alps for a living, which explains a lot. Stable, playful, and the upgrade that got me off beginner skis for good.
Black Crows Stans Ski Poles
Matching French pedigree, and light enough that I forget I am holding them. A full season of laps and not a bend in sight.
Helmet & Goggles
Light changes all day, which is the whole reason for a second lens.
Smith Method Pro Mips®
Fits under a hood, stays put, and I stopped thinking about it — which is what I want from a helmet.
Dragon RVX MAG OTG Goggles
Rose or amber for storms and Midwest gray; darker mirror for high-altitude bluebird. I carry the extra lens.
Hands, Feet & Face
The extremities, which is where cold actually gets you. Get these right, and the rest of you can handle a lot.
Hestra Heli Mittens
Mittens, not gloves. This is not a preference; it is a temperature fact.
Smartwool Ski Socks
Not every wool sock is equal. If you need toe warmers, they go outside the sock, never against skin.
Darn Tough Ski Socks
The other pair in rotation. Thinner, and the one I reach for on warmer days.
Blackstrap Hood Balaclava
The ExoHinge design means the mask pulls up and down while the hood stays put. On a cold chairlift you will be very glad you have it on.
Hauling It All
Getting the kit to the mountain in one piece.
Mammut Lithium 20
Twenty liters, which is exactly enough for water, snacks, a spare layer and the things other people forgot. I take it skiing and hiking.
Thule RoundTrip Ski Bag
Padded enough that I stopped worrying about the skis on road trips and airport belts.
Mammut Cargo 35
Where everything ski lives except the boots and skis. Keeps it all cozy through the off season.
Thule RoundTrip Boot Pack
Boots, helmet, goggles, one bag. It opens flat so you can sit down and boot up in a parking lot without kneeling in the slush.
BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING ELSEGet the Epic Pass
Walk-up lift tickets at big resorts now cost a small fortune per day. If you ski more than a handful of days, the pass pays for itself; every day after that is basically free.
Buy it early. Prices climb as the season gets closer, and the cheapest window is well before the first snow falls.
