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The Gear Room: Ski Trip Equipment Check
The snow is starting to fall on the Southern Alps and the time has come to clear the dust from your winter kit for the ski season ahead.
Whether you are heading out for a guided trip, course or planning your own winter missions this season, ensuring you have the correct gear for New Zealand conditions is key. When it comes to ski touring in remote alpine environments, your clothing layers are one of the most critical aspects of your gear set-up.
Clothing
A well-thought-out three-layer system will regulate your temperature, manage moisture, and protect you from the elements. Here’s our breakdown of an ideal 3-layer clothing system:
1. Base Layer: Moisture Management
Your base layer sits next to your skin and provides moisture wicking temperature regulation, and odour resistance. We love merino top and bottom base layers as they are designed to regulate your body temperature and quickly move moisture away from your skin, so you can stay warm and dry regardless of how active your adventures are. Avoiding cotton is critical as it absorbs moisture rather than wicking it, in turn drawing heat from your body and making you cold. We recommend a weight of 150 to 260 depending on the time of the year. Being able to zip your base layer open is also a great feature to regulate heat in the warmer spring days.
Shop some of our favourite base-layers from Icebreaker:
2. Mid Layer: Insulation
The versatile layer for unpredictable weather and varying activities, your mid-layer should be easy to put on and take off as conditions change. The mid layer provides warmth by trapping body heat. Popular choices include fleece/merino jackets, synthetic insulated jackets, or lightweight down jackets. In warmer parts of the winter season we recommend a natural fibre mid-layer or synthetic option is great as you can wear these while you are on the move without losing performance benefits. For colder times of the season it’s best to stick to synthetic and down. We always recommend having a down puffer in your pack should conditions unexpectedly change, or if you are on a course where there is more standing and observing. It’s important to ensure your puffer layer stays free of sweat and moisture as this decreases the level of performance, whereas synthetics can keep you warm even if wet.
Shop merino mid-layers from Icebreaker
Shop down & synthetic mid-layers from The North Face.
3. Outer Layer: Weather Protection
Your outer shell shields you from wind, snow, and rain. A waterproof, breathable jacket and pants with features like pit zips or thigh vents for temperature control are key. Look for durable fabrics that can withstand abrasion from ski edges or backpacks. We recommend a single layer shell jacket and pants, versus an insulated jacket so you can customise your layers based on the conditions and physical output.
Additional Clothing Tips:
Accessories:
Don’t forget quality gloves or mittens, a warm hat, and a cap and face cover to protect you from the sun. Bring an extra pair of gloves in case one gets wet. We recommend having a lighter pair of liner gloves to wear while you’re on the move, as well as a warmer pair of gloves or mittens for the downhill / when stationary.
Eye-ware:
Eye-ware is another critical part of your equipment that many people overlook. This is key to protect yourself from harsh weather and sun that is common in New Zealand. We recommend having a pair of category 3+ sunglasses to ensure optimal protection from the sun. If you are on a multi-day trip we encourage them to have shields on the side or sit close to your eyes to combat reflection from the snow.
Technical Equipment:
Avalanche safety equipment: (transceiver, shovel and probe)
These items are included with your trip cost and therefore don’t need to be purchased or brought unless you prefer to use your own. If using your own equipment, please ensure the following:
- Transceiver: your transceiver is a modern three antenna model and has full batteries with proper craddle to attach to you body.
- Probe: minimum of 240mm in length
- Ensure your shovel is collapsible and made of metal (no plastic)
Glacier equipment:
Additional technical equipment will be required if you are joining us for a glacier trip, all of which is included with your trip cost and will be issued to you at your pre-trip equipment check.
Touring Equipment:
Touring equipment (skis / split-board, skins, boots, ski crampons, and poles) are not included with our course and trip costs. If you require ski / split-board hire we can help with local recommendations on where to source this.
Final Thoughts
Preparation is key to a successful and safe ski touring season. By following the three-layer clothing system and doing a thorough gear check, you’ll be ready to take on winter’s challenges with confidence. If you have any questions about equipment or clothing for an upcoming trip, have a watch of Andrew’s winter equipment:
Treks by Aspiring Guides
The Gear Room: Ski Trip Equipment Check
Our Top Trekking Picks for the 2024 Trekking Season
Trip Report: Spring Basecamp
Join the Aspiring Club Newsletter
We’re at our best when we’re scaling rock, ice and snow but we give this email thing a crack every so often (Monthly-ish). If you want to hear about new adventures and updates, then join our newsletter.
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