Skiing Essentials You Definitly Need

Everyone’s got their own tips on how to make their ski experience more enjoyable. Whether it be some strange way of keeping your gear from being damaged or just a family secret to staying warm on the mountain. There’s little things that everyone does that just don’t seem to be universal knowledge. 

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of some ski tools that you probably didn’t know about that could come in handy next time you are on a ski vacation.

Gummy Stone

One of the most overlooked things when it comes to maintaining your ski gear is that your edges can begin rusting fairly quickly. Whether you just left them in your top car rack for too long or didn’t properly dry them once you were off the mountain, you’ll begin to see some rust forming on the sides. 

This can mess with the sharpness of your edges, causing you to not get as clean of a turn as you may be wanting. Luckily there’s an easy and quick solution to this called a gummy stone. This small, cheap tool is perfect for removing burs and rust from the edges of your skis quickly and efficiently. A quick rub on your edges will take that rust right off and have your skis looking brand new again.

Thermal Water Bottle

On those cold days there’s nothing like some nice tea or hot chocolate to help keep you warm while out on the mountain. You can always check out the ski resort cafeteria but that takes time away from your skiing experience. Packing a thermal water bottle, like a hydro flask, can keep hot liquids hot for up to 12 hours. 

This is perfect for when you’re sitting on the chair lift between runs trying to stay warm as you slowly make your way up the ski mountain.

SPF Lip Balm

The higher the elevation the dryer the area usually is so packing multiple things on lip balm is crucial because, let’s face it, you’re going to lose at least one of those little things. Make sure you get one with SPF protection as well because your lips can burn and there’s nothing worse than ending your day because your lips are too cracked. 

Best thing to do is buy a few and just put one in every piece of clothing you usually wear when out on the mountain. Just in case you decide to layer down or lose, you’ll always have another somewhere on you.

Ski Locks

Bringing a ski lock doesn’t necessarily have to be because you are worried about someone stealing your skis. The problem that we commonly have when dealing with ski rentals is that most ski rental companies have skis that look pretty similar. Whether it be the same brand or just a common top sheet, you’d be surprised by the amount of times someone accidentally takes the wrong pair of skis without realizing it. All this does is lead to wasted time that takes away from your ski vacation experience. 

Ski Socks

Too many times have people thought that a pair of cotton or classic wool socks would be enough when they are out skiing. These socks aren’t made to curate the needs you need while you’re skiing and can cause blisters and sweaty feet, which eventually leads to cold feet. 

Companies like Smartwool have perfected the wool sock to create a breathable, durable piece of clothing that will allow your feet to stay warm without overheating. Even though you may think you need a thicker sock for colder conditions, don’t let the light material fool you. 

Also a good tip for anyone who is new to ski socks. Never double up on the socks. The rubbing and heat between the two socks will cause cold feet and blisters faster than just a single pair.