Skis or snowboard.
Boots.
Helmet.
Goggles.
Layers.
The gear alone fills a closet, never mind a suitcase.
You are looking at a $300 ski bag fee plus a checked bag plus a carry-on, and wondering if there is another way.
For most ski trips, there is.
TL;DR The cheapest ski-trip math is to rent skis and boots at the destination, wear bulky base layers and the jacket on the plane, and pack only what you cannot rent. Total bag count drops to one carry-on plus a personal item.
I’ve made every packing mistake there is, and a few new ones, including ski trips, the rent-vs-ship calculation is rarely close. Renting wins almost every time.
Rent the gear, pack the personal items.
Most ski destinations offer rental packages for $30 to $60 per day. Skis, boots, poles included. For a 4-day trip, that is $120 to $240 total.
Ski-bag fees on flights are typically $100 to $200 per direction. Round-trip $200 to $400.
Renting wins for any trip 6 days or shorter, and ties or wins on longer trips when you account for ski-bag drag time.
Pack only what does not rent.
Helmet (hygiene preference). Goggles (fit preference). Base layers and gloves.
That fits in a carry-on. The bulky outerwear and ski boots are at the rental shop.
Wear the rest.
Heaviest jacket and warmest boots on the plane. Ski pants and a base layer underneath.
The full sequence handles ski trips inside the 10-step Space-Saving Travel Packing Method I built over those 12+ years of traveling half the year.
Rent at destination. Wear the layers. Carry-on covers the rest.
Get Instant Access for $6730-day money-back guarantee. Less than half a day of rental.
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Renting beats hauling, almost every ski trip.
12-year nomad, carry-on-only traveler across 5 continents, and creator of Organizing.TV.
I help you pack smaller, stress less, and actually enjoy the packing part of travel.