What to actually bring.

What size pack do you need

The single most common gear question, and one that scales directly with trip type rather than personal preference — a pack that's too small means gear strapped on the outside or left behind; too large and you're carrying weight (and pack volume) you don't need.

These are starting points, not rules — pack size also depends on the season (winter trips need more insulation and volume than the same route in summer) and personal packing efficiency. When in doubt, the safe error is sizing slightly up rather than trying to compress essential gear out of the trip.

Resort skiing & riding

The baseline for a lift-served day, in-bounds:

• Layering systemA moisture-wicking base layer (top and bottom), an insulating mid layer (fleece or synthetic), and a waterproof/windproof outer shell jacket and pants. Adjust layers rather than wearing one heavy jacket — you'll run warmer than you expect once you're actually moving, and you'll want to shed a layer on the chairlift up and add it back at the top.

  Rough weight/warmth guide, if you're shopping by spec rather than by feel: base layers are typically sold as lightweight (~150 gsm fabric weight, for high-output days or warmer conditions), midweight (~200–260 gsm, the general-purpose choice), or expedition weight (~300 gsm+, for genuinely cold, low-output days like standing around belaying). Insulating layers are either down (rated by fill power — roughly 550–650 fp is budget/entry, 700–800 fp is a good general standard, 850 fp+ is premium and packs smaller for the same warmth) or synthetic insulation (heavier and bulkier for the same warmth, but keeps insulating even wet — the reason it's the safer choice for anything involving snow contact or high humidity). Shell fabric is rated by waterproofness (measured in mm of hydrostatic head — 10,000mm is a reasonable all-around minimum, 20,000mm+ is genuinely storm-worthy) and breathability (measured in grams of vapor per square meter per 24 hours — higher is more breathable); denier (a fabric-thickness measurement) trades off directly against weight and packability, with ultralight shells around 10–20D and more durable, abrasion-resistant shells at 40–70D or higher.

• Properly fitted bootsThe single biggest source of a bad first day, more than any other equipment. A boot that's too loose or the wrong flex causes more discomfort and control problems than beginner technique ever does; get fitted at a shop rather than guessing a size.
• HelmetStandard practice now, not optional gear. Look for one certified to a current ski/snowboard safety standard.
• GogglesFor wind, glare, and visibility in falling or blowing snow; keep a second lens or tint for flat-light days, and sunglasses as backup for bright bluebird days when goggles run hot.
• Gloves or mittensWaterproof, insulated. Mittens run warmer than gloves if your hands run cold.
• Neck gaiter or buffCheap, light, and does a lot of work: wind protection on the chair, face protection in cold or blowing snow.
• Sun protectionSunscreen and lip protection even on overcast days; UV exposure is higher at altitude and reflects off snow.
• Wrist guards (for beginner riders)A wrist injury from a fall is one of the most common snowboarding injuries for first-timers; inexpensive insurance for your first few days.
• Trail map / conditions checkKnow the difficulty ratings and check the day's conditions and any closures before you head up.

Backcountry & ski touring

Everything above, plus the gear that makes travel outside resort boundaries survivable — and the training to go with it:

• The essential three: beacon, probe, shovel. An avalanche transceiver (beacon), a collapsible probe, and a snow shovel — carried by every person in the group, every time, without exception. Virtually all beacons sold today are digital, multi-antenna, and transmit/receive on the same international standard frequency (457 kHz), so beacons from different brands and different years all work together in a companion rescue — there's no compatibility issue to worry about, only whether everyone in the group actually has one, has it turned on and in send mode, and has practiced with it. This gear is only useful if you and your partners have practiced a companion rescue beforehand; carrying it untrained is a false sense of security, not real protection.
• Avalanche educationA recognized avalanche safety course (in North America, typically an AIARE Level 1 or equivalent) before traveling in avalanche terrain at all. This matters more than any individual piece of gear on this list.
• Touring skis/splitboard with skinsSee Ski touring / skinning in the glossary; touring-specific bindings and boots (compatible with a "walk mode" or pin-style tech binding) make the uphill travel dramatically more efficient than resort gear.
• Adjustable polesFor skinning uphill on variable terrain, where a fixed pole length becomes awkward.
• NavigationMap, compass, and/or a GPS device with offline maps; backcountry terrain has no lift map or patrol to orient you.
• Spare beacon batteriesCold drains batteries faster than expected, and a dead beacon is not a risk worth taking on a full-day tour.
• WhistleA simple, reliable way to signal a rescue or group location when shouting won't carry.
• Avalanche airbag pack (optional, more advanced)A specialized pack with a deployable airbag that helps keep a caught skier nearer the surface of a slide. A real safety layer for those who choose to carry one, but it is a supplement to the essential three and avalanche education above, never a replacement for either.
• Repair kit and first aidBasic ski/binding repair items and a first-aid kit sized for the group and trip length; help is farther away than it is in-bounds.
• CommunicationA charged phone in airplane mode to save battery, and, for more remote terrain, a satellite communicator or personal locator beacon, since cell coverage is not something to count on.

Hiking

Scales with trip length and remoteness, but the widely-used "ten essentials" framework covers the core of it:

• NavigationMap and compass, or a GPS device/app with the route downloaded for offline use.
• Sun protectionSunscreen, sunglasses, hat.
• Insulation / extra layersWeather can change fast at elevation; bring more than the forecast strictly requires.
• IlluminationA headlamp with spare batteries, even for a hike you expect to finish before dark.
• First-aid suppliesA kit sized to the group and the route's remoteness, and at least a basic knowledge of how to use it.
• Fire-starting suppliesEven a small, reliable method.
• Repair kit and toolsA knife or multi-tool at minimum.
• NutritionMore food than you think you'll need.
• HydrationWater plus a plan for refilling or treating water on longer routes.
• Emergency shelterSomething as simple as a lightweight emergency bivy or space blanket.
• Footwear matched to terrainTrail runners are fine for well-maintained trails; a stiffer hiking boot with ankle support earns its weight on rocky, uneven, or off-trail terrain.
• Trekking polesReduce knee strain on descents and add stability on uneven or loose ground, especially carrying a loaded pack.
• Blister kitMoleskin or tape and a small pair of scissors; treated early, a hot spot is a non-issue, ignored, it can end a trip.
• Insect repellentEasy to forget, genuinely miserable to be without in the wrong season and location.
• Permits or passesSome trailheads and wilderness areas require a permit, parking pass, or reservation; check before you drive out, not after.

Scrambling & climbing add-ons

Once a route moves past Class 2 hiking (see Hiking, Scrambling, and Climbing), the hiking list above still applies, plus:

• HelmetRockfall and loose terrain are real risks the moment you're using your hands to move upward, well before ropes come into play.
• Approach shoes or mountaineering bootsFootwear with a stiffer sole and better edging than a standard trail shoe, appropriate to the specific terrain (rock, scree, snow, or a mix).
• Harness and belay deviceFor any Class 5 climbing; make sure both fit and are rated for the type of climbing (sport, trad, or glacier travel) you're actually doing.
• Rope and protectionOnce terrain reaches Class 4 or Class 5, a rope, harness, and the appropriate protection (bolted gear for sport routes, a traditional rack for trad routes) become necessary — along with the training to place and use them.
• Chalk bagImproves grip on rock, standard for most technical climbing.
• Crampons and an ice axeFor routes crossing snow or ice, matched to the specific terrain and steepness; using either without training is a common source of serious falls, not a safety measure.
• Glacier travel gearA rope, harness, and crevasse-rescue kit for any route crossing glaciated terrain, used only with proper training.
• Insulated, dexterous glovesFor rappelling, handling metal gear, and glacier travel in cold conditions, without losing the ability to tie knots or manage a rope.

Overnight backpacking & multi-day expedition add-ons

Once a trip extends past a single day, everything above still applies for the terrain you're moving through, plus a genuinely separate category of gear for sleeping and sustaining yourself out there:

• ShelterA tent, bivy, or, on some glaciated or high-altitude routes, a snow shelter dug on-site. Match it to season and exposure, not just headcount: a "3-season" tent is built for wind and rain, not sustained snow load or high wind, and a genuine 4-season/mountaineering tent is a different, sturdier category of gear.
• Sleeping bag, rated to conditionsSleeping bags are temperature-rated (often shown as a "comfort" and a "limit" rating); as a rough rule of thumb, pick a bag rated at least 10°F/5°C colder than the coldest night you actually expect, since a bag's rating describes survivable, not comfortable, at that temperature.
• Sleeping pad, rated by R-valueR-value measures resistance to heat loss into the ground, which matters as much as the bag itself for actually staying warm; roughly R 1–2 is a warm-summer-only pad, R 3–4 covers most three-season trips, and R 5+ is what a genuine winter or snow-camping trip needs. Pads' R-values stack (two pads' values add together), a common way to reach winter-rated warmth without buying a single expensive pad.
• Stove and fuelSized and typed to conditions: canister stoves are lighter and simpler but lose performance in real cold, while liquid-fuel (white gas) stoves are heavier but far more reliable below freezing and at altitude.
• Water treatmentA filter, chemical treatment, or the ability to melt and treat snow, since natural water sources can't be assumed safe to drink untreated, and may not exist at all above a certain elevation or in winter.
• Food storageA bear canister or approved hang method where required by the land manager; increasingly a legal requirement, not just a suggestion, in many popular ranges.
• Multi-day navigation redundancyA paper map and compass as backup to a phone or GPS device, since a multi-day trip is exactly the situation where a dead battery or a dropped device has the most consequence.

Quick-reference checklist

A condensed version of everything above, useful for a final pack-check before you head out. (This mirrors the starter checklist that auto-populates on a new PeakSeeker trip — see your Trip page's Checklist tab.)

Not sure what a term above means? See the Glossary & Reference page.