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Life Hacks for Skiing
- Thread starter ski diva
- Start date
Lilywhite
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I keep a couple of mini carabiners (sp?) attached to my jacket pocket zips, mittens, goggles, helmet get hung on them the minute I take them off. Hands free at self service counters, nothing to drop when putting skis on buses etc and if I have my coat I have everything I need with me.
mustski
Angel Diva
I need some of those! I lost 2 gloves so far this season AND I was using wrist straps!
Bluestsky
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ditto on tea bags. I also do this at the airports which have even higher prices than mountain lodges. Don't mind paying for an empty cup, they need to purchase them, don't they? Need to get the collapsible one though to save trees.
2Ski's Life Hacks for Skiing
1. Carry a ziplock bag in your boot bag. If you are injured, you can get ice from the kitchen or even put in some snow to make an ice pack to reduce swelling.
2. Don't want to carry a bulky tube of sunscreen? Put some in a contact lens case for touchups on the hill. The contact lens case is small, lightweight, and watertight. Also works for Vaseline (my go-to lip protector), hand lotion, toothpaste, etc.
3. Tie a bright bandana or wide bright ribbon on your black Transpack handle so you can identify yours in the large pile of black Transpacks.
4. Packing cubes in my boot bag. I compartmentalize my gloves, neck gaiter, headband, etc. in a bright colored cube at the bottom so I never have to search through the dark bag trying to find the left mitten. I also have a packing cube dedicated to the electronics - Hotronics batteries and charger, boot dryer, and the phone backup battery charger. Goggles and spare lenses are in a hard side case with the Cat Crap and a soft cloth.
Thanks Lilywhite, I will get carabiners for skiing. Best. Idea. Ever.
1. Carry a ziplock bag in your boot bag. If you are injured, you can get ice from the kitchen or even put in some snow to make an ice pack to reduce swelling.
2. Don't want to carry a bulky tube of sunscreen? Put some in a contact lens case for touchups on the hill. The contact lens case is small, lightweight, and watertight. Also works for Vaseline (my go-to lip protector), hand lotion, toothpaste, etc.
3. Tie a bright bandana or wide bright ribbon on your black Transpack handle so you can identify yours in the large pile of black Transpacks.
4. Packing cubes in my boot bag. I compartmentalize my gloves, neck gaiter, headband, etc. in a bright colored cube at the bottom so I never have to search through the dark bag trying to find the left mitten. I also have a packing cube dedicated to the electronics - Hotronics batteries and charger, boot dryer, and the phone backup battery charger. Goggles and spare lenses are in a hard side case with the Cat Crap and a soft cloth.
Thanks Lilywhite, I will get carabiners for skiing. Best. Idea. Ever.
bounceswoosh
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
These are all fantastic! The only one I've kind of thought about is packing cubes - the rest are completely new!
surfsnowgirl
Banned
I bring thermoses with me so I can fill then with soup and hot cocoa which are staples for a ski day. I bring tea bags with me in the event I feel like tea because I am a little bit of a tea snob so I like my certain tea. I also bring a coffee mug to put said tea or coffee in.
Bluestsky
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Ah the things you do when you're cold! I have hotronics boot heaters and DryGuy boot gloves. When the temps really drop I also slide HotHands hand warmers to the toe area of my driving clogs, so my toes are warm when I put the ski boots on. I then reuse the warmers in my gloves.
Bluestsky
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
surfsnowgirl
Banned
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How do you carry all these...a pack ski mule?
Ha right. If we are going to our local hill I put these things in a cooler and leave that in the lodge. If we are going to Mount Snow, Vermont for example who doesn't allow coolers I'll put everything in my handy dandy Dakine boot bag.
surfsnowgirl
Banned
Our local hill is pretty cool. Last March towards the end of the season we were sitting outside listening to a local artist play some music and there was this couple next to us that was full on tailgating. They had a hibachi, big cooler and were drinking beers, eating salads and cooking up sausages and burgers. It was pretty hilarious, they were nice folks, they shared a little with us
Inoffensive Nickname
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
In the rear hidden storage compartment of my vehicle, I carry plastic flatware and paper plates sealed in a gallon Ziploc bag, and condiments in another Ziploc bag. I also carry trash bags (useful for filling with snow and using for an ice pack on the way to the emergency room), a roll of paper towels and a cooler. The beauty of the cooler is that it also keeps hot foods hot. I can stop and pick up a hot freshly roasted chicken, a loaf of bread, and a pound of coleslaw on the way to the hill. If I put the chicken in the cooler, it stays steaming hot for at least 2 or 3 hours, and we can have a tailgating party to feed 4-6 people in the parking lot for about $15 vs. paying about $50 in the resort. For some reason, parking lot chicken washed down with an ice cold beer is the best chicken ever.
We always have spare gloves, poles, and goggles in our gear bags in case someone loses something. (Our ski area is so small that a trip to the parking lot is nothing, so it's a good place to hang out when we don't feel like indulging in overpriced refreshments.)
We always have spare gloves, poles, and goggles in our gear bags in case someone loses something. (Our ski area is so small that a trip to the parking lot is nothing, so it's a good place to hang out when we don't feel like indulging in overpriced refreshments.)
Serafina
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You guys are amazing. I don't carry anything at all but ski clothes and gear, my DL/insurance card/credit card zipped into the pocket (in case of emergency trips off the hill) with my spare tampon (a different kind of emergency) and a lip balm, and that's it. No bags, no snacks, no drinks, no water, no camping supplies, no spare gear (carrying one pair of spring gloves and one pair of winter gloves doesn't count, I don't think), no thermoses, no hot food, no orthopedic or first-aid supplies.
I'm going to go out on a limb and wonder if the dividing line between my minimalistic approach and the uber-prepared approach is having had kids. One hauls around a fabulous amount of stuff when one has small children, and I'm wondering if being heavily laden is something one gets used to. My boot bag must weigh 25 lbs, just with the immediately-necessary ski gear and clothes. I can't imagine adding anything substantial to that.
I'm going to go out on a limb and wonder if the dividing line between my minimalistic approach and the uber-prepared approach is having had kids. One hauls around a fabulous amount of stuff when one has small children, and I'm wondering if being heavily laden is something one gets used to. My boot bag must weigh 25 lbs, just with the immediately-necessary ski gear and clothes. I can't imagine adding anything substantial to that.
Christy
Angel Diva
Your theory works with me--I bring what you bring, and I don't have kids. But then again, I don't see others hauling a lot of stuff into the lodges at Crystal. I don't think that's done here.
BRILLIANT.
surfsnowgirl
Banned
We don't have kids but I am just not a fan of the extortion ski resorts charge for stuff. I would rather hit the grocery store and be in complete control over what we are eating.
Once in a while if ski patrol is having a BBQ we will partake or if the place has a nice lodge ie the upper lodge in Killington we will spring for a nice meal. Otherwise it's brown bag it baby and we are that much happier for it for a myriad of reasons.
Unless we are separately carrying a cooler which isn't all the time you'd never know we have anything on us as its all in the boot bag.
I am even a fan of bringing in dinner/snacks to the movies. Wine, cheese, crackers, sandwich. Having a big purse is a beautiful thing.
Once in a while if ski patrol is having a BBQ we will partake or if the place has a nice lodge ie the upper lodge in Killington we will spring for a nice meal. Otherwise it's brown bag it baby and we are that much happier for it for a myriad of reasons.
Unless we are separately carrying a cooler which isn't all the time you'd never know we have anything on us as its all in the boot bag.
I am even a fan of bringing in dinner/snacks to the movies. Wine, cheese, crackers, sandwich. Having a big purse is a beautiful thing.
geargrrl
Angel Diva
Genius!!! I was thinking most of these hacks are pretty ho-hum until I got to this. I have huge back and always I have to pull everything out to find the extra socks or extra neck gaiter. I have lots of packing cubes.
I think where ones gets into "everything but the kitchen" sink is what you do with your gear for the day. I'm so used to dragging a bag (full of everything +) into the patrol building that when I have to operate out of the back of the car it really messes me up.
DanniAB
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
1. Put hand warmers in the boots first thing in the morning.
The toe box warms nicely!
2. I sewed a google bag & mitt bag with shoelaces as ties up top. (think grade 7 home-ec project). They hang in a closet with everything always pre-packed. I never forget anything - just grab the bags & go!
3. I re-fill the same Nestea plastic bottle with water, and seal it inside a large Ziplock bag in my backpack. That way incase I fall & the bottle breaks - it won't drench my back!
The toe box warms nicely!
2. I sewed a google bag & mitt bag with shoelaces as ties up top. (think grade 7 home-ec project). They hang in a closet with everything always pre-packed. I never forget anything - just grab the bags & go!
3. I re-fill the same Nestea plastic bottle with water, and seal it inside a large Ziplock bag in my backpack. That way incase I fall & the bottle breaks - it won't drench my back!
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RuthB
Angel Diva
I bust your theory. I'm a minimalist too and have a kid. The only concessions we made were when he was still in ski and daycare combined and his bag in his locker had a change of clothes, spare socks and spare gloves.
surfsnowgirl
Banned
I love the hand warmer in boots while eating breakfast idea.... Such a great thread. We buy a box of bai 5 juice and multipacks of cracks from Costco so we can grab n go for skiing. I load up the cooler with this stuff and then we stop off at the grocery store just before we hit the hotel each friday night.
