Life Hacks for Skiing

[Tvan]

I buy a hand warmers by the case from amazon. On ski days, I open a pair and put them in my boots before we leave the house to drive to our local hill. My boots are warm by the time we arrive.

I also put dryer sheets in our boots after skiing, and when we store them for the summer.

I fall into the minimalist category... no kids.

 

[Soujan]

2Ski's Life Hacks for Skiing


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.

Same as tying a ribbon to your checked bag on the plane but I use crime scene tape because no one else has it.

 

[2ski2moro]

I'll ask. Where do you get Crime Scene tape?

 

[Kimmyt]

Oh here's another one. Take an old blanket, preferably dark colored so it doesn't get discolored by road dirt (I use an old baby blanket folded in half) and keep it in your trunk if you have a hatchback, then you can put it over the tailgate when you are booting up and it keeps your butt warm and your pants from getting salt and road dirt all over them. I'm also thinking of buying a cheap bathmat or welcome mat to keep in there to throw on the ground so it makes booting up easier.

 

[Soujan]

I'll ask. Where do you get Crime Scene tape?

It would be fun to say, "Wouldn't you like to know?" I took some from work. Makes my bag super easy to find.

 

[lucy]

Great thread. We take the ski boots and stuff them next to the vent on the passenger side of the car. It's a thirty-minute ride and boots are nice and toasty by the time we arrive. (I'll have to try stuffing some chemical packs into the boots.) Nice! Also, I open the chemical packs for my mitts in the car and stuff them inside my gloves on the way up the hill... when we arrive I slide my cold little fingers into warm gloves. And just so you know I'm dedicated, I used some of that faux fur to sew little baggies for my chem packs. That way they are nice and soft and not too warm against my hands.

 

[geargrrl]

Oh here's another one. Take an old blanket, preferably dark colored so it doesn't get discolored by road dirt (I use an old baby blanket folded in half) and keep it in your trunk if you have a hatchback, then you can put it over the tailgate when you are booting up and it keeps your butt warm and your pants from getting salt and road dirt all over them. I'm also thinking of buying a cheap bathmat or welcome mat to keep in there to throw on the ground so it makes booting up easier.

Forget that, bring a lawn chair! Best hack ever.

 

[snow cat]

Small platypus water bottle in my pocket. I usually only fill it half full, fold it in half so it takes up less room. It carries enough water for a sip on the lift for several runs and I can refill it as necessary from the water fountain in the lodge. It doesn't hurt when you fall on it and it rarely freezes since it is close to your body, as opposed to camelbak hoses which I can never keep unfrozen.

@Kimmyt I had the same problem with Camelbak hoses until I learned this trick from a mentor.

After you drink from the Camelbak, blow all the water back into the reservoir. Make sure you do it thoroughly (you can hear water in the reservoir bubbling like when you do the same with a straw in a cup) and you won't have the frozen hose problem. If you don't do it thoroughly, you may get a frozen mouthpiece (this happened to me once or twice when I didn't thoroughly blow everything back) but that can be remedied easier than the hose. I haven't had any issues since I've been doing this and my hose isn't insulated.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I have managed to rip several camelbak mouthpieces while skiing (froze and then I guess I chewed on them to get at the water), but platypi inevitable crack and leak for me, especially folded. I don't understand how they work for other people. Even DH.

 

[Serafina]

Forget that, bring a lawn chair! Best hack ever.

Reminds me of my first year in Wisconsin - it was plenty cold, but we hadn't had snow before Xmas, and so the lakes froze perfectly smooth. Some friends took me on an Xmas eve skating party and used the lake access a block away from the house. We got to the shore area, and right about the time I started wondering just how I was going to put my skates on, one of my friends pulled a strap over their head, and set up a tube chair, right there on the ice.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Love the lawn chair idea, gotta do that. Makes it perfect for tailgating and parking lot chicken

 

[Kimmyt]

Haha I might do the lawnchair thing. And maybe an umbrella. And the lawnchair has to have a beer holder, of course.

 

[Christy]

Forget that, bring a lawn chair! Best hack ever.

But then don't you get snow in your boots, if you are booting up outside? I boot up in my seat inside the car.

 

[geargrrl]

But then don't you get snow in your boots, if you are booting up outside? I boot up in my seat inside the car.

We never have but I can see it happening. A carpet square would solve that problem. I can't remember where we first saw someone using a chair but it was a lightbulb moment.
I tried packing cubes in my bag and I freed up about 25% more space. I had to check that I had everything!!

 

[bounceswoosh]

But then don't you get snow in your boots, if you are booting up outside? I boot up in my seat inside the car.

I can't imagine being able to effectively put on my boots in the car! Too cramped.

 

[BethL]

@Kimmyt I had the same problem with Camelbak hoses until I learned this trick from a mentor.

After you drink from the Camelbak, blow all the water back into the reservoir. Make sure you do it thoroughly (you can hear water in the reservoir bubbling like when you do the same with a straw in a cup) and you won't have the frozen hose problem. If you don't do it thoroughly, you may get a frozen mouthpiece (this happened to me once or twice when I didn't thoroughly blow everything back) but that can be remedied easier than the hose. I haven't had any issues since I've been doing this and my hose isn't insulated.

Brilliant! I tried a Camelbak multiple times, with an insulated hose, and the hose froze every time. I'm going to try this tomorrow!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I never boot up in the parking lot. Was thinking of the lawn chair more for if we were to tailgate.

 

[2ski2moro]

Arrrggggg. How could I forget this?

Stash a bottle opener in your boot bag.

 

[mustski]

I can only put on my boots standing up. It takes a push to get into them. However, we never have so much snow in SoCal that I have to worry about getting snow in my boots - sigh. If we are at a big mountain, I boot up in the lodge.

 

[TeleChica]

Re: Camelbacks, in my experience, this works well only down to certain temps. I've had the tube freeze in really cold weather--even after blowing the water back. I've found that the tube refills with water on the chair ride from me sitting back on it, so if you aren't diligent, it doesn't work. Also, having seen a full quart of water run out of my friend's sleeve when his water carrier failed after a big fall, I've opted to only use them for Spring skiing. YMMV.