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Swedish Tourist Association
Ski tourers ascending a snow-covered mountain ridge in an alpine landscape.

Packing list ski touring – winter

Ski touring in winter offers a fantastic experience, with steady climbs through snow-covered landscapes and rewarding descents in untouched terrain. With the right packing and preparation, you can increase both safety and enjoyment throughout the day.

Heading out on a ski tour places special demands on both equipment and knowledge. You’ll be moving in terrain where weather and snow conditions can change quickly, so it’s important to bring the right safety gear, clothing that works both uphill and downhill, and enough energy and fluids. With a well-thought-out pack, the tour becomes smoother, allowing you to focus on what matters most: the experience on the way up and the joy of the descent.

Packing list ski touring – winter

Equipment

  1. Ski touring skis or splitboard (with climbing skins) for off-piste skiing
  2. Ski touring boots or snowboard boots (walk mode required for some guided tours)
  3. Poles
  4. Backpack approx. 30–45 L (designed to carry probe/shovel and fit a helmet)
  5. Sit pad
  6. Sunglasses
  7. Ski goggles
  8. Camera
  9. Optional ski crampons (may be required on guided tours; sometimes available to rent for bindings such as Dynafit, ATK, and Salomon Shift)
  10. Optional backcountry ski setup for classic touring (skis with steel edges + boots + skins) (applies to some tours where this is needed to reach the ski touring area, e.g. Sylarna)

Safety

  1. Avalanche safety gear: transceiver, probe, and shovel are mandatory and often available to rent. Analog transceivers are not allowed on some guided tours
  2. Helmet / ski helmet (required on some tours)
  3. Map and compass
  4. Headlamp (with extra batteries)
  5. Blister plasters
  6. Sun protection / sunscreen

Clothing

  1. 1–2 base layers (wool or synthetic)
  2. Mid layer (fleece, light down jacket, or softshell)
  3. Shell garments (jacket with a spacious hood; uninsulated shell layers recommended)
  4. Insulation layer (warm jacket with down or synthetic filling)
  5. At least 2 pairs of ski socks (preferably wool blend)
  6. Hat (preferably two – one thinner/headband and one warmer)
  7. Buff or headband
  8. 2 pairs of gloves/mittens (thinner windproof for the ascent and warmer for the descent)
  9. Extra underwear, socks, gloves, and sweater
  10. Optional insulated shorts (down or Primaloft)

Food and drink

  1. Thermos
  2. Water bottle (at least 1–1.5 litres, preferably insulated)
  3. Snacks / personal snacks and optional packed meal

If staying at a mountain station

  1. Change of clothes for the evening
  2. Indoor slippers
  3. Toiletries and towel
  4. Optional sleeping liner or light sleeping bag

Packing tips for ski touring

Person sitting on a hillside next to a backpack overlooking a mountain valley.

Don’t have your own equipment?

Rent instead of buying! You can rent equipment at many of our mountain stations. As an STF member, you also get discounts on outdoor gear and sportswear at Outdoor Buddies—great for both your wallet and the environment.

Your membership benefits

More pages for you

Alpine ski touring

Our mountain landscapes offer excellent conditions for ski touring. The challenge of ascending the mountain is combined with a descent through untouched, beautiful off-piste terrain.

All about mountain safety

With the right knowledge, your time in the mountains will be both safer and more enjoyable. Learn about avalanches, find out how to prevent injuries, or read about how to ford rivers safely during your hike. You’ll find all our related pages on mountain safety further down.

STF Mountain stations

STF’s mountain stations are the starting point for great mountain experiences. A mountain station is a comfortable mix of a mountain hotel, hostel and guesthouse. Here, you choose your own level of comfort and price.