Ski Touring and Backcountry Skiing Equipment List

The following will cover everything you need on our chamonix ski touring course and our ski touring holidays – some items on or ski touring kit list are only needed on particular (eg multiday) tours – as indicated in the notes. Just remember, every extra kilo on your back knocks 10% off your enjoyment on the descents – so try and keep the weight down!

Technical Clothing

• Waterproof jacket – preferably lightweight and breathable
• Softshell jacket – mid weight wind/snow resistant jacket
• Softshell trousers/Mountain pants – ideally designed for ski touring. Insulated ski pants ok for BC trips
• Waterproof overtrousers – preferably with 3/4 or full length side zips
• Spare lightweight insulated jacket – lightweight synthetic/down jacket or other warm layer
• Wicking thermal top – ie a ‘base layer’ not cotton please…
• Thermal leggings – base layer ‘long johns’, light or mid weight (ie not exped weight!)
• Socks – specialist ski socks, or a warm loop lined pair of mountain socks
• Thin inner gloves
• Warm ski gloves – or mittens, if you suffer from cold hands
• Warm hat

Personal Items

• Water container – at least 1 litre, or a vacuum flask
• Personal medications and blister kit – any regular medications, zinc oxide tape, compeed, painkillers etc
• Ski goggles
• Sun glasses – CE rated 3 or 4, with side protection
• Sun and lip cream – factor 30+
• Wallet, passport and insurance docs

Hut Overnight Items (for multiday tours)

• Small wash kit
• Spare lightweight t-shirt/socks/pants
• Silk sheet liner
• Ear plugs
• Alpine Club/BMC card – for hut discount

Technical Equipment

• Rucsac – 25/35L for day tours
• Rucsac -35/40L for multiday tours. NB rucks MUST have straps on to carry your skis and an ice axe
• Ski mountaineering boots – for multiday tours (Freeride boots are ok for day tours + off piste)
• Skis with touring bindings – freeride bindings ok for training courses and backcountry weeks, but lightweight pin bindings for dedicated touring weeks and hut to hut tours (see recommendation on the individual trip page > Equipment tab)
• Velcro ski strap – to hold skis together on your rucksack if we need to carry them
• Ski poles – with good size 5cm+ baskets (telescopic poles are not needed)
• Climbing skins – they come with the skis if you hire your kit
• Harscheisen (ski crampons) – they come with the skis if you hire your kit
• Metal snow shovel – must be a full metal shovel (plastic blades don’t work in real avalanche debris!)
• Avalanche probe
• Avalanche transceiver – must be a modern digital model (older analogue models are now obsolete)
• Ski helmet – lightweight ski touring or backcountry model. Helmets are required on all our trips
• Climbing harness – with 120cm sling and locking karabiner
• Crampons – lightweight alloy crampons preferable on most tours, steel crampons for ski mountaineering
• Ice axe – lightweight model preferable (NB must have a steel head – see advice article)

NB An ice axe, crampons and climbing harness are not required on all trips – check the trip specific kit list.

Your guide will have all other ski safety kit, first aid and survival equipment.

Please see our Ski Touring Equipment Advice and Choosing a Ski Setup articles for more info.