Ski Road Trip Essentials to Keep in Your Car
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My rental car on a snowy morning in Montvalezan, Rhone Alpes, France
The last few ski seasons, I’ve relocated to a different mountain town in a new region to discover its mountains and ski stations. I’ve since been able to discover dozens and dozens of ski stations across the US, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria, and have compiled a list of the essential gadgets and tools I keep in my car to keep my ski road trips safer and more convenient.
Each item mentioned here is also compact and easy to travel with, which is helpful if you happen to be flying to your ski destination and renting a car, like I usually do. Keep reading to discover my list of must-haves to bring with you for your next ski road trip.
1. All-in-One Car Safety Device
This list used to be much longer until I discovered this multipurpose device that really does it all. In just one single gadget, you have a phone charger, a power bank, a flashlight, a window breaker, and a seatbelt cutter. Especially when traveling, it’s helpful to avoid having to pack multiple gadgets for your every need, and instead can just bring one compact device that can be helpful in an emergency.
2. Phone Mount
Mountain roads are winding, so having a mount to keep your phone stable and visible is absolutely essential when navigating to a ski resort or town. I like using a compact mount that is convenient to travel with, and can easily clip into the air vent of any car. It’s also helpful to have a safe place to keep your phone mounted, so you have one less thing to worry about when driving through snowy or icy conditions.
3. Compact Ice Scraper
I keep a few of these compact ice scrapers in my ski bag so I always have one handy in case I am traveling in a new rental car, or if a friend I’m traveling with happens to need one. They are inexpensive yet indispensable for conveniently clearing ice or frost from your windows, mirrors, and windshield on cold mornings.
4. Washable Cleaning Cloths
These are great to have on hand in your car for any adventurous road trip, but are especially useful when skiing since it’s likely that your gear and shoes will be wet, dirty, or muddy. Using durable yet washable cloths to line the floor mats and the trunk of my car when skiing helps to keep the mess to a minimum. I’ll also use one of these to line the inside of my ski boot bag to absorb any snow or mud when I’m transporting them after a day of skiing. If I’m parked at the base of a resort and am gearing up from the trunk of my car, it’s also helpful to drape one of these cloths over the back bumper to protect myself from the car’s dirty exterior after driving in snowy conditions.
5. Ski and Boot Bags
These waterproof bags are useful for protecting your gear and your car while you are driving to and from the mountain. I also use these for off-season storage— but even when they’re not in use, they fold up nicely and don’t take up very much room.
6. Mini First Aid Kit
A useful amenity to keep on hand for any road trip, this first aid kit is compact but contains an impressive assortment of bandages, wraps, creams, ointments, and pain medications that would be useful for tending to minor wounds.
7. Winter Tires
Many sources may suggest traveling with snow chains or snow socks, but I highly recommend driving a car that’s equipped with winter/snow tires. Winter tires are safer, more reliable, and much more convenient to use than snow chains or socks. If you’re renting your car for your ski road trip, SIXT usually offers an option to select a vehicle that’s guaranteed to be equipped with winter tires.
Shop all the ski road trip essentials mentioned here:
Do you have any go-to products that you like to use when driving to the mountains for a ski trip, or have any questions about the products I’ve mentioned here? Let me know in the comments below!
About the author
Meet Carina Otero, avid skier and the creator of She is Not Lost, an online community for celebrating female travelers and a blog providing helpful tips, useful information, and inspiration for your future travels. Carina’s passion for skiing and love of writing and photography have inspired a new blog to share her experiences and personal favorites relating to the sport:
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Visiting Tignes in the summer has been an unforgettable experience, and my only regret is not planning a longer trip to be able to spend more time doing all the fun outdoor activities. Summer skiing on a glacier is definitely a feat I’ll be checking off my bucket-list, but beyond the thrill and excitement of it all, the experience was profound and left a lasting impression on me.