How to Pack Your Car Efficiently For a Weekend of Skiing and Snowboarding

Dec 21, 2024

It’s World Snowboarding Day! We’ll be spending the next few months highlighting some incredible winter weather destinations for prime snowboarding and skiing, but today we’re celebrating with a focus on essential gear and cargo products. We’ll also be focusing on prepping your gear for the road. Make sure you don’t miss a thing with our handy packing list, and follow our tried and true methods for efficiently packing just about any vehicle for a secure ride.

How to Efficiently Pack for a Winter Sports Road Trip

Prepping Your Gear Before Departure:

Make sure to pack each person’s gear in their own personal and labeled duffel bag, and ensure that your snowboarding/skiing gear is not packed in the same bag as your daily clothes and toiletries.
Choose a bag that’s large enough to hold the following items: boots, helmet, goggles, gloves, snow pants/suit, sunglasses, jacket, sunscreen, protective lip balm, an extra set of gloves/scarf/hat, thermal underwear, moisture wicking insulated waterproof midweight layering items
Remember to pack a First Aid Kit and spare sunscreen
Bring along some cases of bottled water, electrolyte beverages, shelf-stable protein heavy snacks
Make sure you have your lift tickets, admission passes, parking passes, and other information readily accessible both physically and electronically
Charge your personal electronic devices and consider packing a lightweight portable battery charger for daily use on the slopes as well as on the road

Tips on Packing Up The Car to Travel with Snowboarding Gear:

Have some tarps, waterproof blankets, or other protective barriers to keep your vehicle’s interior dry and free of slush, snow, and debris when you pack your snowboarding or skiing gear into the car.
Keep a snowbrush on hand to dust off your boots, gear, and other accessories before you pack them into your vehicle.
Packing a stack of absorbent towels on hand for melted snow and ice, and drying off any gear you’re changing out of.
Garbage bags or other waterproof totes and plastic bins can keep your wet clothes or wet towels off of vehicle upholstery.
Store your skis or snowboard on a roof rack on top of your vehicle or a hitch-mounted ski rack. Alternatively, a cargo box can be a great way to transport your skis or snowboarding gear, and will keep them free of muck, grime, salt, and road spray unlike a roof rack.
Bring along a physical paper map of the local terrain, snowboarding slopes, and mountain that you’ll be visiting for the day; it’s a good idea to keep one on your person and one in your gear pack in case of emergencies
When you load your car, add coolers and the heaviest bags as a base layer and lessen the chances of your luggage shifting during the drive; pack smaller and lighter items on top, and leave zippers and pouches facing the inner cabin so they’re accessible in a pinch for passengers. Be sure to take a photo of the packing layout for your return trip, so you can make sure to fit in all your gear on the way back!
Place personal items such as purses and backpacks in the backseat floor space; your phone chargers, lift passes and admission tickets, and parking passes should all be stowed in these items.

Great Gear for Transporting Your Wintersports Equipment:

Thule Tram: Vertical Rack Storage

This convenient option transforms your typical bike rack into a ski and snowboard rack for your personal vehicle.

The Thule Force XT L Roof Box

With 450 liters of cargo capacity, and 6 feet 3 inches in length, this roof rack is great for group outings! It can hold 5 to 7 pairs of skis, and 3 to 5 snowboards, depending on their size. It’s also designed for everyday use, making it easy for all-season travel.

The BougeRV 28” Ski and Snowboard Roof Rack

This rack is quipped with an Anti-Theft Lock device. The sliding rudder bar allows you to easily stow or remove items, while holding them securely while in transit. Additionally, customers report they’re easy to install and use and have very little noise from wind while driving.

The Thule SnowPack Ski/Snowboard Rack, Large

This rack can hold 6 pair of skis or 4 snowboards, and weighs about 14lbs. It’s got added roof clearance for skis with tall bindings, and is easy to open and close with an oversized push button.

The Pelican BX85 Cargo Case, Large Saddle Case

This is a great cargo accessory choice for storing your clothing, gear, and even camping supplies like food. Currently on a seasonal discount sale at the time of publication!