What to Pack for a Family Ski Trip to Passo Tonale

Packing for a ski trip with kids can feel overwhelming — especially if it’s your first time.

• Do you need specialist gear?

• How much is actually essential?

• What can you skip without it impacting the trip?

This guide is for families travelling with children who want a simple, realistic packing list — based on what actually gets used on a ski holiday, not just what’s recommended.

Quick Answer: What Do You Really Need?

Less than you think.

• focus on warmth and waterproofing, not expensive gear

• prioritise a few key items that make a big difference

• and avoid overpacking things you won’t use

We’ve now done multiple ski trips to Italy in both December and February, so this list is based on what actually worked for us as a family — including what we packed, what we used every day, and what we wouldn’t bother bringing again.

If you’re planning a wider trip or comparing resorts, make sure you also read: Visiting Passo Tonale with Children: What Parents Should Expect with Crystal Ski

Where helpful, we’ve included links to the items and brands we used during our trips — these may be affiliate links, but we only ever recommend things we’ve tested ourselves and would buy again.

From here, we’ll break down:

• what each family member actually needs

• what’s worth investing in

• and what you can safely leave behind

Weather in Passo Tonale

Weather in Passo Tonale can be surprisingly changeable.

During February half term we experienced everything from bright blue skies to overcast days, along with a full day of snowfall that brought around 30cm of fresh snow.

It often felt like you didn’t quite know what each morning would bring, so it’s worth coming prepared for a mix of conditions — sunshine one day, snowfall the next.

For a more detailed overview, see: February Half-Term in Passo Tonale: Crowds, Weather & Conditions

Ski Gear Essentials for February Skiing in Italy:

• Skis, ski boots, helmet and poles – rentable via Crystal Ski or bring your own

• Ski socks, thermals, and fleeces

• Boots for walking around the resort and village, in La Thuile I don’t think you specifically need ski boots for walking round the village

• Small backpack for snacks, water, and essentials on the slopes

• Ski goggles

Once we understood what we actually needed, packing felt much simpler than we expected. Having the rest of the trip organised made it easier to focus on just the essentials rather than overpacking.

→ See what’s included in a ski trip to Passo Tonale

Clothing: Layer Up

Base Layer (Keeps You Dry)

• Thermal tops and bottoms for everyone

• Moisture-wicking fabric is best

You’ve probably heard that merino wool is a must-have for ski trips, but in our experience, it was itchy, expensive and not really worth the extra cost — we much preferred regular thermal layers that kept us warm at a fraction of the price.

Mid Layer (Keeps You Warm)

• Fleece jackets or jumpers

• Softshell tops

Outer Layers (Keeps Wind & Snow Out)

• Waterproof, windproof, insulated ski jackets and salopettes. Don’t feel like you need to spend a fortune — we get most of our kids’ ski clothes from Vinted and have found brilliant bargains!

• Ski gloves – I love these linked mittens, (they have a little pocket that allows you to pop a hand warmer in, we all have a pair!)

Extras for Cold Weather

These aren’t always essential in February, but with changeable weather they can make a real difference — especially if you (or your child) feel the cold easily, like we do.

• Heated gilets (total game-changer — keep your core warm, and the whole body follows!), you would not need this if visiting in February but it comes in handy in December if you feel the cold. Make sure your ski jacket is roomy enough to fit a heated gilet underneath — a tight coat negates the effect.

• Heated socks — especially for kids or anyone prone to cold feet, again probably not essential for February but I did use mine in the mornings

• Hand warmers — cheap, light, and make a huge difference in gloves or pockets, again I tended to use them in the mornings, they were good to have to hand

• Hats, balaclavas, and sunglasses for sun and wind protection

• Ski Boot covers - acting as a guard against the icy cold, I thought these cheap boot covers were a bit of a gimmick but honestly they really worked in taking the edge off the cold.

What suitcase should I bring skiing?

Our go-to travel gear: We absolutely love our Surfanic Maxim 3.0 120L Roller Bags for ski trips and family holidays. The split-level design makes packing so much easier (wet away from dry, clean away from dirty), they’re super tough with reinforced corners, smooth quiet wheels, and they hold so much more than you’d expect. Ours have survived years of airport abuse and still look great. We also pop an Air Tag in each bag — they’re only around £20 for four and honestly give us total peace of mind knowing exactly where our luggage is at all times. If you want stress-free travel days, these are 100% worth it.

Filming Your Ski Trip – Insta360 Camera

If you want to properly capture your ski holiday memories, an Insta360 action camera is honestly one of the best things we’ve ever brought. It’s tiny, tough, and easy to use. The 360° filming means you don’t have to worry about pointing the camera perfectly — you attach to your helmet, chest strap or if you board the invisible selfie stick takes such amazing video.

Other Useful Things to Pack

• Lip balm (your lips will thank you)

• Good hand cream and moisturiser (cold air is hard on skin – we found this especially for our son who suffers from eczema)

Using your phone aboard

We used an Airalo eSIM for data in Italy — without relying on WiFi or paying expensive roaming charges while out on the slopes.

Don't forget the importance of Travel Insurance

It’s essential to arrange comprehensive travel insurance when skiing; we personally recommend Just Travel Cover because they compare multiple insurers to find personalised cover that suits your family’s needs.

Summary: The Essentials

With these items, you’ll be ready for anything Passo Tonale or any Italian ski resort throws at you, and you’ll save yourself a lot of stress trying to buy forgotten items after arrival.

Packing for a ski trip with kids can feel overwhelming at first — but once you know what actually matters, it becomes much more straightforward. For us, having the key parts of the trip organised made everything else, including packing, much easier to manage.

It’s one of those things that feels complicated before you go — but much easier once you understand what the trip actually looks like.

planning a ski trip?

Want the full picture? See what they are like for families, including accommodation overviews with our honest resort reviews here:

About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.