5 Things You Need for Summer Ski Camp

Ski racers: it’s almost time to pack your bags and jet off to summer ski camp. Summer ski camp is an exciting time for ski racers—an opportunity to train in a new environment without the pressures of race season. Having the right gear in your bag can make the difference between fun and frustration. Make sure these five things are on your packing list for summer ski camp. And if you’re still making your summer plans, here are our five favorite summer ski racing camps. 

Training shorts

Training shorts are an absolute must-have for summer ski camp. Training shorts protect the surface of your ski race suit from scuffs and pilling on the chairlift. Glacier snow is made of sharper, more abrasive snow crystals. This is due to its long life and the chemical treatment that keeps it hard on warm summer days. Race shorts protect your expensive race suit from aggressive summer snow. They’ll help you stay dry and keep the important ski-racing muscles warm: your quads, hamstrings, and glutei. 

Race Suit

Make the most of your training this summer by training in your ski race suit. It just feels different to ski in a race suit, right? You can employ muscle memory by wearing your race suit while training. You’ll take more of what you learn at summer camp into the regular ski racing season this way. Maximize your summer training by wearing what you plan to race in—a ski racing suit. 

Flyweight Packable Windbreaker

Layers, layers, layers. When we think of summer skiing, we think warm and sunny, but in reality, some bad weather will likely sneak up on you. What looks like a sunny day from the base might be a whipping-wind chilly day on the glacier. Or, a storm could roll in, leaving you in a cloud of rainy chills. Our flyweight packable windbreaker packs down to the size of a granola bar—even the smallest bag should be stuffed with a packable windbreaker. 

 

A Warm Training Jacket

At summer ski camp, you’ll get on the chairlift right after sunrise. It’s still chilly then! Make sure you’ve got a layer you can wear when the sun hasn’t quite started working its summer magic. Something like our A Team Black Kat Training Jacket will keep you warm while holding up to gate training with a durable, three-layer fabric. It stows away quickly, and you can break it back out when the wind picks up or the clouds roll in. 

A Rain Poncho

Weather on the hill will  change quickly. Be ready for the possibility of rain and have a Rain Poncho handy. They pack small and are lightweight so you’ll barely know its in your pack.

Afternoon clothes

Half the fun of summer ski camp is the afternoon activities! By early afternoon, the snow heats up too much, and it’s time to stop skiing. Make sure your wardrobe is ready for anything. Pack t-shirts, athletic shorts, bathing suits, and athletic shoes.

When we think glacier skiing, we think goggle tans, training in T-shirts, and blue sky vistas. But it’s essential to pack for any weather that summer skiing can throw at you — follow our packing guide to be prepared for it all at summer ski camp!