Best Ski Gear
For Every Budget

Skiing is the one sport on this site where our advice starts with what not to buy. Skis, boots and bindings should stay rented until you have three or four weeks under you — a beginner cannot yet tell a carving ski from an all-mountain one, and boots need an hour with a bootfitter rather than a size chart. What you should own from day one is everything that touches you: goggles, a helmet, gloves and socks cost a fraction of the holiday and are the four things that decide whether you are comfortable. That is what this section covers. Start with the beginner gear guide if you are new to it.