Many Australians travel to ski and board, and the staff at Alpsport are no different. Our staff jet off all over the world chasing steeper terrain with deeper snow. There are many tricks that we have picked up over the years that makes getting to the snow that much easier!

Rolling bags are a great luxury for when you are travelling overseas, even with only one pair of skis/board your bag can get very heavy and you will be much happier trying to run for that connecting flight if all of your gear is on wheels. If you really want to protect your new skis then a plastic case like the SporTube will carry and protect your skis.

People spend a lot of money on their boots and footbeds. Not to mention the time spent finding the correct pair. The majority of our staff will take their boots as carry-on luggage, so even if your bags go missing in transit you still have the most important part of your setup, your boots! This is also a great way to take a few kilograms out of your bag to save you from those dreaded excess baggage charges.

Before you fly you should check with your airlines in regards to baggage limits. Does the airline give you a concession as you are travelling with skis/boards? You cannot forget about those annoying domestic flights, where they can easily get you if it is not a connecting flight. If you think you get a good deal in terms of your baggage limit make sure you get a copy in writing as numerous times what the person at the check in tells you can greatly vary from what you have been told over the phone.

Thermals

When travelling the conditions are generally far colder than we experience in Australia, so warmth can be an issue. The easiest way to increase your warmth is with a wool base layer, from Icebreaker. These are a good option not only for warmth but as they are wool you do not have to wash them as they do not smell like synthetic materials, saving you time and weight as you then only need one set of thermals even if you are spending a month on snow.

Down Jackets

A down jacket can also be of great benefit even though they are often overkill for Australia it is one of the best travel garments you can have. It has the best weight for warmth and packs small. It is also a good option for wearing around the village or in transit.

Goggles

You need to think about the conditions you are going to experience, is the visibility going to be an issue, Japan is a destination where having low light goggles is all but a requirement to be able to see? Another consideration is a goggle case to protect your goggles in transit.

Baggage Locks

It is a good idea to lock your bags so it is less likely that your gear goes walk about. If you are travelling through the States it is important that you make sure your locks are TSA Certified, otherwise the border staff will simply cut your locks!

 The challenge of travel, will it all fit?

Waxes

The colder temperatures that you experience overseas can mean that you need different waxes that are better suited to these colder temperatures. The dryer snow overseas sucks the wax out of your bases much faster than in Australia or even New Zealand, as a result it may be a consideration to invest in a travel iron to keep your bases in good condition. On return from your trips. It is important to apply storage wax to protect your bases and edges to avoid oxidization on you return from your travels.

Last but not least, arguably the two greatest tricks! Keeping everything charged when you are overseas can be a challenge, the best way to do this is to take a power board and then you only need one adapter and you can keep all of your tech bits charged up. A way to reduce the damage of overseas travel is to claim the GST back when you travel within a month of heading, if you have spent over $300 but remember to bring your receipts along with you to the airport.

Once you have all of your gear sorted, it is time to book for your destination. Our recommended travel agencies include:

Ski Japan – Australia’s number one for Japan snow holidays.

Global Snow Tours - Operating the finest ski and snowboard camps and development programs available.