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How to carry kids' skis on your family ski holiday
Is there a best way to carry your kids' skis?
Carrying kids’ skis can be a challenge, especially when you’re also carrying your own gear. I’ve been there with all three of mine. The boys are now 10 and 8 and carry their own skis, and with Percy, who’s 2, I know I’ll be back to carrying little skis again very soon!
But, when I head out skiing with them, their friends and parents, or with my kid's ski instructors, it's clear that we all have our own preferences on how to carry our children's skis.
So whilst these are my 4 top tips for how to carry your kids' skis, I think the best thing you can do is try a few different methods. Show your kids some different styles of how to carry their skis, and then they will be able to choose their own preferences without you having to push a method on them.
With a few simple tips, you can make the process easier and more efficient. Whether you're heading to the slopes for a day of skiing or a family ski holiday, these tips will help you carry your child's skis with ease. Once you have that mastered, read this post on how to take awesome photos of your ski kids!
1. Teach your child to carry their own skis!
One of the easiest ways to avoid the hassle of carrying your child’s skis is to teach them to carry their own!
Teaching kids from a young age how to carry their own skis not only takes the weight off of you but also teaches your child responsibility and independence. And I'm a big fan of teaching our ski kids independence! It's one of the reasons why I love putting the kids in ski lessons; they are taught these ski-life skills as well as skiing.
But this isn't always possible, based on age, snow conditions or how far you are walking – especially in ski boots! Having said that, I will also say that our ski school here will be encouraging children from the age of 4 to carry their own skis, and our ski instructors always say that kids can do a lot more than their parents give them credit for! My kids are 3 and 5 in the photo below and could carry their skis in a car park, but they couldn't do it in the snow.
So, whilst this is always my first recommendation, and I always leave our apartment with the kids carrying their own skis, I also always have a backup plan to keep the day running smoothly.
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Hug-and-carry method
When it comes to kids carrying their own skis, make sure they are wearing ski gloves or mittens to protect their hands from the sharp edges. Start by showing them how to hold the skis together.
The hug-and-carry method is a great option. This technique is easy for even young children to understand and allows parents to adjust the positioning of the skis if needed easily. By using their own two hands, kids can confidently carry their skis to and from the slopes.
With practice, your child will be able to carry their own skis with ease.
On the on-the-shoulder method
From this hug-and-carry, your ski kids can then progress to balancing their skis on their shoulders. You will find they are keen to do this as a lot of the ski instructors carry their skis like this and are role models for children in their ski lessons.
The shoulder carry method is a great option for older children, as it provides more coordination and spatial awareness. It's easy and efficient, and most kids find it comfortable. Simply lift the skis onto your shoulder and hold them with one hand. If they start to slip, rotate them 180 degrees on your shoulder so that the binding brake holds them together tightly. This way, your kids can carry their own skis for a long distance without any trouble.
2. Use a backpack
My third option for how to carry your child's skis on the slopes is to use a backpack. This method allows you to keep your hands free and evenly distribute the weight of the skis on your back.
As a snowboarder, I rarely snowboard with a backpack as I find the extra weight throws off my balance whilst riding. However, since having kids, I've moved back to skiing with family, and I need a backpack with me to carry snacks, water, tissues, suncream and, of course, the kitchen sink.
Simply place the skis together, with the bindings facing each other, and slide them into the backpack. Make sure you have knocked as much snow as possible off the skis before putting them into your backpack. Then, make sure the skis are secure and won't slide out while you're walking. Look for backpacks specifically designed for skiing or snowboarding, as they often have additional features like hydration systems and gear loops.
I tried this method for a long time, as I was resistant to buying anything specifically to help with carrying both mine and my kids' skis. However, what I actually found happened was that no matter how much I cleaned off the skis before putting them into my ski backpack, there was still snow on them, and so anything in my bag, such as a change of clothes or beanie hats, got wet. I also ended up squashing any snacks that were in there.
So, whilst it might seem like the easiest method, especially if you already have a ski backpack, it's not what I do anymore.
3. Use a sledge
A really easy way to carry your child's skis on the slopes is to use a sledge. This can be great if you have a large group of children to coordinate and move around the slopes. It is often what we see ski instructors using here to move their ski lessons from point A to B. Especially for smaller children as you can also pop a tiny child into the sledge with the skis.
I can recommend this way to carry kids' skis if you are moving from, e.g. your ski accommodation to the ski school meeting point and then back again. However, if you are out for a family ski day, then this isn't really a solution because you would have to lug a ski sledge around with you all day!
So I recommend this method for larger groups – but please do make sure you lock your ski sledge up if you do leave it at the ski school meeting points as it will get collected or “borrowed” by other desperate ski families!
4. Use a ski carrier clip: Clipstic
My top pick for a kids’ ski carrier is Clipstic.
Clipstic is a small clip (about 45 g) that holds a pair of skis together and clips both poles onto them, so the skis and poles carry as one bundle in one hand. You loop the strap around the skis, pinch the poles into the clip, and that’s it. It works on any size of skis, including kids’ skis, and Clipstic says kids from about 8 can carry their own kit with it.
Why it works for families: it’s one clip per pair of skis, so each child can carry their own skis and poles together in one hand, and you can carry yours without juggling. Clipstic sells family packs too, so you can kit everyone out in one go.
Top tips: clip it on just above the toe binding, about two-thirds of the way up the skis. And if you’re renting poles, take the little inserts that come in the box, as rental poles can be thinner.
Clipstic costs from around €29 for one, with bundles for families, and comes in lots of colours. It ships to the UK and France. I’m sorting out a discount code for my readers, and I’ll add it here as soon as it’s ready.
That's La Plagne and how to carry your kids' skis
Hopefully, these 4 ways to carry your kids’ skis give you some ideas to try this winter. The best thing you can do is try a few different methods and find what works for your family. And if you want a shortcut, have a look at Clipstic, so everyone can carry their own skis and poles in one hand.
You'll find these posts helpful for getting ready for your ski trip:
- Whether to rent or buy ski gear for your kids
- Help! I've booked a ski holiday, now what?
- How to get kids comfortable in their ski gear
- The best family ski holiday packing lists
If you've got any questions, pop them in the comments below, or head over to the That's La Plagne Instagram and ping me a DM, and I'll get back to you a bit quicker.
