The Skiing Issue
Here's where to ski in the tri-state area, where to stay, what to pack and our favorite gear...
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Let’s be clear: I don’t ski or participate in winter sports (which feels very on-brand for someone from Hawaii). That said, my husband is passionate about skiing, my kids are avid skiers, and I’ve proudly stepped into my role as a ski mom. The learning curve was steep (pun intended), and I’m happy to share what I’ve learned so far about skiing in the tri-state area. I imagine much of what follows applies to snowboarders too—I just haven’t had to cross that bridge (yet).
If you plan to ski more than once this winter, rent your gear ahead of time rather than waiting in line at the mountain (truly, miserable with kids). I highly recommend arranging rentals in the fall, as many shops sell out by December/January. Buying skis at this age is usually not worth it, unless they can be handed down to younger siblings. We always rent skis, bindings, and boots and own everything else. Here are our favorite rental spots:
Ski Barn in New Jersey (we always tack on a day trip to NJ with this one. You could add a visit to the American Dream Mall, which also has a ski mountain, Big Snow)
Paragon Sports: Conveniently located in the city, there are options to rent new or used. Make a reservation ahead of time as they often can’t accommodate walk-ins.
Sportiva: I haven’t been personally, but I’ve heard it’s an easy option on the UES.
Wow—there’s a lot of gear involved! We’ve tested and tried countless items, learned a lot the hard way, and here are the winners that have truly stood out for my kids…
The number-one game changer for us was getting each of our kids a ski bag. It sounds simple, and I can’t believe it took us so long to do it. It keeps them organized and helps reinforce the personal responsibility we’re really trying to instill (they carry their own stuff)
We tried about ten different variations of gloves or mittens for our kids and struck out each time until we landed on these. They’re more expensive than others but high-quality and worth it. These gloves are decent enough if you’re looking for an affordable option, but don’t have wrist straps like the Hestra ones. Whatever you do, do mittens not gloves. Gloves are miserable.
For helmets, we’ve been really happy with the Giro brand—they’re snug, offer great coverage, and don’t shift around (and we get zero complaints about discomfort). Whatever you decide for helmets, just make sure it has a MIPS rating.
For goggles, we also love Giro. They come in fun colors. Just do not forget the goggle cover or case, we learned the hard way on that.
We’ve tried a lot of snow boots, and these have been the clear standouts. They’re easy to slip on, not too heavy or clunky, and tighten at the top to help keep snow out.
For base layers I love Helly Hansen (you can tell the quality with this) and outer-layers, Helly Hansen is also excellent. I like Patagonia’s fleeces for mid-layers
My kids love a neck gaiter and the Turtle Fur brand is our favorite. No socks brand has particularly stood out, but don’t think you can go wrong with SmartWool
AirTags: We always leave a little AirTag in their pockets while they’re off at ski school. Who knows if it will actually do anything, but feels like the responsible thing to do.
….and finally, the HotHands! It’s best to stock up ahead of time, as they’re easily ten times more expensive on the mountain.
Below the paywall: my top picks for skiing within a 3.5-hour drive of NYC. Each one covers the pros and cons of the mountain, the trip out, where to stay, and much more.
