In this episode we are sharing the ultimate winter travel packing list covering winter clothes, supplies, winter packing gear and beauty & wellness must-haves for the colder season. Whether you are going skiing, snow hiking, or just going to visit a chilly destinations during the winter, these are staples for any seasonal trip.

Everything can be found in the Winter Packing List on our Amazon Shop.

1. Heated Jacket 
2. Waterproof Jacket (not just water resistant!)
3. Waterproof Snow pants for men or women
4. Wool Socks 
5. Heated Socks 
6. Merino Wool Thermals 
7. Thermal Gloves
8. Ice Cleats Attachment
9. Hand Warmers Rechargeable 2-Pack or One-Time Use Multi-Pack
10. Lip Balm with Sunscreen
11. Vitamin C & Immune Boosters
12. Compressible Packing Cubes 
13. Shoe Bags
14. Portable Power Bank
15. Headlamp or small flashlight

We also have a list of gear and episode on summer travel essentials for when you are planning a warm-weather escape from the cold!

Contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting Travel Squad Podcast!

Winter Travel Packing List – Episode Trancsript

0:35

And get ready to embark on a new adventure with us around the globe.

Hey Squatty’s welcome to this week’s Just the Tip.

Today we are sharing our ultimate winter packing list.

Today we have 14 different items that we’re going to be sharing with you and they range from a few different categories.

0:53

We have different types of clothing that you can wear in winter, winter activity gear, packing items, and technology, but this is so you can survive traveling in winter.

These are all practical and essential items that we think you would enjoy.

Joy and also make your travel experience a lot better for you.

1:13

So diving right in, we’re going to start with number one right here.

The clothing section is going to be a heated jacket.

So obviously this is great for winter and visiting cold places, particularly during the winter when it’s snowy and cold.

Kim, you brought yourself a heated jacket when you went to Iceland during the winter for Christmas last year.

1:34

And so when we say a heated jacket, I mean someone might think, oh, is it a down jacket like extra warmth, etcetera, flan aligning?

No, this is truly an electric jacket that warms within like its own internal heater.

It has a power bank included in it and you charge it and it has about 8 to 10 hours of power.

1:52

Different settings, low, medium, high for heat depending on how cold it is.

I have talked about this before.

This is my favorite jacket in the entire world for winter travel.

I would not have survived Iceland without it.

It also has a nice big hood with fur around it that’s detached and it’s cute too.

2:11

Like you know me, I am a fashion over function person so if this heated jacket was not cute I wouldn’t be wearing it.

It is adorable and it keeps you so warm and squatty as if you buy only one thing on this list, please let it be the heated jacket.

Next on our list is something that we talked about often and they’re the wool socks.

2:29

I love wearing wool socks when I travel because they’re moisture wicking, they’re warm, and they’re great to wear with stylish boots or hiking boots.

I have them in a variety of different colors.

I will not travel without them.

I think they help prevent blisters and I think they’re worth the investment.

2:46

You convinced me to get them after a few years.

And did you take those wool socks when you went to Iceland?

Did it keep you nice and warm with your boots plus with that heated jacket?

I definitely wore them in Iceland and I wear them in Texas in the winter too.

They’re soft and cozy, you can like slip around on the wood floors and they definitely keep you nice and warm in the winter.

3:04

I definitely do love some good wool socks #3 is going to be a waterproof jacket.

Now a lot of people use water resistant and waterproof interchangeably, but they are completely different things.

Believe me, I have a water resistant jacket that one time I was wearing out in the rain when we were hiking and I quickly discovered how after a while it’s not very resistant anymore.

3:30

So we got onto the waterproof train and let me tell you something.

Game changer for sure.

And so this, it really Wicks the water.

It won’t absorb into the fabric or the material.

It will definitely keep you dry.

And the one that we are thinking we absolutely love because it’s super lightweight.

3:48

It’s almost like a windbreaker.

So don’t think it’s going to be like super, super warm, although it is.

But it’s not a big heavy duty jacket, but it packs down really small in its own little container bag.

So it has a great space saving ability when packing in your suitcase or just even putting in a backpack.

4:06

Next up, merino wool thermal.

There are many types of thermals out there on the market, but if you’re going to an extremely cold place like Iceland or Europe in the winter, you are going to want Marina wool.

They’re moisture wicking, they are extremely warm, they trap heat in and because they’re moisture wicking if you are trying to pack lighter and in the winter that’s hard because you have gloves and boots and things are bulky.

4:31

The Marina wool thermals I found that you can re wear and it’s not as gross as wearing something that was like cotton or fleece that the smell lingers on.

Let’s just say that.

I also really like these because these are form fitting.

I remember growing up and the only option was like long Johns and they’re just so bulky and not cute, not cute and textured underneath and so it just makes you look even bulkier.

4:54

But these, they’re form fitting.

They’re slim, so you can wear them as your base layer and still have a cute outfit on top.

Next on our list is a 7 layer heat locked waterproof glove set.

These are fantastic.

5:10

They’re waterproof, they’re perfect for cold weather.

They also do have the ability to unlock your phone, so you don’t have to pull your hand out while it’s freezing cold outside to unlock it as well.

So I definitely think everyone needs a pair of these.

5:26

If you’re traveling in winter, especially if you’re going somewhere cold or in the snow, these are perfect.

I feel very well equipped to talk about this episode because I did go to Iceland last year, the coldest place I’ve ever traveled to, and I learned a lot about how to stay warm in the cold.

5:44

I learned a lot about gloves because I didn’t take my gloves seriously.

I bought gloves off of Sheehan for fashion.

I thought they’d be fine.

They were fleece inside, waterproof on the outside.

No, when you’re in a really cold place that’s 40° or less, you really need to take gloves seriously because it’s not just your hands getting cold.

6:03

When they’re so cold you can’t move your fingers and your fingers hurt.

So to have a glove that stays warm inside will make all the difference.

I could have really use this pair.

I remember a few years back, Jamal and I went to Capitol Reef National Park and we went in November, December, and when we woke up in the morning, it was 7° outside.

6:27

It was so cold.

And then we went and did a hike and we were along a Cliff edge that overlooks water.

And whenever you’re near water, the wind chill factor is even colder.

And my hands were so cold that they hurt.

And these could have really come in handy then.

6:44

Next up and last on the clothing items are going to be heated socks.

You can see the theme here that we’re going for of course with winter, right?

But these heated socks are almost in the same fashion as the heated jacket that we were talking about earlier.

But these are socks at the very top of them where they’re going to be on your shin and calf in that region, of course, there is a battery pack, so that’s going to be what’s keeping you warm.

7:10

They are electric and heated socks.

So these are perfect when you’re going out in the winter, whether it be your skiing or snowboarding, just out and about in the cold like you were in Iceland, if somebody is a sportsman and likes to go fishing during the winter, etcetera.

7:25

So just really practical as a whole to really keep you insulated and warm with these electric heated socks.

Take the cold seriously.

If you’re cold, you’re going to be uncomfortable.

You’re not going to enjoy the trip as much.

I thought about these because when I was in Iceland we went out Northern Lights chasing in the middle of the night.

7:44

Didn’t see the Northern Lights until 1:00 AM.

When you do see them, you’re standing outside in the cold.

I could only bear it for so long and then I had to go back into the bus because my feet and my hands were so cold.

They were in pain.

And I was wearing 2 pairs of wool socks that night too.

8:01

And they were furry boots that my feet were inside of.

Two socks, furry snow boots.

And still my feet were hurting.

These heated socks would have been so helpful that night to let me stay out there and watch the Northern Lights longer.

And they’re pretty unique.

I’ve never seen heated socks before, but I wish I had these when I was in Iceland.

8:19

See, Kim learned her lesson and it’s to your benefit.

Now it’s on the list.

So, you know, don’t have a situation like that.

Next on our list we’re going to talk about winter activities gear, and this next one is an item that we talked about a lot and it has a bunch of different names.

8:34

We call them crampons, but they can also be called ice cleats or snow grips.

But basically what they are are these traction ice cleats that you pull on over your shoe or your boot, and they have little spikes on them to help keep you upright so that you’re not slipping and sliding all over snowy or icy destinations.

8:56

I’ve used these when I’ve done hikes in the winter, especially in Bryce Canyon, because some of the ice, especially if you’re kind of going up up slopes, you can easily slip and fall.

So these help you prevent slipping and falling.

Yeah, really think about this almost how you would think of chains for tires when you’re driving in the snow, but these fit around the bottom of your shoe to give you that traction.

9:20

Super practical.

We have pairs ourselves, of course, because we do a lot of hiking and often it does happen to be in the winter and in snowy environments.

So these are super practical and definitely will keep you upright and avoid falling over and over again.

9:37

Something else you may need for winter activities would be hand warmers.

There’s many different types out there, but I recommend the variety pack that comes with feet warmers, hand warmers, and these larger hand warmers.

I use these when I went to Iceland and in fact, the reason I’m recommending just a few products back the heated socks is because I actually was taking these one time use small hand warmers and putting them in my socks in my shoes to help with my toes getting so cold.

10:06

So there’s multiple uses for them.

I put some of them in the pocket of my jacket.

So when my gloves gave out, I put my hand in my pocket and could warm up my phalanges.

They also have a rechargeable one too.

So if you don’t want to go the disposable one time use route, they have some that come with power banks and you can recharge them and continue to use them throughout your trip.

10:27

And you talked about putting them in your gloves and in your socks.

But Kim, do you remember we went backpacking and Havasupai Falls and we threw one in our sleeping bag and it helped to warm up our sleeping bag.

That’s right.

For the night and I would just take that and just like put that like right against my skin in my shirt.

10:46

It helped to keep me warm all night long.

It was perfect if you’re camping or backpacking in a cooler destination.

We have a few health and beauty items for the winter as well.

I want to say chapstick with sunscreen.

Chapstick because in the winter it’s cold air and it’s often Indy cold air, so keeping your lips moisturized is really important.

11:08

But people often forget about SPF during the winter because it’s cold.

It’s not beating down hot sun on you, but in fact, if you’re in a snowy destination, you’re very likely to get sunburnt if the sun bounces off that white snow and hits back at you.

So get yourself a chapstick with sunscreen.

11:24

Another great item to pack during the winter here is going to be vitamin C and immune boosters.

Of course during winter weather you are more prone to get sick, so you don’t don’t want that to ruin your trip or vacation or whatever it is that you are doing.

So always just pack with you.

11:41

Again, vitamin C and immune boosters, you can get all sorts of different things, but more particularly we like this one here.

It has 1000 milligrams of vitamin C with zinc, magnesium, B vitamins, electrolytes, etcetera.

So this is our go to that we have to just kind of keep things healthy within our body during the winter season.

11:59

We also have a few packing items that we’re going to talk about.

First one on the list for that is compressible packing cubes.

These are great in winter because it helps get the air out of bulky sweaters and jackets.

So if you have poofy jackets or you know, winter clothing is just bulky or in general, you put them in these packing cubes.

12:17

They zipper to compress and it’s help save a ton of room.

I always use them when we’re traveling for winter and it’s so amazing how much more I can fit in my suitcase when I use these.

Shoe bags is the next one, and you’ve heard us talk about this on almost every packing list we’ve ever talked about because they’re amazing.

12:36

I don’t know how I went so many years in my life without shoe bags up until maybe the last five years.

But it’s particularly good for winter because you’re going to be out in the elements a lot.

You’re in puddles of water, melted snow, mud, dirt.

These are things you do not want to touch other stuff in your luggage.

12:53

So you drop your shoes in a shoe bag.

Keeps everything else free and clear from all that winter.

Super practical item that you’re right, Kim.

I don’t know how we ever did without until we bought them, I guess.

I mean, we just took plastic bags from the grocery store and wrapped it, but that even isn’t safe because of course it’s not a full seal and things could leak.

13:12

So the shoe bags are super, super practical.

Getting on to the technology section and #13 here you talk about this all the time, but of course, it is listed because it is super practical.

And that’s going to be a portable power bank for your cell phone or any other electronic device that you’re carrying on you while you’re out and about.

13:32

Always practical when you are traveling to have a portable power bank, but even more so during the winter because believe it or not, and this is science, guys, you could look and find this out.

Cold weather actually drains batteries a lot faster.

If you’re out and about during winter weather, it’s cold, etc, your battery is going to drain a lot faster.

13:51

So you do want to have that portable power bank with you.

And finally, our last recommendation for your winter travel packing list is a headlamp or a small flashlight.

A keychain flashlight would be great for this, but we like headlamps because it keeps your hands free and it’s fun to wear.

14:10

In winter, it gets darker earlier, so it’s very practical.

It’s just an extra safety precaution.

And I think of it when I think back to visiting Big Bend.

And I know Kim, you’re going to be visiting Big Bend in a few weeks.

It’s one of those places where it gets really, really dark at night and there’s not a lot of light pollution.

14:28

And so literally coming out of our car, because we got there in the evening, it was so dark, we couldn’t see our hands or where we are going.

So having a headlamp or a small flashlight, super helpful and practical so that we weren’t falling and tripping over.

Squatty’s there’s a ton more that we could put on this list, but we wanted to keep it short.

14:47

If you have any questions about other things we might recommend for packing if you’re going on a winter trip, just DM us on Instagram at travel squad podcast.

And thank you so much for tuning into this week’s Just the Tip Make.

Sure to subscribe, leave a review and follow us on all the socials at Travel Squad Podcast.

15:03

And have fun travelling this weekend.