The Ultimate Packing Guide for a Season Abroad
One bag, everything you need. Rucksack vs suitcase, packing cubes, flying with ski gear, and the little things everyone forgets.
Rucksack vs suitcase
This is the first decision, and the right answer for most people is a rucksack. Not because suitcases are bad, but because the reality of getting to and living in seasonal accommodation almost always favours something you carry on your back.
Think about the journey: you fly into Geneva, get a transfer bus to a ski resort, walk from the drop-off point to your accommodation through snow and ice. Or you land in Nice, get a bus to the port, walk along a marina to your yacht. Neither of these situations is kind to wheeled suitcases.
🎒 The case for a rucksack
Hands-free: You can carry your bag and still manage a ski bag, hand luggage, and doors.
Terrain-proof: Snow, cobbles, stairs, narrow corridors in staff accommodation. A rucksack doesn't care.
Fits anywhere: Under a bus, in a shared room, on top of a wardrobe. No wheels eating into your storage space.
Doubles up: Use it for weekend trips, hikes, and travelling between seasons.
🧳 When a suitcase works
If you're driving to resort, or being picked up door-to-door, a suitcase is fine. Some people also prefer a duffel bag with backpack straps as a compromise: you get the structure of a bag with the carry-ability of a rucksack.
📏 What size rucksack
65-80 litres is the sweet spot for a full season. Big enough to fit everything, small enough to count as checked luggage on most airlines. Osprey Farpoint 70, Deuter Aircontact, and North Face Terra 65 are all popular choices. Make sure it has a hip belt that takes the weight off your shoulders.
Packing cubes: the game changer
If you take one piece of advice from this guide, make it this: use packing cubes. They turn a chaotic rucksack into an organised wardrobe. Everything has a place, you can find what you need without unpacking everything, and they compress your clothes to fit more in.
A typical setup:
Compression packing cubes (the ones with a zip to squash everything flat) are worth the extra few pounds. Eagle Creek and Osprey make good ones, but cheap Amazon sets work fine too.
What to pack
The golden rule: pack less than you think. You'll be living in shared staff accommodation with limited space. There are shops in every resort. You can buy toiletries, snacks, and cheap basics locally.
👕 Clothing (winter season)
Ski gear: Jacket, trousers, 3-4 base layers, thermal leggings, ski socks, gloves, helmet, goggles, buff. See our layering guide for the full breakdown.
Work clothes: 2-3 smart-casual outfits if you're front-of-house. Chef whites are usually provided. Comfortable shoes with grip for walking in snow.
Everyday: Down jacket or puffer for evenings. Trainers. 2-3 outfits for going out. Swimwear (hot tubs and pools are common). Waterproof boots for walking around the resort.
Basics: 7-10 days of underwear and socks. Pyjamas. A hoodie or two.
🔌 Tech & essentials
Phone + charger. Portable charger (cold weather kills batteries). Headphones. Laptop or tablet for downtime. Travel adapter (check your destination). A small Bluetooth speaker if you're the social type.
🧴 Toiletries
Bring travel-size essentials for the first few days. Buy full-size in resort. The exception is any specific products you rely on (prescription medication, contact lenses, that one shampoo you love). Suncream SPF 50 and a good lip balm with SPF are essential for skiing and harder to find cheaply in resort.
Documents and admin
Losing a document abroad is stressful. Prepare properly and it'll never be a problem:
💡 Pro tip: digital copies
Photograph every document and store copies in your email (send them to yourself), in a cloud folder, and on your phone. If your bag gets lost or your passport is stolen, having digital copies makes replacement infinitely easier. Some seasonaires also carry printed copies in a separate bag from the originals.
💳 Money
Get a multi-currency card before you go. Monzo, Revolut, and Wise all offer excellent exchange rates and zero or low foreign transaction fees. Set one up, transfer some money, and you're sorted. It's also worth having a small amount of local cash for the first day (bus, food, tips) in case card machines aren't working.
Flying with ski gear
Most seasonaires rent or buy second-hand gear in resort, which avoids this problem entirely. But if you have your own setup and want to bring it, here's how:
✈️ Airlines and ski gear
Most airlines accept skis, snowboards, and boots as checked sports equipment. Expect to pay £30-£60 each way on mainstream carriers, more on budget airlines. EasyJet, Ryanair, and similar charge separately for each item. Always book your sports baggage online in advance as it's significantly cheaper than paying at the airport.
Ski bag: Use a padded ski bag. They protect your gear and make it much easier to carry. Wheeled bags are worth the investment if you fly regularly.
Boot bag: Put your ski boots in a dedicated boot bag and carry it as hand luggage or pack it inside your main rucksack. Boots are the most expensive thing to replace if they get lost.
Space hack: Pack socks and small items inside your ski boots. Use the ski bag to wrap clothes around the skis for extra padding and to maximise space.
💰 The honest calculation
For a single season, renting in resort is often cheaper and simpler than flying with your own gear. A season rental for skis or a board costs €150-€300 in most resorts, and you get a tuned, maintained setup. Factor in flight baggage fees both ways (£60-£120 total) plus the hassle, and renting makes sense unless your gear is genuinely special to you.
What NOT to bring
Every returning seasonaire will tell you the same thing: they brought too much. Here's what to leave at home:
You'll wear the same 5-6 outfits on rotation. That dress you might wear once at a party? Leave it. You can always buy something cheap locally if a specific occasion comes up. And leave room in your bag for the return trip, because you will pick up gear, merch, and souvenirs along the way.
Things people always forget
These small items are easy to overlook but hard to live without:
🔒 The padlock
This is the number one forgotten item. Staff accommodation usually has lockers or lockable storage, but you need your own padlock. Combination locks are easier than keys (you won't lose a combination). Bring two: one for your room locker and one for the ski/boot room.
👂 Earplugs and sleep mask
Shared accommodation means other people's schedules, snoring, and alarms. A good pair of earplugs (silicone or foam) and a sleep mask will save your sanity and your sleep. This matters more than you think when you're working physical jobs at altitude.
Summer vs winter packing
If you're heading to the Med, a yacht, or a festival rather than the Alps, the approach is the same (one bag, pack light) but the contents shift:
☀️ Summer season swaps
Instead of ski gear: Swimwear (multiple pairs), light linen or cotton clothing, sandals, a decent pair of sunglasses.
Instead of thermals: A light rain jacket (storms happen in the Med), a hoodie for boat evenings when it gets cool.
Yacht specific: Non-marking white-soled deck shoes (required on all yachts), smart casual uniform items (navy polo shirts are standard). Check with your captain before buying.
Festival specific: Wellies or waterproof boots, layers for cold nights, a waterproof jacket, a head torch. Festivals are muddier than you expect.
📋 The one-page checklist
Lay everything out on your bed. If it doesn't fit in one rucksack, something needs to go. Pack it the night before, sleep on it, and in the morning take out two more things. You'll thank yourself later.
Bag packed? Now find a role.
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