Women’s Travel Apparel

The reality of traveling as a skier is this: Hauling a 48-pound roller bag, 35-pound ski bag, and 20-pound backpack through multiple airports, countries, train stations, hotel elevators, and taxis. All that ski gear adds up in weight faster than you can say “lickety-split,” and can make your ski vacation feel more like a workout, which is why we’re looking for the most bang for our buck with gear that pulls its weight. Whether its clutch on-mountain and off or so bomber you’ll live in it 24/7—like the Sorel Joan of Artic boots—these top picks will lighten your load and make traveling to your next ski destination more comfortable.

Sorel Joan of Arctic Wedge Chelsea Boot

We pushed the limits of the Joan of Arctic over the course of a year and could not have asked for a better travel boot. From never-ending blankets of snow falling from the sky in Japan to visiting a Canadian heli-skiing lodge to exploring Seoul, Korea on foot, the Joan did it all—and well. The molded rubber outsole tackled everything from fresh snow to city sludge and never once let moisture find its way inside. Classic Chelsea boot inspo kept them feeling classy for dressier dinners while burly traction gripped slippery sidewalks, bridging the gap between form and function. The super comfortable fit meant even sprinting across airports in a three-inch heel was comfortable. [MSRP: $200; sorel.com]

One Eleven SW1 Solar Three-Hand Date Black Silicone Watch

The SW1 keeps things simple—no heart-rate monitor or altimeter here—and focuses on creating simple-yet-beautiful designs that transition easily between light adventures, travel, and city life. With a stainless steel 36mm case for extra durability, soft silicone strap for comfort, and hardened mineral crystal lens to take a beating, it’s built to last. We loved the stylish black band and watch face paired with rose-colored highlights, but the best part? The SW1 doesn’t use a battery. Instead, all One Eleven watches are 100% solar driven and designed to charge under natural or artificial light, eliminating the need to replace batteries and create additional waste. At $95 there’s no reason not to. [MSRP: $95; 111watches.com]

Zeal Magnolia Sunglasses

Zeal’s reputation for creating eco-friendly eyewear is just one perk of these über-lightweight glasses. Made from plant-based Z-Resin, the Magnolia is super cute for everyday use and scored extra-high on adventure functionality. During spring ski tours on Colorado’s Berthoud Pass, the Magnolia stayed put no matter how much sweat testers could muster and weeks later mountain biking had the same result—which meant hands could stay on the handlebars instead of constantly pushing sunglasses up the bridge of your nose. Dark grey lenses were clutch for sensitive eyes and helped reduced the sun’s intensity and general glare for rich, true, color. [MSRP: $149; zealoptics.com]

Looking for more shades? Gear Guide 2019 Sunglasses

Helly Hansen W Lifaloft Hybrid Insulator Jacket

The Lifaloft Hybrid Insulator is the ideal midlayer for traveling. It’s lightweight and breathable where you need it to be, like under your arms, but warm everywhere else thanks to special Lifaloft insulation. Developed in conjunction with the Swedish ski team by the experts at Primaloft, Lifaloft has a 20% lighter weight to warmth ratio than comparable products and still keeps you warm even when wet. We loved this midlayer for its flexibility, like when a cross-airport sprint to catch a flight meant breathability was clutch and for the versatility a thin, but warm, layer provides while skiing. Bonus: At $185 it’s a steal. [MSRP: $185; hellyhansen.com]

Learn more about Lifaloft: Gear of the Year 2019

Icelantic Lightweight Eco Bamboo LS Shirt

You know Icelantic for their bomber, made-in-the-U.S.A. skis, but insiders know (and love) them for their other passion project: creating inspired apparel. Made in Minnesota, the Lightweight Eco Bamboo longsleeve shirt is the ideal versatile travel companion. Dress it up for dinner—longer, rounded, cut in the front and back give it just enough flare—and live in it every other moment. The 100% bamboo fabric is so soft so you might even want to sleep in it (we did). And though it isn’t intended for skiing, it definitely works as a baselayer in a pinch. If one shirt could rule the world, it would be this one. [MSRP: $40; icelanticskis.com]

Duer Performance Denim

If there was only one factor to consider for pants—whether traveling or not—it is undoubtedly stretch. The stretchiness factor of the Duer denim is so high, a 16-hour travel day from Denver to Japan was—all things considered—comfortable! Awkward mid-flight yoga poses were possible thanks to foresight of Duer’s design team creating a fabric with so much stretch, and extra breathability made all the difference in testers feeling better about themselves when travel reality (A.K.A. feeling less than fresh) set in. Easily dress them up for dinner out on the town or keep it casual for transcontinental plane naps and spur of the moment yoga poses. [MSRP: $129; shopduer.com]

Jeans for Dudes: Pants to Take Off-Hill

Holden Marren Down Jacket

Filled with trackable 600-fill down from ALLIED Down (read: down you can feel good about), the Marren is a best-of-both-worlds scenario. Thanks to a stylish silhouette and unique design touches, it fits into city life seamlessly and with core ski jacket functionality, like built-in powder skirt and underarm vents, transitions to the slopes even more smoothly. The 20k/20k waterproof and breathability rating was extra handy when snow turned to sleet and slush on a February trip to Jackson Hole, and underarm and side vents kept air moving when the sun came out and temps warmed further. On city adventures the oversized hood made all the difference to keep blizzard-like conditions at bay, blocking the wind and keeping blowing snow out. Final verdict: We haven’t reached for another jacket since getting this one, and the competition is stiff. [MSRP: $420; holdenouterwear.com]