Every SINGLE Item I Bring Snowmobiling in the Mountains
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January 18th, 2023
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Every SINGLE Item I Bring Snowmobiling in the Mountains

Mountain Sledder editor Pat goes through, one-by-one, every item he packs daily for snowmobiling in the mountains.

Check out the video to see what’s included, and a brief explanation of why I choose to carry each item!

Of course, this list is personal and should not be considered definitive by any means. Every rider will each have their own preference for how much gear they want to pack versus how light they want to travel.

Here’s a quick summary of every item I carry every single time I ride in the backcountry of British Columbia.

Note! This is list is ordered not by importance, but by roughly the order in which I pack it all. Packing my gear in the same order and manner each time helps me to not forget any items. Another useful method would be to create a checklist on your phone.

  • Snowmobile boots
  • Knee pads
  • Utility strap x2
  • Outerwear Bibs
  • Ski pull strap
  • VHF Radio
  • Avalanche Transceiver
  • Outerwear Jacket
  • Snowmobile Club Membership Card
  • Cash
  • Lip balm
  • Helmet carry case
  • Spare FRS radio
  • Spare avalanche transceiver
  • Helmet
  • Neck tube/balaclava
  • Gloves
  • Avalanche airbag
  • Shovel
  • Probe
  • Toque
  • Sunglasses
  • Goggle bag/wipe
  • Goggles x2 + spare battery for heated goggles
  • Satellite communications device
  • Toilet paper
  • Lighter x2
  • Painkillers (MIDOL!)
  • Headlamp
  • Helmet flashlight
  • Tunnel bag
  • Tool kit
  • Snowmobile tow strap
  • First aid kit
  • Firestarter
  • Emergency bivy sack
  • Down jacket
  • Camera accessories
  • Extra gloves
  • Water bottle
  • Lunch bag

And don’t forget your snowmobile key! Watch the video to the end to discover the trick I use to avoid leaving my sled key at home by mistake. It works pretty well—unless the key jumps out of your pocket in the driveway (this can happen, trust me)!

Every Item I Carry Snowmobiling in the Mountains

A satellite communications device can save your bacon in the case of a rare emergency, but my ZOLEO device is used more often to let my wife know that we’re all okay and having fun, for her peace-of-mind.


Every SINGLE Item I Bring Snowmobiling in the Mountains

All this without even mention of the camera gear I’m usually packing.

(You can see one of my camera cases at the start of the video, but in an effort to keep the video short I decided to refrain from talking about the camera gear I usually also bring along.)

Even without cameras, that is a lot of stuff to lug around! Yet it is still less gear than some riders (professional snowmobile guides on the job, for example) will carry. But like our friends south of the 49th parallel are fond of saying: It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Of course, some items listed in the video are absolute necessities for riding in the mountains, like avalanche safety gear—avalanche transceiver, shovel and probe. An airbag is a great tool for safety, but avalanche skills training should come first.

Other items can be shared across the riders in a group, things like certain first aid items.

Meanwhile, other pieces are not really necessary at all, but can make a riding day be more enjoyable; items such as heated goggles or a mega-lumen flashlight for night rides back to the truck.

What do you bring in addition to this list? Or not at all? Do you do something differently? Let us know in the YouTube comments!

Thanks for watching! And stay safe out there!

– PW