Necessary items for trip out west

how average are your poles?

where are you skiing and what kind of terrain are you going to be hitting?

Skis

If it's a pow day, 115mm or bigger

That's all you need

UrbanYetiYo Newschoolers! I'm from Wisconsin and have spent my days skiing on icy hills like Afton Alps and Granite Peak. My roommates and I are planning to have a 4 or 7 day trip out west with 4 or 7 day passes from EPIC. I currently have LINE Traveling Circus skis and Alpina FS 360 boots and average poles, pants, jacket, mittens, helmet and goggles. What are necessary items for a successful trip out west? Do I need better skis (if so, what would be good options)? What do I need to know about skiing out west versus skiing on icy hills in the Midwest? Let me know anything that may aid me in my voyage out west!

I second this. Heading out to Steamboat tomorrow. I'm bringing my J Whip-its.

If it snows more than 8ins your gonna want pow skis(unless your skis are smaller for ur size).

Fat skis are a good call

Alpina boots? unless they stepped up their game and Im unaware those are damn near rental boots. thats gonna be your biggest problem on a real mountain. Ignore my comment if they are legit.

but stiffer skis will help out alot with mobbing around, since im assuming your not heading there to ski park. but skis are skis, the boots are what matters.

Good dark goggle lenses, its way brighter at elevation than the gray midwest. Good low light lenses to, which hopefully you'll get to use if it snows.

you dont need fat skis. dont waste money on some massive pow ski. you straight up dont need it. Unless it absolutely pukes and your skiing 2+ft of pow, they are just extra weight. rent um if it dumps, but like I said, skis are skis, they are less important than people make um out to be. Focus on your boots, your legs will get worked regardless, and a good tight fitting boot will pay off in spades far more than a fat ski.

I hate seeing kids try to slop around in banana boat boots. If you have the time to break them in and have a good shop to help fit them, they should be uncomfortably tight out of the box. if they feel good they are too big. they will fit perfect after they break in. Buy them out west at a real shop if there arent any good fitters by you, so you can have them tweak them through your trip. which my guess is that there isnt since its the midwest and you simply cant feel a boot out properly under those mediocre conditions. I know this, I grew up in Ohio.

Have fun!! The west is the best!