It was around midnight. I had just arrived at the airport in Calgary for my winter Banff trip after a 30 minute flight delay.
I had to rush through to get past customs and make it to the rental car place before they closed at 12:30. It was a challenge, but mission accepted!
Luckily at this hour, there was almost no one around and the lines through Canadian customs was really quick!
To get to the rental car place in Calgary, I had to rush outside across a small crosswalk to take the elevator to go up.
I took my jacket off on the flight and was carrying it on my arm. The only thing I was wearing was a medium sized sweater and a pair of jeans.
I walked outside and it felt like a wall of ice hit my entire body. It took me by surprise as I forgot I wasn’t wearing my jacket.
I had never felt cold like that in my life…and it wasn’t even that “cold” by Canadian standards – only about -10 Celsius.
Canada is COLD in the winter and you need to dress appropriately otherwise your stay will be miserable.
This past December/January, I did a week long trip in Banff and it was incredible. Banff is just incredible in the winter.
But you have to come prepared. The cold is unforgiving and you don’t want a miserable trip because you were unprepared.
So here is my ultimate Banff winter packing list!
So…Just HOW Cold Is A Banff Winter?
If you were like me, you’re probably wondering how cold Banff is in the winter.
Well, let me tell you: it’s freaking COLD!
During the winter it’s normally -5 to -15 degrees Celsius in the day and -20 or colder at night.
When I went, the locals told me it was actually a “warm” winter (only about -10 during the day).
I’ve been living in Southern California for the past 5 years, so I’m not used to that kind of cold. In fact, anything below 50 degrees F is really cold for me haha!
Anyways, just wanted to clear that up first before going over my list:
1. Wantdo Ski Jacket
If I could only pack one thing for the winter in Banff, it would be a freaking thick winter jacket.
The jacket I got for Banff was the Wantdo waterproof ski jacket from Amazon. This bad boy comes in several different colors so you can pick one that you like.
This is one of the best jackets I have ever purchased!
The inside is made of a polyester fiber that keeps your body nice and toasty. The outside is made of a windproof soft shell jacket. It is pretty much waterpoof, which is important if you want to go skiing/snowboarding.
I took this bad boy skiing at Sunshine Village and full numerous times on the slopes. And guess what? I was dry as a desert. The jacket is really waterpoof as advertised.
One of the really nice things about this jacket is the hood. It’s adjustable so you can narrow or widen the sides.
In Banff, it can get rather windy at times, so you’ll want to tighten the hood to protect your neck (and face) from the cold.
And finally, the jacket has a lot of functional pockets. They have the two on the sides on the outside.
There’s also two pockets on the inside. The left inner pocket has a zipper, while the right inner pocket does not.
And there’s also a zipper on your left chest. It’s a good place to store your phone.
Best of all? This jacket is less than $80 bucks and is a lot more stylish than other $250+ ski jackets from name brands.
This jacket kept yours truly warm for my week long Banff winter excursion and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Click Here to get the Wantdo Waterproof Ski Jacket!
2. Ski Pants
Ski pants aren’t 100% necessary (depending on what kind of winter activities you are planning on doing).
In fact, I think you could get by in Banff with a pair of jeans (or even sweat pants).
However, bringing ski pants will definitely make your treks outside a lot more comfortable.
I find that ski pants offer a lot better insulation and keeps your legs warmer.
Also, if you’re a klutz like me you’ll be falling around all over the place. And if you’re wearing jeans, they will get soaked in the snow if you fall enough.
Ski pants are water resistant so you won’t get wet. And if you are going to be doing any snowshoeing, they will keep your legs dry.
My favorite pair of ski pants are the Arctix snow pants from Amazon. They’re cheap, but they get the job done and keep you dry and warm.
3. Waterproof Socks
Do not bring cotton socks to Banff. If they get in contact with any water or snow, your feel will be in for a cold and miserable time.
The first thing you want to get is a pair of waterproof socks. You can get a pair from Amazon like these ones.
I ordered a pair, but they didn’t come in time, so unfortunately, I had to go with Plan B.
On my first morning in Banff, I walked into the North Face store in town and picked up a pair of thick wool socks.
They weren’t waterproof, but they kept my feet warm. And during one of my snowhikes (the one in Lake Louise), some snow got into my shoe and the socks did get wet.
However, the wool socks kept my feet warm. If I was wearing cotton socks, it probably would have been a miserable time!
4. A Stylish Beanie
When I first planned my trip to Banff, I figured I could get away without having a beanie.
Boy was I wrong!
I remember the first morning when I went into town to get an early lunch. It was only about 11 AM and around -12 Celsius outside.
But my eyes were freezing! I lost feeling in them as I walked 10 minutes from my hotel to the downtown area.
Get a beanie to save your ears. Trust me, it’s worth it. I learned my lesson pretty quick and made a beeline to the closest North Face store and bought a beanie.
Also a word of advice: buy two beanies. If you are doing a lot of hiking like me, it’s normal to sweat.
And your beanie will absorb a lot of that sweat. And if you only bought one pair like me…let’s just say it could get a little smelly.
5. Boots
Okay…I realize I’m a little bit of a hypocrite for putting this on my list, but winter boots are a really nice thing to have.
I decided I was too cheap to get a pair of winter boots (since I live in SoCal), so I decided to hoof it with my gym sneakers.
It was a bad idea on some days. On my first afternoon in Banff, I decided to hike up Tunnel Mountain.
It was fine on the way up, but on the way down, my Nike’s didn’t have enough traction and I found myself slipping a few times. Yep, it was pretty crazy haha!
So invest in a good, but cheap winter boots and you’ll avoid falling over like I did.
If you’re staying in Banff for just a few days, you can actually rent a pair of winter boots from Banff Adventures for $10 or $15 bucks (Canadian dollars) per day.
But if you’re staying longer than that, I’d just invest $60 or $70 bucks to get a pair for yourself.
6. Winter Gloves
While you likely won’t get frostbite if you don’t bring gloves, you should bring them anyways if you value warmth.
I can’t imagine sightseeing and snowshoeing in Banff without winter gloves. Even a few minutes without my gloves and my hands were shivering!
Save yourself a ton of trouble and get a pair (or two) of winter gloves.
I actually brought two pairs of gloves with me to Banff. One was a pair of ski gloves and the other was a simple pair of leather gloves.
Bringing two pairs is important because your hands can sweat in them, making them wet.
It’s not a fun feeling putting your hands in a wet glove in -20 Celsius weather! Trust me on that one haha.
This is the pair of ski gloves I got from Amazon (for less than $20). They are super comfy, warm, and flexible.
7. Sunglasses
Sunglasses in the snow?
Yep. If you want to take care of your eyes, bring a pair of sunglasses.
Even though it’s the winter, there are a ton of clear sunny days in Banff. In fact, its’ absolutely gorgeous when you’re looking at the snowy scenery with the sun shining down.
But, a big problem you can encounter is snow blindness – when the UV lights reflect off the snow.
Save your eyes the damage and bring a pair of sunglasses. Trust, me you’ll be glad you did.
8. Portable Charger
A portable charger is always on my packing list. For some reason, my iPhone always feels like it has a 30 minute battery life.
Getting a portable charger is a freaking game changer!
Banff is absolutely beautiful in the summer. You don’t want to miss out on taking some awesome pictures because your phone crapped out.
The good thing is a portable charger is relatively cheap. You can get one for less than $15 bucks.
This is one of my favorite portable chargers from Amazon. It’s light weight and will charge your phone over 6 times!
9. Lotion
Banff can be a really dry climate in the winter. My skin was not used to it being that dry and I developed a severe case of dry skin on my legs.
When I got back to SoCal, it took a few days for my skin to heal up.
Bring some lotion just in case – Banff can be a very tough climate for your body!
Banff Winter Packing List: Final Thoughts
Overall, you want to be prepared when you go to Banff.
While you can get a lot of the things on my packing list in Banff, it is a tourist town….which means you’ll be paying a 50%+ mark up if you don’t buy these things ahead of time.
Has anyone else been to Banff in the winter? Would you recommend anything else I didn’t mention?
Let me know in the comments 🙂