Packing for a ski week in Sweden
A ski week in Sälen, Åre or Vemdalen is mostly like skiing anywhere, with two differences worth packing for: it can be properly cold, and a Swedish rental cabin often expects you to bring more than a hotel would.
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In short
- A helmet for every child, on every run. We strongly recommend it: with a helmet the risk of a head injury is about 60 percent lower, children included.
- Dress in several thin layers with wool or synthetic next to the skin, never cotton, and bring spare gloves and socks for everyone.
- Snow reflects the sun, so pack sunscreen and goggles or sunglasses with UV protection, even in midwinter.
- Read the listing before you pack: bed linen, towels and final cleaning are often not included in a Swedish cabin rental.
Helmets: every run, all day
If you take one thing from this page, make it this: every child wears a helmet on the slopes. Every run, all day, including the beginner slope and the one last run. Slopes are fast, and a patch of ice, another skier or a lost ski is all it takes for a child to hit their head.
The numbers are clear. In a large Norwegian study across eight ski resorts, published in the medical journal JAMA, nearly one in five slope injuries was a head injury. Skiers wearing a helmet had about a 60 percent lower risk of head injury than those without, and the same protection showed in children under 13.
Sweden has no helmet law for skiing, so don’t take that as a hint. Ski areas set their own rules and can refuse a child in the lift without a helmet. If you don’t own one, resorts often rent them.
A helmet only protects when it fits: snug without sliding, chin strap fastened, only a thin hat underneath. And wear one yourself. Children copy what adults do, not what they say.
What the cabin may not include
Swedish holiday cabins are usually self-catering and let directly by owners or small agencies, and the terms vary more than hotel guests expect. The table answers one question: can you assume it is included just because you rented the cabin?
Almost everything lands on check or don’t assume. That is the point. One message to the owner before you pack settles all of it.
- UsuallyBeds and duvets
The furniture is there. What goes on it is the next row.
- Don’t assumeBed linen and towels
Often bring your own, or rent them for a fee. Check the listing.
- Don’t assumeFinal cleaning
Often your job on departure day, or an extra fee if you would rather not.
- CheckElectricity in winter
Some owners bill it by meter in winter, when heating makes it a real cost.
- CheckFirewood for the stove
Sometimes included, sometimes sold by the bag.
- CheckSki storage and a place to dry clothes
Worth asking. Wet gear that won’t dry by morning ruins a week.
- CheckDistance to the lift
Read how the listing describes it and check the map. We list ski-in/ski-out cabins separately.
Clothes for real cold
Several thin, loose layers keep you warmer than one thick one, and let you adjust through the day. Wool or synthetic next to the skin, a fleece or thin wool jumper in the middle, waterproof ski wear outside. Sweden’s public health service 1177 specifically advises against cotton next to the body.
Bring spare gloves and socks for everyone. Wet gloves become cold gloves, and children notice too late. Boots that are too tight cut off circulation to the toes, and then no sock helps.
No cream protects against cold: 1177 says so plainly. If a child’s cheeks turn white and stiff, that is the first sign of a cold injury. Warm skin against skin, a warm hand on the cheek, get indoors, and don’t rub.
Sun, snow and short days
The Swedish weather service SMHI notes that clean new snow can reflect 90 percent of UV radiation, so you get it from above and below. Pack sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher for children, and goggles or sunglasses with UV protection. February and March, with long bright days on snow, are when people burn.
In December and January the days are short, and shorter the further north you go. A headlamp makes the walk back to the cabin, and the trip to the car, a lot easier.
Slope manners
The Swedish outdoor association Friluftsfrämjandet boils slope manners down to a few rules: adjust your speed, check uphill and downhill before you set off, stop where others can see you, and respect the signs. On a T-bar, hold your poles in the outside hand.
Frequently asked questions
Do children have to wear a helmet on Swedish slopes?
There is no law, but we strongly recommend one for every child, on every run. In a large Norwegian study, helmet wearers had about a 60 percent lower risk of head injury, children under 13 included. Ski areas also set their own rules, and a child can be refused in the lift without a helmet.
Do I need to bring bed linen to a Swedish cabin?
Often, yes. Many rentals expect you to bring linen and towels or rent them for a fee. The listing usually says, and if it doesn’t, ask before you pack.
Is sunscreen really needed in winter?
Yes, when there is snow and sun. Snow reflects most of the UV radiation back at you. Use SPF 30 or higher for children, plus eye protection.
Sources
Checked against the sources on 21 September 2026. They are Swedish-language official pages. Ski-area rules, on helmets for example, differ, so always check the resort you are going to.
Find a cabin for the ski week
Compare cabins close to the slopes from several Swedish rental sites, including ski-in/ski-out.
Ski-in/ski-out cabins →