How to Start Ski Touring? Six Things to Know Before Your First Season
Don't start by shopping. Rentals, boots, clothing, your first route and training: a practical guide to your first ski touring season.
Most guides on how to start ski touring end at the shop checkout. This one doesn't. You can get through your first season without spending several thousand on gear you don't understand yet. Here are six things I'd tell a friend before their first outing.
1. Rent first, buy later
You don't know yet what you need. And you won't find out from shop descriptions.
Rent a setup for your first outings or take gear to demo days. Manufacturers and mountain schools organize test days where, in a single weekend, you can try on several pairs of boots and ski on different skis. One example: Dni Lawinowo-Skiturowe w Dolinie Pięciu Stawów (Avalanche and Ski Touring Days), organized by 5+ Szkoła Górska. The 13th edition took place in 2026, and free gear tests were part of the program.
At the start of the season you can also test gear next to the slopes. In December, free Snow Expo tests are held on Kotelnica Białczańska, and Majesty regularly sets up test points at ski resorts, from Podhale to Pilsko.
After three or four outings on borrowed gear, you'll know what bothers you. Only then go to the shop.
2. Light or heavy setup? Choose consciously
Ideally you'd have two setups. That's unrealistic when you're starting out, so you have to choose.
A light setup makes the ascent easier. You carry less with every step and have more energy left for the descent.
A heavier setup gives you more control on the way down, especially in tough conditions: wind-affected, frozen or tracked-out snow.
Ask yourself one question: why are you going up there? If it's for the ascent and the distance, go lighter. If it's for the descent, accept a few extra grams on your feet. No setup does both best.
3. Boots matter more than skis
This is the most underestimated topic and the fastest way to a ruined tour. A badly fitted boot means blisters after an hour and several hours of painful walking back.
Three things worth knowing:
Socks matter. For example, thin merino socks don't work for me. My foot slides around in the liner and I end up with blisters. Test your combination before a longer outing, not during it.
Know your buckle system. Every boot design is different, and you don't always have to loosen all the buckles on the ascent. Practice at home.
Tape your heels in advance. Buy some athletic tape and put it on before you set out, before anything starts to hurt. It's the cheapest protection for your feet I know.
4. Dress so you don't sweat
Regular ski clothing won't work here. It's too warm.
In ski touring you dress in layers and change them along the way. On the ascent you should wear just enough not to sweat. Wet means cold as soon as you stop. For the descent, you put on a warmer layer that you carry in your backpack.
Overheating isn't just discomfort. An overheated person loses strength, and bad clothing can take all the enjoyment out of the day.
5. Your first route should be boring
An ambitious goal for your first outing is asking for trouble. It's better to practice off-piste skiing and transitions in controlled conditions than to learn them on steep terrain.
Choose places from which you can ski down a groomed run if you run into problems. A good example is Kasprowy Wierch, which has two sensible options for getting up.
The first is the ascent from the Hala Gąsienicowa side: 959 m of elevation gain and over 19 km from Kuźnice. It's a full day, with a descent on the ski runs.
If you don't feel up to a whole day, I suggest the ascent through Dolina Goryczkowa, along the ski touring route running next to the piste. It's shorter, and at any point you can turn around and ski down the ski run. Remember the TPN rules: you go up along the edge, following the orange signs, not in the middle of the run. The piste down to Kuźnice itself is for descending only. You'll find the current rules on the TPN website.
If you'd rather start at a ski resort outside the Tatras, check its rules first. Every resort sets its own uphill policy.
And one thing you can't skip: check the avalanche bulletin before every outing in the mountains. Off the groomed run you need a transceiver, probe and shovel, and the skills to use them. Gear in a backpack has never dug anyone out on its own.
6. Take a course
Ski touring isn't quantum physics. You can learn it on your own. But why would you?
In a group it's easier to get started, easier to overcome fear and easier to find people for your next outings. An instructor will correct things you won't notice yourself and boost your confidence. One weekend of training saves you a season of fumbling around.
Plan for your first season
Rent gear and sign up for a beginner course.
Do a few outings in places where you can ski down a groomed run.
Take an avalanche course before you head into the backcountry.
Only now buy your own setup and pick a more ambitious goal.
Wondering whether to go with skis or a board? Read Splitboard vs ski touring skis. And when you're ready for your first real tour, check out the route database.