❄️ 8 Winter Travel Tips (You’ll Actually Use This Season)

Hey, Johannes from GearUpYourLife here…

and as promised, today’s issue is all about winter travel tips.
A bit less about pure gear and more about the small habits and hacks that actually make winter trips easier.
Some of these might sound obvious, but trust me — even seasoned travelers forget them when the cold hits.
So, without over-talking it, here are my 8 personal winter travel hacks, plus one “just-in-case” bonus tip at the end 👇

1️⃣ Buy your winter gear off-season
Everyone shops right before their trip — and that’s exactly when prices explode.
If you buy jackets or boots after New Year’s, you’ll often find them half off.
I’ve done that for years and , it’s the easiest way to save money without compromising on quality.

2️⃣ Go secondhand for the big stuff
I know it’s not for everyone, but secondhand stores are seriously underrated.
Some of my best winter finds — coats, gloves, even boots — came from thrift stores or Poshmark.
They’re cheaper, already broken in, and sometimes just… built better.

3️⃣ Protect your bits (ears, fingers, toes, nose)
If any of those are freezing, your whole day is done.
A good hat, gloves, and warm socks make such a difference.
And yeah, I’m the guy who never wears beanies — but when it’s windy in Berlin or even here in Athens, I give up every time.

4️⃣ Wear your heaviest gear on the plane
Your jacket, boots, hoodie, wear them all ( i know it looks weird and it’s highly uncomfortable )
It saves tons of space, keeps your bag lighter, and you’ll stay warm boarding at 5 AM.
Trust me, it’s not stylish, but it works.

5️⃣ Turn your coat into a blanket
Planes are always freezing, no matter the airline.
I usually just roll up my coat and use it as a blanket or pillow — and to be honest, it’s more comfortable than the scratchy ones they hand out.

6️⃣ Keep a small plastic bag for your coat or scarf
This one sounds weird but it’s so useful.
Overhead bins and airplane floors are disgusting — wrap your coat in a small tote or plastic bag before storing it, and it stays clean and dry.
You’ll thank yourself when you land.

7️⃣ Track your coat with an AirTag or Tile
If you’re like me and forget things (especially after long flights), this is a lifesaver.
Just hide a small tracker in your coat or backpack — peace of mind for under $25.

8️⃣ Use compression cubes — but watch the weight
They’re great for bulky winter clothes, but remember: you save space, not weight.
I’ve overpacked with those more times than I’d like to admit, i say this because i have the feeling many people think only because they safe space with packing cubes thats also means that they can pack way more and yeah, thats not how it works.

🧴 Bonus Tip #1 — Don’t skip sunscreen & sunglasses
I know it sounds weird to pack sunscreen in winter — but trust me, snow glare can burn faster than a beach day.
I learned that the hard way in Switzerland last year — two hours outside and my face looked like I’d spent the weekend in Bali.( okay it wasn’t that deep to be honest but you get the point hopefully )
So yeah, even if you’re going somewhere cold, bring those two small things. Your skin (and your photos) will thank you.

🧳 Bonus Tip #2 — Bring a luggage scale
Winter packing is chaos -- coats, boots, souvenirs, and somehow your bag always ends up 3 kg heavier than you thought.
That’s why I always carry the Freetoo Digital Luggage Scale.
It’s tiny, accurate, and honestly the cheapest way to avoid airport drama.
Once you use it, you’ll never travel without it again.

So, I hope this kind of travel tips & hacks content is something you enjoy — it’s still a bit of an experiment right now.
If you’d like to see more of this style, just let me know. I’d love to mix in more real travel talk like this from time to time.

In the meantime, part two of the EDC Everyday series is finally out.
It’s all about the best EDC gadgets of 2025, and what i carry here in the moment in greece , I think it’s one of the strongest videos — and video series — on the channel so far.

You can check it out here:
🎥 12 Premium EDC Essentials (That Are Actually Worth Buying) + Winter Edition

And as always,
Safe travels
Johannes

P.S.
By the way, yesterday, the second review video just dropped on the new GearUpYourLife Reviews channel!
Go check it out if you haven’t already.
And yes… until next. Year I’ll keep mentioning it here, who knows, there might even be a little surprise waiting .😉

👉 Check it out here!