How Much Does It Cost to Start Ski Touring?
Co-authored by Giray Dadali, co-founder of Daymaker Touring. Started touring on the cheapest system available and has priced out every way in since 2008.
Updated October 2026
Short answer: A new dedicated touring setup costs about $1,750 to $2,900 for skis, bindings, boots and skins, before any avalanche gear. Starting on the downhill skis, boots and bindings you already own costs about $470 to $520, which covers a pair of Daymaker adapters and climbing skins.
That gap is the biggest reason skiers put off touring. Here’s where every dollar goes on both paths, and what you need either way. For the full picture of how the cheaper path works, start with ski touring with downhill skis.
Path 1: a new dedicated touring setup
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Touring skis | $600 to $1,000+ |
| Tech or hybrid touring bindings | $400 to $700 |
| Touring boots with tech inserts | $600 to $1,000+ |
| Climbing skins | $150 to $220 |
| Shop mounting | Extra, varies by shop |
| Total | About $1,750 to $2,900+ |
Prices from REI and specialty retailer listings, October 2026. Sales can bring individual items lower.
It’s an excellent setup for someone touring 30 days a season. It’s also a second version of everything you already own, bought before you know if you’ll tour five days or fifty.
Path 2: your downhill setup plus Daymakers
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Your skis, boots and bindings | $0, already in the garage |
| Daymaker Classic or Tekdapters | $319.99 or $299.99 |
| Big Sky Mohair Mix skins | $189.99 to $219.99, 10% off with an adapter |
| Mounting | $0, nothing to mount |
| Total | About $470 to $520 |
That’s roughly $1,200 to $2,400 kept in your pocket, and your boots already fit. Classic works with regular downhill boots. Tekdapters need boots with tech toe inserts. Do you need touring boots helps you pick.
What costs the same either way
- Where you skin. Plenty of ski areas allow uphill travel for free. Others sell an uphill pass or require a season pass. The Frontcountry Map lists the policy for more than 140 of them.
- A pack. 20 to 32 liters holds adapters, skins, a layer and water. You may already own one.
- Layers. Whatever you ski in, minus a layer for the climb.
- Avalanche safety gear, if you leave the resort. An avalanche transceiver (most people search “beacon”), shovel and probe sell as packages for about $280 to $650. We carry snow safety gear too.
- An avalanche course, if you leave the resort. Prices vary by region and level. Check your local avalanche center’s list of providers.
Resort uphill on groomed, patrolled runs doesn’t need the avalanche kit. Terrain that can slide does, every time, along with partners who know the area.
Where people overspend
- Buying the full kit before knowing if touring sticks.
- Buying a touring ski that sits in the garage every resort day.
- Skipping the frontcountry, where a lot of great uphill skiing needs no avalanche gear at all.
A smart order to spend in
- Adapters and skins. Lap your local hill before work or after the lifts close.
- Avalanche course, safety kit and partners, once you’re ready for terrain beyond the boundary.
- A dedicated setup, if you want one, after you know your days and your terrain. Your adapters keep working on every other ski you own. Touring adapters vs tech bindings helps when you get there.
Try before you commit
Our Love It Guarantee lets you tour on Daymakers for up to about three days within 30 days of delivery to decide. Parts are covered for 365 days and sold individually, so a pair can stay in service for decades. Some Daymaker dealers also keep demo pairs.
FAQ
What’s the cheapest way to start ski touring?
Add touring adapters and climbing skins to the downhill skis, boots and bindings you already own. With Daymakers that’s about $470 to $520.
How much does a full backcountry ski setup cost?
New touring skis, bindings, boots and skins run about $1,750 to $2,900. An avalanche safety package adds about $280 to $650, plus a course.
Do I need avalanche gear to start ski touring?
Not for skinning groomed runs at a ski area that allows uphill travel. For any terrain that can slide, yes, along with training and partners.
Is uphill skiing at resorts free?
At many ski areas, yes. Some charge for an uphill pass or require a season pass. Check the Frontcountry Map for each area’s policy.
Do Daymakers come with skins?
No. Skins are sold separately, and they’re 10% off when you buy them with an adapter.
