Build an outfit you can adjust
Our practical starting point is warm layers, a coat suited to winter weather, gloves and something that covers your ears. Layers are easier to adjust when the day moves between cold streets and heated rooms. Choose a bag that leaves your hands free.
Read any dress guidance on your actual invitation, then work out how to reach the venue comfortably. If you need different shoes indoors, carrying them can be easier than asking dress shoes to manage every snowy pavement on the way.
Keep the daytime bag small
Bring what will make the day easier, rather than everything you might conceivably use. Your phone, charger, payment backup and confirmed invitation details are a good starting point. A small snack can help when a conversation runs longer than expected.
Try the whole setup before travelling. Can you open the bag with gloves on? Is the power bank charged? Are your shoes comfortable for the distance you expect to walk? It is a five-minute rehearsal that can save a surprising amount of irritation.
- Warm layers, coat, hat and gloves
- Footwear suited to cold, wet or slippery surfaces
- Phone, charging cable, power bank and Swiss adapter
- Confirmed tickets, accommodation address and return plan
Let the forecast have the final say
Look at the current Davos forecast before finishing your packing, then check again before heading out. Town weather and conditions higher on the mountains can differ. A January packing list is a starting point, not a prediction for the day you arrive.
If you want a longer winter walk, choose a marked prepared route and check its current status with the local operator. A break in the mountains deserves its own time, equipment and return plan. Keep a town transfer and a mountain outing as two different decisions.