Short answer: For an away tournament, pack each player’s full game gear plus spares, game-day basics like a named water bottle and the team warm-up, travel essentials like health cards, chargers and any medication (with a note for the coach), clothes for each day, and extras for the weather and the hotel. The lists below are by sport, then for every trip, then by weather.
Hockey gear (each player)
- Skates (sharpened before the trip)
- Helmet with cage
- Gloves
- Shoulder and elbow pads
- Shin pads
- Pants
- Neck guard
- Jock or jill
- Sticks, plus a spare
- Home and away jerseys
- Hockey socks
- Tape and a skate guard
- Mouth guard
Ringette gear (each player)
- Skates (sharpened before the trip)
- Helmet with ringette cage
- Gloves
- Elbow and shin pads
- Pants or girdle
- Neck guard
- Ringette sticks, plus a spare
- Home and away jerseys
- Socks
- Mouth guard
Baseball gear (each player)
- Glove
- Bat and batting gloves
- Batting helmet
- Cleats
- Home and away uniforms
- Belt and socks
- Cup
- Sunglasses
Softball gear (each player)
- Glove
- Bat and batting gloves
- Batting helmet with face guard
- Cleats
- Home and away uniforms
- Socks
- Sunglasses
Soccer gear (each player)
- Cleats
- Shin guards
- Home and away kits
- Soccer socks
- Ball
Volleyball gear (each player)
- Court shoes
- Knee pads
- Home and away jerseys
- Shorts
- Ankle braces if used
Basketball gear (each player)
- Court shoes
- Home and away jerseys
- Shorts
- Ankle braces if used
Lacrosse gear (each player)
- Helmet
- Gloves
- Arm and shoulder pads
- Kidney pads
- Stick, plus a spare
- Home and away jerseys
- Mouth guard
- Runners
Football gear (each player)
- Helmet
- Shoulder pads
- Cleats
- Home and away jerseys
- Pants with pads
- Mouth guard
- Gloves
Every trip: game day
- Water bottle (named) (each player)
- Team track suit or warm-up (each player)
- Healthy snacks (each player)
Every trip: travel
- Health cards (one per family)
- Phone chargers (one per family)
- Any medication, with a note for the coach (one per family)
- First aid basics (one per family)
Every trip: clothes
- Clothes for each day (each person)
- Pyjamas (each person)
- Something nice for the team dinner (each person)
For cold weather
- Warm coat
- Toque and gloves
- Warm layers for the stands
For snow or ice
- Winter boots
- Snow brush and scraper
- Check winter tires and road conditions before you drive
For rain
- Rain jacket
- Spare dry socks
For hot, sunny days
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Extra water
For playing outdoors
- Folding chairs for the sidelines
- Blanket or umbrella
For the hotel pool
- Swimsuit
- Goggles
For crossing the border
- Passport or NEXUS card (children under 16 can use a birth certificate at a land crossing)
- Consent letter for any child travelling without both parents
- Out-of-country travel health insurance
- Some US cash or a card with no foreign transaction fee
- Phone roaming plan
- Check border wait times before you leave
Before you leave
- Sharpen skates, check helmet cages and pads, and replace worn laces a week before, not the night before.
- Label everything with the player’s name or number. Team gear looks the same in a pile.
- Check the forecast for the tournament city two days out, and for winter driving, road conditions before you go.
Related: Tournament trip checklist · Sideline Away FAQ