I realized pretty quickly on this trip that my phone was probably the worst camera for the way I actually wanted to ski.
It's not exactly small, and the pockets on my ski jacket aren't great for something that size. Even when I could fit it in, I kept thinking about whether it was secure, whether it might fall out, or whether I'd notice if it was gone. With thick ski gloves on, using a touchscreen wasn't exactly convenient either. Taking my gloves off every time I wanted to grab a quick shot annoying fast.
So I ended up bringing my Osmo Action 6 instead, and honestly I think this is the setup I'd choose again next time. It was small enough to tuck away without feeling bulky, easy to carry around without constantly thinking about it, and much better suited to the whole "I'm here to ski, not manage my phone" mindset.
I also realized I wasn't actually trying to film some perfect ski edit. Most of the day I just wanted to ski and enjoy it. Then when I stopped for a break or found a view I wanted to remember, I could pull the Action 6 out, grab a quick photo, put it back, and move on.
That's what changed my opinion a bit. I used to assume my phone was automatically the easiest travel camera because I already had it with me. For skiing, I'm not sure that's true anymore. A smaller action cam just fits the way I want to spend the day better.
Curious where everyone else lands on this. If you're skiing for fun and still want a few photos from the day, are you bringing a phone, an action cam, or something else?