 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Didn't read the article (sorry) but to be fair, renting is just getting more and more attractive.
1. The quality of rental skis I am seeing this year are far, far better than anything in previous years. Last year was better than the year before too. Shops seem to be trying, at least, to provide some quality skis rather than some battered old planks from 1983.
2. The price of rental skis doesn't appear to be going up, and in some cases is going down. £70-75 seems to get you a quality set of Volkl / Supershape / etc kind of skis now.
3. The price of airline baggage is going up and policies towards ski equipment (sports equipment in general) are being tightened by airlines. Not least the thieving sods that carry our flag.
I love skiing my own skis. I really do. I have 3 sets of skis all of which have their own character and all of which are great fun in the conditions that suit them. My Whitedot Preachers in particular put a big smile on my face and I know from experience of testing probably 30-40 sets of skis in the past 3 years that not many skis do that. However for instance I have booked my EOSB flight from LHR, where BA apply a £70-each-way charge for a second bag, to economy class customers. That's £140 return. My skis give me a lot of satisfaction, but who can argue that £70 less, you can have a pair of pretty good hire skis (and if snow conditions change - you just change your skis - no need to bring several pairs) and avoid all the hassle of dragging a ski bag around two airports.
Some people own skis because they like their own skis more than anything they can hire (I am such a person). Many people own skis because it's cheaper, in the long run, than hiring. But if you add the ever increasing airline costs, to the hassle of carrying it around, to the cost and effort of servicing them, insuring them, repairing any damage, etc etc etc... why on earth wouldn't you rent?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Fascinating - I always cringe at the phrase "brand value" - usually means someone is making superprofits and then they are utterly lost as to why someone cuts in and muscles in on their business at a discounted price. Sort of corporate claptrap the UK supermarkets used to utter before they were gutted by Lidl and Aldi. I do not think many people care whether they are renting from Intersport or not - as long as they renting good quality skis at competitive prices fitted by people who have some understanding about setting the bindings correctly.
Not really sure what conclusions to arrive at though - agree with dp re the airlines but the British are probably not that large a part of the increase as surely most skiers will be continental in origin and driving rather than flying?
Is there also perhaps a trend for skis to be more specialised - more people doing off piste with fat skis and perhaps ski touring when conditions are right so the trend is perhaps to rent more specialised skis when the time is right. There also appears to be more of a trend to offering packages of skipasses and skis and perhaps this has some effect as well.
May be the fashion conscious can also be seen skiing on the latest skis?
Also are people perhaps having more short break holidays
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I bought my first set of skis in 1990 and by 1995/6 they were overwhelmed by the style and shape changes to the point that skiing on them was no longer fun. Since then I have rented with mixed results. Next year we are going to go for a higher quality ski to see if it makes any difference. Hopefully it will. The airlines ramping up charges means that unless you a) drive; or b) have your own chalet/apartment renting makes economic sense!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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yup,
baggage rules.
All my mates have their own boots, but none own skis.
I have my own snowboard for disability reasons. Costs me more to take my board than it does to hire kit.
BA have changed the baggage rules where I would fly one way business class & back in economy.
One of the biggest problems from a snowboarders point of view is gear can be old - almost as secondary to their line of business.
Mens boots in UK8 & UK9 tend to be more suitable for the bin than to rent out.
Boards are also old. Can be hard to find somewhere that specialises in snowboard rental gear as much as they do ski stuff.
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I can see baggage rules affecting UK, Dutch etc skiers but, as well as those living in the Alps, surely the majority of German, Italian and French skiers drive to resort? It must be a big fall in initial purchase/renewal from these 3 nations that is the story.
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I've been able to get season old Blizzard Brahma's twice in the past 12 months for under £50 for the week. I'd love my own skis but I can't justify the initial outlay when I can hire for that price.
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For sure that covers most of the mass market but step beyond, sideways or back then you will be unserved and on your own. Besides, how could you be a kitgoon or weekly rentals 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I don't know anything about the financial mechanics of how all this works, but maybe when the airlines start to lose revenue due to the ski rental/ski carriage ratio, they'll cut their prices? Sometimes ski carriage costs almost as much as a bum on a seat.
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Rental is sensational now. I use Intersport or similar in Austria and Dolomites and quite often end up with brand new latest skis or at least nearly new. They always come freshly serviced, they don't mind swapping them through the week if conditions change or I just fancy trying something, and their computer systems already know my details so the 'paperwork' aspect is lightening fast. Even rental poles are really decent now. Compared to ye olde ski rental of yesteryear its chalk and cheese. I haven't tried travelling with literally no luggage yet but, last time I was in Hintertux you could rent the clothing too and it looked pretty OK, apparently washed between rentals. So, even though I own skis they are just gathering dust. Can make all the financial calcs you like but convenience and choice do it for me.
I think the industry's problems are mainly demographic. Hordes of grey haired baby-boom blokes out there and not enough young people. Skiers are literally dying off.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Interesting article but while Intersport may be a large sports retailer they don't appear to be a significant ski and board retailer. A quick search on their UK and French website reveal that they don't sell skis and boards in the UK and currently have a range of 12 skis and 3 boards on their French website. They do however appear to concentrate mainly on rental so it's not much of a surprise to see their equipment sales falling.
We used them for rentals last year for a group of 4 adults and 4 children when they gave excellent service and good quality kit at prices better than both Skimium and Skiset. The only downside was that they tried to charge for storing their skis overnight.
Normally we drive, so having our own skis works for us but on the few occasions when I have flown I have used Swiss who still include free ski carriage. £90.70 for my EOSB flight including ski carriage LHR to GVA is incredible value.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I own boots but rent skis. Would never buy a pair unless I could amortize cost over 2 seasons, which as someone who skis 10-12 days a year, I won't be able to do unless I move to the mountains. I rented a great pair of Voikl RaceTiger GS skis last week in Selva for about 80 euros.
Boots IMO are a good investment, as most rental boots are either packed out or "not quite right" for most. Even a comfortable 300 euro pair of new boots will top most rentals, as foot/ankle pain will spoil your trip.
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I have my own skis but always rent :
1. My skis aren't anything special
2. It's cheaper
3. Top skis in very good (almost new) condition for £70/week
4. No need to service
5. No lugging around airports or coaches. And only need a normal size taxi in the UK!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Pasigal wrote: |
| I own boots but rent skis. |
+1 (based on 1-2 weeks a year; if at some point I increase to 3-4+ weeks I might rethink).
It means for a week I fit everything into a single holdall or rucksack, so even public transport is a doddle. I always get skis that are no more than a season or two old. They suit my weight, which can vary from year to year.  In most cases they have been brilliant from outset, but if not I swap them.
Many friends have their own skis, but clearly don't want to change them every couple of years so some are probably approaching 10 years old. Apart from airline charges they pay to get them serviced annually, and sometimes more than once when in resort. Landside transport in the UK can be a PITA - they don't always fit easily in local taxis. In almost every case (apart from a few who bought ex-rental skis after having used them for a week) they bought them "blind", without the chance to actually try them out on snow, but are then stuck with them for say 6-7 years even if another pair might suit them better.
And who knows when the next significant development in ski or binding technology will happen? One friend was unlucky enough to buy 2+m straight skis only a year or two before carving skis came in - but having paid out for the skis and bindings felt he had to get a number of years' use out of them.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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far prefer my own quiver of skis as:
- hand tuned to my own spec for edge angles (1 deg base and 3 deg side) and wax type
- bindings shimmed to my own prescription for delta angle - impossible with rental skis so I suspect will put majority of renters in a non-optimum position to balance
- no heavy use/abuse, which is not always the case with rental skis, but certainly has been with some previous rentals I have had
- generally better binding/mounting set ups (eg raceplate and binding of choice on my piste skis, compared to generic rail mount on most hire skis...)
- able to choose preferred skis for the day based on conditions and what I feel like skiing
Of course, these live in the Alps so I don't have to worry about transport, but even when travelling I would certainly look to take one or two or more pairs of my own for the above reasons, the wider skis being quiver killered so easing the transport issues)
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Poster: A snowHead
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I would take that report with a pinch of salt. A resort retailer probably finds it hard to compete with online for selling skis now so they are just trying to promote what is best for them.
I remember somebody saying 2 weeks rental for a pair of skis pays for them the 3rd week covers maintenance on them after that clear profit (don't quote me on that).
Personally I don't think I would go skiing without my own skis even for a weekend.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We all have our own stuff:
1. We drive so baggage not an issue
2. Straight out to ski, no messing around in hire shops
3. We're once a week recreational skiers/boarders - mainly on piste - the latest and greatest not really an issue
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I usually take my own skis but admittedly for off-piste weeks and using BA Business via Avios (I abuse a BA Amex card and it pays for a couple trips a year). Used Easyjet recently and carriage was not too bad.
Having a more piste orientated week in Zell am See in a couple of weeks which I booked with Inghams. Shocked to find that it was £70 each way with BA in Economy. Have hired premium skis with overnight storage next to the lift/bus stop for Kaprun for £71. Will be travelling very light as the ABS bag and shovel/probe are a weight in themselves. Arguably could have got the skis in my 190cm Dakine with clothes and stuff shared amongst the Dakine/carry on/wifes bag.
Using the opportunity to try out some piste skis for future purchases but admittedly find that my Blizzard Bonafides & Rossignol Super 7s pull their weight on pistes as long as not pure ice. Love those skies 
I may be wrong but outside Espace Killy, Chamonix and such the like, the choice maybe limited for fatter skis to rent. Recollect using Dynastar Cham 87s for off-piste in Avoriaz and la Plagne. A little narrow for powder days.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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We use our own skis, but here in Austria this week there are huge numbers of people from the Netherlands, most of whom drive or come by coach - but they nearly all use rental skis - why I don't know!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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i tend to still take my own snowboard as the range of rental snowboards varies greatly and not in a good way
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I love travelling with my own equipment. Likewise with @hawkesbaynz, BA tried to sting me with £70 each way last season. It's sadly the way it's going. I consider myself a fairly regular BA flyer, but decided to switch to easyjet (considerably cheaper baggage), but soon got fed up with that too.
Last season I ditched flying / luggage costs altogether and decided to leave my gear with a ski storage company in Geneva. So far so good! I think i've saved on flight fees already.
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@boarder84, How was BA trying to charge £70? Were you taking skis as an "extra" bag over the generous BA allowance?
BTW, welcome to SH's!
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| skimastaaah wrote: |
@boarder84, How was BA trying to charge £70? Were you taking skis as an "extra" bag over the generous BA allowance?
BTW, welcome to SH's! |
What generous BA allowance 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@skimastaaah Thanks for the welcome  Yes, probably should have pointed that out! Had a disagreement at the airport in regards to additional bags. One hand luggage, heavily packed board bag and extra for boots and bits (...Perhaps travelling a little bulky. Big trip). Normally 2 smalls on board isn't an issue, but they didn't like it.
True, the BA allowance is generous but with BA's higher prices these seem to hide the cost. BA with free ski luggage is not far off Easyjet with added gear, it's pretty similar.
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@boarder84, Trick with BA is to use Avios to avoid the pricey full cost. You still get the generous bag allowances, and if you use a "coffin" style bag for skis/boards and take boots/heavier stuff in your cabin allowance, 2 people can easily carry loads of gear for a ski/board holiday.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@skimastaaah,
My boards weigh 15kg - not much space after that!
Shame they closed the business class loophole
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Another flight cost cutting option with BA flights is as follows and its alot simplier or quicker than it sounds here. .
When booking your BA flight (into europe from london in my case) the BA/amex credit card offer comes up on screen .
This will give you £50 credit on the card you get accepted very quickly while still booking your flight.
So you need to be good to go ie ready too book your flight ,do the BA/amex card application .
Your flight ticket cost can be paid onto your new ba/amex card that was approved seconds earlier
Immediatly at that flight booking and card application point.... you pay all flight costs onto this new ba/amex card it takes about 3-5 mins at most probably less .
Later when you have got the £50 off showing on your statement and spent a total of £500 on the card in 3 months which includes the original flight cost .
You then get a further 1000 avios points credit which is about a tenner off your flight next time .
Then you cancel the card asp so you can do it all again in six months .
Setting up a CC full payment DD onto your bank account is your choice .
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sat 1-09-18 20:46; edited 2 times in total
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Ba is 23kg for a board or ski bag and the ski bag cost out of heathrow is more costly than a ski bag cost out of gatwick to europe .
The 23kg is a good allowance plus hand luggage and seperate laptop allowance.
If they damage your bag or gear they will come to the table where the other budgets play hardball and you need to go legal on them.
It does take time but BA come through .
So if you have expensive personal kit that you value Ba ticks some of the boxes .
They replaced a £700 Tumi bag, try that on with the other bucket buses .
Last season heathrow was double the ski bag cost at £70 vs £35 at gatwick it may have increased or changed I cant seem to find it .
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Sun 2-09-18 20:17; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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Renta is has been growing massively last 5 yrs in Austria...
Number of reasons..
People like to travel light..
Hauling your own kit costs more & more everyear if flying..
So for example a €/$1000 set of ski will end up costing you a hell of a lot more.
Rental equipment is very high standard nowadays & swapable anytime.
Winter Ski Clothing can be rented...
All you need to do nowadays is travel with hand luggage , relax & enjoy
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I think there is a niche market in top resorts to rent high end stuff for competent snow athletes.
Not like some of the places who advertise a certain brand/model with the small print or equivalent.
I see one place for my resort next season is advertising a Rossignol XV for rent. However there is no guarantee.
Its a board I would like to try & if it was guaranteed, then I would just take my own boots & bindings (providing they happy for me to use my own bindings) & not have the problem of lugging around 60kg of equipment around an airport!
Thats the other issue with rental snowboard. The bindings! They add so much weight do to them being easily adjustable.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Mr.Egg, “there is a niche market in top resorts to rent high end stuff for competent snow athletes”
Yes and it’s well catered for.
Snowboards, not so much. Limited demand in e.g. Chamonix.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@skimastaaah,
my cabin bag gets used for my boots, helmet, gloves, etc.
Its not so much the weight, its the bulk they take up.
@under a new name,
I wouldn't know a good pair of ski's from poor ones!
But yep - limited demand for us boarders, combined with not all staff not knowing the difference in boards/boots/bindings combination & mixing soft with stiff.
You should also see the state of some of the equipment handed out.
Also last year, my missus was really struggling. I realised why on the 2nd day. The shop mounted the bindings back to front on a directional board!
Really should have swapped shops when they didnt have boots to fit her (she's average size 5.5 to 6) & had to borrow some from another shop.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Nice thread.
In Austria (and maybe France... I dunno... help needed...) Intersport is a branded franchise. So each Intersport shop is branded with the family name of the franchise owner.
The differences in expertise, flexibility in price, stock, customer service etc... greatly varies from store to store, even more so from franchise to franchise.
One family has 4 shops in 2 towns. 2 shops are in the ski area, 2 shops are in the town below.
As a local looking for good purchase deals and excellent service (eg. WC boot techs etc...) I'd head to the town store.
The stores in resort are much more geared for rental. They also have pretty much only rrp prices on new skis.
The intersport in my town small OK selection of skis normally at a small discount.
The Intersport at the lifts in my town is set out mainly for rental. They have a majority of brand new skis at very close to rrp prices, they want to rent more than sell, which is evident by the amount of space offered to the rental area!
So within a drive of 15 minutes in 2 neighbouring towns there are 6 Intersport shops under 3 different franchises!...and I haven't included Flachau!!
The point of my post (if there is one)... each store is independent and will have completely different targets from another store just a few clicks away.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Old age is killing Wintersports.
Nobody under 40 skis anymore.
Snowboarding is dead.
Old folk buy some planks in their 30s and don't replace them until their 40s or 50s.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Mr.Egg, I always carry my ski boots in cabin, they are the last thing I would want to lose in a lost bag. Usually I have gloves and a pair of ski pants just in case with them.
How people get to ski resorts is also about the future of skiing. With greater web based purchasing, live snow facts, and booking.com, skiers can be much more discerning than 20 years ago.
Despite custom making your own ski holiday being simplified, gone are the days of Teletext being the "last-minute" offerings.
And as regards ski hardware there are so many more web based bargains. Skis, boots, bindings, clothing all relative bargains when compared with decades ago.
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H All.
I've got one of these. https://rab.equipment/uk/kitbag-50 and it is 55x33x33 however, you can put boot in it with helmet and gloves plus my trousers and some kit around the side and it squashes to 55x25x40 So is cabin friendly.
@Tirol 164, BA is not 7kg for hand luggage. It has no limit. but you will struggle to get more than 15kg in it anyway.
So take the ski bag with 2 skis etc and fill to your 23kg allowance. Use the RAB bag (great because it has rucksack style carriers) as a carry on. Then if you really need another stuff put in a small under seat bag. This is probably enough for 2 weeks away.
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The vast majority of tourists here drive to the ski towns, so luggage isn't such a big priority. I guess they just don't have enough ski trips to justify buying equipment over renting.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@GlasgowCyclops,
| Quote: |
I've got one of these. https://rab.equipment/uk/kitbag-50 and it is 55x33x33 however, you can put boot in it with helmet and gloves plus my trousers and some kit around the side and it squashes to 55x25x40 So is cabin friendly.
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Thats 5cm to wide for Ryanair these days (has to be 55 x 20 x 40)!
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BA hand luggage is 23kg, same as the hold, but I've never seen them weigh it.
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FAQ
