 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, what is the best way to transport used skis and boots in a hire car without a roof box? We will be alternating between taking the ski bus and driving to the slopes in Saalbach and Zell am See and have hired a car from Megadrive at Salzburg airport. I'm worried the car will become very dirty inside if we put the skis inside the car at the end of the ski day without a ski bag, so thinking of bringing black bin bags to put around the skis to protect the car. Does anyone have any tips on how to best transport skis, ski boots and poles in a standard sized car?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If you rent from Sixt they also rent roof ski racks for only arounf 4EUR / day extra
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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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From experience I think an estate is best and look for one with 60/40 split seats if there are 4 of you in the car. You may be able to avoid the skis protruding over the centre arm rest. We use a plastic tarp to wrap wet skis and put boots in grocery bags.
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If you do put them inside the car, you may want something a bit more substantial than bin bags. I have a plastic groundsheet (picnic mat) in the back of the car, but a couple of old bath towels would work, and will also soak up some of the moisture. A brush of some kind is useful to get the snow off – a small one for cleaning windscreens works, and an old tea towel to wipe them down. Pick up some newspaper to put in under the ski boots.
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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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We take a cheap, foldable ski bag on the plane with us. Holds two pairs of skis easily and fits down the centre of the car without obstructing the handbrake / gearstick. Fold one or both of the back seats down for extra room. Any size of car is fine for this except the smallest (Mini) one.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have a B&Q garden waste bag in my car, it covers the length of the skis that are not in the boot when using split rear seats. And a stiff laundry brush to clean off snow.
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Take a hand brush for getting the snow off your skis before they go in the car. Take an old towel to put them on and put them through the split rear seat. Watch that the edges aren't in contact with the trim of the car as they will damage or scratch it. Bin bag in the boot for putting your ski boots in. This will probably last for the first couple of trips, then you'll just shove it all in... 
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Thanks very much for your replies, very useful information! I like the idea of large supermarket bags for the ski boots, old towels and a hand brush for brushing snow off the skis. We will be five people in a Ford Focus, so won't be able to fold down any seats. Foldable ski bags would be ideal, but costly, and we don't have enough luggage allowance. We will also consider hiring a roof ski rack.
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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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You will struggle fitting skis and 5 people in a Ford focus! Be mindful that rental ski racks are often the magnetic types and don’t take wide skis.
I would like to hear from anyone else who have found a good set of removable racks that can be used with rental cars that we would keep at our apartment for frequent use. Ideally fit 4 pairs of skis upto 100mm wide.
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| Motherofthree wrote: |
| Thanks very much for your replies, very useful information! I like the idea of large supermarket bags for the ski boots, old towels and a hand brush for brushing snow off the skis. We will be five people in a Ford Focus, so won't be able to fold down any seats. Foldable ski bags would be ideal, but costly, and we don't have enough luggage allowance. We will also consider hiring a roof ski rack. |
I assume / hopes its a Focus estate. Clearly 3 of the 5 are kids from your name, so their skis may go sideways / diagonal across the boot, with the poles Boots in aldi / similar bags for life is fine, but your adult skis are going to hang over the seat backs into the rear seat space I would think, which is a best uncomfortable for kids and at worst damn dangerous. I've done similar but 4 up in a similar sized car, and we just folded the 40% side of back seat down and made the teenagers sit on the 60%.
I think roof rack will be essential
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 10-01-23 18:00; edited 2 times in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You also need to be careful of ski edges slicing the upholstery.
5 in a focus will be a real challenge(impossible?) without a large roofrack. I've managed 4 with gear in a similar sized car with the skis in the front seat with seatbelt securing them in place.
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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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Yes, with five people in a Ford Focus I agree you'll probably need a roofrack.
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One thing to watch is that many hire car agreements have clauses that say you can't put anything on the roof...so don't put it on/wait till you'reat the dropoff to fit/remove your own roofrack
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You know it makes sense.
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Magnetic carriers can be a real problem - one bit of grit underneath them can really scratch the roof badly.
As above - we get compact estates - when skiing three up; bigger when skiing four or five up. Everything goes inside. Ford Focus with 5 inside won't work. Unless you have snowblades...
Small 'dustpan and brush' stylee brush with us to brush of all snow at the end of each day, light and easy to carry in luggage but SO important.
Ski bags to resort, then big thick Swiss 60 litre bin bags cut open into groundsheets to place skis into.
Boots simply brushed off completely and then can sit in footwell or in back of car.
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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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| Ozboy wrote: |
You will struggle fitting skis and 5 people in a Ford focus! Be mindful that rental ski racks are often the magnetic types and don’t take wide skis.
I would like to hear from anyone else who have found a good set of removable racks that can be used with rental cars that we would keep at our apartment for frequent use. Ideally fit 4 pairs of skis upto 100mm wide. |
There was a thread on here a few years ago about using inflatable roof bars. Yes they are a thing, I just googled it!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| shep wrote: |
| Ozboy wrote: |
| I would like to hear from anyone else who have found a good set of removable racks that can be used with rental cars that we would keep at our apartment for frequent use. Ideally fit 4 pairs of skis upto 100mm wide. |
There was a thread on here a few years ago about using inflatable roof bars. Yes they are a thing, I just googled it! |
I keep a set of inflatable Handiracks at my apartment. I can only get 4 pairs max on mine, and I wouldn't want to drive a long way, not least as the "bars" are attached by looping a piece of webbing all the way through the car from one side to the other, which impacts headroom a bit!
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 10-01-23 19:20; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Motherofthree, We have used inflatable roof bars, called handi rack as far as my bad memory goes, came with its own little pump. They strap through the car i.e. opens doors when fitting. There is a risk of rubbing / scratching the roof, and not sure if it would take 4 pairs of skis, that is quite a weight over all. we only every did 2 pairs in very thin cheap ski bags
edit: cross post with above.........
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 10-01-23 19:21; edited 1 time in total
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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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@Zorrac, snap!
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| alasdair.graham wrote: |
You also need to be careful of ski edges slicing the upholstery.
5 in a focus will be a real challenge(impossible?) without a large roofrack. I've managed 4 with gear in a similar sized car with the skis in the front seat with seatbelt securing them in place. |
I agree - I can’t see how that works either practically or safely in a Focus. Roof rack….definitely!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Motherofthree,
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any tips on how to best transport skis
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We've used something like <this> in the past
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| snowdave wrote: |
| shep wrote: |
| Ozboy wrote: |
| I would like to hear from anyone else who have found a good set of removable racks that can be used with rental cars that we would keep at our apartment for frequent use. Ideally fit 4 pairs of skis upto 100mm wide. |
There was a thread on here a few years ago about using inflatable roof bars. Yes they are a thing, I just googled it! |
I keep a set of inflatable Handiracks at my apartment. I can only get 4 pairs max on mine, and I wouldn't want to drive a long way, not least as the "bars" are attached by looping a piece of webbing all the way through the car from one side to the other, which impacts headroom a bit! |
Thanks - I have seen these on Amazon which are adapted surf board carriers but the common thread among reviews is water leaks into the car from the webbing when it rains. It rains a lot in PDS!!
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| Ozboy wrote: |
| From experience I think an estate is best and look for one with 60/40 split seats if there are 4 of you in the car. You may be able to avoid the skis protruding over the centre arm rest. We use a plastic tarp to wrap wet skis and put boots in grocery bags. |
You can’t guarantee that the model “booked” will be the one you actually get. So little point in researching which would suit then relying on getting that exact model.
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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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| ster wrote: |
| Ozboy wrote: |
| From experience I think an estate is best and look for one with 60/40 split seats if there are 4 of you in the car. You may be able to avoid the skis protruding over the centre arm rest. We use a plastic tarp to wrap wet skis and put boots in grocery bags. |
You can’t guarantee that the model “booked” will be the one you actually get. So little point in researching which would suit then relying on getting that exact model. |
Definitely - we were hoping for a Golf or Focus this weekend, which are popular in the Compact category with Hertz, but were given a Fiat 500X which was a tad too short.
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Try to rent a Chevrolet Tahoe or Suburban
Plenty of room for 5 people and you can fit all the skis, boots and boards on board.
You and the children can wear dark glasses and and make out you are the CIA.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Is there as Renault Kangoo / Van derived car class? You would get everything the boot of those as its dead tall and a massive load space, they are also usually quite cheap to rent
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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 take a soft roof rack just in case we can’t get all the luggage in hire car, and we’ve used it to transport skis to nearby resorts - wouldn’t trust my knots at high speed though!
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| skimummk wrote: |
| I take a soft roof rack just in case we can’t get all the luggage in hire car, and we’ve used it to transport skis to nearby resorts - wouldn’t trust my knots at high speed though! |
Do you have the skis flat or together, and if flat are bindings up or down?
As a FYI - I just checked my Insurance4carhire policy and they include damage to roof but exclude damage to interior.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Ozboy, when we used the handi rack, skis were together on sides, (in thin bags) it does not really lift the skis enough as we decided the brakes could hit the roof, and bindings also could the other way around. Took some small ratchet straps to strap the skis down. Took the rack off when not using it as it is easy to attach / reattach, so the water down the webbing was not an issue. Rubbing on the paint above the doors was an issue however.
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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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we put them on sideways, inside a ski bag
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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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5 in a focus , with skis inside, not possible, well not safely.
I have driven from Yorkshire to Italy with 4 adult and 2 pairs of skis inside the car. Ski poles strapped across the headrests of the front seats, skis in a ski bag from the boot to front on top of the poles.
If it was me in your situation, I would use the ski bus, or make 2 trips with car, 1 with skis, 1 with family. It's a good way to introduce the family to an Austrian apres bar.
I'm currently in Zell, the snow yesterday has made the runs feel like a normal Jan skiing day
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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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Thanks very much for all your replies. It is a standard Ford Focus we have paid for and we are a family of 5, so I realise now that it won't be possible to transport the five of us plus skis, boots, poles and helmets inside the car at the same time. We will have to stick to taking the ski bus, or make two trips with the car each way.
Glad to hear the snow conditions in Zell are improving!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Are there any ski lockers near to the lifts? At least then you'll only be transporting boots...
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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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| SHAP wrote: |
| Are there any ski lockers near to the lifts? At least then you'll only be transporting boots... |
Not much point driving to Saalbach if your skis are in a locker at Zell though.... see the OP
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ikea bags for boots!
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FAQ
