 Poster: A snowHead
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I really dont know if I can afford to ski anywhere other than Hemmel Fridge this season 
The exchange rate is pretty good there and its only £6.07 for a soupe and a small beer.
But I've signed up for a trip at February Half Term in Crans-Montana.
It's turning out to be quite scary ... about £325 for a 6 day ski pass .. but it still beats "skining up".
But I thought how much is it to rent skis ...?
I found this place on the web:
https://pacificshop.ch/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/liste_prix_2023-1.pdf
I know the prices are in CHF which at presnt is about 91p but the price to rent a pair of premium skis is going to be £173 for 6 days .. and probably plus insurance etc.
God only knows what the VIP new excusive is at £382 for 6 days .. I suppose they are only brand new for the first couple of days.
This will be the first time I'm taking my own skis to the alps for years ... I'm just imaginning trailing the ski bag and all the other kit across Paris to Gare de Lyon.
Is this just a sign of the times as the £ sinks gently into the realm of worthless currencies?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@DrLawn, “ Is this just a sign of the times as the £ sinks gently into the realm of worthless currencies?”
Looks like it to me 
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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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Those prices now sound like a bargain... The Pound has dropped nearly 2% since Kwasi's budget this morning!
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@HilbertSpace, plan to make our exports more competitive 
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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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It is mostly pure and simple profiteering. There is little real competition as most businesses are allied to one of a very few marketing groups.
A few years ago I rented around the Pyrennees and it was way cheaper than the Alps.
Sierra Nevada is about £14 for a one day hire.
Yes, the exchange rate has an effect but most of it is ramping up prices locally.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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£65 to rent for 8 days in Trysil, Norway for intermiddiot skis, just saying 
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| Quote: |
I'm just imaginning trailing the ski bag and all the other kit across Paris to Gare de Lyon.
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I thought being able to take loads of stuff along is one of the advantages of going by train…
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@DrLawn, you were expecting Switzerland and indeed Crans to be cheap?
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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 think this is another object lesson reflecting the need to pre-vet all the costs involved in any specific destination. Add equipment hire to transfer costs to ski pass costs as components of any trip that increasingly, can be unexpectedly high. This against a backdrop of flights still staying relatively cheap. Yes, every year there are threads around people who've booked a flight and/or accommodation and then find transfers, equipment, ski pass or bar/restaurant prices are a shock. But it seems to have escalated in the last couple of years such that now, I feel that I'd have to check every element of any prospective holiday first before committing.
To answer the OP, I'd say that Crans is fairly notorious as an expensive resort, and that it's not necessarily a reflection of the costs in other places in the Valais/Vaud like Nendaz or the Val d'Annivers. I'm not saying that Switzerland is as cheap as Bulgaria, say, but historically, if you excluded instruction, Switzerland looked around £100-£200 more ppw than the 'average' Alpine destination.
However, I'd be the first to admit exchange rates have some effect: when we bought our apartment in 2003 the rate was £1=2.44 CHF, by Sept.2019 it was £1=1.23 CHF and just looking, the commercial rate has just dropped over 2% from yesterday and is £1=1.08 CHF according to UBS.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 23-09-22 15:20; edited 2 times in total
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@DrLawn, Not a new phenomenon. A few years back I bought a new pair of Rossignol's for less than the cost of renting the same model for two weeks. Used them for 6 weeks in total then sold them on Ebay for more than I paid for them.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@countryman, Pyrenees for us next year then.
@abc, you're right but when you don't have a weight limit you can go a bit mad taking too much stuff.
I always have a full 23kg without taking the skis, and dragging a ski bag, even though it does have wheels seems to have a mind of its own.
I can just imagine the phaaf at St Pancras, let alone the almighty phaaf there may be at Gare du Nord on the way back.
Last time I came through there was 9 days after easter last year and the queue over an hour long just to get through passport and security...
I got split up from my misses and had to put my bag though the scanner ...
Then they wanted my belt to go through the scanner so I obliged ....
But my belt did not come out the other end ... I had to hold my trousers up all the way home... bar stewards!
My favourite belt too 
@ster, Well, I'll blame my daughter .. she wants to keep the rif raff out.
@Timc, You're a Winner! I'm pleased for you ... I was as well ten years ago I bought a pair of Salomon XTi800 with the opening bid on eBay for £100, they are still in almost mint condition. only draw back is .. 10 years ago I could manage 182cm ... I'm more of a 160cm tops now.
Anyway I'm still looking forward to it, even though I'll be skint and have to take sandwiches.
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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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@DrLawn, if you change your mind about renting, have you tried this website?
https://www.alpinresorts.com/en/about-us
i have used them several times in the past, first came across them at the Battersea ski show a few years ago when David "the hoff" Hasselhoff was promoting the brand.
usually a good early discount, and flexible cancellation policy
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Ah crans Montana the home of the €100 cheese toastie (3x cheese toastie, 2x chips and 3x cola €9 I felt violated that day......
* 12 years ago...
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You know it makes sense.
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Cheers @terrygasson,
Thanks for the tip, I did have a look and I think to be on the safe side I'll still take my own skis as I'm taking the train.
But there is plenty of time to change my mind. You never know a discount voucher code might pop up.
In past years the snowhead bash to Tignes in December has been well served by the local ski shops ... particularly "Mountain Story".
I wonder what its going to be this year 
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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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@WASHOUT, was that meant to say €90 ?
I shall be very careful ... and very hungry
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Poster: A snowHead
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Somehow I’ve been roped into taking a friend for each of my teens on our trip this year which means I’ll have to hire snowboards for 4 people for 18 days in Les Arcs in January. We’ll get there week after New Year.
Is it likely I may be able to negotiate some kind of a discount?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| under a new name wrote: |
@DrLawn, “ Is this just a sign of the times as the £ sinks gently into the realm of worthless currencies?”
Looks like it to me |
there is always scotland .. well for now at least.
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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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| sbooker wrote: |
Somehow I’ve been roped into taking a friend for each of my teens on our trip this year which means I’ll have to hire snowboards for 4 people for 18 days in Les Arcs in January. We’ll get there week after New Year.
Is it likely I may be able to negotiate some kind of a discount? |
Buy
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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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+1 buy
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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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| DrLawn wrote: |
@countryman, Pyrenees for us next year then.
@abc, you're right but when you don't have a weight limit you can go a bit mad taking too much stuff.
I always have a full 23kg without taking the skis, and dragging a ski bag, even though it does have wheels seems to have a mind of its own. |
Best to take the skis in a simple single ski bag, as that then fits into the over seat luggage racks. My experience is that there really isn't space to stow big wheeled ski bags on the train. Moving a wheeled holdall with single ski bag around stations was easy.
(Also, maybe reduce how much stuff you take  )
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@BobinCH,
Myself and my wife will bring our own gear but dragging 6 sets of ski gear from Australia…
And the two kids that aren’t mine may never see snow again.
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| sbooker wrote: |
@BobinCH,
Myself and my wife will bring our own gear but dragging 6 sets of ski gear from Australia…
And the two kids that aren’t mine may never see snow again. |
Ditch them somewhere over the Indian Ocean. Life is too short
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| sbooker wrote: |
@BobinCH,
Myself and my wife will bring our own gear but dragging 6 sets of ski gear from Australia…
And the two kids that aren’t mine may never see snow again. |
Ditch them somewhere over the Indian Ocean. Life is too short |
The skis or the kids?
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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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@sbooker, I’d be investigating buying second hand. Will you have a car? E.g. a modest detour gets you here https://lanches.fr/
But there must be similar elsewhere.Then flog them through whoever on departure.
Also, Decathlon.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| sbooker wrote: |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| sbooker wrote: |
@BobinCH,
Myself and my wife will bring our own gear but dragging 6 sets of ski gear from Australia…
And the two kids that aren’t mine may never see snow again. |
Ditch them somewhere over the Indian Ocean. Life is too short |
The skis or the kids? |
The spare kids!
You should be able to negotiate a pretty good discount in Jan but may need to shop around / look for the independent shops. Perhaps try contacting a few local shops up front by email/phone to see what they will do? If you have a car then renting from down the mountain may also be cheaper but more hassle if you need to change anything.
Kudos for bringing your kids mates with you from Oz. Hope you’re getting some serious parent gold stars for that effort!!!
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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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@sugarmoma666,
Thanks for that tip, I have got a couple of non wheeled bags somewhere out there.
I was thinking of leaving the skis in my daughters cellar on the way back as she lives in Zurich, anyway I'll look into that. Cheers!
@sbooker, ,
You're coming from Oz... with two spare kids!
Wow! Well I hope you all have a great time.
& @BobinCH, I know you live just around the corner somewhere .. so I'll keep an eye out for you and your little ski demon.
I'll have my 10 year old granddaughter there to show me how to do it.
I imagine you probably know Crans-Montana pretty well.
Is it much of a phaff getting up there from the rail station in Sierre/Sliders ?
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Interesting site. Have you used them, and do you know if they ship to the UK?
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You know it makes sense.
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@DrLawn I assume you've seen the thread on getting the cheapest rail tickets? Basically, that'll be an SBB Saver Day Pass, available from 60 days before the date of travel: best to grab them as soon as they're available as they are limited and cost more the closer to the travel date.
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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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| Quote: |
(Also, maybe reduce how much stuff you take )
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There's nothing else for it; you will have to leave the 2 back up bottles of whisky at home
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Poster: A snowHead
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| DrLawn wrote: |
Is it much of a phaff getting up there from the rail station in Sierre/Sliders ? |
No. It's been a while since I did it, but we were looking at buying there a couple of years back so looked into it. IIRC it's just a couple of minutes between the main station and the funiculaire platform, very simple, very well signed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@DrLawn, alas I’ve only skied in Crans once many years ago. They don’t have a reciprocal thing with Verbier and with the family in tow lift passes get expensive to do away days. A friend has bought an apartment there this season though so if you or your grand daughter need any kit I may be able to have some left up there for you
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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 for the advice guys ...
I know its going to be a super expensive trip and I'll just have to live with it this time and try and get a mortgage to cover it.
But @LaForet, I've found a sneaky little way to do it a bit better than the "saver day pass" ..
I'd have to buy 4 x 52chf
But if I buy advance tickets from DBahn from say Singen (in Germany) to Sierre/Sliders via Zurich.
it works out at €183 for the 4 tickets (1st class)
(about €30 per person per trip 2nd class.)
I'll just use the ticket from Zurich.
See seat61 ... DBahn will let you buy a ticket that starts or ends in a neighbouring country but starts or end in Germany for as little as €29.90 as long as you get your timing right.
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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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@under a new name,
No car this time. Partly because renting a vehicle that fits 6 people and all their gear at a reasonable fee is not easy. Partly because we love train travel.
I think I might buy gear here for my two as they will surely use it again next winter.
@BobinCH,
When I first agreed to bringing their two friends I didn’t really think too much about the cost. The airfares were bad enough - about $1600 aud each. But yikes - extra accommodation (we’re getting two units), lessons, gear hire, and the big one - lift passes.
It will be worth it. Neither have seen snow before. Witnessing that magical moment and seeing the look on their faces when they get snowed on for the first time will be priceless.
Sorry for thread hijack.
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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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| sbooker wrote: |
Neither have seen snow before. Witnessing that magical moment and seeing the look on their faces when they get snowed on for the first time will be priceless.
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Absolutely. Hope it all goes well.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@sbooker, paying for everything as well!!! Hope your kids realize how good they’ve got it with parents like you 
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@sbooker, You're a star .. and you are welcome to Jack the tread .. that's what it's here for.
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| @sbooker, paying for everything as well!!! Hope your kids realize how good they’ve got it with parents like you |
It’s a one off. Last family holiday on me as my daughter finishes school this year. They’re on their own from here.
I’m usually pretty tight fisted to be honest.
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FAQ
