 Poster: A snowHead
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Does anyone have any advice on how to rent skis of a specific type? In my case decent all mountain freestyle twin-tips.
I'm clearly getting it wrong at the moment.
My renting experience goes something like:
Find rental shop conveniently located in resort
Find shop website
Website says "We have a complete range of the finest skis available to humanity, we have them here and we have them now"
I read the packages and choose to pay extra for the "Ultra Platinum" package, because it notes that I can get current season skis of exactly the type I want. I note this on the order. The order says I'll get "Armada BDOG skis or similar"
I receive a confirmation and am required to print off several sheets of paper to bring with me.
I arrive in resort tired and join a huge queue at the ski shop with a tired child.
When I finally get to the end of the queue I am handed a pair of last season's mid range piste skis with a note sellotaped to them with my name on, thus showing they deliberately put that pair aside for me. This indicates the word "similar" on the website is interpreted pretty broadly.
I say politely "Do you have any twin-tips like the pair I ordered" they say "No" or possibly "Yes in our shop 15km away in Bourg St Maurice although they probably don't have any left"
I decide to avoid holding up the 50 people behind me in the queue so I take the piste skis and thank them
I use the skis all week and they are ok although I don't really enjoy the powder or park as much as I'd like.
I'd expect that the obvious advice is "don't use Skiset" which I now adhere to but any further advice would be great.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 18-07-23 9:43; 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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If you want something specific or higher end then contact a shop directly, never go through a booking portal like Skimium or Skiset as they take some of the shops margin so there is no incentive for them to offer you their best equipment.
If you really want a specific ski then go on the brand website and find a dealer/shop in your resort. Tell the shop you are interesting in buying and want to try a specific ski, they will often be able to help and should be able to set something aside for you if they have it. But, expect to pay more for this obviously.
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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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This advice may be scuppered if you're having to travel at peak times, but if you are in a reasonable size resort (i.e. one with multiple hire shops operated independently of each other), then you can go into any of them and have a look at what they've got. If it isn't what you want, walk away and try the next one.
If it's half-term and that's too high risk, email the shop ahead of booking and ask specifically for what you want. If the reply is positive, book with them directly so they're not losing a cut to a third party.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 18-07-23 10:13; edited 1 time in total
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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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Planning for January in St Anton I was after a specific ski, went to the shop website that had it listed as available specifically, rented that specific ski and paid in advance, and when I got there they still didn't have it. I insisted and they ummed and aahed, said they did have it available somewhere else and told me it was pointless waiting. I stood may ground, said I'd be there tomorrow morning to get the ski I'd booked and paid for, and lo and behold they did actually have it. I was royally miffed but glad I didn't settle.
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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 have seen some shops who show the skis they have available - and if you book earlier enough, can reserve them. That option disappears as you get closer to the date. IIRC That was the case at the "Deep Snow" Ski Set shop in Val Claret.
However, I think the best option is to contact the shop directly.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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If you are going at peak season may be more tricky, but couple of thoughts. Phone beforehand (not a booking engine) and look at all the rental shops in resort. You'll probably find the the less easy to find ones have more stock available. If you go to the same resort each year, make friends with the owner of the hire shop....
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Just buy your own
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I must admit I've never had rental skis that were as good (either model or tune) as I'd expected when I reserved them regardless of the level of standard I've paid for. Every time I've rented I've regretted not taking my own skis.
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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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It can be very difficult! I wanted a ski for offpiste that was still enjoyable on piste & spent nearly 2 years occasionally browsing ski tech info before settling on a particular ski, actually, I chose the ski quite early but took a couple of seasons before I bought them. In that time I searched unsuccessfully for resort shops that had that ski to demo, the nearest I got was Oktobertest where they had the skis in a narrower version.
I got the chance of a very good price on last years graphics & bought blind, without trying them.
At first, I thought I'd made a mistake, but once I got used to the 110mm ski width I absolutely love them! Best ski I've used in 37 yrs of skiing, fantastic carving on piste and easy to throw around in the bumps & deep snow.
I suspect the hire shops don't really want to bother with all mountain skis for hire.
More expensive and easily trashed on rocks when they're taken off piste.
Lack of demand? Most people advanced enough to use them will buy their own.
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