 Poster: A snowHead
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HI, we rent out skis for each year, and have been using Alpin Resorts the last few years, we have got progressively worse and worse equipment in Les Arc 1950 the last few season, where despite choosing the mid range options the ski's are all jagged around the edges, and genrally a bit awful looking, we normally ski in April, and generally have assumed it's the last week of the season, hence why the euqipment looks awful - but this year, i don't want that kind of service, i want decent skies and am kicking myself for not having stood up for myself in the past.
If you turn up with an Alpin Resort or Snowbrainer - do they just allocate any old thing, irrespective of what you booked on the website? (certainly feels that way) so wondering if going directly will help the quality of what we are allocated. we have our own boots, so it is just skis we need.
we are going to Isola 2000 at Feb half term, and i am looking at going directly, there are 3 main chains -
Skiset,
Sport 2000
Intersport
Skimium
SO ANY TIPS - on how to get decent equipment for my money - any chains to definately avoid, andy insight to how the booking agents - transalates to kits.
Prices seem really high this year, compared to previous years too
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Bunches, I have rented from all of those 4 in various places. to be honest it depends on the individual franchises, as the skis are maintained onsite (or not maintained, as the case may be). I have had great service/skis from some; and not so great. I don't know about Isola but someone else here may have rented at one of those shops in the past.
One thing I have found is that if you rent the top line bar 1 (top being wide all mountain/freeride), you usually get something pretty good. "Intermediate" skis/boots are often pretty beat by midseason because that's what most renters characterize themselves as, but ime "expert" rental skis are perfectly good for an intermediate. And you will get better boots. As for prices, you can usually find some online discount codes, but those big 4 chains will be pretty close in prices...
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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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It really is shop dependent, both in terms of equipment stocked and how it is maintained. The chains are mostly just aggregators when it comes to rental. So frankly the question you should ask is which rental SHOP is good where you are going. The chain matters not at all.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Pasigal, Yes i have been wondering about this.... i do class myself as an intermediate... and therefore am too scared to order expert packages Gold or Diamond, for fear of being given skis i can't handle.
is there something specific i could ask for? i have skiied for 30 years and am an intermediate piste skiier - happily get around, but wouldnt do blacks or off piste. i am short and want skis i can control. i think i like smaller carving skis.. does that sound right? if i ordered expert, what i would then request once i got there to ensure i dont end up with really long, fast skis
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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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| Bunches wrote: |
@Pasigal, Yes i have been wondering about this.... i do class myself as an intermediate... and therefore am too scared to order expert packages Gold or Diamond, for fear of being given skis i can't handle.
is there something specific i could ask for? i have skiied for 30 years and am an intermediate piste skiier - happily get around, but wouldnt do blacks or off piste. i am short and want skis i can control. i think i like smaller carving skis.. does that sound right? if i ordered expert, what i would then request once i got there to ensure i dont end up with really long, fast skis |
Do the hire shops use that sort of terminology? From my previous experience of hiring kit (granted from a way back) is that they did variations on gold/silver/bronze. It didn’t have too much to do with ability, more the quality of kit you got. Bronze would be something basic and maybe a year or two old. Silver was something a bit newer but with a bit of wear and tear, gold was something new that season and decent quality. Gold offered different types of ski too; piste ski, all mountain etc. It’s maybe not until you got to Platinum or equivalent that they offer something a bit more ability related that you’d need to be more towards the advanced/expert scale to get real benefit from.
So, best bet is to go for the gold or equivalent, which gets you new decent skis, then chat with them in the hire shop about your skiing ability and they’ll give you something to fit that rather than something too advanced for you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Dav, yes it’s all booked on ability. Which is the problem. If they booked it the way you describe, that would be perfect.
I’m going to chance ordering expert and hope they give me ‘good’ intermediate kit
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@Dav, Actually skiset allow you to choose by quality. But the others don’t. Maybe that just made the decision for me
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@Bunches,
As a general rule you get a better service with the independent hire shops.
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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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| Bunches wrote: |
@Dav, Actually skiset allow you to choose by quality. But the others don’t. Maybe that just made the decision for me
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Have you clicked on the link that was created in your post when you mentioned Skiset? Just saying . . .
My personal approach (back in the days of renting skis, which is a long time ago now, but I still used to help friends) was to find the shop most convenient for where I'm staying and approach directly if possible. For e.g. for Isola 2000, the ski shops all seem to be listed here and several appear to have their own websites:
https://isola2000.com/en/annuaire/winter-shop/sports-shops-en/
And beware, Skiset etc. are just aggregators, so the "levels" they offer may bear no relation to how the shop hires skis.
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We've been using Snowrental for the last few years - prices seem ok and they often send you discount codes, which may, or may not, affect the price. Latest code is SRFEB24. They now seem to be part of Skiset. As others have said, it all depends on the shop you end up using in a particular resort.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Bunches wrote: |
HI, we rent out skis for each year, and have been using Alpin Resorts the last few years, we have got progressively worse and worse equipment in Les Arc 1950 the last few season, where despite choosing the mid range options the ski's are all jagged around the edges, and genrally a bit awful looking, we normally ski in April, and generally have assumed it's the last week of the season, hence why the euqipment looks awful - but this year, i don't want that kind of service, i want decent skies and am kicking myself for not having stood up for myself in the past.
If you turn up with an Alpin Resort or Snowbrainer - do they just allocate any old thing, irrespective of what you booked on the website? (certainly feels that way) so wondering if going directly will help the quality of what we are allocated. we have our own boots, so it is just skis we need.
we are going to Isola 2000 at Feb half term, and i am looking at going directly, there are 3 main chains -
Skiset,
Sport 2000
Intersport
Skimium
SO ANY TIPS - on how to get decent equipment for my money - any chains to definately avoid, andy insight to how the booking agents - transalates to kits.
Prices seem really high this year, compared to previous years too |
So I came back from Isola about ten days ago and we used Sport 2000. Family have used them in previous years and always had a good experience. It was our first time.
I hired just skis and my wife had skis and boots.
I liked them. The guy in the shop with the 1920’s moustache (you’ll know what I mean when you see him) was very affable, professional and wanted to chat skis and boots.
The initial boots my wife had weren’t quite right for her. The exchange was easy and they spent extra time trying to understand the issue and seemed genuinely keen to make sure it was as slick as possible.
Both sets of skis were as booked in terms of quality and I couldn’t fault any of the kit we had. Also, moustache man spoke very good English (which is always helpful when exploring fit and chatting about equipment).
All in all, a positive experience with them and I would use again.
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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 can only repeat that it depends on the shop not on the chain. Some will hear that message. It seems many won’t.
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I have a not-very-well-tested theory that whatever theoretical discounts you sign up for in advance, you end up paying much the same.
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You know it makes sense.
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Have used Alpinresots for years - used to use Snowell as they did free child skis.
Always go “red” and generally have had pretty good kit but we ski Jan - early March. We got very new skis in Valmenier at Skiset on 6th Jan this year.
The only thing to caution is that we choose red so that we don’t get given really expensive kit that our insurance wouldn’t cover and were annoyed in Les Carroz cos when hubby’s skis were taken the shop said they’d given him top of the range - luckily he got them back !
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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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| Bunches wrote: |
@Pasigal, Yes i have been wondering about this.... i do class myself as an intermediate... and therefore am too scared to order expert packages Gold or Diamond, for fear of being given skis i can't handle.
is there something specific i could ask for? i have skiied for 30 years and am an intermediate piste skiier - happily get around, but wouldnt do blacks or off piste. i am short and want skis i can control. i think i like smaller carving skis.. does that sound right? if i ordered expert, what i would then request once i got there to ensure i dont end up with really long, fast skis |
Ask for slalom skis.
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Poster: A snowHead
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We rented Skii’s for the kids (15 and 13)in Val Thorens week before Xmas. I had ordered online through skiset. Went for the advanced packages. They didn’t even check my booking voucher till we had the Skii’s and boots!!
The best place I have rented from was Killy sports in Val d isere. Always very new and uptodate.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Kenzie wrote: |
@Bunches,
As a general rule you get a better service with the independent hire shops. |
I am not so sure about that. We've had less than thrilling tunes from independents and surprisingly good ones from what appeared to be a pretty generic Sport 2000...
I think if you are looking for pretty high-end skis you may do better with a speciality shop, however.
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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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@Reezo, hi - he sounds great fun! - do you know which Sport 2000 it was, as there are three
Thank you
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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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| Reezo wrote: |
moustache man spoke very good English (which is always helpful when exploring fit and chatting about equipment).
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I do a google translate to show to the shop in case their English isn't great as I feel I need them to know that I have two false hips and I will only be skiing greens/blues and I want them set on that basis - I'd rather lose a ski than twist my new hips. Although, that being said the shop this year seemed to understand perfectly and said they would set them loose, but I was wiped out (by hubby) coming off a chairlfit and although I ended up really twisted the bloody ski didn't come off!
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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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Our group usually consists of some pre bookers and other that turn up and rent, the pre bookers always come off the worst. Shops are usually happy to give you a discount if you ask as they will still get a fair bit more that what they would have received from alpinresorts or skiset
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Bunches wrote: |
we are going to Isola 2000 at Feb half term, and i am looking at going directly, there are 3 main chains -
Skiset,
Sport 2000
Intersport
Skimium
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You can also look at this chain: https://www.ski-republic.com/
They are not better or worst than the others but use to be way cheaper. I used to go for them and rent their high end sets
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These days, I don't think I'd ever bother to book in advance unless advised to do so by someone who knew the local scene.
When my daughter rented skis in Italy (Pila) last year they looked really battered, and didn't match her red jacket or the boots she rented from them (third pair she'd tried as she has awkward feet and is quite fussy about the fit) but she said they skied fine. For most of us, to be honest, we are not sufficiently knowledgeable to know whether skis will be OK just by looking at them - and there are so many other factors which determine how well we get on that "blaming the skis" is often not justified anyway. We didn't know how long we'd want them, so the guy just told us to bring them back when we'd done, and the cost seemed perfectly reasonable. We took longer some days choosing our lunch!
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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 have only rented once before, in Levi at new year. Couldn't be bothered with 4 pairs of skis, a transfer in helsinki and a hire car. I booked from the elan shop, i went for premium and got a brand new pair of SLX or could have had alternative all mountain which also looked new. Wife and girls got a perfectly acceptable pair of insomnias each. I have now booked premium all mountain skis from skimium in arc 2000 for my lads trip next week. I will report back on if they are up to standard, due to likely conditions I will be taking my diamond files and edge guides just incase they aren't, im now tempted to take my chrome files and stripper now based on previous comments. I did look into both of the premium skis that are on offer from skimium, not a chance are they expert only skis, they are below what I have bought for myself as an advanced piste skier let alone someone who is an expert. An expert would insist on having their own skis I would have thought. Book the premium skis in my opinion, they will be about right for you.
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I'd be hesitant about attacking hire skis with my own tools.....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I will be if im not happy with them and it is as icy as being reported. I sharpen skis twice a week, i know what im doing.
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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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| thierryd wrote: |
| Bunches wrote: |
we are going to Isola 2000 at Feb half term, and i am looking at going directly, there are 3 main chains -
Skiset,
Sport 2000
Intersport
Skimium
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You can also look at this chain: https://www.ski-republic.com/
They are not better or worst than the others but use to be way cheaper. I used to go for them and rent their high end sets |
Great - forgot about them, used them a few years ago - seem to come out cheapest in Val D'Isere - Thanks.
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