 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello
Have found a cheap deal to Mayrhofen for January with a TO. Just wanted to know if you lot prefer to pre-booked your equipment hire before you go, or do you find it cheaper (and better) when you are there? Is it worth paying more for superior ski's? Do you always get better ski's by doing this?
Just interested to see what people thoughts are on this.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You get what you pay for - golden truth !
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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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hire in resort, go round the hire shops checking out the equipment on offer, don't be distracted by the 'superior' 'gold' 'platinum' type labels, and don't be palmed off with inappropriate or 'well used' equipment, go back to the shop with the best offer of equipment and price. you certainly won't pay any more than paying the TO, and possibly less, and you'll get suitable equipment matched to your ability, the conditions in resort and the type of skiing you'll be doing.
have fun 
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 20-11-08 23:19; 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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I am interested in this too. I would book through one of the online rental - snowrental , ski set etc and would usually go for 'red/silver/intermediate' skis. Booking online seems to offer discount on resort prices.but i dont know what level of ski i actually end up with. I reckon if you pay less you will probably get older skis. So I just check it has a decent edge and clean base, that looks like it has seen wax sometime - or ask for them to be serviced.
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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 think paying extra for 'superior skis' generally means newer and in better condition. I didn't really see any difference in price between booking in advance through a TO or paying in resort. If anything, it was slightly more expensive in resort due to the exchange rate being less favourable...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Have been pre-booking for years now. Saves hassle of staggering round wasting ski time. If you do this and have skied more than a couple of times, get something up from the basic ski pack as Wayne, says, you DO get what you pay for. For example, with SkiSet last year, you could change the skis a couple of times if you didn't like them if you bought the 'gold' level - though I have noticed this year they have changed their rating system so it may be different.
Bitter experience of booking with TO has been that you get into resort at godawful time and miss the shops, so then land at the TO recommended hire shop at the busiest time and then waste a morning getting kitted out.
I think I am saying DIY! Good luck
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I agree that it's defo better booking up ski hire before you go, you don't want to be traipsing round a bunch of ski hire shops once you get there trying to find the best deal - they'll all be much the same price in resort anyway, if they want to rent any skis that is and that price is always more expensive than if you book online (straightforward bulk bargaining power). Best bet i have found is going through these people http://www.snowrental.net/, been with them a few times and they do have great deals and you can pick them up the evening before you ski so you can hit the slopes first thing!
a group of us went last year and all booked through this place, a few of us booked the top level skis and a few of us the basic skis - the top level was excellent quality, newer equipment than the bottom level, but to be honest the bottom level was pretty decent too and unless you're something more than a one or 2 week a year recreational skier I doubt it makes much odds to how well you'll ski.
that said, you feel more the part on the platinum level skis!
happy skiing  !
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I have done both. If booked in advance you sometimes need to be careful you don't get palmed off with old kit.
if you walk in' you'll pay up to 10% more but will be offered the latest brand new kit to get your bisiness.
That said, it all depends on demand and varies between resorts. If going at a busy time (new year, french half term) I would pre book.
On line deals are always cheaper than booking through a major TO.
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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'm prebooking for the first time this Feb and am a bit nervous about getting palmed off with rubbish. Then again, there isn't a special hire shop in any resort that specialises in complete crap, otherwise they'd go out of business, so how bad can it be. Not 'Nevis Range' bad, that's for certain. If it's all poorly kept 9 seasons old rubbish we'll just kick up a fuss in the shop. 
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Go by quality of equipment, including whether the shop does a good binding check, then price if that is important to you. Bearing in mind you cannot check quality of equipment remotely, don't pre-book. Yes, it is more hassle. Yes, it probably is more expensive. Yes, it is worth it.
| paulio wrote: |
| ......... so how bad can it be....... |
Pretty bad, judging by my worst experience.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| paulio wrote: |
| I'm prebooking for the first time this Feb and am a bit nervous about getting palmed off with rubbish. Then again, there isn't a special hire shop in any resort that specialises in complete crap, otherwise they'd go out of business, so how bad can it be. Not 'Nevis Range' bad, that's for certain. If it's all poorly kept 9 seasons old rubbish we'll just kick up a fuss in the shop. |
But you've already paid so your walk away potential has gone. What happens if you hit that shop when it's completely rammed, or it's at the other end of town from where you are staying.
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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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Fingers crossed then!
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paulio, Can honestly say I have never had crappy skis from a shop. Maybe a bit kicked in on the tops, but always had edges and smooth bases. And the rental options we got, as I said, allowed you to swap if you got planks.
Chill man, chill.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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| easiski wrote: |
If anybody had seen that disaster with equipment that one of my clients (big group) had last year they would NEVER book in advance again. Innapropriate equipment, not fitted, not regulated, no measuring ... could have been a really big nightmare in terms of injury. fortunately I found out and checked it all myself - but then I'm not insured to do that ..... Better than leaving a 60 year old beginner lady of under 9 stone with skis on DIN 7 though.   |
Thanks Easiski.
I know it's each to their own and different people have different budgets, but I just don't get this obsession with pre-booking skis online from some website where you have no idea really if the kit or the STAFF are any good at all. OK so prob worth doing if at 1/2 term or NYE, xmas, but what is the maximum you save (not incl the republic) 20 euro or 30 euro - that's one dinner out or a good round of drinks. For that you run the risk of the shop being miles away, being palmed off with rubbish kit, or getting a gallic shrug when you enquire whether they've set the DINs correctly. If you've pre-payed you've lost the abilllity to go elsewhere, which to me is the only thing that keeps them on their toes.
Given that the objective of the holiday is to ski or board then it strikes me as a false economy - I'd rather have a pasta frenzy at home one night / take a baguette up the hill or just cut back one night on the lemon sherberts so that I have the abillity to chop and change shops at the start of the week. I know friends that have given kit back early from shop a and gone to shop b the same evening as they couldn't get the right fitting boot from shop a, and the staff were unwilling to help enough.
However we rent our kit, here's to a good season for everyone !
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