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Hire Skis now with Crystal or in resort - which skis?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Going to La Plagne 1800 on Dec 26. Crystal Ski offer 3 types of skis - Bronze, Silver and Gold. What is the difference? Should we book through Crystal or book with a company in resort? Prices £71, £99 and £113 respectively, boots are an extra £42.

As an amateur with a few local lessons under his belt will different skis make much difference?

While I am asking questions.... should we get them to sort lift passes or do that ourselves too? They do a ski pass for £182 for the local area.

Thanks in advance.
Mike
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Mike-H, if you check the resort website you can reach a judgement on the exchange rate - it is worth thinking about getting it in advance, as that's a very busy time, but with most resorts you can buy online.

The only time I used a TO ski hire the equipment was pretty grim (I knew nothing about skis but even then it was pretty obvious).
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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?
It's very rare for a holiday company to have their own stock of skis so they normally just do deals with the local ski shops. The equipment and prices will usually be the same advertised in the shops if you just walked in.

Same for lift passes. Despite what people think holiday companies and reps rarely load these prices, their commission comes from the suppliers' margins.

You may be able to book skis cheaper independently online however as many shops do early booking discounts.
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Sounds expensive. I put those dates into snowrental.net and got prices ranging from Eur79 to Eur110 - including boots.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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RobW wrote:
Sounds expensive. I put those dates into snowrental.net and got prices ranging from Eur79 to Eur110 - including boots.


May look into this online booking malarky then as that sounds cheaper.
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Anyone got opinons on whether to upgrade the skis. I am a total newbie with a few lessons completed (must say its bloody good fun though)
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
For most people I'd say yes definitely, I'm not so sure about a 'total newbie' though, I can't really remember those days. Imagine the difference between types of car - 17 year old learners hatchback, family saloon, sports car. Which do you think you should have?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
As an almost total newbie, who only came to skiing 2 years ago, I would from my limited experience say go for something above the most basic ski in the package for rental.

1st year used the most basic ski from the rental shop, year two one up from the most basic from www.edge2edge.co.uk and it was a much better experience with better control even after only a week and a bit skiing.

This year i have just bought a 2nd hand pair Shocked - thanks to snowHead 's and the plan for 4 weeks skiing this season makes it a reasonable option with the still not great exchange rates on the pound to most other currency Sad
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If it's your first ski holiday I'd go with what Crystal have on offer. As albinomountainbadger, says the company make their money out of the local supplier not the guest. The advantage of going with Crystal is that if you use their service the rep will be more co-operative especially if anything goes wrong. If you have no experience and things go wrong you'll be on your own. Bronze boots can be really horrible but are for complete beginners. If you think you're going to make some quick progress go for Silver boots and skis.

Make sure you are getting a La Plagne pass for your £182. If you are then that is a good price and again will save you any problems for your first experience. You should get them issued on the coach or soon after arrival and then you won't have to mess about at what will be a very busy time.

What are you doing about lessons? If you are contemplating them that week again make sure you book in advance to avoid disappointment.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Mike-H, I've booked with Crystal. It made sense last year to pre-book the lift pass with them as the exchange rate worsened and ended up saving me a fair bit. This season we shall see.

However, I think it possibly works out cheaper to pre-book your equipment hire via Skiset or Snowrental online. You'll probably end up in the same hire shops that Crystal use anyway.
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I agree with what's been already said re. TO's hire costs, it's rarely cheaper to go direct. The only thing to watch is the quality of the gear. If the TO's chosen shop is offering old gear, I'd go elsewhere because the prices will be similar throughout the resort.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Mike-H, it's a long time ago now but when I did a season for a UK TO weekly hire via the TO was £50 of which the shop only saw £20 and not immediately either. If you ask the shop if they will you a discount for paying you direct rather than going through the TO they are very likely to say yes. You are much more valuable to them as a direct customer than via a TO.

Alternatively, prebooking online is another way to get a discounted rate.
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have a look at www.snowrental.net
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hire in resort. The deals with holiday companies usually mean the shop just drags out all the old cr@p.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
bobinch, I realise you qualified it but your information is hopelessly out of date and potentially confusing to the original poster. Holiday companies must have fielded hundreds of complaints loading prices in such an obvious way as it's no longer industry practice.

Pure cash has also lost its bargaining power so online advance bookings are now are the only guaranteed way to save money over public rates. It may be possible to negotiate with a shop when you're in resort but I wouldn't rely on it.

Re: the question about upgrades. Agreeing with other commentators I would advise the Silver type of equipment for beginners hoping to advance. The extra quality really will make learning easier and your trip more pleasurable. Smile

Extra points to consider:
- If you book through the holiday company they might have a slot booked at the shop so you can avoid the worst of the weekend queues.
- If you book online independently the shop may prepare the equipment it considers appropriate for you so when you turn up you only have to try it on and don't risk them being out of stock.
- During high season some shops will only serve pre-bookings and contracted holiday company clients.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
The thing with going direct to the shop is you are a customer to the shop and not the TO you are travelling with can often mean you get better service and better equipment.

Book online direct with the shop in advance is what ive always done.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Renry,
Quote:

Book online direct with the shop in advance is what ive always done.


When you say always did that include your very first trip? If Mike-H, is going with someone who is prepared to help him then OK but if he's on his own on hos first trip I'd say go with TO. That would be my considered opinion.
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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?
albinomountainbadger, are you sure? I'd be very surprised if TO's aren't still taking at least 50% of the hire price. In their eyes, they've brought you this customer all the way from the UK and walked him into your shop - hence why they want a big slice of the pie. I'm not saying you pay more via a TO, just that the ski shop sees much less which is why they'd much prefer you as a private customer.
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I'm off to La Plagne early January - staying in 1800.

I've just booked my skis online with http://location-ski.sport2000.fr/ - just select La Plagne 1800. Plagne 1800 Sports, date, how many days and then select your skis. The price

I got 50% discount and paid just 43 Euros for 5 days for their red (intermediate) skis. You just pay a deposit online and the rest in resort.

Have hired from this place before as have stayed 1800 3 times previously - great service and equipment. They've also got lockers you can use.

Close to lifts and La Mine bar around the corner to round off a great days skiing!! Very Happy
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I hope you enjoy the increased access now you have another lift Very Happy
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would'nt order a cup of tea from crystal as they did everything in there power to ruin a group holiday we had a few years back. you can be sure they wil rip you off if you book your ski hire with them.have been organising group trips for 10+years and best prices we have ever got online was with skiset.co.uk. just checked their prices for your resort for 6 days boots and skis= top ski 107 euro base ski 80 euro.
use newskisetclubuk in the discount box option for a 30% discount.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
bobinch, I see what you mean now but you worded it ambiguously. The normal practice is for the ski shop to either take the money direct from the client and later pay a commission to the holiday company or as with voucher schemes for the holiday company to take the guests' money and settle the company account with the shop at a later date. When and by whom the commission gets deducted in the latter case can vary by resort and by shop so in some cases the process is as you say but any shop paying as much commission as you suggest needs to renegotiate!

The commission is usually taken from the same slice of the shop's profit margin as potential discounts which is why many shops will not give the client a discount and pay out a commission. Holiday company vouchers as sold on the coaches are obviously a great way for the company to prevent this happening.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Some great replies. Thank you all so much. It would appear that Crystal are charging about £50 plus more than renting seperately. What time are the rental shops open to in an evening? We arrive late (about 8pm) thanks to Crystal swapping our flights (which really annoyed us).
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Mike-H wrote:
Some great replies. Thank you all so much. It would appear that Crystal are charging about £50 plus more than renting seperately. What time are the rental shops open to in an evening? We arrive late (about 8pm) thanks to Crystal swapping our flights (which really annoyed us).


I have just looked a couple up, and they seem to close at about 7:30PM, opening about 8:00AM on Sundays, 8:30 the rest of the week. There may well be some open later, but by the time you have faffed around getting your room etc, you aren't going to have time to get the equipment on arrival evening.
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