 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
I'm going to Andorra skiing in a couple of weeks time and I've only ever hired the "Standard" equipment before. Is it actually worth paying the extra money or is there very little difference between the "Superior" & "Standard" ski equipment? I will most probably be getting my hire stuff from Pic Negre in Soldeu.
Any advice/info will be appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tricky one this as the definition of 'superior' and 'standard' (or indeed 'gold', 'silver', 'bronze') seems to vary wildly from resort to resort and from shop to shop. I have both paid for the budget hire skis and been given 2-year-old well-prepared Rossignols and paid extra for 'gold' skis to be given some five-year-old Salomons with no edges. The good thing with hire skis is that you can take them back if you don't like them, but who wants to spend their holiday doing that?
Does the shop you intend to use have a website? If so you might get an idea of the type and quality of rental skis on offer. Or do a bit of googling and see what else is on offer in Soldeu.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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gary, it depends.
If you know what you want or you have a shortlist of acceptable equipment, then you will usually have to go for the higher level of kit to get access to them. At this level, you are probably ready to buy a set, but want to try a couple of options to help you decide.
If you don't have any preference, and just want something which is OK for you, then don't spend the extra money - just make sure that what you get is in reasonable condition. I'd rather have last year's skis with a recent service than something two weeks old which has been hammered and not serviced yet.
It also depends on the shop, and your level of knowledge - in a dodgy place, you'll pay the top price and get the worst kit if they think they can get away with it, while a decent shop will listen to your description of your experience and ability, ask some pertinent questions, and then recommend 2-3 models which might be appropriate, even if those aren't the most expensive.
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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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When hiring skis what things are best to look out for?
Should you check to make sure that the edges are sharp for example? Something I should have done last year in Chamonix in January considering the poor snow conditions!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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gary, if you're not sure, probably not. I would advise you to ask your instructor if you should get better kit, because it's holding you back. If you don't plan to take lessons, then almost definitely not.
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ousekjarr,
+1 - I have paid for superior skis, only to be fobbed off with rubbish because they know that they can get away with it when they profess not to speak English!
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why not rent standard for the week then treat yourself to some "Demo" ski's for a day or two and see if you can see a difference?
most rental ski's will be a rental spec i.e. thicker bases, thicker edges to allow more servicing and a thicker topsheet to make them look better for longer so even if you upgrade to superior they won't be the same spec as a retail pair.
Demo's will usually be current retail spec with rental bindings.
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FAQ
All thankyou to a competition entry in Fall Line last winter 
