Ski Hire: Buy at resort or online??

This will be my 3rd Ski holiday and I have previously booked my Ski hire online prior to arrival due to the discounted price. However on both occasions the advertised ski quality seems to be well above the actual ones I got in the store when I arrived.

If I just go to the store on arrival and buy them there, will I get the skis I want instead?

Hope this is clear

Thanks

EVO88 wrote:

If I just go to the store on arrival and buy them there, will I get the skis I want instead?

Hope this is clear

Thanks

Yes, you can always walk out of any store that wants to rent you their old tat. Much harder if you've paid up front. If you've paid for premium rental gear, and been hired tat, complain! You will pay a premium by not booking, though you can be very choosy on the day. If you have specific needs, like a really short person, very heavy, big feet etc, it may take you a little while to locate the gear you want.

Have a good idea of the gear that you want to be using, and what the big chains are stocking for their rentals, by the time you arrive.

That's all good advice from bandit - i have seen some absolute rubbish (bordering on unsafe) hired out to unsuspecting holidaymakers and would have been singularly unimpressed had I been the customer.

Why are we so nervous about complaining you pay a lot of cash to hire skis, make sure you are getting value for money :evil:

Thanks Bandit,

To be honest, I have never been given dangerous or really tatty gear, just not the equipment I have pre-ordered. They seem to wangle their way out of changing it as in the advertisements they say or similar product ha-ha!

I think I am going to wait until I'm there and have a good look around. I'm looking to do a fair bit of off piste depending on the conditions but mainly on piste. So I'll need something with some decent float but still handy on piste. Any recommendations? I was looking at maybe Scott Amazon all mountain, but Dynastar Legends I've heard are pretty good.

In your situation, I'd definitely want to see the skis before parting with any money. Dynastar Legends are pretty good, and there are several skis in the range..

http://www.dynastar.com/#/homepage

Should help you narrow down which model(s).

I'm not familiar with the Scott Amazon, but again a look at the mfrs page should help you...

http://scottusa.com/gb_en/category/7539/wintersports

It depends on which country you will be visiting, as to what you will find on the rental racks. For Switzerland you may see Stockli or Movement.

For Austria: Fischer, Kastle etc

France: Salomon, Dynastar etc

Make a wishlist and take it with you. Find a technician who is prepared to interpret what you want 8)

Edit: Just found the Fall Line Magazine Ski Reviews, online here....

http://www.fall-line.co.uk/search-gear.php?2

Make a cuppa before you dip in, there are a lot of pages )

Thanks,

Pretty much covered everything there Bandit. I'll contact the shop in Chamonix Sud before I go and see what they are stocking, maybe book online if they can re-assure me I'm not going to get fobbed off with inferior skis.

Chris

EVO88 wrote:Thanks,

Pretty much covered everything there Bandit. I'll contact the shop in Chamonix Sud before I go and see what they are stocking, maybe book online if they can re-assure me I'm not going to get fobbed off with inferior skis.

Chris

Which shop in Chamonix Sud do you intend to use?

I ask because I got stuffed with a rather sad pair of rental skis from a shop there...and I pre booked. :roll: