Ski gear & ski wear rental - at the ski resort?

[lee-skier 0]

This may seem like a dumb question (sorry) but, here goes!

My family and I will be skiing for the first time next week. We'll need to rent everything. Will I usually be able to do that at the ski resorts, and is that the best place?

[joshnii 2]

Hi lee-skier

It is a long time since I did the rental thing but I think you'll find that at pretty much all but the tiniest of places there will be official gear/wear rental on offer. It's a chunk of their revenue and so they'll be offering it. Whether it's new gear or older, or whether they will have 30cm boots and the like is a different matter.

There are often rental places nearby as well that are not part of the resorts themselves and you might find them to be generally cheaper.

Where is it you are planning on going?

 

 

[@tokyo 14]

I don't know if it is just me not noticing any more, but in recent years there seems to be less of the 'by the side of the road' places than there use to be. Some of those were like relics from the 70s or something, though cheap along with it.

If you plan on skiing a fair bit and don't plan on putting on too much weight in the next few years, it quickly makes sense to buy. It also encourages you to go out and use it more!

[iiyamadude 6]

Definitely less of the cheap by the side of the road places - round here anyway (Iiyama/Nagano). There used to be tons of them.

But unless you are going to some small obscure place, they will almost certainly have rental gear for you to use.

If you have very large feet (by that I mean 29cm+) you may have some problems finding boots.

[JHP 0]

When we went to Hakuba we found the convenience and more modern equipment worth a bit extra at the resort base.

Gear rental is expensive though. It soon is a good idea to buy your own. You'll know if you love it after the first time (probably), so make a quick decision and don't regret it.

[bureau1103 0]

My only recommendation would be to invest in your own ski gloves!! 

[SKI 15]

Very good point.

I know at least some rental places do not rent out gloves and hats.

And if you buy them at a ski-jo they'll likely be more expensive.

 

 

[lee-skier 0]

Thanks folks.

We ended up renting and it was pretty expensive for sure. Glad we had those gloves and hats that is a good point!