Ski Hire

I have finally booked both my ski holidays for '18. Alps D'huez and Les Arcs.

When I hire my ski I usually just choose the pack 'performance', collect the ones I am given and off we go. What do you guys & gals do?Tell me your experiences

We let the shop choose. We tend to head back to the same resorts each year and use the same trusted rental shops. We always end up with decent kit and can swap if we don't like it.

Always chat to the guys/girls in the shop; see what they've got, what they recommend for current conditions. They might suggest something you've not thought of/heard of.

Sometimes there's not a huge choice, if the shop's a small one for example, but if you're in an off-peak week there's always a chance of an "upgrade" if they've plenty of stock...

I have a rough idea of what I am looking for and then see what the shop has available. I don't accept the first ski pulled out necessarily, it's about having a chat about conditions, terrain and, in my case, how fit I am feeling.
Getting the "right" ski makes so much difference to enjoyment.
I had an odd week's skiing a couple of years ago where the hire shop (Skiset) was in the hotel. The guys were great and I tried out about 6 different skis that week which was a real learn for me.
Ski choice is always a compromise as conditions change from day to day and morning/afternoon. I try to get something that will make the hardest skiing (whether ice, slush, powder) I am expecting easier!!

Interesting comments here.
Wife and I have our own skis, which we love and up to now have always taken them with us wherever we go (got some strange looks in Sorrento this year though!).
However, with the constantly rising price of ski carriage, servicing costs and the hassle of carting them round Airports etc, I am starting to think hiring may become more attractive, and the chance to try something else would be a great advantage.

I keep 6 pairs of skis in a cellar in Austria, and 6 pairs here in Scotland. When I hire, I normally go through J2Ski/Skiset. Always choose the lowest cost for me, and the highest cost for Frau Mac. (That's how the world works).
Since I have skied all length skis from 165 to 215, and all different stiffness and shapes of skis, I no longer think too much about what I get.
I did try the top of range one time. They were really stiff racer skis. I changed a couple of times, found a comfortable pair, only to find out that they were bottom of the range.

After skiing for 50 years, I accept that I have the capability to ski on just about anything, and enjoy it. I still ski at 60/70mph on any of the skis I am given.

Of course, I accept that this will not work for everyone.

12pr skis? And i berate my wife about the qty of shoes she has!
Mind you i always say to the wife if i look at a woman the last thing i notice is her shoes or handbag. However when skiing i do notice skis so maybe i can see where you are coming from.

Dave Mac wrote:I did try the top of range one time. They were really stiff racer skis. I changed a couple of times, found a comfortable pair, only to find out that they were bottom of the range.

I had a similar experience last year in Mayrhofen - the ski shop was pretty reasonable so I went for "Premium" skis. However, they were very heavy and stiff and I found then very difficult to control (in somewhat wet spring conditions). I went back to the shop and got a much lighter more flexible pair that were great :thumbup:. Unlike you Dave, this might be more a reflection of the limitations of my skiing abilities than unsuitability of the skis though I do wonder what part piste conditions played in the suitability of the skis.