It’s one of those battles that have raged since the very early years of human existence (possibly even earlier): chicken or egg? Man U or Man City? Rent or buy your ski equipment?
To this day, no one truly knows the answer to any of these questions, but in terms of whether to rent or buy your ski equipment, the battle has never been more intense!
In recent years, the rental sector has raised its game, driven in part by intense competition between larger rental shop chains and partly aided by sky-rocketing carriage fees for skis on planes. But there remain very strong advantages to buying your own equipment in Blighty and taking it with you.
The number one key to a successful ski holiday is to have skis that are right for you and being comfortable in a fitted pair of boots. When either of those ingredients goes wrong, what should be a seriously fun, cool and enjoyable holiday can become a bit of a nightmare.
When I land at my destination airport, I feel an overwhelming sense of urgency to just get on the slope; what I really don’t want to be doing is faffing around in a shop in a queue of people that frankly don’t seem bothered whether they get to ski that day or not!
And that’s not all. Being told, “These are the only ones we have left,” or chopping and changing boots and skis mid-holiday is no fun, either; it just results in more time off the slopes.
Whether it’s your skis, board, boots or helmet, having that expert advice in the UK and the peace of mind that you’re getting the gear that’s perfect for you is unbeatable.
Many stores like Snow + Rock offer a Boot Comfort Guarantee, and independents like Ski Bartlett in Uxbridge, by their very nature, make it their sole purpose in life to ensure you get the right equipment every time. This all equates to maximum time on the slopes … land, get to resort and you’re ready to go, free of any hassles.
There are some who argue that the hassle factor of carrying skis and even the cost of airline carriage outweigh the benefits, but frankly this just doesn’t stack up for me. Fly BA and some other airlines and you can check in a pretty hefty ski bag (containing enough clothes for five days as well as skis) as normal checked luggage, often meaning the combined cost is cheaper than an easyJet flight.
Why risk getting an old pair of blunt skis that have had a few months’ battering on your one winter blast of the year?
And when it comes to hassle, surely the majority of the carrying is done by planes and cars? All you have to do is drag a bag on wheels from the car to the check-in desk … after all, we are energetic, life-loving people – surely this won’t put us off!
No doubt the eternal battle will rage on…
