How To Save Money on Ski and Snowboard Rentals
You’ve impatiently waited for winter to start. Your ambition is to spend as many weekends on the slopes as possible this season. What you don’t have is your own gear.
For anyone who has just moved to a mountainous area, or decided to take up winter sports, the prospect of investing in a full setup is daunting. Maybe you’re still not sure if you’re a skier or snowboarder. You’re undecided about which brand is best. Fortunately, you don’t have to make a permanent decision or empty your bank account to hit the mountains.
Here are some tips to save on ski and snowboard equipment rentals this year:
1. Reserve online
Most ski shops and resorts now offer online rentals. If you go online, choose a package, and pay in advance, you can get a small discount (10-20 percent) on your rentals. The package will be ready for pick up at the time you choose – no waiting in lines the morning of your ski trip – and you’ll have saved a few bucks to pay for an après ski drink. Win!
2. Full-season rentals
If you plan to go skiing or snowboarding more than once during the season, but not often enough to justify buying your own gear, you can save money with a full-season rental. Christy Sports offers season rental packages starting at $159 from late September through April. A single weekend rental at some resorts will run you about the same. Ski packages from Breckenridge and Vail cost around $50 a day, which means you spend the same amount to rent gear for three days than you would for an entire season.
3. Research off-resort rental shops
If you want to avoid paying a premium for your ski and snowboard rentals, research shops that are off the resort property. Those ski packages that cost $50 a day at Breck? They cost between $26 and $40 at sports stores that are near or at the base of the mountain. You won’t have to wait in long lines at the resort to pick up your equipment, and they might even hook you up with some sweeter gear than you’d get at the resort.
Renting is a great way to get out there and enjoy winter without making a big up-front investment in skis or snowboards, boots, poles, and helmets. With easy ways to shave down the costs of rentals, you’ll have more money to splurge on lift tickets and those pricey cups of chili you’re always eyeing at the top of the mountain.