Ski equipment – to buy or to hire?

Ski hire shops will have the latest equipment, which will be regularly maintained. Most will change their equipment every couple of months, so there’s no risk of using old, unmaintained skis. They’re also usually the biggest brands, so it’s a good way to use top of the range gear without breaking the bank.

There are no transportation costs – airlines (be they budget or big-brand) often charge a small fortune to carry ski equipment.

Convenience. You have enough to carry for a week’s ski holiday without having to lug a pair of skis with you. Boots will also take up a few precious kilos of your luggage allowance.

Most ski shops will offer rental packages that allow you to change your skis according to the conditions, so you can take a powder ski, piste ski and even swap to a snowboard if that takes your fancy. As well as changing skis for conditions, most shops can also change your skis as your ability changes. So if you want skis more fitting to an intermediate after you’ve spent a few days as a beginner, a ski rental shop will be able to help.

When you buy a pair of ski boots they will be fully fitted and exactly moulded to your feet – which can be adjusted after wear. They can also often be fully customised to how you want them to look. A well-fitting pair of boots makes a huge difference to skiing technique and confidence.

You can get exactly the skis you require, which is particularly useful if you want something specialised such as touring skis, split snowboards, or a powder ski – but make sure you go to a shop where the staff know their onions.

Using the same ski continually is rather like driving the same car, or riding the same bike –it feels familiar and you know exactly how it reacts in different conditions, so you don’t waste time getting used to it.

Having your own skis will save time in resort – arrive, put on your boots, click into the bindings and you’re off!