Last Time You Rented Skis?

[jimk]

When was the last time you rented skis? For me, I think it has been since the 1960s when I was a kid. Once I owned my own skis and boots, which came after about the first three times I went skiing, I never rented again. For decades I had a two ski quiver, current skis and old skis (rock skis). When I got a new pair, the rock skis got chucked and I kept two pair. I used the #1 pair 90% of the time.
On my occasional lengthier trips to New England or out West the thought never crossed my mind to rent. I wanted the skis I was used to and trusted. Back then there was no such thing as powder skis, so my best pair of skinny skis had to work in all conditions/terrain. Sometime around 2000 I started to have three skis, two good ones and one pair for rocks. There was variation in width and or length for the two good pair.
Do some of you guys rent skis at this point in time? Even though you have your own gear for every-day use?

 

[Edd]

I rented on a Banff trip in 2017 because the ski bag fees on the flights would have amounted to $200 and renting came to ~$160 or so. Only time I’ve done that.

 

[zyk]

After nearly a 20 year hiatus from skiing I rented skis. I was trying to learn to snowboard for a couple years but never felt comfortable. Was up at Jay with friends who wanted to go harder and it scared me. Rented skis and it felt like coming home. No fear. Bought gear after that and never looked back.

 

[cdskier]

Does demoing count? If so, the Saturday in March 2020 right before everything shut down...

 

[drjeff]

Actual renting - Late Feb/Early March 1980

Demo ski "renting" - March of this year

 

[ColdRain&Snow]

Brought my dynastar courses on my first western trip, rented fat skis on day two and always rented outside the northeast.

Planning to demo a few as soon as there’s good coverage.

 

[crank]

Rented for a week in Italy's Dolomites March of 2022. Just didn't want the hassle of our ski bag even though skis flew free on Swiss Air.

It was funny, the shop had some skis I wanted but really long and some other skies that seemed OK but short for me at 165 I think. I was hemming and hawing and the shop guy was getting impatient, "These a skis are a too a longa. These are a too shorta! Whatcha gonna do a??

I laughed and got the 165 Dynastars they were fine.

 

[deadheadskier]

Rented some Gotamas for NEMO at Sugarloaf. That was only because the widest sticks in my quiver at that time was 90 underfoot.

I have done demo days since though. It's how I landed on my Head iRally for a carving ski.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I actually rented this past September at Big Snow in NJ because all my gear was in VT. They were crap infact the boots didn't even have a power strap.

 

[SteezyRob]

yeah but if you rent skis they won't be broken in and it'll be harder to butter

 

[chuckstah]

Probably 20 years ago at Alpine Meadows in Tahoe. Was in San Francisco on business first week in November, or late October, can't remember. Tahoe got a freak 4 foot storm and Alpine opened for the weekend. Managed to get there for a day with no equipment, so rented everything. Great day skiing with a local, on shit equipment.
Edit: thought of a more recent rental. Guys trip to Vegas about 10 years ago. Arrived early and discovered Lee Canyon had been dumped upon. Rented a car and went up for a half day. Lots of nice off piste terrain at the time. It's mostly all mapped now. Worth a day it in the area.

 

[Smellytele]

Rented some tele skis in Tahoe back in 2009. Before that it was 92 at snowbird on a business trip.
Demo’d some tele skis and boots 2 years ago at magic. That is when I decided I hated ntn bindings.

 

[urungus]

December 27, 2019 at Whistler. Broke my arm on Harmony Ridge. Hope I will never have to rent skis again.

 

[thetrailboss]

March 2020 at Burke. Right before the world ended…..

Funny story. Last year I received a very awkward phone call from Burke Mountain. It was the rental shop manager asking if I bought those skis from them on March 14, 2020, what ended up being the last day of that ski season due to COVID. Apparently they had “gone missing“ and were listed as “sold“ by the person who was running the shop that day. There was no receipt or sale information. After reassuring them that I did not buy them because I would’ve been shot and killed by my wife for having another pair of skis, the guy replied, “yeah, that is what I figured. There were some other skis on that final day that were supposedly ‘sold’, but we have no record.” The implication was that the now former employee might have taken a few parting gifts since he was about to be unemployed….

 

[mister moose]

I'll rent (demo) to try out skis several times a season, that way my purchase decisions are that much better. I run a larger quiver, and like the choice in specialized tools. I have 2 grades of rock skis for instance:

Sorta rock skis - those that I'll take out on fun powder days with no base, or spring skiing with sharks teeth hidden under the slough. You get a few nicks and that's ok.
Major rock skis - Those that you take over the grass, through the mud, and you're willing to take a major rock encounter, several times.

 

[skef]

Whistler 2019. Whatever the place in the Delta hotel is. Brought my boots with me. Skis were fine. Better renting than lugging a ski bag through the connection in Seattle.

 

[2planks2coasts]

I actually rent fairly frequently since my non New England skiing is often the result of work randomly sending me places.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I'm thinking at Shawnee mountain when I was a child. They had a Henry Ford process which was pretty amazing looking back on it to the point I still remember it well. Many kids in a line, skis on a LONG, probably 30 foot table, some people worked as "ski pickers", then some people only adjusted bindings, some people just grabbed boots, someone for poles. It really was like an automobile production line & I cant recall seeing that ever again and any resort.

When I worked at Stowe I could take anything I wanted from the fleet for free, the rental place was right across from where I worked, but I dont know if that counts since it wasn't really "renting" as I didnt pay.

 

[BodeMiller1]

Sunappe wouldn't let me use my Strato - 105s. Broke the tip (delamintated the rentals). OLAN - MARK 4s....

 

[joshua segal]

Given the PITA with taking skis on airplanes, I've been bringing my boots, but renting skis at my destination. Today's rentals aren't the junk of what were rentals in the 1960s!