I love skiing, write on it often, and typically take four to six major ski trips each winter. I love the snow, the sport, the après, the ski towns – everything about it except the hassle.
Now that most major airlines charge $35 each way for the second checked bag, the hassle factor is even higher, since there is no way to stow skis or a snowboard in your suitcase. In fact, a pair of skis is probably the lightest thing you might check all year long, but they are still going to whack you for $70.
Cost aside, there are plenty of good reasons not to bring skis on a ski trip. One is conditions: despite the explosion of so-called “all mountain” skis, there is no ski that is the best on hard pack, groomers and a powder day. Renting gives you the option to switch whenever you want – every day if needed – to maximize equipment and match the best skis to the current conditions. Also, ski technology improves every season, so why drag your 3-year old models when you can benefit from the most current technology.
For all these reasons, it has been years since I brought my skis with me (on the other hand, I would not leave home without my boots!).
But last winter I tried something new: instead of arriving at my destination and heading straight to the ski shop to fill out forms and wait-in line, I had the rental shop come to me, in the form of Black Tie Ski Rental Delivery. I was staying at the Osprey hotel, a Rockresorts property slopeside in Beaver Creek village, and I sat at the hotel’s wonderful lobby bar sipping a cocktail at the appointed time (7PM). My skis arrived right on time, so all I had to do was vacate my stool for a few minutes while he went over my options. I had chosen the high-performance package, so he brought three different models from that category and explained the variations and let me pick one. He then fitted the bindings to my boot, and dropped the skis at the hotel’s ski concierge. I hadn’t even finished my drink – hard to beat that convenience.
But I did not get to appreciate the full advantage of Black Tie’s services, because I was not traveling with kids. A good friend who rents a house at Deer Valley each winter with his three young children always has skis and boots delivered to the house, and the small price difference between that and seeking a budget shop is more than made up for by the convenience.
“You just got off the plane from a long trip, with all this baggage and three young kids who don’t really like to fly, and you met the property manager and got the keys and got into the house. The last thing you want to do next is try to load them all up in the rental car and take them to a crowded shop where they are fitted one at a time while the other run around looking for trouble, and you might have to wait an hour for help. If you don’t have a rental car, you have to drag all the stuff back. No way. The van comes to our door, they bring everything, even helmets, they can do the boots and skis for one kid at a time while the others play Angry Birds on the iPad and I have a beer. It is the only way to go.”
Black Tie also rents snowboards, and services 35 major North American ski resorts, including all the big Western destinations: Vail/Beaver Creek, Park City/Deer Valley/The Canyons, Whistler, Aspen/Snowmass, Mammoth, North & South Lake Tahoe, Breckenridge/Keystone, Crested Butte, Steamboat, Telluride, Winter Park and Big Sky. The delivery is free, the prices are on par with better shops, and to celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary this year, they are offering across the board 10% discounts even in high season, and 20% in shoulder seasons. They carry name brand new equipment for all terrain and ability levels from the likes of K2, Nordica, Volkl, Dynastar, Salomon, Rossignol, Atomic, Burton, Armada, and they also stock their vans with all the little things families forget on ski vacations, from lip balm to gloves to goggles, and they rent helmets too. It’s best to book your gear packages online in advance, especially during peak holiday periods like Christmas or Presidents Day.source: www.forbes.com
