Renting Skis or a Snowboard: a Complete Guide

Most people don't need to decide between buying or renting, it's already decided by default, because they'll only ski a few days a year. The question that really matters isn't that one, it's another: how to rent well, so you don't end up with gear that doesn't match your level or boots that ruin your day.

When buying gear pays off, and when it doesn't

Renting is, by far, the most sensible option for most people, for several very concrete reasons:

• If you're a beginner, it makes no sense to buy gear suited to your current level, because within a couple of seasons you'll have outgrown it. By renting, every year you get gear matched to your real progress, without your own equipment becoming a limitation.
• If you ski only a few days a year, the cost of buying (plus maintenance, transport and storing the gear the rest of the year) rarely pays off compared with several years of renting in a row. And it's not just the purchase price, storing skis or a board in a flat with no storage room, servicing them every season and lugging them on every trip is a real cost.
• If you have kids, renting is almost mandatory: they change shoe size and level from one season to the next, and it makes no sense to buy gear that will be too small or outdated within a few months. Some shops even offer season rentals with the option to swap sizes mid-winter if the child has a growth spurt, something buying simply doesn't allow.
• If you ski many days a year and already have a set level, that's when owning your own gear starts to pay off: you'll notice how it responds sooner, you won't depend on shop availability on busy dates, and past a certain number of ski days a year, buying pays for itself compared with repeated renting. As a rough guide, most shops in the sector put that break-even point at around 15-20 ski days per season, though it depends a lot on the price of the gear you buy.
• If you're flying, there's an extra reason in favour of renting that almost no one considers at first. Many airlines charge a surcharge for sports luggage, and hauling skis or a board across several legs of a journey (car, train, plane) adds more hassle than it seems at first glance. Renting at your destination removes that problem entirely.

How to choose your rental skis based on your level

At most rental shops you'll find the gear grouped into a few categories, designed so you don't need to know anything about skis to choose well:

• Beginner level: entry-level skis, with a waist (the central area where the bindings sit) that's a bit wider so they behave well at low speed. There's no need to worry about anything else at this level, the priority is that they turn easily and forgive mistakes.
• Intermediate level: entry-level skis are still enough in most cases, though some shops already offer mid-range skis here, with a titanal layer that gives a bit more stability at higher speed.
• Advanced level: here it makes sense to ask for mid-range or high-end skis, with stiffer materials (titanium, carbon) that respond better in more demanding turns or off-piste. Within this level, the type of ski also starts to depend on what you want to do. An all-rounder if you ski a bit of everything, an all-mountain ski if you want to go off-piste in unprepared snow, a narrow-waisted ski if you like short, quick turns, or a very wide-waisted ski (freeride) if your priority is floating on powder.

A simple trick for sizing, if you're asked or can choose: for beginners, a shorter ski (below your own height, 10 to 15 cm less) turns more easily; as you move up in level and speed, a slightly longer ski gives you more stability. There's a third factor, torsion (the ski's ability to twist around its own axis and return to shape), but as a beginner it's not worth spending even a minute on, that's for very advanced skiers. The shop itself usually adjusts the size for you based on your height, weight and stated level, so all you need to do is answer those questions honestly.

How to choose your rental snowboard

If you're renting a board, the essentials for a beginner are two things: the board, standing upright, should reach roughly between your chin and your nose, and the flex (stiffness) should be soft or medium, a stiff board is designed for advanced level and forgives the edge mistakes typical of the first few days much less. As with skis, the shop itself usually adjusts this for you based on your height, weight and level, so the part that really depends on you is telling the truth about how much experience you have.

Boots: the piece most neglected when renting

Of everything you rent, boots are what can ruin your day the most if you get them wrong, and curiously, what people spend the least time properly trying on. Unlike skis or a board, there are no level categories for boots, the only thing that matters is that they fit your foot well.

Try them on with the thin sock you'll actually wear on ski day, not a thick sock you'd wear around the house, because it changes the feel of the fit quite a bit. Adopt a skiing stance (ankles flexed, knees slightly forward, weight pushed towards the shin) to check that your foot doesn't move inside the boot and that the pressure feels even, with no specific points of pain. If you feel your foot moving around inside the boot, ask for a different size or fit before leaving the shop, it's the one piece of the whole rental where it's genuinely worth spending five extra minutes trying it on properly.

Bindings: why the details you give at the shop matter so much

This is a point almost no one explains well, and it has a direct bearing on your safety. Bindings (for both skis and snowboards) are set according to a technical standard (DIN ISO 11088) that calculates, from your weight, height, age and stated level, the exact pressure at which the binding should release your foot in a fall. If they release under too little pressure, they'll pop open on their own unnecessarily; if they release under too much, they won't open when you actually need them to, and that's what causes a good share of knee injuries.

For this reason, it's essential that the details you give at the rental counter are real, not an "improved" version of your level or your weight. Claiming a higher level than you actually have won't make you ski better, it will just mean your bindings are set for someone who isn't you. With children this point is even more delicate, because their weight changes from one season to the next, never reuse last year's setting without going through the shop's check again.

Rental damage insurance: is it worth it?

Almost all rental shops offer an optional damage waiver (usually a few euros a day) that covers accidental damage to the gear during your rental, a chipped edge from a rock, a binding damaged in a fall, that kind of mishap. It's not mandatory, but it's usually worth it if you're going to ski several days in a row, because without it you bear the repair cost yourself if the gear gets damaged, and it can end up costing quite a bit more than the waiver would for the whole trip.

Note that this is different from ski or travel insurance covering personal accidents, on-slope rescue or medical expenses, the rental shop's waiver only protects the gear you're wearing, not your body. If you don't already have insurance covering ski accidents (through your federation, your travel insurance, or a specific winter sports policy), that's a separate matter worth sorting out before hitting the slopes, not something the rental waiver replaces.

Tips to save time when renting

• Book online in advance: besides securing your gear on high-demand dates, many shops offer a discount for booking this way instead of showing up directly at the counter, in some cases around 20% off the in-store price.
• Arrive with plenty of time on your first day, even if you've booked online. You still need to try on and adjust the gear before heading up, and that part can't be rushed if you want your boots and bindings properly fitted.
• Rent at your destination if you're skiing at several different resorts throughout the season: it's still more practical than lugging your own gear on every trip, especially if any leg is by plane.
• Keep your booking reference or receipt handy (on your phone or on paper). It saves you having to repeat all your details if you need any last-minute change at the counter.

You've got the gear, now you need someone to teach you how to use it

Getting the boots, bindings and size right won't do much good if no one corrects your technique afterwards. Well-chosen gear makes the day comfortable; the right instructor is what makes you actually learn.

Compare ski and snowboard schools on Snowteach by level and availability, and book without the hassle →