Not keen on spending the dough on your own board? Well, without borrowing or stealing, your only option is to hire. Fortunately, there's an abundance of stores willing to lend out good-quality gear, with a huge range of brands and styles to suit every rider.

On or off-mountain?
Your first major decision when hiring gear is whether to do it on the mountain, or at one of your local stores. All mountain resorts these days have hire shops, with a similar range of ski, board and other gear to city stores, at much of the same price. There are pros and cons to both options, so you'll just have to make a choice based on your own needs.

Local Store

• Pick up before reaching the mountain, saving more time for boarding or skiing
• Drop off at your convenience
• No waiting behind 60 tourists off the bus all wanting to hire, more time on mountain
• Often better service

On Mountain

• Easy to swap and change equipment if size or style doesn't suit you
• Save packing the skis or snowboard in your car
• Easy to return, just drop off at the end of the day

Things to Remember When Hiring Equipment
Once you've decided where to hire, there are a few important notes to remember regardless of the store.

• Check the replacement fees - if you happen to lose or damage equipment, you don't want to be paying a fortune
• Be aware of the return window - late fees can be costly
• If hiring off-mountain, make sure the equipment will fit your size and style - there are no refunds!
• Never leave hired equipment unattended on-mountain - you'd lose both your deposit and time for boarding or skiing
• If you've never skiied or boarded before, allocate extra time, it can take a while to find your fit

Things to Remember When Returning Equipment

• Is there any damage to the equipment - was it there before hire?
• Am I returning every item - often retail stores include wrist pads or other straps: failure to return these could mean a hefty replacement fee

Hiring Clothes
One thing that often comes up from infrequent visitors to the snow is what kind of clothing is required. Basically, all that is required is a waterproof jacket and waterproof pants. While you can hire these items, it can be costly.

 

If you are hiring equipment, we suggest to find or borrow waterproof jackets and pants at home, to avoid extra costs for your trip. Thermals and warm clothing (jumpers, shirts, trackpants) can be worn underneath or removed depending on how cold it is.

Remember, while it can get extremely cold on the mountain, it can also be very very warm, combining the hot sun and the sweat you build up traversing the slopes.