Hiring Skis & Boards in Chamonix

Here's a few tips for arranging your rental:

Pre-book online
There are many advantages to pre-booking your gear online in advance. 

• beat the queues and let the hire shop know your shoe size, height (in cm) and ability in advance, so they’ll have your gear ready on arrival and will only need to perform minor tweaks to fit them saving time at the shop
• save a substantial amount of money by booking in advance, by up to 50% with additional discounts offered for groups and families, and you won't have to pay sports baggage airline fees
• have your gear delivered to your accommodation, and the staff can do the boot fitting on-site saving you the hassle of carrying it all from the shop

Collect your gear the evening before your first rental day
Most shops encourage this, and open late, so even if you haven’t pre-booked you can still stop by the shop the day before your first ski day. Our advice is that you head their right after you’ve checked in.

Trust the shop staff
The shop staff will be experienced and knowledgeable technicians, used to fitting equipment. Trust their judgement and follow their advice. If you do know exactly what you’re after it's good to have discussed this in advance.

Get your gear right
Bring your ski socks to improve your boot fitting, know your measurements, desired ski or board length, take your DIN settings (if you know them), and be honest with the staff (and yourself) about your level or ability.

Rent near your accommodation or the lifts
Consider how close the hire shop is to your accommodation and the lifts and pistes. The closer the better. And if they have overnight storage available for clients it's useful if it's on the way or near to the lift station you'll be using, (otherwise it's of no use). Most chalets, apartments and hotels have their own boot room/locker where you can safely leave everything for the night.

Buy the optional insurance
Most rental shops offer their own insurance against theft and damage to their equipment (as an added extra). The main reason for this is that most travel insurers don't cover 'loss' of rental equipment. 

Tip!
Check the fine print, especially the excess and replacement value. If you lose old rental skis and they're replaced with new ones, confirm how much the insurance covers and what you might owe.

It may seem straightforward, but choosing your equipment hire involves making a few decisions. 

Ski hire shops offer a wide range depending on ability, gender (although most equipment tends to be unisex), and age - usually the children's range has a few variants and then there's adults.

Tip!
Be honest! 
You want your equipment to get you down the slopes, not make it more challenging. 

There are typically four levels of equipment to choose from and the more experienced, then the better quality equipment needed.

In the past few years the gear has diversified and most shops will stock a selection of slope, all-mountain, freeride or freestyle, as well as race skis, mini skis, touring skis, split boards, powder boards and cross-country skis. You won't need to know about the technical aspects of any of the equipment when you book, and when you arrive the staff will advise you.

Rental prices depend on what you're looking for, which in turn depends on your ability, rental period, what you're hiring, your personal details and when you book.

Take a look at our dedicated ski gear guide and snowboard gear guide for more information on what's available.

Every intermediate skier and snowboarder’s dilemma – should I buy my gear or keep on hiring? We’ve compiled a list of pros and cons of renting so that you can have a clear idea of what may be the best option for you.

Pros of renting

• Better for children and beginners: Kids grow out of their equipment so fast, and beginners requirements change as they improve. Don't commit hundreds of euros to a pair of boots and skis if you end up never coming back.
• Cheaper than buying: If you’re skiing for one or two weeks every year, renting may be a cheaper option than buying, especially if you like swapping your gear. You’ll also save money on luggage fees and on servicing.
• Test out the latest gear: You’ll have the chance to try out new skis each year since shops usually stock the latest models, and may even swap them throughout the week (ask at the shop). The choices are endless.
• Well-serviced equipment: Contrary to popular belief, ski hire shops are great at keeping their rental equipment as good as new. At the very least edges will be sharp and bases will be freshly waxed.
• Lighter luggage: Renting your gear is more convenient when travelling. Your journey is much easier if you don’t have to carry ski bags around.
• Room for growth: The shop staff will be able to help you pick out the perfect equipment for your current ability, which may change from one year to the next.

Cons of renting

• Ill-fitting boots: Rental ski boots haven’t been fitted specially to your feet and have been worn by a number of people before you. One solution may be purchasing moulded foot beds which you can put into a rental boot – just remember to pack them.
• Queues: You’ll have to rent your gear every time you visit a ski resort, which means you may encounter queues at the shops. To avoid them, pre-book your equipment online in advance.
• More expensive than buying: I know we just said that renting was cheaper than buying, but on a cost per use and how often you would purchase new equipment, it can still be cheaper if you keep using the same equipment for a few seasons.

It’s not only skis, poles, boards and boots that hire shops rent out. Many have other pieces of equipment on offer.

Helmets
Most shops rent out helmets and whilst their use is not legally required in France (except in competitions) it's strongly recommended, especially for children, and the ski schools will expect your children to wear one in lessons.

As well as protecting you from head injuries, most helmets ('casques' in French) keep you warm, are well designed to minimise loss of spatial awareness and provide adequate ventilation. Plus if you plan to have a ski away day in Courmayeur with the kids, helmets are now legally required in Italian ski resorts for under 18s.

Snowshoe and sledge hire
Many shops have snowshoes and poles to rent so that you can explore the trails surrounding Chamonix on foot. Kids (or the young-at-heart) will be pleased to hear that many also offer rental sledges ranging from simple plastic snow gliders to more sophisticated contraptions.

Mountaineering equipment for hire
Some specialised hire shops have mountaineering equipment for hire if you’re planning a backcountry expedition while in Chamonix. Avalanche gear including transceivers, telescopic poles and shovels, rucksacks, crampons and even ropes may be available to rent at some of the local ski hire shops.

Apparel for hire
If you don't want to spend a fortune on your children's jacket and salopettes every year, or pay out for something they'll never wear again (if they hate it), then you can rent them. There are several online companies that rent out clothing and deliver all over the French Alps, and some will send your apparel to your home address before you leave.

If you'd like to know more about the different types of skis and snowboards available take a look at our ski gear guide and snowboard gear guide. 

After booking your ski hire, take a look at the local ski schools offering lessons in Chamonix and at this year's ski passes. If you're not sure what to book, read our ski lessons guide and our ski area guide for more information.