Unsure if You'll Like Skiing? Rent the Gear

Equipment is one of the most important parts to courting success. If you rent, you can be sure you're experience will be good, but less than perfect, unless you take a few precautions. There are too many factors that can go wrong. The boots could not fit right, the skis could be tuned (waxed and sharpened) less than adequate and the whole experience could possibly be a lot of work.

Always remember when renting:

1. Try on the boots. Make sure they fit. Contrary to what they say, they're not supposed to hurt. This one piece of equipment can make all the difference.
2. Beginner skis should not be higher than your shoulders.
3. Ask for a freshly sharpened and waxed pair of skis.
4. Get poles with hand straps.

Renting is a good way to get by if you are either just trying out the sport or your travel plans prohibit taking your own equipment. The basics you'll need are skis, boots, poles. The gear will usually be rented together as a package or individually if needed. All you need to do is tell the shop attendant that you need the works, and presto, it's that easy. Don't worry about the size of the skis. The shop person has a chart that will give you the right length. For liability he has to recommend a certain ski, but if you want another type or size ski, just ask. The shop person will ask some questions about your experience. Just answer them truthfully and without shame -- everyone has to be a beginner once. The shop technicians are usually reliable for getting the right equipment to the customer, but use your common sense. If he hands you a pair of skis a foot over your head and you've never skied before, it might be wise to ask for a shorter pair.

A word of advice, if you are only going to be an occasional weekend warrior with less than 10 days a year, don't bother to buy. Current high performance packages can be rented from your local ski shop allowing you to use the latest technology without having to buy.

Alpine Skiing School section in english version of WWW.SKI.BG is based on
"A Guide To Becoming An Expert: From First Time To A Lifetime"
by John Mukavitz Copyright © 1998