Best place to rent demo skis around Burlington, VT?

[SqueakySnow]

Hi All,

We've started making official plans for our late January Vermont trip, and I'm hoping for some guidance around the best shops to rent demo skis. We'll probably ski at least 2 days, maybe 3, and will definitely hit Sugarbush and then Stowe, Stratton, or Killington. We've got the Ikon Pass, so Stratton and Killington are a nose ahead, or we may just spend all our time at Sugarbush. Anyway, I've heard good things about Pinnacle at Stowe, but was thinking it might make more sense to rent in Burlington to make return easy no matter our resort choice.

We're targeting the following skis:

• Völkl Secret
• Elan Ripstick
• Nordica Santa Ana

and, a bit more off the radar...

• ON3P Kartel 96
• Faction Prodigy
• 4FRT Vandal

Any thoughts Vermont Divas? Also open to all forms of Vermont wisdom you could drop on us to make our trip hella sweet.

Thanks,
Holly

 

[marzNC]

Sounds like a fun trip! No advice about where to rent, but you might ask in the ongoing Vermont thread. People who post in a thread are automatically subscribed.

https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/vermont-skiing-2018-2019.23127/

 

[ski diva]

May I ask: why rent in Burlington? It's really not close to any of those ski areas. I think it'd be better to rent closer to where you're skiing. Or are you flying in and out of Burlington International?

Anyway, this might help: In the Killington area, you could try Aspen East, Basin, or Northern Ski Works. All are good shops with a lot of selection.

In Stratton, Equipe is good. And in Sugarbush, Alpine Options.

 

[SqueakySnow]

Thanks @ski diva The goal is to rent and return only once over the course of our few days so we can spend more time on the mountain. So, for example, if we ski the first day at Sugarbush and rent at Alpine Options, and then ski the second day at Killington, we'd have to drive back to Sugarbush to return the skis. Seems a bit out of the way, but if we rented in Burlington, it would be convenient to return since we're going back there every night anyway. However, I don't want to sacrifice quality or experience for this convenience, so if this seems like a bad tradeoff, we'll rent daily wherever we are.

 

[SqueakySnow]

Thanks for the tip @marzNC ! I'll stick this post over there too

 

[ski diva]

Thanks @ski diva The goal is to rent and return only once over the course of our few days so we can spend more time on the mountain. So, for example, if we ski the first day at Sugarbush and rent at Alpine Options, and then ski the second day at Killington, we'd have to drive back to Sugarbush to return the skis. Seems a bit out of the way, but if we rented in Burlington, it would be convenient to return since we're going back there every night anyway. However, I don't want to sacrifice quality or experience for this convenience, so if this seems like a bad tradeoff, we'll rent daily wherever we are.

Yeah, I can understand that if you're planning to have the skis more than one day. But if you're planning on just having them one day at each mountain, I'd definitely go the local route.

Anyway, I can think of two good ski shops in Burlington: Alpine Ski Shop and Skirack.

Hope that helps.

 

[marzNC]

The goal is to rent and return only once over the course of our few days so we can spend more time on the mountain. So, for example, if we ski the first day at Sugarbush and rent at Alpine Options, and then ski the second day at Killington, we'd have to drive back to Sugarbush to return the skis. Seems a bit out of the way, but if we rented in Burlington, it would be convenient to return since we're going back there every night anyway. However, I don't want to sacrifice quality or experience for this convenience, so if this seems like a bad tradeoff, we'll rent daily wherever we are.

That reminds me about a trip to Tahoe before I had good all-mountain skis, I rented in town and switched out most afternoons in order to experience different skis. My travel companion that trip did a full week rental since that include one free day. But he ended up renting a day on-mountain at Squaw because we got lucky and caught a major powder storm (20+ inches). What he rented for the week wasn't going to work well at all. On the way to the airport for red-eye flights we skied at Mt. Rose. We rented from the ski area's rental shop since we skied, which turned out to be a mistake. Would've been better to rent at the independent ski shop on the road to Mt. Rose, which probably had a much better selection. Not the same situation as VT though.

If you know what skis you like and conditions aren't going to change that much day-to-day, renting in town can make sense. Especially if a multi-day discount is available.

 

[ilovepugs]

Alpine Shop has great rentals and demos. I don’t think they carry Faction skis but they definitely have Volkls and Nordicas.

They also have J Skis, sister company to 4FRNT (same owner - Jason Levinthal bought 4FRNT a few years ago). 4FRNT doesn’t really do retail sales anymore since they got bought by J Skis so it might be hard to find a demo through a shop.

Totally recommend giving J Skis a call and seeing if they have any pointers on getting ahold of the Vandals to try. They’re based in Burlington so if anything, maybe they’ll have demos that you can borrow!!

 

[ilovepugs]

Also, as a gearhead formerly based in BTV, I don’t recall seeing ON3Ps anywhere in stores but I’d love to be wrong!

 

[ilovepugs]

Oh! I just remembered. I think Outdoor Gear Exchange carries Factions. gearx.com. Also a great shop for demos.

 

[MissySki]

I believe Stratton has the Rlan Ripstick in particular, per @lisamamot. Not sure of specific shops around Vermont in general to be of more help though.

One thing I'd be worried about is not liking the skis you rent in the Burlington area and then being stuck on them. If you do it local to wherever you are skiing each day, or preferably on mountain, you could switch out if necessary based on preference or conditions.

Happy planning!

 

[Serafina]

I just replied to your post over on the Conditions board (with several suggestions), but...why not just demo? That's what I did when we went out to ski at Mt Hood last winter, and when we went out to ski at Steamboat several years ago. That way you can be sure of having the right kind of ski for the conditions you encounter, because you can change 'em out at will. Sugarbush has a decent demo shack, if I recall, and I think they carry Elans too.

 

[lisamamot]

Yes, Stratton has the Elan Ripstick - I talked to the on mountain shop to make sure and was assured they have it in various sizes including the longer ones. Yippeee.

I have never rented in VT but am from the Burlington area and frequent the ski shops when I am back home. Like @ski diva mentioned, I would have recommended The Alpine Shop, Ski Rack and Outdoor Gear Exchange. I could wander all day in Outdoor Gear Exchange - when I go in there I am like a dog trying to focus on what I went in for...and then SQUIRREL, lol! Pinnacle at Stowe is skiessentials.com so I expect they would be an excellent option as well.

 

[SqueakySnow]

This is such great info, thank you all! I'm starting to think I'll take your sage advice and demo on the mountain to make sure I get the right skis for the day. Seems like flexibility for current conditions outweighs convenience of renting and returning once. Also, hoping to see some of you on the mountain while I'm there!

Cheers @lisamamot @Serafina @MissySki @ilovepugs @marzNC @ski diva !

 

[Serafina]

This is such great info, thank you all! I'm starting to think I'll take your sage advice and demo on the mountain to make sure I get the right skis for the day. Seems like flexibility for current conditions outweighs convenience of renting and returning once. Also, hoping to see some of you on the mountain while I'm there!

Cheers @lisamamot @Serafina @MissySki @ilovepugs @marzNC @ski diva !

Try different skis, change 'em out when they don't suit you, and then at the end of the day, you just drop the suckers off and don't have to haul them anywhere! When we skied Mt. Hood last year, the first day was ice, and I needed a carver. They didn't have much in stock in that line, not generally needing it, but I did manage to drum up an all-mountain that would carve. The second day, we'd have a big snow dump the night before, and the carver stayed in their shop while I took out some nice fat Line twintips. The flexibility was totally worth it!

 

[MissySki]

@SqueakySnow what dates will you be in the area?

 

[SqueakySnow]

@MissySki, looks like the last week in January if all goes according to plan

 

[MissySki]

@MissySki, looks like the last week in January if all goes according to plan

Ah that is during diva West in Aspen, are you sure you don't want to stop there first on the way over?

 

[ilovepugs]

@MissySki, looks like the last week in January if all goes according to plan

I’ll be there last week in January! If conditions are good, don’t forget to stop by Mad River Glen on that Tuesday... $3.50 lift tickets for their anniversary!

 

[SqueakySnow]

LOL! I wish I could just drop by Aspen on the way... that would be sa-weet! Of course, the $3.50 lift ticket at MRG is pretty special too. Too much awesomeness, all in one week. Also, been looking into demo'ing J Skis thanks to @ilovepugs rec... saucy! Apparently The Alpine Shop in Burlington is one of their demo centers... the Whipit or Masterblaster look promising. We'll have to see what the conditions say when we get there.

https://jskis.com/collections/all-mountain