We are off skiing in 2 weeks time – yippeee.

We have not been for many years but I am/was an advanced skiier, Janet is much more an intermediate and the boys are beginners.

Should we prebook all the ski/boot/board hire or do it when we get there?

We are off to Sestrierre if that makes any difference.

Peak holiday time.

I've just come back from Alp d'huez last week and hired boots out there. Didn't bother booking in advance, it was 37 euro for a week. Originally they gave me some shonky Technika (sp) boots but after a day I took them back and replaced them with nicely fitting Salomons for the same price.

peak time indeed – one of the prices to pay for having kids

Depends who you're going with. Used Crystal last time and had everythin booked up with vouchers to take to the shop. Easy, simple, and plenty of good kit to choose from when we got there. No queues, either!

Top tip – If the boots they give you smell, say they don't fit quite right and keep doing so until you get some which both fit and don't stink!

If you do not pre-book ski hire do do make sure you prebook skiing lesson for the children as all of Europe will be skiing that week.

Have you perfected your queue jumping technique? 😉

I'm off next week and need some skis for the Mrs. Been looking at shop prices where we are going and pre booking, shop prices on the web are quoting about 95euros where online it is 65euro so thinking of pre-booking.

My queue jumper technique is perfect. First clearly identify the person you are addressing to everyone else in the queue then take deride their dress, their manners, their job, their sexual prowess (you're just as impatient and selfish in bed no doubt) and anything else that springs to mind. Done well the result is titters all round.

aye school is prebooked for the boys.

We are off with Neilson – prebooking is certainly the hassle free option.

as for us nothing booked yet school wise. Not sure if my brain will have a little hassle controlling my legs. I think there might be a case of the brain saying 'well I could do this the last time'
legs – 'well you might remember but down here we're out of practise'
brain – 'come on its easy'
left leg – 'that was meant for you right'
right leg – ' what the …..'
brain – 'panic'

Ski Set (who do most of the shops) have a UK website now where you can pre-book at at a discount – skiset.co.uk

We have not been for many years

Have you ever used carving skis or have you only used straight ones? If you've not had carvers before then there will be a difference (no effing about with snow plough for a start) and a few lessons might be worth it.

yeah used carving skis a few times – first time was in Vail.
must have been just after they were first introduced.
They certainly make life a whole lot easier.

ski Set looks good – cheers Simon
its nice to see what you might be hiring than just ticking an anonymous box on a form

I pre booked with skiset a couple of years ago for the GF, it was nice to see what you're getting and it was pretty cheap. Worth doing ASAP for half term

sport 2000 very good deals and well priced

Pre book skiset or similar
hire expensive this year for walk in at rental shops
if the resort has lots of shops?
even though trade is a bit slower which is odd?
My local ski shop in the uk is doing a roaring trade this year on hardware
due to this!

Personally I would get it out there, you can have a wander round the shops and look at the gear to see if its fairly new and get the best deal. Have found the TO's rent older gear than some of the local shops.

YOu can always haggle with them as well, have never been to a resort where they have ran out of ski gear!

IMO of course…

Just pre-book unless you really enjoy haggling and wandering around looking for the best gear. It seems to work a bit like hotels, if you just turn up at the door you get the worst rates. Theoretically you can beat them down but it is the busiest time of the year so they won't be too fussed

Ski Republic do 2 for 1 on hire equipment and it's good kit too, google them and see if they've got a shop in Sestriere, they've certainly upset a few people in the alps in the last few years with their upsetting of the closed economy apple cart in ski hire. Good for 'em, I say…power to the people!