davegtt

Im going snowboarding in February, Ive never done it before and never been on any sort of skiing holiday. As I dont want to get something over priced from a brochure I can get a last minute package to a skiing resort at a reasonable price but it doesnt include anything like Board rental, Boots or Lift Pass etc. Can you literally just turn up in a Skiing village and rent them from any of the hotels etc? I presume there is a building at the bottom of the slopes that own the rights to it all that would sell/rent stuff to you or is it best I get it all paid for above local price with a tour operator?

Thanks

Wurzel

iTrader: (1)

Yes you can just tuirn up at a village and get everything you need for your holiday.

Nido

If it's a decent resort you should be able to arrage it all on-line first.

You can then pick your equipment and lift pass up the evening before you Ski, meaning you can get straight on the slopes the next morning

Not sure on the comparable cost with an operator, haven't been with one for years now!

If you've not been before make sure you book tuition - essential if you are to get the best out of your time there. Also if you have a dry ski slope near you at home then have a couple of lessons there before you go. Being able to stand up and do the basics by the time you hit the snow is a huge advantage!

The Chief

Maybe post this in Northern f.a.o. 51st State - he's always buggering off snowboarding and knows all the decent places. In fact i think he's off on Monday somewhere.

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

As above you'll always find good rental places at the resorts who will be able to advise you on what you'll need. They'll also be able to point you to the best place to get lift passes, tourist information centres and the like. Tourist information is often a good place to arrange any lessons you might need.

davegtt

Thanks for that Chief

Nido, I plan on having lessons in January at Xscape, dont want to waste my week learning, especially as the other half has done it before, cant have her showing me up on arrival

SJ_Skyline

Dave, when at the top of the slope just remember the two words: "No Fear", you need to be truely heroic on the board!

And when, sorry, if you break something don't worry - it will heal

davegtt

Ohh dont worry, ***** of steel me, and if I break something, I guess I can waste my time in the bar, as long as I dont break both of my wrists. Then I'll be well and truely bored

T4molie

Good advice

Also don't catch your toe edge at speed... that really hurts your chest

SJ_Skyline

Use a straw?

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

For a min there Dave, I thought you were starting a thread to see if anyone will go on holibobs with you?

Matteeboy

I snowboarded and probably due to having decentish balance from skateboarding and lots of surfing (plus lots of snow skiing), picked it up quickly.
So I started doing jumps and all sorts. Then I got it wrong and fell very hard. Knocked myself out and fractured my **** bone (Coccyx) - it REALLY hurt!

Wear padded pants!

davegtt

Who'd do a thing like that

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Absolutely I always wear Burton Impact Shorts, takes the pain out of landing on your backside many times, also helps when sitting in the snow all day. Still ended up with a nasty black bruise on on behind and a cracked rib last time. All adds to the fun

dpb

I went on one of those dry-ski slopes AFTER having had several times on the piste abroad ( 1/2 hour lesson included) ,

Very boring ,disconcerting and painful as well - wouldnt recommend AT ALL.


Just get there and spend the 1/2 hour lesson in some decent depth snow and it wont put you off - i learnt far quicker this way

davegtt

Xscape isnt a dry slope. I wouldn dream of learning on one of them

jacrobat

Winter sports holidays are never that cheap though so the term 'over-priced' is somewhat relative.

davegtt

In relevance to a last minute thing I meant, booking all the pass etc through the brochure will probably be the same cost but the holiday itself is about £300 more per person. Im not shy when I spend but £600 is money Id rather have in my pocket

madisonmonkey

iTrader: (4)

If you do this it takes a fair while to heal.......



I guess I should've learnt the first time

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Ouch How did you manage that?

R 14NS R

been going for a few years now, always go catered chalet, proper cooked breakfast in time to get the first lifts, afternoon tea with fresh cakes every day at 5ish after the last lifts, cooked evening meal and as much wine as you want.

big thing is also at meal times eveyone sits around 1 or 2 big tables, meet loads of new people, sit around chatting playing games, drinking all night, then go out boarding with them too. also doing catered chalet means if you don t want to spend anymore money (after lift passes and equipment) you don t have to.

would definately recommend having a couple of lessons before you go (xscape is quite good, my little girl has had a couple of lessons there) and if you want more i would do a couple of hours 1 to 1 instead of a group one.

the first time i went to france and had a group lesson, i spent most of the first morning with the group standing around with all the muppets that could n t even stand up, went out and practised with friends in the afternoon (picked up more from them). second day me and 2 guys from the lesson spent most of the time waiting for the muppets to catch up as they still could not do anything, third day stayed with the group for about 30 minutes, then fooked off on our own and the last 2 days didn t even bother turning up, just went out with all our mates.

going to france in january, can t wait!!

The Chief

This is run by a good friend of mine who's been in the business for years. call him and he will do you a good deal.

Ask for Dominic and tell him Carl put you onto him.

Italy Ski Holidays, Snowboarding In Italy, Luxury Skiing Resort, Ski Bookings, UK

fast bloke

Tried boarding for the first time earlier this year. Don't do it. You get to fall on your **** and wrists every time. Try it with two skinny boards, one on each foot. You can fall on a whole variety of new places. BTW - If you don't fall a lot, you aren't challenging yourself enough.

Anyway - Every resort will have a collection of shops to buy lift tickets, hire boards and boots, book lessons etc etc. It might be a good idea to spend a few hours fitting boots and then buying the right pair. The difference in enjoyment between getting a pair of hire boots that have been heat and smell moulded to someone else's feet, and having your own 'perfect pair' are indescribable. For a comparison, put a pair of shoes on that are three sizes too small, go out clubbing for the night with a grand to spend on beer, hookers and coke, and then decide if you have had a good time. You will only be able to remember how sore your feet were. You can get a decent pair of boots for under £150.00. It will probably cost you at least 50 to rent them, so an extra hundred quid isn't that much to have a good chance at enjoying yourself. (And if you go again the cost becomes minimal)


With R14RNS post in mind, if you do get lessons make sure you get in an appropriate group. There is no point in going back country if you can't stand up and turn, but joining a noobie group when you feel a few rails and backflips coming on will **** you off even more.

A word of warning.

Don't get too confident too soon



YouTube - Skiing accident ... this is CRAZEEEE !

fast bloke

p.s. - Did I already mention that i will be heading for Aspen in 28 hours 53 minutes for 17 days skiing? I know that something will go **** up, but I am kidding myself that everything is sorted. When you go once, you will get the bug and suddenly your life will revolve around snow........

I feel like a 5yo on Christmas eve

madisonmonkey

iTrader: (4)

Box rail. Say no more.
In my 14 years boarding this is only the second injury.
1997. Whistler. Six weeks out mid-season with two compressed vertebrae.
2007. La plagne. Clean fracture of L3. Given the all clear to have the scaffolding removed about a month ago.

Serious injuries can happen on skis or a board. But that wouldn't stop me going again My mum might have something to say about it though

dpb

I had to larf

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

Pretty much as everyone on here said. You can try Ski Holidays | Skiing Holidays | Igluski.com, they've always been good to me.

Organise as much before hand as poss, then you don't have to worry when you get there.

If you don't want to book board/boots/pass before you can usually do it on the transfer coach or when you get there.
Take a spare passport photo for the ski pass.
Get some travel insurance with ski hire, got mine cheap from here Cheap loans | mortgages | credit cards | home & car insurance - moneysupermarket.com


You can keep costs down by self catering, but I usually find when I'm out there and had a couple of vin chaud I can be arsed to cook so it ends up costing more!
Go for a half board chalet, you'll get brekkie, afternoon tea (cake and tea ready for when youre coming back) and a meal each night. Usually all you can drink wine whilst you're eating too. The food up the mountain is usually quite expensive so you can make yourself a sarnie for lunch.


Urrm think that's it.

I've just booked a weeks break in Jan to Meribel (usually expensive) for £389. Chalet, half board.