Ski clothes are expensive. If you are new to the sport, or if the last time you bought a pair of ski pants and coat was the 1980s, dressing yourself could really ratchet up the cost of your vacation. Additionally, if you are maxed out on luggage space, the baggage fees could get spendy. But what if you could rent clothes instead of buying? It turns out that’s an option.
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post on how to pack for your ski vacation. In it, I mentioned that I was reviewing a service called Get Outfitted. Well, I can say that my test of their service went well. I logged in online and selected the pants and coat I wanted, picked the dates, and placed my order. I got to choose from brands such as Patagonia, Dakine, and Obermeyer. They also rent accessories such as GoPro cameras, goggles, phone cases and gloves.
I rented the Patagonia Powder Bowl pants and coat. They were the quality you’d expect from the brand, excellent. The pants even had an embedded avalanche reflector on the leg. This model is more of a shell so I needed a base and mid-layer both top and bottom. The clothes were perfectly clean and sealed in a plastic wrapper. When I opened the box from Get Outfitted, I also found hand-warmers and Chap Stick in a little burlap pouch, a nice touch. I used both!
Once I’d played in the snow all weekend, I stuffed the clothes into the enclosed postage-paid pouch and dropped it into a mail slot. FAST!
A first-time skier, who used the service for both she and her husband, commented,” We were so impressed with the quality of the items we received…we had many (including instructors of the ski school) come up just to compliment the colors and style.”
I’d say this service is best for those trying the sport, or who rarely ski. Otherwise, I’d suggest investing in your own gear. Another time to use the service is to access gear you normally couldn’t afford for a special trip, or just because you want to look sharp.
I liked that the gear could be waiting at a skier’s hotel room when they arrive. Travel is stressful enough without having to track down clothes after you arrive in town. Living in Salt Lake City, I now have access to great second-hand stores such as 2nd Tracks, but when I lived in Florida, the only options for ski clothes were new and expensive. I had a hard time dressing myself when I learned to ski. No, not like that, I mean finding the clothes…
I did a quick web search for rental ski clothes and found very few options. I suggest researching Get Outfitted and others to find the best fit for your needs.
Happy skiing!
Erika
