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Ski equipment

Kayte Williams
(Holidays Expert)

Crystal Ski - Crystal include lift passes and all equipment hire as part of their on line booking process allowing you to pick and choose the elements that you need as part of your holiday.

Thomson Ski - Thomson offer 'ski packs' under their extras section to cover lift passes and equipment hire.

See more of our recommended companies

What ski equipment to take with you

• Skis, boots and poles. For your first ski holiday, you should rent these when you get to the resort. Expect to pay £35 and £80 all in, depending on the resort. Snowboarders should rent their gear in the UK if they're heading to Italy or Eastern Europe, where snowboarding culture isn't well established and the rental equipment scarce.
• Ski jacket and pants. If you don't know anyone who can lend these two you, you can rent them from companies such as Ski Togs (020 8993 9883) and Sno Gear (01491 628300). With Ski Togs, a week's rental of a jacket will cost £22 and trousers £20.
• Ski goggles. These are essential, but not expensive. A basic pair will cost £20-£30.
• Woolly hat. You probably have one of these already!
• Gloves. Woolly aren't sufficient, because they won't keep out the wind. Expect to spend £20-£30.
• Base layer. Otherwise be known as 'thermals'. These will keep you dry, and therefore warm. Patagonia's Capilene garments are the best.
• Fleeces and jumpers. You'll have these at home. The secret to staying comfortable on the slopes is to layer up, between your base layer and jacket. Carrying a rucksack means you can strip off when you get to hot.
• Sunscreen. Anything less than SPF 20 won't do.
• Protective equipment. Adult skiers don't need protection on their first ski holiday, because they're not travelling fast enough (most resorts require that children wear helmets, which can be rented in the resort). Snowboarders should invest in some body-armour right from the start, because they can fall over spectacularly on their first day. Invest in wrist guards, a helmet, and a pair padded shorts (hard plastic pads are better than soft foam ones) - and do it before you go to the mountains so you're not chasing round the resort trying to find a stockist on the first night of your holiday.

Your lift pass

Some ski resorts will allow you to use the lifts on the nursery slopes for free, so you may not need a lift pass for the first few days of your skiing holiday. Check before you buy one! If you do need to open your wallet, make sure you're buying only the basic pass. Many resorts have, over the years, clubbed together to offer joint passes, which allow better skiers and snowboarders to range freely a wider area. But these passes are more expensive, and you won't do them justice in your first week.

Ski and winter sports insurance

One of the benefits of ski insurance is that you're covered if you lose your rental equipment, or if it's nicked - which is not an unknown, especially if you stack it outside a busy après-ski bar on a village street.

Who do we recommend?

With so many companies to choose from, we have researched the market to find those with a wide range of choice as well as some that are more specialist.  Browse our list below to find the right company for you then click through to their web site for more information and how to book.  It couldn't be easier!

Further guides on ski holidays