On a booking engine, hire ranges look like lines on a price list. On the snow, they are very different skis. Understanding what changes from one range to the next means not paying for what you don't need or, more often, not missing out on what would change your week.
There are five ranges, from the most affordable to the top: Economy, Evolution, Performance, Excellence and Premium. Three things separate them: the ski model, how new it is and how often it is replaced. The higher ranges offer the latest skis from the major brands, systematically renewed: in the Skiset network we belong to, the Excellence and Premium ranges have an average lifespan of one year, compared with two years for the Performance range and three years for the Evolution range. In practice, in a top range you ski on this year's equipment, sometimes the very skis you will see tested in magazines.
The entry-level range, at the lowest price. Our teams will tell you in the shop whether it suits your level and your plans for the week.
Forgiving, easy-to-handle skis, perfect for your first weeks on the slopes. At this level, an expert ski would be a handicap: this is not a "cut-price" ski, it is the right tool for learning.
For regular skiers who cruise blue and red runs. Versatile, more stable and newer skis that handle speed and hold on hard snow. This is the range that suits most skiers on a holiday week.
Recent skis, renewed every season, including the top models from the major brands. You feel the difference from the very first turns: edge precision, stability at speed, responsiveness. If you ski well and only come for one week a year, it is a chance to ski on something better than you would buy. Top-range hire costs a fraction of the purchase price of an equivalent ski that would spend fifty weeks a year in a garage.
The right criterion is not budget but use: your level, how often you ski and what you want from your week. Our guide on which skis to choose for your level sets out the basics, and our teams fine-tune it in the shop. Whatever the range, equipment is serviced after every hire and bindings are set to ISO and ASTM standards. Book online and collect your equipment from one of our 10 shops and boutiques in Val Thorens.
