In sharing this 2017-2018 Vail ski rental preview, we’re getting really excited about next season’s ski gear. But in the meantime, we’re still out there skiing every day of Vail’s prime spring conditions that we can. Plus, we’re testing out the latest ski gear to make sure we have the best Vail ski rental line available for you next winter.
At the end of January 2017, we attended the industry-wide SIA Snow Show & Sourcing Snow in Denver. There, we got to preview the hottest ski gear and learn more about ski gear trends for 2017-2018. And even better, we got to try out these skis at the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest at Copper Mountain Resort.
Vail Ski Rental Trends: What to Expect in 2017-2018
In our last blog post, we looked at overall ski gear trends. These included skis with less width underfoot. Light, powerful, and playful skis are in the mix. We saw more skis with streamlined graphics. And innovative technologies that combine lightweight and high-performance materials are also popular.
With these trends in mind, we’ll be carrying the following ski brands in our Vail ski rental fleet next winter:
We’re not yet ready to reveal the full line of ski rentals we’ll have available for next season. But in the meantime, we wanted to share some favorites from our expert ski testers to give you an idea of what excites us the most.
Ski Testers Reveal Favorite 2017-2018 Skis
We’ve got a passionate crew of skiers here at Vista Bahn Ski Rentals, and the feedback we get from these four ski testers helps us bring the best Vail ski rental options to you. Here’s what they have to say about powder skis, all-mountain skis, and top sheets for the upcoming 2017-2018 season:
MATT DIROLF | EXPERT SKI TUNER
Favorite powder ski:
Salomon QST 106.
“This ski has enough rigidity to handle a groomer if needed. The reverse camber in the tip and tail provide the user with excellent flotation on the deeper days! This year, these skis are lighter with the integration of carbon and flax. The flax was added to act as a dampener for a crisper performance on groomed runs.”
Favorite all-mountain ski:
Volkl Kanjo.
“Out of all the all-mountain skis that I was able to try, this one was by far the most fun. Being a bit narrower under foot allowed for a very responsive ski. The metal in the top sheet provides a good level of comfort at high speeds and creates a poppy, playful snap at the end of the turn. The reverse camber at the tip and tail allows the skier to initiate and release the turn easily. This feature also provides the skier with the ability to get through any crud, mashed potatoes, and slush with ease.”
Best top sheet:
Blizzard, overall. Simple, easy-to-repair, and good colors.
BILL “BAJONES” Black | SHOP SALES
Favorite powder ski:
K2 Pinnacle 118. Snappy yet playful packaged together in a light ski!
Favorite all-mountain ski:
Blizzard Brahma. Easy turn and stiff enough to handle speed.
Best top sheet:
Blizzard wins again! Simple color and minimalist graphics, a nice change of pace from in-your-face graphics.
SANTIAGO “SANTI” CES | SHOP SALES
Favorite powder ski:
Blizzard Rustler 115.
Favorite all-mountain ski:
Blizzard Bonafide.
Best top sheet:
All Nordica and Liberty.
DOMINIQUE UNDERHILL | CO-OWNER
Overall favorite ski:
It’s still the Nordica Santa Ana for me!
We hope this preview gets you excited about next season’s gear. But in the meantime, we’ll see you this spring for the current season’s ski rentals. Plus, don’t forget we’ve got ski storage just steps away from Vail’s Gondola One and a full-service repair and tune shop to help keep your skis in top shape.
