Rentals and sizing
Where to rent near each of our mountains, what it costs, what to book in advance, and how to work out your sizes before you turn up. Renting is the right way to start and there is no reason to feel odd about it.
First, tell us when you register
Say that you need to rent when you register, not on the morning, because uphill gear is limited at every shop and it goes first come, first served. We will point you at the right shop for that mountain and the rate we have negotiated there, which at Cranmore comes back to you as store credit. Scholarships and fee waivers.
Where to rent, what it costs, and how to book
We have negotiated a rental partnership at every mountain we can, so the price you pay is below what the shop charges everybody else. Every figure below is what an Inclusive Ski Touring participant actually pays.
Uphill rentals by mountain, what you pay and how to book
| Mountain | Shop | Normal price | You pay | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mt. Abram | Mt. Abram rental shop, on site | $65 | $40 | Reserve online. Pickup from 8:00 on the morning. |
| Cranmore | Mountain Sports Lab, 1.5 miles away | Full rate | $20, refunded to you as store credit | Email sara@mtnsportslabnh.com, subject line Cranmore IST Gear Reservation. Collect the night before until 7:00, or from 8:00 on the morning. |
| Cranmore, splitboards | White Mountain Ski Co. | Their standard rate | $50 | Reserve here and note you are on an IST program. Collect the day before, because they open after we start. |
| Dartmouth Skiway | The Skiway itself | $55 | $55 | Email skiway@dartmouth.edu. In person only, and the Skiway says sizes and quantities are very limited, so ask early. |
| Bromley | Potter Brothers at Bromley | $90 | $75 | Phone (802) 824-5522, open daily 10:00 to 5:00, and say you are on an IST program. Phone only, there is no online booking or email. |
| Mt. Washington | Mountain Sports Lab or White Mountain Ski Co. | Full rate | About $50 | Reserve in advance. Splitboards from White Mountain Ski Co. |
Cranmore is the best deal we have anywhere. Mountain Sports Lab charges a $20 reservation fee and then gives it straight back to you as store credit, so the gear itself is effectively free. If you are choosing on gear cost alone, Cranmore is the one: $20 for the program, $19 for the ticket, and the gear costs you nothing.
Book a week ahead for a weekend, because every one of these shops runs out on a good weekend. If you want to keep the gear and ski the lifts afterwards, Mountain Sports Lab does a full day for $75 and Mt. Abram will arrange a full day too.
What to ask for when you book
Rental shops will ask you questions, and knowing the answers makes the conversation short. Say this: "I need a full alpine touring setup for one day, skis, bindings, boots, skins and poles." If you are a snowboarder, say "a splitboard setup" and ask specifically whether they have one, because many shops do not.
Then give them your height, your weight, your shoe size and roughly what kind of skier you are. Those four things are all they need.
Working out your sizes
Boots. Ski boots are sized in Mondopoint, which is the length of your foot in centimeters. Measure your foot from heel to longest toe in centimeters and that is your Mondo size, roughly. A US men's 9 is around a 27, a US women's 8 is around a 25. Every brand runs slightly differently, so treat it as a starting point and try them on.
Skis. For touring, a ski somewhere between your chin and the top of your head is a reasonable starting length, and shorter is easier to learn on. The shop will pick this from your height and weight, so you do not need to work it out.
Poles. Stand with the pole upside down and grip it under the basket. Your forearm should be level with the floor. Adjustable poles solve this entirely.
Splitboards. The same sizing you would use for a snowboard. If you know your board length, ask for that.
Getting boots that actually fit
This is worth five extra minutes in the shop, because boots are the only piece of equipment that can ruin a day on their own. Wear the socks you will actually ski in, one thin pair. Buckle them and stand up. Your toes should just brush the end when you stand straight and pull back when you flex forward.
If your heel lifts, say so. If one foot is bigger than the other, and for most people one is, size for the bigger one. And if they hurt in the shop, they will be unbearable in hour three, so do not be polite about it.
What we have done about the rental cost
About $50 is not a small amount of money and we are not going to pretend it is. What we have done about it is negotiate. At Cranmore, Mountain Sports Lab returns the $20 reservation to you as store credit, so the gear itself is effectively free. Mt. Abram takes $25 off their uphill package. Potter Brothers takes $15 off at Bromley. Those rates exist because the equipment is not supposed to be the reason you never try. Scholarships and fee waivers.