Smugglers' Notch Ski Rentals

Smugglers’ Notch plays host to the only triple black diamond rated trail in the East, the famed Black Hole. Every year, thousands come to pay their respects and try this run or just sit back and watch the garage sales that happen when someone bites off more than they can chew. Whichever you are, if you’re hitting Smuggs, you need to know what the scene is for Smugglers’ Notch ski rentals. Never fear, we’ve got you covered. We’ve got the inside scoop on how to get the best gear for your skiing and how to save a bit of cash as well.

Basic, Performance, or Demo?

When it comes to your Smugglers’ Notch ski rentals, they come in three varieties: Basic, Performance, or Demo packages.  A basic package is great for someone who’s just starting out or knows that they’re never going past a fast green or a sedate blue slope. Performance packages come with more aggressive skis that suit intermediate skiers who like a little less flex in their skis. These handle great on your harder blues. For the expert skier who wants to see what’s new this season, a demo package will let them try out new skis for a fraction of the cost of owning them. Additionally, some shops will bundle in the cost of the rental into the price if you decide to purchase them.

It really comes down to knowing your ski ability and being honest about it. If you know you’re going to be hitting the Black Hole, a basic package is going to really bum you out. You’re not going to get the performance out of it that you would out of a…well, out of a performance or demo package. Likewise, if it’s your first week on skis, a demo package is going to be a little rough because the skis aren’t going to be as forgiving. Just because a basic package comes with last year’s Volkl skis instead of this season’s Rossignol skis isn’t reason to spend more than you need to on your Smugglers’ Notch ski rentals.

Prices and Saving

Smuggs offers their basic package (which they call a performance package) for $42 for the first two days (each) and $38 for each additional day. You can get a demo package for $75 per day flat rate. So a five day rental will end up running $198 or $327.50. Smuggs runs a demo package sale every Tuesday, where the rate drops to $27.50, so as long as you’re skiing on a Tuesday, you’re saving a little bit. However, with our help, you can save at least 20 percent off those prices. We’ll help you reserve your Smugglers’ Notch ski rentals so you can get your gear quickly and save some cash.

An alternative to getting your gear at the resort is to rent off site. This will definitely save you cash, but the savings is offset by the inconvenience of having to lug your skis to and from the mountain and your room. As an example, in nearby Stowe, you can hit AJ’s Ski and Sports and get a comparable performance package for $39 bucks a day, or get a basic package for $32. The real savings is with the demo package that only costs $49 per day. So for five days of skiing, you pay $160, $195, or $245. Plus, with our help, you can save even more. We’ve got the connections to make sure you don’t pay more than you need to for your Smugglers’ Notch ski rentals.

The following is a list of local ski rental shops:

AJ’s Ski and Sports: http://www.stowesportsrentals.com/#!about/cee5

Pinnacle Ski and Sports:  http://www.pinnacleskisports.com/Winter/rent_equipment.html

Umiak Outdoor Outfitters:  http://www.umiak.com/#!winter-rentals/c24z1

MountainOps:  http://www.mountainopsvt.com/ski-rentals/