…And Boots. Ski Butler Service Takes The Schlep Out Of Ski Vacations.
I’ve always wanted a butler. After watching all of those episodes of “Downton Abbey,” who wouldn’t?
And like the wise and efficient Carson on that popular TV show and movie, Ski Butlers offers an indispensable service, making the lives of traveling winter recreationists a whole lot easier.
Ski Butlers is a “come-to-you” ski and snowboard rental service that operates out of some of the largest markets in North America and Europe. Once you fly to a destination and check into your accommodations, Ski Butlers arrives with the gear, setting you up on site.
It’s a seamless operation.
I used the service when I flew into Salt Lake City for a four-day tour of Wasatch resorts in mid-January. The Ski Butlers team brought everything —goggles, helmet, skis, boots and poles. I had requested a high performance package and got Rossignol Soul 7 HD skis, a model I’ve been wanting to try out for a couple of years.
Your first question might be, “How did they fit your boots?”
Maura Grady of Ski Butlers brought several different pairs of boots for me, finding the right-fitting performance Rossignol boots almost immediately. I even learned something from her after finding the right pair.
“Pull the power strap tightly above the top buckle to prevent bruising on your shins,” she said.
It worked. Thank you, Carson. I mean Maura!
Once the boots were selected, Grady set the bindings, and I was good to go. The skis performed flawlessly during my tour of Alta, Snowbird, Solitude, Brighton, Snowbasin and Powder Mountain.
And let me also say this: The Soul 7s are a great ski for Utah’s amazing powder.
When it’s time to go back home, Ski Butlers picks up the gear, saving you another travel headache. All in all, it’s the easiest rental service I’ve ever used.
Ski Butlers started at Park City, Utah, in 2004, and has expanded to 50 destinations worldwide, concentrating on the Rocky Mountains and Western United States, said Nikki Bongaerts, senior content and communications manager.
The pricing for Ski Butlers depends upon the time of year, the type of package and the location, Bongaerts said, with rates going up during the busiest times of the year. She added: “Our prices are equal to or lower than the shop prices on the hill.”
For example, base prices in Park City range between $51 per day for a “first-timer” package and $71 per day for a high performance package.
Some of the top markets for Ski Butlers are Utah, Summit County in Colorado, the Lake Tahoe area in California, Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Big Sky, Mont., Bongaerts said. Some Northeastern U.S. destinations may be added in the future, she added, depending upon demand.
Besides the boot-fitting, the other main concern among customers is whether the gear will be beat up. No worries—the bases of my skis were perfectly tuned, thanks to Ski Butlers’ Montana tuning machine, a state-of-the-art robotic system.
Rather than schlepping your gear on an airplane, you might want to consider Ski Butlers in the future.
“The biggest advantage is the convenience factor,” Bongaerts said.
