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There is a particular kind of tired that comes from clumping back to your apartment at the end of a long ski day, in ski boots, carrying your own skis and poles, and probably your children’s too. Then doing it all again in reverse the next morning. It is one of the least glamorous parts of a ski holiday, and one of the easiest to fix.
The short version
- Rent a ski locker at the bottom of the slopes. Many come with heated boot dryers.
- Hire from a shop near the lifts. Many hire shops store your kit overnight.
- Book accommodation that is genuinely ski in, ski out, or close to a lift.
- If you do have to carry skis, carry them properly on your shoulder, or use a ski strap.
Option 1: rent a ski locker
Most large resorts now have ski lockers near the main lifts. You leave your skis, poles and boots there at the end of the day and walk home in comfortable shoes. The best ones have heated boot compartments, so your boots are warm and dry in the morning, which makes a real difference.
To give you an idea of how they work and what they cost, Châtel in the Portes du Soleil (the same linked area as Avoriaz) publishes its locker details online. Its lockers have warm air boot drying, hold up to five pairs of skis plus boots and poles, can be rented from one day to a whole season, and open with a code. At the time of writing, its listed prices were around €54 to €60 for a week, depending on the size. Prices and arrangements vary between resorts, so check locally.
Tips for lockers
- Book ahead in school holidays, as the best placed lockers go first.
- Choose a locker near the lift you will use most, or near ski school if you have children in lessons.
- Check the opening hours. Some buildings close in the evening.
- Keep a pair of comfortable shoes in the locker, or in your backpack, for the walk home.
Option 2: hire from a shop near the slopes
Many hire shops at the bottom of the slopes offer to store your hired skis and boots overnight, often with boot warmers. It is worth asking when you book, as it can save the cost of a locker. This is another reason to choose your hire shop by location, not just price. Our guide to ski hire and lessons has more on choosing a shop.
Option 3: choose the right accommodation
The best fix of all is accommodation where you can ski to the door. Purpose built French resorts, such as Avoriaz and the Arcs villages, have a lot of this. Many apartment buildings also have their own ski room or locker, which at least saves carrying everything up the stairs. Our guide to where to stay on a ski holiday explains what to look for, including why “ski in, ski out” in a listing does not always mean what you think.
If you do have to carry your skis
Sometimes there is no avoiding it. A few tips make it much easier:
- Clip your skis together at the brakes, base to base.
- Carry them on your shoulder, tips pointing forwards and down, with the bindings just behind your shoulder. Keep a hand on the front.
- Watch out behind you. Turning round with skis on your shoulder is a classic way to hit someone.
- Use a ski strap or carrier. A simple strap holds the skis together, and some let you carry them like a bag.
- Loosen your boots before walking any distance. Undo the top clips and the power strap.
- Help children by carrying their skis, and let them carry their own poles.
Making the morning easier too
- Put boots on near the lift, not at the apartment, if you have a locker.
- Keep gloves, goggles and helmets together in one bag so nothing gets left behind.
- Get children dressed in base layers and salopettes indoors, then add jacket and boots at the locker.
From our own trips
If your resort has ski lockers, use them. They are usually handily placed at the bottom of one of the main lifts, and they save you carrying the children’s skis back and forth every day.
It is also worth getting children used to carrying their own skis from a young age. It soon becomes second nature.
Start with step 1, choosing a resort, then work through our eight step ski holiday planner.
Frequently asked questions
Are ski lockers worth it?
For most families, yes. Walking home in normal shoes and putting on warm, dry boots in the morning makes every day easier.
Can I leave my skis outside overnight?
It is not a good idea. Skis are sometimes stolen, and some insurance policies will not pay out if they were left unattended.
Do hire shops store skis for free?
Some do for their own hire customers, especially shops at the bottom of the slopes. Ask when you book.