Looking the Part :
Ski & Snowboard School Uniform and equipment Standards
First impressions are more important than you can imagine, and you, when in uniform*, you are “on stage”. More details on the standards can be found in the Employee Guide and the Ski & Snowboard School Manual. Please watch the video below to be prepared to present yourself as a leader to our guests, and a leader in our school.
* You will be issued your uniform on the last day of training.
Official guidelines can be found in the employee handbook and the park city addendum.
Equipment
If you are bringing your own equipment, it needs to be professional gear. Packed-out boots, straight skis, and older snowboards will not allow you to accurately demonstrate the tasks and/or skills you are teaching. This can lead to confusion for your students, and the lack of understanding will lead to diminished confidence in your abilities and knowledge as an instructor. Your students may look to you for more than just instruction; they also view you as an example of how a skier or snowboarder dresses, how they should maintain their equipment, and what kind of equipment they should have.
In addition, equipment that is well-maintained will help keep you safer. For example, outdated or heavily worn equipment is not efficient in its capacity to release the boot from the binding or keep a SB boot strapped in place, all important functions to reduce the risk of injury.
All equipment will get inspected and require a inspection program sticker with the current year.
This need to be done within 30 days of your first day on snow.
your supervisors can inspect and give you a voucher for the Vail Resort Retail shop for binding check.
skis, boards, boots and binding need to adhere the industry standard guidelines.
It is our expectation that you arrive with contemporary equipment and that you maintain your equipment throughout the course of the season.
Do you need new equipment?
Being an instructor, there is an equipment loaner program available to you. Click here for more information. Please note, that you must be an active employee in good standing to participate in the equipment loaner program who skis and rides for their job. Support staff do not participate in the equipment loaner program as they do not ski and ride for their job.
The Most Critical Equipment You Own
Your boots are the single most important piece of equipment you will own. You will be in those boots six to eight hours at a time. They are what provide your connection to your skis/snowboard. A boot that is too big, too small, or too old is not only uncomfortable, but will keep you from getting the most out of your skis and board, and also impairs your ability to teach effectively. A properly fitting boot can save your season!!
Getting New Stuff without Breaking the Bank
Save the retro stuff for Christmas Eve Torchlight and closing day, but if you need to upgrade a few items, here are some hook ups and local recommendations where you can upgrade your kit:
Pro Deals: All Vail employees have access to ExpertVoice and Outdoor ProLink for discounts on a number of brand name items, including essentials like gloves, goggles, helments and more. Vail employees also receive special discounts on products from our strategic partners: Helly Hansen and Oakely. Direction for accessing these discount programs is available on the EpicEmployee App for ACTIVE employees, in Benefits and Perks> My Perks> Discounts>ProDeals.
Local Deals: In ski towns, there is always quality second hand gear floating around. Here is a list of a few great places to go for second-hand gear:
Ski School Facebook Group or Locker Room Bulletin Boards – Some of your fellow instructors are Reps for various companies, and they usually post their info on the Bulletin Boards. Other folks sometimes simply post their gear for sale. The locker room can be a great place to find a solid deal on equipment.
PSIA/AASI: Another great outlet for pro deals is through PSIA/AASI membership. These deals are sometimes up to 50% of retail price! Talk to your trainers about joining PSIA/AASI and moving towards certification!
Save the retro stuff for Christmas Eve Torchlight.
Yes that is fire.
