Ski Butlers, Personal Delivery Service for Ski Gear Rentals

With airlines charging exorbitant baggage fees, there's even more reason to rent rather than schlep your ski gear. Enter Ski Butlers, a concierge-style rental company that will deliver equipment right to your hotel or condo, making sure everything fits to your liking, and ensuring that your ski holiday is as carefree as possible—a special treat, especially if you have kids in tow! The four-year-old enterprise serves over 25 top ski resorts in California, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and British Columbia—including Aspen, Vail, Telluride, Jackson Hole, Park City and Whistler—and stocks the latest high-quality skis, snowboards, and boots from such leading brands as Rossignol, Volkl, Élan and Marker.

I heard about this convenient service from my friend Deb Ryley, a Boston-based technology executive, who tried it out on her recent trip to Colorado. "My family and I used Ski Butlers at Snowmass, and it was fabulous," says Deb. "The staff took our vital information over the phone, and the guys arrived one hour later with boots, skis and poles. They made sure everything fit, and even came back during the week to exchange any boots and skis that were not quite right. When the trip was over, they came to the condo and picked everything up right outside the door, without even disturbing us. The home delivery service is definitely worth it and it's a pretty good value!"

Packages start at $25 per day for children, and go up to $59 per day for performance gear for adults. You can place orders online or over the phone.