A group of us are heading on a touring trip to Arolla in April. We are going to need to hire touring equipment. I have previously hired gear in Chamonix but am hoping to to have to head there. Does anyone have any advice on a good place to hire gear somewhere between Geneva and Arolla? (we will have a hire car so our able to make small diversions within reason). Thanks for your help.

Cactus sports in Carouge are the main ski touring shop in Geneva (there are a couple of others), unfortunately the Web seems to have passed them by. I will ask around about hire.

Cactus Sports Bernard Wietlisbach
Rue du Pont-Neuf 6 - 1227 Carouge
022 300 30 01

For Arolla Bournissen Sports seem to have a fairly complete package.

http://www.bournissen.arolla.com/

the website sucks a bit though. 176CHF for a weeks hire of skis and skins (2005-6 prices).

Thanks for all your help. I was in Arolla last summer climbing and noticed there was a small hire shop. Their range did seem a little limited though. I will drop them an email to check what they have available but wouldn’t want to get all the way there to discover we’d have to go somewhere else.

The store in Arolla has a reasonable range of kit for hire, it’s a small village so they may not have this weeks latest ski but it’s reasonable enough.