Gearing Up to Ski in a Big City

Locked in a big city? Maximize your slope time by dialing in your gear and fitness before you even get on the plane.

New York City

—Gear Up—
Panda Ski and Sport, in Brooklyn, sells and rents new gear like Völkl’s Kendo skis.

Emilio’s Ski and Snowboard Shop, in Queens, has been around since 1958 and rents high-end skis and boots for just $45 per day.

Surefoot, on the Upper East Side, custom-fits ski boots and has locations at most major ski resorts in case you’re in need of a tweak.

Paragon Sports, off Manhattan’s Union Square, sells skis from Atomic  and Salomon, boards from Burton, helmets from R.E.D., and goggles from Oakley.  

—Get Fit—
Mind Over Matter sends trainers to your home to lead you through workouts that are specially tailored to have you ready for ski and snowboard season. From $100.

—Get Friends—
The Ski and Snowboard Club of New York organizes three- and four-day ski trips to underrated northeast resorts like Stowe, chartering buses that leave from Manhattan’s Upper West Side. From $350;

Chicago

—Gear Up—
Viking Ski Shop has been around for 48 years, carries top-of-the-line gear, and specializes in custom boot fitting.

Snowbird Ski and Patio, in Glenview and Libertyville, hosts weekend trips to local hills and can outfit you from head to toe.  

Goskand Sports and Ski offers high-end ski tunes and $45-per-day demos on the latest skis, snowboards, and boots from LTD, Fischer, and Head.

Shred Shop, in Skokie, caters exclusively to snowboarders and  has great deals on boards from Burton and Gnu.  

—Get Fit—
Fitness Formula Clubs, with nine locations in Chicago, offers a four-week ski-conditioning program. $120.

—Get Friends—
Sanctuary Ski Club organizes trips to ski areas throughout the country, including New Mexico, Lake Tahoe, and several resorts in Colorado.

Los Angeles

—Gear Up—
Summit Ski and Cycle, in Westchester, has been selling and renting skis and boards and hand-sharpening skis for 21 years.

Doc’s Ski and Sport, in Santa Monica, sells clothing from Bogner and Helly Hansen, boots from Head and Tecnica, and skis from Blizzard and Stockli.

Ski Net Sports, on Ventura Boulevard, has custom boot fitting, ski tuning, and a wall full of new gear from top brands. It looks like it belongs slopeside.

Sports Chalet, in Santa Monica, carries 15 brands of skis, including Armada and Völkl, and has a full-service tuning shop.

—Get Fit—
Phase IV, in Santa Monica, uses science-backed data to fine-tune their workouts.

—Get Friends—
Century City Ski Club buses groups to Mammoth Mountain several times a year.

San Francisco

—Gear Up—
Sports Basement has five locations in the Bay Area and not only sells equipment, but also holds workshops to show you how to use it.

Mountain West sells skis and boards for every condition—from fat powder skis to frontside carvers.

Any Mountain, with seven locations in the Bay area, allows you to buy skis and snowboards, use them three times, then return them if you’re not happy with the purchase.

California Ski Company, a small shop in Berkeley, is for skiers only and carries the best technical gear on the market, including Dale Boots and Black Diamond.

—Get Fit—
Snowpals, a Bay area ski community, offers a five-week preseason ski and snowboard conditioning boot camp that meets twice a week and focuses on injury prevention through agility, plyometrics, and flexibility training. From $150;

—Get Friends—
Peninsula Ski Club, founded in 1949, hosts trips to its privately owned 5,500-square-foot cabin -located next to Donner Ski Ranch and across the road from Sugar Bowl.

Dallas

—Gear Up—
The Warming Hut Ski and Board Shop, in Richardson, sells ski and snowboard gear, offers custom boot fitting, and tunes skis.

St. Bernard Sports, in Inwood-Village, has been selling ski gear,  like Armada skis and North Face jackets, since 1978.

Sun and Ski, just off the North Central Expressway, carries skis from most major manufacturers, from powder boards to carving planks.  

—Get Fit—
CrossFit Dallas Central offers private training to help tailor the program toward a more ski-specific set of goals.

—Get Friends—
Dallas Ski Clubs gather groups of 300 to 600 people for trips around the world to places like Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, and Taos, New Mexico.