I had the chance to sit down with Paul, one of the owners of Pacific Bike & Ski and learn a little more about their business and services for the community, as well as get some great tips for kids and parents, beginners and seasoned skiers and snowboarders alike!
ME: Hi Paul, welcome to the community! At what age can kids start skiing and snowboarding?
PAUL: MOST KIDS WILL START SKIING AT AGE 5 OR 6 – BUT I HAVE SEEN THEM UP THERE AS EARLY AS 2 ½! IF YOU'RE TEACHING THE KIDS YOURSELF I DON’T THINK THEY CAN GET OUT THERE TOO EARLY, HOWEVER MOST FORMAL SKI SCHOOLS/INSTRUCTORS WANT THEM TO BE A MINIMUM OF 5 YEARS OLD.
ME: What if my child doesn't like snowboarding? Can I swap out my rental for skis mid-season?
WE CAN ALWAYS SWAP GEAR IF NEEDED, BUT WE USUALLY START RUNNING A LITTLE LOW ON GEAR AND CAN'T ALWAYS GUARANTEE THERE WILL BE THE PROPER EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE LATER IN THE SEASON. I WOULD TRY TO COMMIT TO ONE OR THE OTHER EARLY IN THE SEASON.
ME: Good to know. Or we could opt for a few daily rentals and try out both. Kids grow so quickly! Is it possible to swap out for a larger boot size if they outgrow their current size?
WE TRY TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THAT WHEN WE ARE SETTING THEM UP IN THE BEGINNING. OUR FITTING METHOD AND EQUIPMENT WILL ALLOW FOR ONE SIZE OF GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE SEASON AND A THICKER SOCK FOR WARMTH, WITH NO CHANGE OF EQUIPMENT NEEDED. IF THEY REALLY GROW UP MID SEASON AND WE NEED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO EQUIPMENT SIZES, WE CAN DO THAT – NO PROBLEM!
ME: Great! So, what makes you different from renting at a place like Stevens Pass or REI?
WE RENT HIGH QUALITY, VERY WELL MAINTAINED OR NEW GEAR FROM ROSSIGNOL AND NORDICA FOR ADULTS AND KIDS. WE CAN ALSO HELP WITH HELMETS, GLOVES, GOGGLES, SOCKS, ETC WHILE IN THE RENTAL PROCESS TO MAKE THE PROCESS EVEN MORE FUN FOR EVERYBODY. WE ARE VERY EFFICIENT AND KNOW HOW TO SIZE KIDS APPROPRIATELY AND MAKE THE SET UP PROCESS FAST AND EASY FOR THEM AND THE PARENTS. OUR GEAR IS ALWAYS DRY, MAINTAINED AND AVAILABLE TO RENT WITH NO 2 HOUR LONG LINES TAKING AWAY FROM YOUR TIME ON THE MOUNTAIN.
ME: Quick, personalized service and new, dry equipment? I like the sound of that. We're always anxious to get up and start our day, so I like that we can come in and get set up with our equipment ahead of time and then hit the slopes with no delays. Thank you, Paul, for all the great tips and helping us with our gear needs this winter season. We'll be back in the spring to check out your bikes!
Pacific Bike & Ski is open 7 days a week and you can find them at their new location at 15635 Main Street in the heart of Duvall. They offer daily, multi-day, weekly and season rentals for adults and youth and all season rentals include skis or snowboard, poles, boots and bindings. Stop in and say hi and check out their selection of skis and snowboards for sale or get a tuning on your current gear!
