You’ve planned a trip to Mount Ruapehu and booked your accommodation, but where to hire skis, snowboards and clothing? We say hire before you go - to not only save a few dollars, but avoid irritating, time-wasting queues either on the skifields, or in ski shops at National Park – where most of the equipment hire off the slopes, takes place.
When it comes to skis, Broncos Sports at 88 Willow Street is the only show in town (literally). The store has good quality recreational rental packages – skis, boots & poles – for $55 a weekend for adults ($35 juniors). Ski bibs and pants are $25 a weekend. Snowboards for adults are $70 a weekend.
The hire rates are cheaper than on the skifields and if both Whakapapa and Turoa fields are closed because of lousy weather, Broncos will give you a refund in the form of a gift voucher. Glenn Tuck explains that they have no expiry date, and can be used for ‘whatever you like’ in store. Broncos also provide a tune-up service and has Tauranga’s only Montana Crystalglide machine to do the business.
Broncos stock a reasonable, but not huge range of new skis including name brands like Rossignol, Atomic and Salomon, plus boots such as Nordica. The store has some good deals on last year’s models.
If it’s snowboarding gear you’re after, Mount Surf Shop in the Phoenix shopping center hires all the stuff: boots, pants, jackets, gloves and wrist guards. A snowboard and boots are $40 a day for adults, or $60 per weekend (extra day $20). The youth rate is $30 a day and $50 per weekend.
If bad weather shuts both fields, Mount Surf Shop will give you a credit note to cover the day’s hire.
If you’re eyeing new gear, Mount Surf Shop has snowboard and binding packages from $499.
The store also offers a tune up service for both snowboards and skis. Mount Surf don’t provide transport, but talk sweetly to the staff and you may swing something.
More Information:
Broncos Sports – 88 Willow Street, Tauranga, tel 578 6904, www.broncos.co.nz
Mount Surf Shop – 96 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui, tel 575 9133, www.mountsurfshop.co.nz
Who says Helicopters & Kayaks don’t Mix? How about Choppers & Beauty Treatments? 
If whirly birds are your thing, why not combine a chopper trip with kayaking, fishing, wine tasting… even beauty treatments. Aerius Helicopters have put together a whole series of zany adventure flights. One that’s caught travel writers attention is the Evening Glow Worm Dinner. A bright red company chopper flies you to the shores of McLaren in the lower Kaimais for ‘an exquisite dinner from one of Tauranga’s finest cafés and a bottle of award-winning wine from the local Mills Reef winery.’ As the evening settles, experienced guides help you into kayaks for the trip out around the lake to the glow-worm canyon. The cost is $580.00 per person.
Aerius mix ‘n match all sorts of activities to produce another 19 different adventures. A chopper will whisk you away to Aqua Vida Health Spa for example, for a half or full day of pampering (body and facial treatments) at the bushland property. If you’re a keen angler, Aerius will fly you to one (or several) of ‘New Zealand’s best fishing spots.’ As the company says, a helicopter has access to a whole world of fishing that is not reachable in any other way. Check out all the other options, including Air Land Sea Experience, and Air Sea River Experience, at www.aerius.co.nz
