In European and American ski resorts, 90% of visitors bring their own ski gear such as ski suits, while in China, 90% of visitors opt to rent.
Winter is the season for snow sports, and when you rent a ski suit or boots at a ski resort, have you ever had this experience? When picking up a ski suit, you notice obvious stains on the collar or cuffs, sometimes even with residual heat from the previous renter? Or when switching ski boots, you find the damp interior emitting an unpleasant odor? These phenomena, which we've almost grown accustomed to, actually call for hygiene standards in the ski industry: even small actions, like a quick spray with disinfectant, can greatly improve hygiene conditions across the industry.
As an amateur enthusiast, Xiaowei enjoys spending her weekends at various ski resorts around Beijing. However, having to rent ski gear every time, she often worries about its cleanliness. Sometimes the collars, cuffs of the ski suits, or the boots are dirty and damp, seemingly just taken off by the previous skier, making her concerned about contracting skin diseases or athlete’s foot. Since most domestic skiing enthusiasts are beginners, Xiaowei's concerns are shared by many.
The reporter called several ski resorts in the capital and learned that cleaning of ski suits and boots is done uniformly at the end of each ski season, involving washing, drying, and storage. Due to varying usage frequencies of each set of equipment, only those rented out on a given day are dried and disinfected with high heat daily. Some resorts stated that during the ski season, there is “no fixed schedule for cleaning rental gear—just when it looks dirty,” meaning there are no standardized timing or criteria for cleaning.
Manager Sun from the ski equipment rental shop at a major ski resort in Beijing told the reporter that the ski suits and boots they rent out undergo two thorough cleanings each year—at the start and end of the ski season. Additionally, any dirty or odorous equipment rented out on the day is cleaned collectively the next day. After each set of equipment is returned, it is placed on the back racks in sequence to avoid renting it out again too soon. At the same time, to reduce rental frequency, the resort has over 7,000 pairs of ski boots in stock. Daily-use boots are also treated with liquid sprays and drying for sterilization. He mentioned that in foreign ski resorts, most skiers bring their own gear, which reduces hygiene issues tied to rentals, but due to most domestic enthusiasts being beginners, the hygiene environment is not directly comparable.
■ Various Perspectives
Industry Expert: Ski Boots Can Be Toasted Anytime Abroad
The reporter contacted the Skiing Department 2 of the Chinese Ski Association. A staff member noted that he had visited ski resorts in countries like Japan, South Korea, Europe, especially in Western nations, where over 90% of skiers bring their own equipment, and very few rent. Occasionally, due to the weight of ski boots, some do rent them. But most resorts have dryers, and returned boots are immediately cleaned on the inside using brushes before being placed in dryers. As for ski suits, frequent washing can damage the waterproof layer, so it is not advisable to wash them regularly.
Health Authority: No Cleaning Standards for Non-Contact Clothing
A staff member from the Beijing Municipal Health Supervision Institute said that health supervision primarily focuses on the disinfection of items in direct skin contact in public places such as beauty salons, hairdressers, and bathhouses. Ski suits and boots do not directly touch the skin, so currently, there are no specific health supervision standards for ski equipment. Cleaning and disinfection measures are determined by individual businesses.
Ski Enthusiast: Suggest Adding Disinfection Spray Steps
Mr. Zhang has been skiing for 14 years and spends winters traveling among various ski resorts in Beijing—he is a true ski enthusiast. He has his own ski suits for himself and his family, but is concerned that his own ski boots might not fit the resort's ski boards, so he still rents boots on-site. Regarding the disinfection of ski suits and boots, he offered his suggestions: resorts should add immediate steps like spraying disinfectant when equipment is returned. Even a quick spray from a small bottle can reassure customers and let them enjoy their time on the slopes. He also suggested, similar to bowling alleys, providing disposable socks to prevent direct contact between personal socks and boots—a simple measure that can go a long way.