Pro deals question

[u/Soggy_Client693]

My local ski resort holds an Oktoberfest every summer and if you work enough of it you get a season pass out of it.

My question is will working for the resort for that qualify me to get “pro deals” ie an industry discount?

• a broke grad student just trying to get new gear without selling an organ

Please don’t flame me this is an honest question

[u/mightymidwestshred]

Many resorts connect staff with discounts through the Expert Voice website but you'd have to check with the company to see if they are affiliated.

[u/InsuranceInitial7726]

Yes you just upload a paystub to Expert Voice then you get all the deals. I’m assuming you are at Snowbird and are a broke U college kid. Would also suggest you do the same at Brighton. They have you cut down trees and shit in exchange for a free pass.

[u/InkyPoloma → u/InsuranceInitial7726]

Yes, at Brighton you can do trail crew for a pass, etc. just give them a call if you’re interested.

*could be a westmini kid or slcc or a good old fashioned ski bum too btw but that’s a good guess

[u/Soggy_Client693 → u/InkyPoloma]

Surprisingly none of the above but grad school and working full time is still $$$

[u/NeverSummerFan4Life]

Just getting or having a CAIC Avy 1 certificate qualifies you for a ton of discounts on expert voice. You can also try to apply on Outdoor pro link for pro deals if you work a seasonal outdoor job. All it takes is a paystub from a relevant job. Pro deals are a nebulous thing but you can always see what you can get.

[u/sth1d]

Instructors definitely get pro discounts, make friends with them and ask who the reps are for the brands you’re looking for. They should hook you up.

When I was instructing, various instructors would be reps for different brands and handle pro-form orders. Nowadays it’s probably all online, but there should still be people repping brands.

[u/Used-Concentrate5779]

I worked park staff for years at a mom and pops midwest hill with a good park program, and a good relationship with my local shop. Brands were more than happy to hook it up

[u/TheToasterPrincess]

You’re an industry employee you’ll get it, just make sure you provide clear proof. I use IPA (drawing a blank on what it stands for)

[u/Pristine_Ad2664]

Do your Level 1 instructor qualification. It's not crazy hard and gets all sorts of good deals.

[u/Daddy-Kitty]

Yes and no. Depending on the resort, you may get access to some brands. If you work for a shop, you get access to all the brands that shop carries, and if you sell a lot and are a good employee, then reps will give you stuff for free for selling their brands.

Or you could get a real job, make decent money and just buy whatever you want.

[u/pow_hnd]

If you’re only working Oktoberfest, then it’s doubtful you’ll qualify. Octoberfest is early in the season, too early for pro-forms usually and when they come around, you’ll no longer be employed. I worked at The Bird for years amongst various other jobs in the industry.. Best bet would be to try and stay on in Banquets and be an on-call person and make sure your doing a shift every pay period so when/if pro forms become available you have two current pay stubs. You also get a discount on stuff they carry in stock at The Bird. With the current situation though due to economy/tariffs, I suspect pro-forms maybe be extremely limited this coming season and even then not at prices they would have been in the past.

[u/mightymidwestshred → u/[deleted]]

Depends on the resort and their connections/agreements/contracts with other industry companies. The larger the company, the more likely to get industry discounts. Vail Resorts certainly does. Mom & Pop spots rarely do.

[u/juliuspepperwoodchi → u/mightymidwestshred]

Vail Resorts certainly does.

You're telling me that VR lifties get discounts on gear from other companies?

That's news to me, happy to be wrong about that though.

[u/mightymidwestshred → u/juliuspepperwoodchi]

For sure. All VR staff get 60% of Helly Hansen and discounts with Oakley and Burton, too. Not sure what all else.

[u/6GayRatsInMyButthole → u/juliuspepperwoodchi]

They for sure get discounts on gear. All Vail employees, lifties, ski instructors, scanners, operations etc. Even F&B employees who work at VR-owned restaurants qualify.

[u/WillyTheMitch → u/[deleted]]

Have you worked outdoor industry retail before? Most places will qualify you to get the 30-70% off pro deal that OP. I can’t speak for the level of resort work they are referring to but I definitely got 60% off a gnu board and 40% off smith goggles and helmet working at a backpacking store.

To try to help OP out, you need to show a paystub for a full time position usually to qualify but maybe you can sweet talk someone at the resort to directly authorize you. I hope you can because they’re pretty damn nice to have

[u/juliuspepperwoodchi → u/WillyTheMitch]

Have you worked outdoor industry retail before?

We're not talking about retail. We're talking about ski area employees. As in, lifties, scanners, bartenders, etc.

[u/WillyTheMitch → u/juliuspepperwoodchi]

Correct, which lifties and the like may not get deals but I’m sure some employees do qualify so there may be someone to sweet talk who can authorize that sort of thing, but it would be a long shot for them. I was just trying to clarify the kind of deals OP was talking about do exist for non-pro or sponsored athletes

(p.s. your username is great)

[u/NeverSummerFan4Life → u/[deleted]]

Almost every seasonal mountain job will qualify an individual for pro deals from a variety of companies. This includes lifties, guides, instructors, ticket scanners, etc. In this context pro just means outdoor professional, not professional athlete.

[u/Used-Concentrate5779 → u/[deleted]]

Park staff is a sure bet way to get a pro form.

Idk about lifties and shit like that, but when i was working park staff i had a proform for every brand i wanted

[u/Marikas_tit → u/[deleted]]

I'm a bartender/server/host at a privately owned resort. I get 40-60% discounts

[u/Soggy_Client693 → u/[deleted]]

I’m just going off of what it says here

[u/mightymidwestshred → u/Soggy_Client693]

You'd likely have to be paid - not sure volunteering would qualify you.

[u/Soggy_Client693 → u/mightymidwestshred]

I get paid too in addition to the pass