Disagree. While the rentals are not the best, for a beginner there are probably the best bang for the buck. When you are a beginner you don't know what your preferences for style of skis and length are going to be. It also gives you ability to try different skis & boots.
+1
Rentals may be crap, but I think it's good to learn what you like and don't like about the equipment and see what others are using.
I learned to ski when I was 6 or 7 and indestructible. It's much easier to learn as a kid than an adult. The falls you will take will risk your knees, wrists and head mostly, but you can minimize the risk by not skiing tired or drunk and not trying a slope far beyond your ability. I've never been injured skiing.
I think the most important thing is to not try to get in that last run because you paid for the whole day and have time for one more. If you're tired at all just call it a day rather than push it. Skiing tired gets you hurt.
I grew up when nobody wore ski helmets, and I still don't, but as many as half or more are wearing them these days. Probably not a bad idea. They aren't just for protecting your head from trees; your head can slam to the hard-packed snow during a fall.
It is much more strenuous to learn to ski than to ski when you know how. I am nowhere near in shape, but I can ski because I don't have to keep picking myself up off the snow. When you're learning that's what can tire you quickly, get you warm and sweat inside your clothes. You want to avoid sweating enough to get your inner clothes moist, because later it will cool you down too much, so don't be afraid to open and remove hats, gloves, outer coats and ski pants when getting warm and then get them back on.
So layered ski clothes are a good idea, as well as big, closeable pockets to hold a hat and gloves. But start putting things back on when you're not building up to a sweat, especially if you're about to board a lift. That's a good place to get too cold since you're sitting still and hanging in the wind.
And leave your ego in the condo/hotel. While you're in class millions of 3-to-10-year-olds will ski circles around you on the bunny slopes. They will learn faster because they are indestructible and don't have as far to pick themselves up when they fall.
I've heard learning to snowboard is easier than learning to ski, so I thought after 20+ years of skiing I'd pick it up in no time with no instruction. Oops. That's when I really learned how tiring it is to keep getting up after falling, and since your feet are fixed relative to each other falls tend to be hard butt-landings or hard knee and/or wrist landings, either of which possibly followed by your head bouncing off the snow which isn't soft at all after being skied on.
upil ratio. i usually end up with a private lesson (they aren't suppose to do this, but the instructors enjoy some real skiing and there is usually a huge discrepancy in my ski level and the next closest person).
