New Yorkers live in a city where the latest and greatest ski equipment is, at the most, a few train stops away – certainly closer than the slopes. But before choosing suitable gear, ski bunnies must first find the right store. Here are some of the ski and snowboard shops whose products and staff stand apart from the rest.

PRINCETON SKI SHOPS This recently refurbished flagship store now looks more like an upscale resort boutique than a mall outlet in disarray. It holds everything you will need to hit the slopes. Boots, bindings, and skis purchased at the store can be customized, mounted, and waxed at no additional charge. Hold on to your receipt because future tune-ups, including sharpenings, are done for free and as often as you need. The attentive and knowledgeable staff helps you select from major brands, including Salomon, Head, and Dynastar; apparel from the North Face and Spyder, and car racks by Thule. The pre-season sale starts Thanksgiving weekend, with discounts of up to 50%. At the downstairs Boarding House, dedicated solely to snowboarding, you’ll find Burton, Ride, Nitro, and Palmer gear. Mounting is free and can be finished within 20 minutes. Seasonal ski and snowboard rentals are available for adults and juniors for as low as $199.95 (adult) or $149.95 (junior).

21 E. 22nd St., between Park Avenue and Broadway, 212-228-4400, www.princetonski.com.

SCANDINAVIAN SKI & SPORT SHOP This 58-year-old institution is renowned for outfitting all levels of skiers all year round. Though its operation recently moved to an Upper East Side brownstone from West 57th Street, Scandinavian retains its chalet-style coziness and the staff is still as friendly and well-informed. Three floors are stocked with equipment, clothing, and accessories from major brands and a broad range of prices accommodate most budgets. Customers with orthopedic constraints enjoy custom boot-fitting that molds around their particular feet. The shop also organizes the annual Ski Rep Rap on November 5 and 6, where representatives from its major suppliers will be on hand to answer any questions about their products. Ski trips start in late November and packages include transportation and lift tickets. Rentals are available for adults and juniors.

16 E. 55th St., between Madison and Fifth avenues, 212-757-8524, www.scandinavianski.com.

PARAGON SPORTS

In mid-October, the cycling room moves upstairs and the back room is completely converted into a ski and snowboard equipment area. Boots, helmets, ski jackets, pants, sweaters – you name it, Paragon most likely carries it at an affordable price. The store carries major ski brands such as Rossignol, Atomic, Volkl, and K2. Clients also have the opportunity to customize their boots with technician Paul D’Amato, who works there only during the winter season. He is known to break a boot apart and modify it to a person’s foot. Ski rental packages are available from $24.99 a day to $79.99 a week. Trips to Hunter Mountain run Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays for $60 a day, including the lift ticket and a light breakfast. Mark your calendars for the major warehouse sale, usually the week after Labor Day, when the store clears out last year’s goods.

867 Broadway, between 17th and 18th streets, 212-255-8036, www.paragonsports.com.

BURTON

For nearly 30 years, Burton has been one of the leading manufacturers of snowboarding goods in America. Its new downtown store, which opened in mid-September, is already the hottest snowboard shop in town. Check out the minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit room where you can test the latest gear. The store includes everything Burton makes: snowboards, jackets, pants, gloves, and hats, along with Burton’s other lines, such as Analog streetwear, Anon goggles, and Gravis footwear. To protect your derriere (and other body parts), check out “impact shorts,” R.E.D. helmets, rail shin guards, and wrist guards. Most members of Burton’s helpful staff come from snowboard shops and have extensive backgrounds in the sport.

106 Spring St. at Mercer Street, 212-966-8068, www.burton.com.

BLADES BOARD AND SKATE

Arriving on the New York extreme sports scene in 1990, Blades quickly became one of the most exciting board shops in the city. The knowledgeable staff members are younger and edgier than the laid-back clerks at other shops: They are the fashion trendsetters for action sports. The store itself, which carries well-known brands such as Never Summer, Rome, and Academy, is best known for stocking snowboards with unique graphics, such Sapient, and apparel that’s hard to find from smaller apparel companies such as Nikita and 686 snowboarding jackets, pants, and gloves. Bindings are mounted free of charge. Visit the store before the end of October and you’ll find last year’s inventory discounted by 30%.

659 Broadway, between Bleecker and Bond streets, 212-477-7350, www.blades.com.

NEW YORK PIPE DREAMS If you enjoy a personal setting, stop by Pipe Dreams. The board shop’s small staff is attentive and likely to remember your name. If you buy a package (snowboard, boots, and bindings) from this year’s selection, you’ll receive an additional 10% discount and no extra charge for assembly. Tune-ups are $20.All of last year’s merchandise – the store carries brands including Ride, Nitro, Rome, and Never Summer – is 20% off through the end of the year. Pipe Dreams also organizes trips to New York mountains four times a week and to Vermont on Saturdays. Prices range from $54.95 to $82.95 and include a round-trip bus ride and a lift ticket. And if you send in a self-addressed stamped envelope, they’ll send you free shop stickers.

1623 York Ave., between 85th and 86th streets, 212-535-7473, www.newyorkpipedreams.com.

EASTERN MOUNTAIN SPORTS (EMS) EMS is dedicated to outfitting athletes for mountains in the Northeast. Due to rising interest in telemark skiing – a hybrid form used for back-country skiing – the store is now tailored to the advanced skier in search of deep and ungroomed snow. This is not the store for the chair-lift group. Customers who purchase a package (skis, boots, and bindings) receive a 15% discount. Boots are fitted and bindings are mounted for free – but EMS doesn’t wax, do tune-ups, or do repairs.

20 W. 61st St. at Broadway, 212-397-4860, www.ems.com.