Buying or Renting Kids Ski Gear
The excitement of teaching your kids to ski or snowboard is quickly damped
with the big ticket price tags for buying your kids skis or a snowboard.
While you are eager to get your son or daughter out on the slopes, skiing or
riding, the cost of buying brand new ski equipment for your kids can be
price prohibitive at $250- 500. The reality is kids grow every year, another
reality is they don’t love hand me downs, but there are alternatives for the
alpine enthusiastic family.
Call it beg, borrow, rent, lease, trade in or buy and hope your kids get
more than one ski season out their ski or snowboard equipment.
The decision to rent or buy ski equipment for your kids depends upon how
often you plan to ski, what age and growth spurt your child is at, whether
there are siblings that will be able to use the ski equipment in a hand me
down fashion next ski season, and whether the best gear is from a rental
fleet, a ski shop trade in program or a purchase on a great deal of kids ski
package.
Renting Kids Ski Equipment
If
it’s your child’s first time on skis or snowboard, and you are planning a
ski resort vacation, your best bet is probably to rent from the ski resort
ski shop. You child will be professionally fitted with ski or snowboard
boots, a well fitting ski boot is key to a happy day on the slopes. Many a
skier has said “if your feet aren’t happy, you aren’t going to be happy on
the slopes.” The bindings on their skis will be inspected and fitted
properly to their boot by the ski shop technicians to prevent injury and
allows for safe release. Ski poles and helmets are available from the rental
shop too if that is something you need for your little skier.
Consider
visiting the rental shop the evening before your child’s first ski day to
get ahead of the morning rush, and to give your child more time to adjust to
their new ski equipment. Your kids might even enjoy wearing their new ski
boots around the condo and taking possession of their skis a day ahead in
anticipation. At the end of your family ski week, you return the rental ski
equipment to the shop, ski gear is often included in the price of first time
ski lessons or all day kids ski camp, and you don’t have to lug the ski gear
home and store it till your next family ski trip – and hope it will still
fit.
If your child’s first ski rental experience goes well, and you envision
skiing more as a family, then its time to take the next step and look at
purchasing kids ski equipment. You need to amortize the cost of equipment
over the amount you will use your skis, boots, poles, etc.
Beg, Borrow and Share?
If
you have friends with kids that ski or snowboard, don’t be afraid to ask if
they have equipment. So many families have outgrown ski equipment in their
garages and basements. Better to start a family exchange program than to
find that your neighbor has a fleet of ski boots and skis that no longer fit
their kids’ feet. You will be able to reciprocate in the future perhaps with
so called hand me down skis, snow blowing your neighbors driveway, or
reimbursing them some of what they invested in kids ski gear.
Ski Swaps and Ski Club Sales
Each year, ski clubs and Rec departments host ski swaps and ski club sales
in the fall. This is a great opportunity to buy used ski equipment form
friends, neighbors, and ski team kids who always have to have the latest
greatest ski equipment. Some of these young ski racers and snowboard riders
are sponsored buy ski manufacturers so they get new gear every year for free
– so they are happy to sell last year’s ski equipment to you for much less
than retail. The drawback, there is no exchange or refund, so take your time
and find someone knowledgeable at the ski sale.
At
these ski swaps and ski sales, you can also buy ski clothing, ski pants,
gloves or mittens and new or used helmets and goggles, ski socks, you name
it! You can outfit an entire family in ski great for less than one pair of
brand new ski at $700 at a ski shop. Budget for professional fitting, you
may have to bring the equipment to a ski shop for ski binding adjustment to
the ski boot, if that service is not offered at the ski tent sale or ski
swap.
Fitting Ski Boots and Skis or Snowboards
Ski boots should fit a child’s foot well. It is not a good idea to have a
lot of wiggle room to grow into in a kid’s ski boot. Performance is better
from a snug fit ski boot. Skis and bindings should be mid face height, and
in good condition, no rust or gauges on the edges and minimum scratches to
the base of the ski. Cosmetic damage to the top sheet of the ski are not as
concerning, although kids do like pretty skis with cool graphics, not big
scratches which may indicate the ski or snowboard has had a lot of use.
Measuring Kids Ski Equipment
There are a few guidelines to finding the right size ski boots, skis, or
snowboard for your child. Kids skis and bindings should last a few seasons.
Mid-face height on skis is a good measurement and allows for quite a bit of
growth, and kids’ binding settings adjust from 50-90 pounds, which is a big
window. But kids do move through boots sizes, often growing a full size in a
season.
Ski Shop Lease, Trade In and Purchase of Kids Ski Equipment
Find a ski shop with a good reputation and honestly describe how often you
plan to ski and how well your child skis or snowboards. Most ski shops offer
a fleet of kids ski equipment in a price range from inexpensive ski packages
with skis, boots, poles and bindings starting at about $200 – an entry level
ski package that should last for a season, maybe two. More advanced and
expert skis and boots for kids is available at the $500+ range, if your
child is really proficient, carving turns, skiing moguls and black diamond
trials, demanding more from their skis, boots and bindings. Expert kids skis
and snowboards and boots are more performance oriented.
Ask
if the Ski Shop offers a Trade In at season’s end where your children’s ski
equipment purchase is credited, at 50% of the purchase price for example,
toward the purchase of next year’s ski gear. Ski Trade In programs for kids
equipment are great for growing kids, you can even swap out boots mid season
if your child’s feet grow significantly. Lease or Ski trade Plans work well
for the ski shop too as they gain your loyalty for years to come, and you
buy other ski stuff when you are in the shop – goggles, helmets, hand
warmers, ski clothing for the kids and mom and dad.
Go to the ski shop pre-season to get the best selection and service, versus
shopping for skis on Christmas Eve or the day before kids winter break. Ski
shop technicians can size to the future in the fall, which parents
appreciate, while looking out for comfort for the child. If a boot is too
small or too big, the kids won’t be comfortable and it can be dangerous and
certainly affect their enjoyment and their performance. Buying from a ski
shop, you get this personalized service and a ski warrantee and guarantee of
some kind, an advantage over the ski swap or buying ski equipment from eBay
or Craig’s list.
Buying ski equipment or snowboards from EBay and Craig’s list
can save you money, but you need to know your exact ski boot size and
read reviews on the skis you are purchasing as
there is no return or refund. Also watch out for EBay shipping fees on skis.
You can spend another $50-100 on shipping the skis ore snowboard that seemed
like such a great deal on at online auction.
Finally there are Ski Lease Programs and Snowboard leasing for the season
for kids. Ski shops will offer a junior lease for kids ski and snowboard
equipment . You can lease a brand new package (boots, ski, bindings and
poles) for between $150-$200, and if during the season your child grows out
of the ski or boot during the ski season, the ski shop will allow to
exchange. At the end of the season, you simply return the equipment, and get
back your deposit in some cases, though most ski shops just keep your credit
card on file for the leased ski equipment for the season. Leased ski and
snowboard gear often becomes used ski equipment available for sail at the
ski shop, or they will sell in their fall ski tent sale or ski swap.
As
kids get bigger and better, they want their own new equipment and you will
inevitably have to buy new ski gear or snowboards. But for starting your
kids with ski and snowboard equipment, ski shop trade in programs, buying
used or leased ski equipment is a better value
So assess how committed your family is to skiing, how often you plan to use
your child's ski or snowboard equipment, and how quickly your child is
progressing, before making the rent, lease or purchase ski decision.
If you are organized (or just overzealous like our family foursome) – you
drag out the kids’ gear for a fitting when the first red leaf appears. If
you are the procrastinating type, you wait for a frosty Friday night in
December to pack for your first ski
weekend, then proceed to full panic mode upon discovering last season’s
stuff is too tight.
New England Ski Resorts
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|Rockies
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