When you’re just getting started skiing, it’s common to wonder if you should rent or buy your ski equipment. Which makes more sense for you?
In this blog post, we’re going to go over everything you need to know in order to decide whether you should rent or buy your ski gear this year. We’ll go over the cost and the pros and cons of each to help you make an informed decision.
Keep reading to learn whether you should rent or buy your ski equipment!
Reasons To Rent Ski Equipment
There are many reasons why you would choose to rent your ski equipment.
If you’re just starting out skiing, it gives you an opportunity to try out different skis before you buy. Not all ski equipment is created equal and you want to make sure you’re spending your money on the pair that’s right for you. You don’t have to worry about maintenance or transporting your equipment on an airplane.
If you rent your skis from the ski resort itself, you can switch them out if you decide they’re not working for you. Plus, it’s much cheaper to rent vs buy ski equipment especially if you don’t plan on skiing every single weekend.
Cost of Renting Ski Equipment
Day Rentals
Day rentals can run you anywhere from $25-60 per day and can include ski boots, skis and bindings, poles, and a helmet. Renting older styles will be cheaper while renting newer or competitive styles will be more expensive.
No matter what type of skis you rent, you want to make sure you’re aware of what time you need to bring them back in order to avoid getting charged for extra days.
Season Rentals
Seasonal ski equipment rentals are a great option for those who want to ski often but aren’t quite ready to purchase a pair of skis just yet.
If you plan to ski often or overall just don’t want to worry about the hassle of having to pick up and drop off your equipment at the ski shop every time you go skiing, we’d recommend a seasonal rental.
To rent all of your equipment for the season, it will cost you roughly $250-400 for kids and $600-800 for adults.
Reasons To Buy Ski Equipment
Once you’ve learned the basics of skiing, have tried out all the different types of skis, and have saved up your money, it’s time to buy your first pair of skis! Once you’ve committed to the sport of skiing, buying a pair of skis will save you time, money, and hassle in the long run.
Cost of Buying Ski Equipment
Ski Apparel
The clothing that you wear on the ski slopes is an important piece of your gear as it ensures you stay warm, dry, and safe all day long.
The apparel you should have are baselayers, ski pants, a shell, goggles, socks, gloves, and face protection such as a balaclava or neck gaiter. All in all this will cost you anywhere from $200-400.
This should be the first purchase you make once you decide to go skiing as you want to make sure your clothing fits your body correctly.
Ski Boots
Ski boots should be the first purchase you make once you decide that you want to invest in ski equipment and they will run you about $150-250.
It’s important that you have comfortable ski boots that fit your feet correctly. Investing in a pair of ski boots will allow you to have peak comfort throughout your ski day and avoid blisters. You will still be able to change out your skis.
Helmet
A helmet is the next piece of equipment you should buy, as sometimes the ski rental shops run out and you can’t ski without a helmet.
Helmets will run you approximately $60-200.
Ski Poles
Ski poles are the next piece of equipment you should buy as their sizing won’t change. Ski poles will run you approximately $50-100 and can be used for skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, and more.
Skis
Skis are the last piece of equipment you should buy on your ski journey as they’re going to change the most and the quickest.
A pair of skis with bindings will run you anywhere from $250-600. Be sure to really narrow down your options and choose the very best one when buying a pair of skis.
How To Decide If You Should Rent or Buy Ski Equipment
Commitment
If you are just starting out skiing and you either don’t go often or haven’t fallen in love with skiing quite yet, we’d recommend renting skis.
If you have fallen in love with skiing but are still trying out different types of skis, we’d recommend buying ski boots only. Once you have found a style of skis that are perfect for you, it’s time to finally buy your first pair of skis.
Cost
As you saw from the numbers above, renting ski equipment can be much cheaper than buying ski equipment if you go a handful of times per year. But once you start going more often, you will find that while buying your equipment may be more of an upfront expense, it could save you money over the course of the season.
Convenience
If you have to travel to ski resorts by plane, owning your own ski equipment can be a real pain. The fee of transporting your skis can really add up.
Some airlines, such as Southwest, will allow you to check your skis for free, while others can charge $100 or more.
If your airline does charge extra, consider mailing your skis to your hotel. Or to avoid the hassle, you can choose to just buy boots and rent their skis once they arrive at their destination.
Skill Level
If you’re just starting out, it’s always a good idea to rent.
Beginner skis start out shorter and have more flex to them, and as you progress the skis will get longer and more stiffer. If you were to purchase your skis, it would be likely that you’d outgrow them quickly.
Age
If you have kids who are still growing, it’s best to rent skis as it’s very likely that they’ll outgrow their ski boots and skis by the end of the season.
If you’re an adult, your feet are less likely to change enough to have an effect on the way your equipment fits.