Buying equipment

As a family, we are on our fourth skiing holiday in a row (two adults
and boys 8 and 6). Is it worth buying boots (for the adults) given
that we only ski for one week a year (though it would be more if I got
my way, and as the children get older we may go up to two or even three
weeks). My questions are - a) how long do boots last? and b) should
one buy ex-rental if they are comfortable and you like them, or is it
best to buy new and know the provenance.

Thanks in advance

Edward
--
The reading group's reading group:
http://www.bookgroup.org.uk


--
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a
habit - Aristotle

Those heights by great men reached and kept
Were not obtained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept
Were toiling upward in the night
- Longfellow

It is worth buying boots because the rental boots are often poor quality and
generic to fit all body types. It will make a big difference in your
enjoyment of skiing to have your own boots.

Boots last a long time. I've had mine for about 10 years. I ski several
times a season every year, and used them for racing. They're still in great
shape. I'm ready to replace them now, not because they are worn out - but
rather because the color has gone out of style and my fiancee makes fun of
the color.



wrote in message
oups.com...
As a family, we are on our fourth skiing holiday in a row (two adults
and boys 8 and 6). Is it worth buying boots (for the adults) given
that we only ski for one week a year (though it would be more if I got
my way, and as the children get older we may go up to two or even three
weeks). My questions are - a) how long do boots last? and b) should
one buy ex-rental if they are comfortable and you like them, or is it
best to buy new and know the provenance.

Thanks in advance

Edward
--
The reading group's reading group:
http://www.bookgroup.org.uk


--
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a
habit - Aristotle

Those heights by great men reached and kept
Were not obtained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept
Were toiling upward in the night
- Longfellow

I have two growing kids and a wife and we ski about 25 days per year.
And I like to have a quiver of skis for different conditions and my own
moods. I have had excellent results buying equipment on ebay, both new
and used. I have saved thousands of dollars. There are lots of
stores, outlets, liquidators, and individuals selling quality stuff.
You have to know a little about ebay techniques and skiing equipment.
You usually have to do a little research on what is offered and save
your old copies of Ski mag equipment review issues. When bidding you
have to patiently watch the auctions, add stuff to your watchlist,
remove them when the bids get too high. If you bid, do it within the
last 20 seconds of the auction, and be prepared to lose.

thinnmann wrote:
I have two growing kids and a wife and we ski about 25 days per year.
And I like to have a quiver of skis for different conditions and my own
moods. I have had excellent results buying equipment on ebay, both new
and used.

I have too, but you know what? You really need to know what the going
price is for what you're bidding on - and that definitely includes the
price at brick-and-mortar stores, too. Otherwise you can kid yourself
that it must be an incredible bargain because it's on ebay, only to find
that the same thing was available down the road for the same price with
no shipping.

Also, I would not buy boots on Ebay -- not unless it was a model that I
already owned and was absolutely sure of the size and fit. Spend the
money and the time in the store, and get a good fit. It's not worth it
to save $50 on an inferior fit.

--
Mary Malmros
Some days you're the windshield, other days you're the bug.

Mary Malmros wrote:
thinnmann wrote:

I have two growing kids and a wife and we ski about 25 days per year.
And I like to have a quiver of skis for different conditions and my own
moods. I have had excellent results buying equipment on ebay, both new
and used.


I have too, but you know what? You really need to know what the going
price is for what you're bidding on - and that definitely includes the
price at brick-and-mortar stores, too. Otherwise you can kid yourself
that it must be an incredible bargain because it's on ebay, only to find
that the same thing was available down the road for the same price with
no shipping.

Also, I would not buy boots on Ebay -- not unless it was a model that I
already owned and was absolutely sure of the size and fit. Spend the
money and the time in the store, and get a good fit. It's not worth it
to save $50 on an inferior fit.

Bought boots on ebay. Knew the shell size from fitting
in a store. Went to Sure Foot at Killington to finish
the fitting job. Great fit.

VtSkier

Very true, Mary. That is why I was qualifying my suggestion with
research - and being handy enough to work with bindings and edges and
wax yourself helps a lot. Very true about the boots, which is what
started the string of posts, here. I wouldn't get my kids boots on
ebay, because they need a bigger pair every year, so leasing is the way
to go. Fortunately, my wife and I have been lucky to get great boots
from ebay, though it took my wife a couple of tries. The savings were
so incredible for boots that were only worn a few times that it was
still worth it. One can get rid of what doesn't fit at local swaps or
back on ol' ebay. Communication with previous owners about shoe sizes
and body structure helps with the boots. But you are right; in the
end, it is a chance you take. Life is like that....... some days
you're the bug

thinnmann wrote:
Very true, Mary. That is why I was qualifying my suggestion with
research - and being handy enough to work with bindings and edges and
wax yourself helps a lot. Very true about the boots, which is what
started the string of posts, here. I wouldn't get my kids boots on
ebay, because they need a bigger pair every year, so leasing is the
way
to go. Fortunately, my wife and I have been lucky to get great boots
from ebay, though it took my wife a couple of tries. The savings
were
so incredible for boots that were only worn a few times that it was
still worth it. One can get rid of what doesn't fit at local swaps
or
back on ol' ebay. Communication with previous owners about shoe
sizes
and body structure helps with the boots. But you are right; in the
end, it is a chance you take. Life is like that....... some days
you're the bug

Many thanks, everyone, for all your suggestions.

Edward
--
The reading group's reading group:
http://www.bookgroup.org.uk

wrote:

As a family, we are on our fourth skiing holiday in a row (two adults
and boys 8 and 6). Is it worth buying boots (for the adults) given
that we only ski for one week a year (though it would be more if I got
my way, and as the children get older we may go up to two or even three
weeks). My questions are - a) how long do boots last? and b) should
one buy ex-rental if they are comfortable and you like them, or is it
best to buy new and know the provenance.

Thanks in advance

Edward


Ski swaps are good sometimes. My wife got a new pair of Langes for $120
that needed little adjustment at the Idaho Falls ski swap. She doesn't
ski hard but will be out there 50+ times this season.

My newest pair of boots bought in '03 are just starting to fade, and I
have over 100 days on them.

Rental boots basically suck, though.

RAC

rosco wrote:
CLIP
My newest pair of boots bought in '03 are just starting to fade, and I
have over 100 days on them.

IMO these are new boots. Parts of my boots have many more than 1000 days
on them. Of course I basically rebuild my boots every couple of years to
new condition using parts from garage sale $5 boots.


Rental boots basically suck, though.

Agreed. I think it's phenomenal that anyone can learn to ski using
rental boots - shows the remarkable perseverance and adaptability of the
human organism.