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#1
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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 |
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#2
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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 |
#3
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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. |
#4
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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. |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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 |
#8
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#9
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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. |
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