Fitting ski equipment is essential for every ski holiday. But when is it worth buying skis, poles, boots & etc. and under which circumstances should winter sports enthusiasts rather turn to hire their ski equipment? As often, there are pros and cons. SnowTrex shows what speaks for renting and what speaks for buying ski equipment:
Advantages of rental skis
Rental skis are usually up-to-date and kept in good shape. Between the seasons winter sports enthusiasts do not have to make any effort to care for their equipment, let alone spend money on it. Furthermore they can always try out new models, which can often be rented at a very low price when booking a ski holiday, and which can also be selected on site to suit the snow conditions. Regarding the journey to your holiday destination, a decisive advantage for rental skis is that they only have to be picked up in resort so that you do not have to struggle with space problems in the car or even have to buy or rent a roof box. This also applies to the cleanliness in your car, as used skis are often very dirty.
Advantages of your own skis
You have to take care of your own ski between seasons, but they are only used when you ride them yourself. This is a big advantage compared to the continuous use of rental skis, which can cause the tension of the skis wears off more quickly. Many winter sports enthusiasts also appreciate being accustomed to their skis and not having to adjust to new models over and over again. SnowTrex gives tips for buying skis.
Frequent skiing speaks for buying skis
The question whether you should rent or buy skis is closely connected to the amount of time you spend on skis. If you assume that rental skis cost 20 – 30 Euro per day (if necessary plus the rental fee for ski boots) and you spend about 10 to 14 days on ski holidays per year, then the purchase price – at least for a discontinued model – and the rental price are even after the second season. If you spend less than two weeks per year on your skiing holiday, you should consider carefully whether or not you really need your own skis. After all, it is not just the purchase that does it: costs for maintenance and bringing the skis back in shape have to be added as well.
Ski equipment for children
For children it is easy to say that renting makes the most sense. Children usually grow so fast that expensive skis or ski-boots of their own are already too small after one season. Investing in their own equipment is usually only worth it when children stop growing. If you are looking for a compromise, you should look for less expensive children’s ski equipment on ski bazaars, make use of ski leasing offers of numerous sports shops or look for ski exchange offers on the Internet.
First buy the boots, then the skis
If you plan getting on your own ski equipment, it is advisable to first spend your money on ski boots rather than on skis. While rental skis are usually hardly problematic for skiers, it is a little different with rental ski boots: you slip, it hurts or the boots are so tight that your feet get cold too quickly. For winter sports enthusiasts who ski on a regular basis, it is definitely worth investing in a pair of your own, comfortable ski boots. Make sure to try out your new boots at home.
Top tip from SnowTrex: You can also book your ski equipment conveniently and easily online with our partner Skiset and save up to 50 per cent on the local rental price!
Ski helmet and ski goggles
Most sports shops also let you hire ski helmets and ski goggles. Often they are already included in the rental price for ski, boots and poles. Admittedly, wearing a ski helmet that other winter sports enthusiasts have worn before is not everyone’s cup of tea. Again: those who first want to get acquainted with skiing should not buy their own helmet right away. But as soon as you know that you will go skiing more often, the ski helmet is a good first investment next to ski boots. Ideally, you also look for fitting ski goggles that go well with your helmet.
If you rent your equipment, go for online platforms
Nowadays many sports shops offer discounts for when you book your equipment online at home. That does not mean that you cannot try things out on site. You simply book the type of equipment at an early bird price. If you are not content you should not be afraid to exchange your skis or boots after day. Another advantage: as a holiday maker in the high season, you do not have to worry about equipment being out of stock. Although you may have to queue up in line, you can cope well with waiting when you think about how you will soon be on the piste fully equipped. The question whether to buy or rent ski equipment is – unfortunately – not clearly answerable. Every winter sports enthusiast has to consider various aspects: how often do I ski? How well do I ski? What do I expect of my equipment? How important are high comfort and high quality to me? In any case, it is important that you feel safe and comfortable on the piste with your ski equipment.
