To buy or not to buy….

This is the time of year when you can pick up some great bargains on ski equipment and you may be enticed by some exciting offers - half price skis and such. It can be very tempting to grab that pair of skis for £150….however…. is it really worth it?

Boots
When it comes to boots….yes, yes, yes!! Buy your own. As soon as humanely possible, it will improve your skiing (or boarding) no end, as hire boots are uncomfortable and sometimes even painful. A good pair of boots should communicate what’s happening underneath your skis and allow you to make the changes necessary to improve your skills.

It is very important to get them fitted correctly. Don’t buy them off ebay and expect them to do the job- they need tailored to your feet by a professional.

The downside - boots are HEAVY! They’ll take up at least a few kilos in your hold luggage. There’s a few ways round it - in order to allow extra room for pressies on the way home!

*A sneaky way round i have found is to put your boots in your cabin luggage. Mine are pretty big and they fitted into a zip round, expandable mini suitcase. you could also put them in a rucksack type bag. Kiddies can put their’s in the cute little bags on wheels you get for them these days.

*Boots go into your ski carry case. They charge you £30 regardless of the weight, so squeeze in several pairs if you can.

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Skis or Snowboards
This one is a little vaguer.. Snowboards more so as they are quite personal (due to the print or design) It depends if you are racing off on your own or not. It’s a little easier for solo travellers as you can just kick off, chuck your clothes in your ski bag and worry not! Also if you plan to get away more than once a year, whether it’s up to Scotland, Summer skiing on a glacier or in Chile then it becomes not only more economical but you will get your money’s worth. The general consensus is to hire for as long as you can hold out…

If you are a family of 4 - lugging 4 pairs of skis, 4 pairs of boots AND all your suitcases is a bit much. So perhaps mum and dad buy their own but the kids get the rental version (also cheaper) This means lless maintenance throughout the year, takes up less space in the house and less to carry around at the airport!

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