Rent or Buy: What Skiing Equipment Should I Shop For?
Ski Equipment Buying Guide: Renting vs. Buying Gear Explained
It’s no secret that skiing can sometimes be an expensive hobby, but renting ski equipment can help keep the price down.
There’s a lot of costs involved in skiing, from travel to equipment prices, skiing isn’t cheap, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t go skiing on a budget! One of the best ways to save money when skiing is to rent your equipment at the resort rather than buying it, especially if you’re an infrequent skier or a new skier wondering what to buy for your first ski trip.
Whilst you can rent your ski equipment at the resort for items like poles and skis, some items are more difficult to come by and are worth the initial investment.
In this guide, we’ll go through the benefits of renting vs buying ski equipment, as well as letting you know which skiing equipment you should buy and what you can rent or borrow from friends/family.
Buying VS Renting Ski Equipment: The Pros and Cons
Buying or renting ski equipment comes with benefits and drawbacks. Deciding whether to rent or buy depends on a range of factors.
For most people, the biggest appeal for renting skiing equipment is the price. Ski gear can often be expensive and for new skiers who might not ski often or are trying skiing for the first time, the cost of buying ski equipment just isn’t worth it.
If you’re a skilled skier and you’re hitting the slopes regularly, renting items will be more expensive in the long term, so buying your equipment outright is worth the investment for advanced skiers.
But there’s more to the rent vs buy debate than just the costs.
Benefits of Buying Ski Gear
- You can ensure your gear fits perfectly
- A wider range of options available
- Often more comfortable
- Able to ensure compatibility between things you already own
- Can customise your gear to your personal preferences
- Might be cheaper overall if you ski a lot
Benefits of Renting Ski Gear
- A great option for first timers who aren’t sure if they want to commit to skiing
- Can be cheaper for infrequent skiers
- Allows you to try out new brands and styles before committing to buying
- Allows you to adapt your equipment to different skiing styles and conditions
- Saves on luggage space and makes travelling easier
- Possible “rent to buy” options at some resorts
- Ski servicing and maintenance are done for you
Unless you’re a pro skier, chances are you will want to buy some items and rent others. Most people can get away with renting their skis and poles at the resort, which can help save on luggage space too, but other things are better off being bought in advance.
Even for advanced skiers, sometimes renting can allow you to try new items that you don’t already own.
What Should I Buy for a Ski Trip?
Unless you ski every weekend, you can normally get away with just buying the basics and renting the rest at your destination.
One of the first things to buy is your clothing: you’ll need thermal base layers (check out our layer by layer dressing guide) as well as a few pairs of technical ski socks. Gloves are also not commonly available to rent, so we recommend buying these too.
Whilst it is possible to rent ski pants/salopettes and ski coats, this isn’t option isn’t available at every resort, so it might be worth investing in your outer layer ski clothes too. The advantage of buying good quality skiing gear is it can be used in daily life and is excellent for keeping warm and dry in the British weather.
For a casual skier, it’s also a good idea to buy your ski helmet plus googles beforehand. Although you can rent all of these items, buying them beforehand will make your whole experience of skiing more comfortable and pleasant.
But the absolute most important investment is your ski boots! Whilst resorts often allow you to rent ski boots, it’s much more beneficial to buy.
Reasons to Buy Your Ski Boots (Instead of Renting)
Ski boots are one of the most important pieces of equipment you can buy. Properly fitting boots are much more comfortable and allow for better control of your skis.
Whilst it may be an option to borrow some items of skiwear from family or friends, boots should be bought brand new as a pair of ski boots are custom moulded to your individual foot shape. If you borrow or rent boots, they’ll be moulded to someone else’s feet rather than your own.
Badly fitting boots are uncomfortable and foot pain will make you miserable when you’re on the slopes, sending you back to the chalet to nurse your aching feet.
In addition to spoiling your skiing fun, properly fitting boots are crucial for proper control over your skis. Without a quality pair of fitted ski boots, you’ll struggle to master even basic moves. For more information, read our guide to finding your perfect ski boot or book in with one of ski experts for a boot fitting. Our boot fitters are qualified by Sidas and Masterfit.
Reasons to Buy Your Ski Helmet and Goggles (Instead of Renting)
Whilst you can rent a ski helmet at a resort, goggles are usually only available for sale and cannot be rented – resorts normally charge a high price for goggles, and it’s often cheaper to purchase beforehand. We also recommend that you buy your skiing helmet together with your goggles ensure that they will fit together properly. A compatible skiing helmet and googles shouldn’t have any gaps between the helmet and the googles.
Whilst helmets aren’t a legal requirement, a helmet can save your life in the event of a crash, and we strongly recommend wearing one. The main benefit of buying your helmet is that you can ensure a proper fit, which can be critical for your safety in the event of a collision.
Helmets are another item that should never be borrowed or bought second-hand as you don’t have any assurance that your helmet hasn’t been involved in a crash. Borrowed ski helmets may have internal damage that you’re unaware of and might not work properly in the event of an accident. We recommend buying a helmet brand new from a reputable ski helmet seller such as oursleves.
For more information on choosing a helmet, read our guide on how to choose a ski helmet or come see us in person at our specialist ski shop in Sheffield.
The Final Verdict?
For most people, a mix of renting and buying is usually the best option, allowing you to save long term by purchasing smaller and lower priced skiing equipment and working up to owning larger, more expensive items such as skis.
In addition to the price of equipment, you should also consider the packing space available. Items like skiing poles aren’t expensive and usually cost between £50-£150, but they are very bulky. Whilst renting ski poles might be more expensive in the long term, it could be worth renting them at your destination if you’re trying to pack light. Price is a major factor, but it’s also important to consider ease when travelling, especially if you’re going via plane – nobody wants to carry big skiing poles through the airport!
There are some things you can get away with renting, and other things you’re better off buying.
Rent (Only Buy These if You’re a Regular Skier)
- Skis
- Poles
Rent or Buy:
- Helmets (preferable to buy with your goggles)
- Ski jacket and pants (check if your destination allows renting)
Must Buy:
For help with buying your skiing equipment or for ski boot fitting services, come see us at our specialist ski supply store in Sheffield and our experts will help you get kitted out ready to hit the slopes in style.
