Do Not Be Intimidated!

I was…for soooo long.  I had no idea what to buy, what I would need, how to figure out my size in boots (not the same as street shoe size), how tall or short my skis should be, let alone figure out how to buy for my husband who wouldn’t be there to things on!

And the lines looked so long.

And I was afraid of looking like poser, a fraud.  I just wanted decent ski equipment on the cheap.  And isn’t that an oxymoron?  Skiers and budgets???!

Not so…these ski sales or ski swaps are brilliant.  They are usually put on by a local ski club, and the profits go to those who bring in older equipment and a portion goes to the club.  It’s usually held in front of a ski shop, who gains by helping people find what they couldn’t in the swap.  Or by discounting on sharpening, waxing, binding fittings, etc.

And the people there couldn’t be nicer.  Nice, nice, nice.  Extremely helpful.  Extremely decent about working with your budget and encouraging just that, especially for young families looking to bring their kids skiing.  And not condescending about your lack of knowledge, but rather, excited to educate you with what they know or find someone who knows even more!

Oh.  And did I mention the bargains??  I got a pair of gray Nordica ski boots for $35.  $35!  And I almost started crying when I put them on because it was the comfiest my little foot had ever been in a ski boot.  Most of the time my foot cringes at the sight and has to be contorted and wrangled into it and it feels bruised before I even take my first steps.  And then when I do, every part of my foot, ankle and calf hurt.  Probably because rental ski boots are purely functional and not designed to accommodate variations to a size 7 foot, just a “one size fits all” mentality.  And beautiful skis ranging from $40 on up.  It was like Christmas.

And let me fill you in on a little secret, skiers are able to afford skiing because they partake in these ski swaps.  Rather than paying exorbitant prices each time you want to upgrade your equipment or get your child the next size up at sports shops, etc, this enables everyone to make out in the deal.

Get in line.  It’s soooo worth it.  And by the way, the lines move very quickly, they serve hot coffee & you can buy a couple donuts and best of all, you  will meet other people who are just as excited as you are about hitting the slopes!