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Saving on snow gear
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December 13, 2001: 12:46 p.m. ET
5 ways to get ski equipment without paying an arm and a leg
By Sarah Max
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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - If you know exactly what you're looking for and don't need much handholding, then you don't have to pay full price to outfit yourself in top-notch gear. Just be careful and don't let your quest for bargains lead you to equipment that will see more dust in your garage than snow on a mountain.
Shop for package deals
If you're looking for an entirely new setup, ski shops will often give a break to customers who buy whole packages, particularly on beginner and intermediate gear. In the past, the retailers bundled skis with bindings, but recently the manufacturers themselves have been designing bindings to go with specific skis and sell them as a "system."
Wait for the snow to melt
The majority of skis and boards are sold in high season, when everybody is excited about getting new gear. Hence, most shops can get away with charging top dollar at these times. But if you can wait until spring, you'll save bundles. If it's a bad snow year, many shops start discounting as early as February. Of course, if it's a good snow year, there's always the risk that your size will sell out before it goes on sale.
Pick through last year's leftovers
Ski and board manufactures update their models every year, but the technical changes are often subtle. The biggest difference between last season and this season is usually in the fancy graphics and the price. If you don't mind being seen in last year's gear, you should shop around for quality leftovers.
Buy second hand gear
We're not suggesting you buy someone's beat up old skis, but we do think you should consider buying gear with a little mountain mileage. Mountain skis shops sell their demo skis and boards at the end of the season for a fraction of the sticker price. Local ski clubs typically sponsor annual ski swaps where you'll find that one person's clutter can be your treasure.
Skip the Internet
With almost everything else, the Internet is the first place you might go for deals. But if you surf around for technical ski and boarding gear, you'll find slim pickings. "Most alpine ski companies have made a pact with retailers to not sell skis online," said Julie Lynch, a researcher for SnowSports Industries America. "Snowboards are also increasingly hard to find online." 
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