Exchange for kids' gears?

[New Daddy]

Exchange for used kids' gears?

Wouldn't it be cool if there was an exchange for used kids' gears at the beginning of each season?

I know there is eBay, but purchasing goods that are subject to wear and tear without physical inspectino is always tricky.
At the rate my kids are growing and the number of times we go skiing, I don't think it makes sense to buy my kids new gears each time they outgrow the previous ones, but I'd seriously consider buying used ones each year, considering the hassel/paperwork/wait at the rental shop.

 

[severine]

I know that TGR, surprisingly, has a sort of pay-it-forward thread for kids' gear. But I agree that it would be cool to be able to trade in and just exchange stuff (or cover a small difference), especially with the littler ones who outgrow things so fast.

 

[Philpug]

We have a great swap sale in the fall.

 

[wa-loaf]

Not sure where you live but there are hundreds of swaps all through NE in the fall. Lots of shops also have trade-in and season lease programs. Personally I've been able to find new gear cheap online and then sell it at a swap for close to my purchase price.

 

[New Daddy]

Not sure where you live but there are hundreds of swaps all through NE in the fall. Lots of shops also have trade-in and season lease programs. Personally I've been able to find new gear cheap online and then sell it at a swap for close to my purchase price.

I live in the metro-Boston area. Where do these swaps take place?

 

[WakeboardMom]

I have four kids...they're probably your age...the oldest was born in '81. I used to hand things down. By the time my fourth came along, we were doin' the seasonal rental thing. It seems to me that you can't beat that deal. We did it through my local shop, Zimmerman's in Nashua, but I think that there are lots of places that do the same thing.

Other than that, what about Craig's List? And Nashua does a big swap deal around Thanksgiving, as does a group at Killington.

I'm guessing you came to the right place to find out about swaps, but you should also possibly look into a seasonal rental thing. I know whereof I speak. : - ) It's usually not a bad deal.

 

[WakeboardMom]

Not sure where you live but there are hundreds of swaps all through NE in the fall. Lots of shops also have trade-in and season lease programs. Personally I've been able to find new gear cheap online and then sell it at a swap for close to my purchase price.

Wa-loaf is the go-to guy on this subject. He knows what's up.

 

[hiroto]

Search for new edition of this thread at the beginning of the season: Ski Swap/Tent Sales, 2009/2010 Edition.

tcharron does a great job maintaining it.

 

[wa-loaf]

I live in the metro-Boston area. Where do these swaps take place?

Wachusett and Nashoba have them. Lots of local ski clubs too. Check this thread out: http://forums.alpinezone.com/showthread.php?t=63005&highlight="Ski+Swap"

 

[MommaBear]

With 3 boys, we were doing the hand-me-down thing - until son # 2 quickly became same size as son #1. And then son #1, who started as a skier, then went to snowboarding (like son #2), decided to go back to skiing. And son #3 is a peanut - and a skier. Son #1's stuff will be retro by the time #3 fits into it. Instead, we've handed stuff off to neighbors.

We were excited when we discovered the seasonal rental thing - we did Ski Market here in CT (but the store near us has since closed). Alpine Haus in Rocky Hill also does it. For $100 or so a season, it was well worth it.

 

[jack97]

just a FYI, Ski Haus at Nashua, NH has several programs, rent or buy used equipment. For new kids gear, any purchases from their fall tent sale, you can return them in the following year and get 50% off on the next purchase. Return them in two years, you get 25% off on the next purchase.

We did the new purchase a couple of times to make sure the skis were the right fit, sometimes their used selection was limited.

 

[WakeboardMom]

just a FYI, Ski Haus at Nashua, NH has several programs, rent or buy used equipment. For new kids gear, any purchases from their fall tent sale, you can return them in the following year and get 50% off on the next purchase. Return them in two years, you get 25% off on the next purchase.

We did the new purchase a couple of times to make sure the skis were the right fit, sometimes their used selection was limited.

Ski Haus in Salem? (Nashua?)

With 3 boys, we were doing the hand-me-down thing - until son # 2 quickly became same size as son #1. And then son #1, who started as a skier, then went to snowboarding (like son #2), decided to go back to skiing. And son #3 is a peanut - and a skier. Son #1's stuff will be retro by the time #3 fits into it. Instead, we've handed stuff off to neighbors.

We were excited when we discovered the seasonal rental thing - we did Ski Market here in CT (but the store near us has since closed). Alpine Haus in Rocky Hill also does it. For $100 or so a season, it was well worth it.

Same here. Long time ago, but #2 ended up being a bigger kid than #1. And #3 was a maniac who had his own style. After he was done with a pair of skis, there was nothin' left to hand down.

By the time #4 came along, the seasonal rental made the most sense. It was the owner of the shop where we've always done business who told us about that. We give rave reviews to Egon Zimmerman's in Nashua, which is now Zimsports.

 

[NESkibum]

We deal in alot of used equipment and take trade ins throughout the season. We also have a new boot trade in program where if you buy a new boot and your child grows out of it within a year you get 50% trade in value towards another new boot.

 

[severine]

I will say that we've done quite well with buying ski swap and used equipment online; enough that I would not consider a seasonal rental at this point, considering the cost. Our daughter has been outfitted for 2 seasons now for $35 for skis and boots and our son for $65 for skis and boots that will likely last 2 seasons (plus he'll have his sister's hand-me-downs). They're young enough though that they don't need the top of the line, super high quality stuff yet. When they're older we may consider leases but since we have two only 2 years apart in age, buying used and handing down can save money, too.

 

[WakeboardMom]

I will say that we've done quite well with buying ski swap and used equipment online; enough that I would not consider a seasonal rental at this point, considering the cost. Our daughter has been outfitted for 2 seasons now for $35 for skis and boots and our son for $65 for skis and boots that will likely last 2 seasons (plus he'll have his sister's hand-me-downs). They're young enough though that they don't need the top of the line, super high quality stuff yet. When they're older we may consider leases but since we have two only 2 years apart in age, buying used and handing down can save money, too.

"We've done quite well..." That's cool. You've bought once for him and once for her? So you haven't yet handed down?

How many times have each of them skied? Do you put them in lessons? It's so cute to see those little ones.

 

[severine]

"We've done quite well..." That's cool. You've bought once for him and once for her? So you haven't yet handed down?

How many times have each of them skied? Do you put them in lessons? It's so cute to see those little ones.

They haven't been out a whole lot yet since we're trying to keep it to the nice days at this point so they don't lose interest (they complain a lot when it's bitterly cold and I just have to run errands with them)--plus I'm in school and hubby works part time at the hill so we don't always have a lot of free time. But my daughter (4) is only her 3rd season on skis, though she's only accumulated maybe 6 actual days on the hill so far (the last one she went on the chairlift). If all goes well, hoping to get her into a lesson program next month. As for the boy, this is his first season on skis since he's only 2.5--so yes, no hand-me-downs yet, but he'll be set for a while. Today would have been a great day for them but they wanted to go to the zoo and since I won't be able to get away for whole-day trips like that during most of the semester that's about to start, I wanted to do something special for them.

 

[bigbog]

Ski/Gear Swaps around many ski areas in the Fall(Columbus Day = usual kickoff)...and as mentioned, at many shops.

 

[New Daddy]

Search for new edition of this thread at the beginning of the season: Ski Swap/Tent Sales, 2009/2010 Edition.

tcharron does a great job maintaining it.

Wow, that's a great thread! Thanks for the info! I'll definitely look forward to next year's edition.