Kids Seasonal Lease Equipment or Not

[skidmarks]

Do most of you guys lease your kids equipment for the season?

We do a kids used rental for $99.00 and a new one for $149.00. A buckle boot is included in this price.

Or do you think it makes more sense to buy your gear and trade it back in when they out grow it.
Do you think it's important that the boot is a buckle one VS rear-entry?

Thanks

 

[gmcunni]

Do most of you guys lease your kids equipment for the season?

i've rented ski packages for my son on a yearly basis for several years. until recently it was pretty cheap, about $100/season. Now that he is almost as big as me he's moved into adult pricing, i think $150 this year. I'm pretty sure this will be the last year of rentals and i'll look to pickup some used equipment for him in the spring or summer for next year.

for my daughter who's just starting out i found buying used a nice alternative. We got skis and boots @ Play It Again Sports last year for about $75. She'll get 2 seasons out of the skis and possibly more out of the boots.

 

[SKI-3PO]

This is the 4th year for my daughter with a seasonal lease and the 1st for my son. Its worked pretty well for us so far.

 

[andrec10]

I leased my sons stuff from whrn he was 3 until he started racing around 9. It worked well. Now he has 5 pairs of race skis...All Adult. Last fall was a killer!:-(

 

[skidmarks]

I leased my sons stuff from whrn he was 3 until he started racing around 9. It worked well. Now he has 5 pairs of race skis...All Adult. Last fall was a killer!:-(

Wow!! I wish you were my customer. 5 pairs of adult race skis even at Race Form prices must still add up to a small fortune.

Keep up the good work!

 

[drjeff]

Hands down, seasonal lease. Eliminates the problem that a mid season major growth spurt can cause. Plus, if your kid progress enough it's easy to get them longer skis mid season.

This year, for my youngest (3) were leasing for the season and for my oldest(5) who will be in her 3rd full season, probably going to lease boots and buy skis for her as she progressed enough by the end of last season that her regular group of instructors said that she could benefit from "a little more ski" - so one of the things on my list to do when I'm up at Mount Snow this weekend is check out the latest and greatest 100 to 110cm skis in most likely a shade of pink

The other great thing about the seasonal lease is that you won't end up with a basement full of mini skis and boots!

 

[gorgonzola]

seasonal lease is definately the easiest way to go. if you do your homework and spend some time you can find packages - some new / some used - to buy at around the same price. thats what i did last year since the oldest 2 girls (16 and 14) are done growing for the most part. my son (10) is another story, i'll know if it was a good move in a week or two but i'm not optimistic after seeing how small his hockey skates, pants, pads are on him this year...cha -ching!!!!aaaaaah!!!!

 

[hardline]

what is the quality of the equipment you get on a lease. i know thats what my rents did for me when i was a wee lad. i am a gear slut so when i have kids i want them to have the best i can give them.

 

[drjeff]

what is the quality of the equipment you get on a lease. i know thats what my rents did for me when i was a wee lad. i am a gear slut so when i have kids i want them to have the best i can give them.

The shop I get my kids leases from at Mount Snow, Equipe Sports, has had Volkl Vertigo's with Salomon bindings and 1 buckle rear entry Dalbello's the last couple of years (1 buckle rear entries are ALOT of easier for a 3 to 5 year old to learn to put on and buckle by themselves )

As a gear slut myself, I will say that I was happy with the gear that the lease got my kid the last couple of years and I bet that I won't have an issue with it as kid #2 gets into the lease mode. Plus, what i found as I did routine tuning on them the last couple of years is that it's really cool how quickly you can tune/wax a pair of 100cm skis, although there's not a heck of alot of space for the vice between the toe piece and tip and heel piece and tail

 

[hammer]

Never did a seasonal lease...I initially went through a 2-year trade-in program at a local ski shop but realized that buying decent used gear was cheaper. I never had to replace gear during the season, however...that's where a seasonal lease would be worthwhile.

 

[skidmarks]

what is the quality of the equipment you get on a lease. i know thats what my rents did for me when i was a wee lad. i am a gear slut so when i have kids i want them to have the best i can give them.

In our case the equipment we lease ( www.SuburbanSport.com) is in great shape. A Rossignol ski and binding and a front buckle boot.
We do offer rear-entry boots too for ease of use, but most parents opt for the better stance a buckle boot puts you in. It's 3 seasons and out for our kids gear. What's real nice is it avoids the temptation to size up and have your kid grow into it scheme.

 

[Philpug]

We do about 1,000 leases a year. We start off with 300+ new pair into the program then once they are gone, we get into the used. We offer buckle boots down to a 19 and RE for a full run. Volkl Unlimited skis.

 

[SkiDork]

We used to lease boots only, always bought skis at a swap or online.

Now I get boots at the swap too.

 

[WWF-VT]

Seasonal lease - this year my 10 year old is in last year's Volkl Bridge ski and Nordica Supercharger boots for significantly less than a purchase

 

[wa-loaf]

I bought closeouts on-line. I have brand new skis and bindings for my son for $60. I need to get him boots still, but I'll probably find something for $30-40. About the same or less than a seasonal rental but they should last two years and I'll be able to sell them for the same or more at a swap. I'll consider the rentals when he gets older.

 

[Philpug]

It's like buying or leasing a car..there are deals out there, it is just a matter of cost/benefits and what fits your needs.

 

[Greg]

I did it the first year to see if my daughter liked it. Worked out pretty good. Now I just get her her own equipment. It excites her to know it's "hers". And with a three year younger sister and 4 year younger niece, we have plenty of hand-me-down opportunities.

 

[marcski]

I have been leasing for my daughter. She is 5 (turns 6 in Jan.) and this will be her 3rd season. I go to a LSS that a whole lot of seasonal leasing.

Just got them for this upcoming season on Sunday. They gave me a Volkl Racetiger Jr. (I think they have one year on them). And this year we got her in a 4 buckle boot. By the end of last season she was complaining about her heel lifting up in the rear entry's. (Once they get really skiing, they're not going to work for the little ones...remember, they sucked for us too! and I should know, I had 2 pairs back in the day!).

We, my little ski bunny and myself, can't wait to hit the slopes. What's cool, is she loves going to the ski shop almost as much as I do. (I said, almost!).

Oh, $100 for the rental. I could have gotten her new skis for 160 but I think spending that much defeats the purpose.

I think leasing is great for the little ones. If her feet grows, they'll give me another pair of boots mid-season. At a young age, when they're growing so fast, I think leasing makes sense. As they age, perhaps I will buy something in the future.

 

[hardline]

one of the things that i have noticed about kids skis and snowboards is sidecut on them is well just not there. whats the deall with that?

 

[skidmarks]

one of the things that i have noticed about kids skis and snowboards is sidecut on them is well just not there. whats the deall with that?

When they are short it doesn't take as much side cut to have lots of turn shape. It is hard to find short skis that have a lot of flex