 Poster: A snowHead
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LOW COST SKIING
Skiing is an expensive sport, so it takes some planning to get the cost down to the reasonable. The purist skier who wants the best and latest equipment and clothing, stay at the fanciest hotels, and loves the all night party bash - need read no further. But for all the rest of us, read on.
I am a retread from a bygone era who quit a few years ago, but am now planning my re-entry to the skiing world again, and the intention of this thread is to show ways to minimize the cost. I use guerrilla tactics, and what follows is my method of doing it.
GEAR
Go to eBay and search in the "Sporting Goods" category for the brand of skis you want and the length. Example: "Rossignol 170" or just "Skis 170" Switch the listing to "Lowest Price First." You are going to see a lot of skis. Some good looking skis with bindings are listed at about $125 including shipping. Be careful of skis below $100, they may be old rentals, or even straight skis from the 90's, but you can get some good buys there. If you see a pair you like, go to Google and search: "NameBrand model review," the review should give you some idea of the age and expected peformance of the skis. "Buy it Now" is the easiest way to go, but you can also get some good bidding deals.
[My skis & bindings from eBay - Salomon Verse 10, $58 including shipping.]
Boots are trickier to buy without fitting, so a degree of luck is involved, but you can get some good quality boots on eBay for a very low price. The process is the same as for the skis.
[My boots from eBay - Rossignol Bandit, $45 including shipping.]
Poles, helmet, goggles, jacket, pants, sweater, and gloves can all be bought cheaply in the same manner.
[I am particularly pleased with the Columbia ski jacket that has no sign of wear: 99 cents plus shipping.]
The total cost for my complete outfit, ski gear and clothing: $216.
ACCOMMODATION
Don't pay $100+ for a night, there are discounted combo packages available - lodging plus lift ticket, but the best way to go is to find if there is a hostel at or near to the resort. Depending on location, a dorm bed in a hostel can be had for about $35 for a night. There are also some additional benefits when staying at a hostel; you meet people from all over the world, and most hostels have a kitchen where you can cook your own food obtained from the local grocery store or supermarket.
[I am headed for Whistler; the HI-Hostel there is brand new and was built for the athletes at the 2010 Winter Olympics, and a dorm bed is only $37 a night.]
LIFT TICKETS
The most expensive way to buy a lift ticket is to buy it from the kiosk at the base of the mountain. Most resorts now have online sales and offer a discount. Major resorts are now charging about $110 a day, with discounts on multi-day purchases. Second tier resorts charge about $90 a day, with similar discounts. To get free lift tickets you could apply to work as a "lifty" or some other function - but you need to sign up for all or part of the season.
Nordic skiing looks better and better!
I will see you on the slopes - I am the old geezer who thinks he is still 17 years of age - but his body tells him otherwise.
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