Internet Sales or Wait until in Vancouver

A snowHead

Not sure if I am in the correct forum, but here goes (if you need to move this thread admin then Ok)

I would be quite happy to buy from my local shops, but we live in Perth Australia which has virtually no choice in ski gear (only 3 or 4 small shops to pick from).

I have bought a load of Icebreaker thermals (tops, bottoms, etc.) & Smartwool socks over the internet, and got some good deals (varied from USA, UK & NZ), which were all much better than buying here (most of the gear I couldn’t get here in Perth).

We will be looking for some new Jackets & Pants and have seen some great deals on the internet (exchange rate at present makes gear from USA a good deal even with the postage). We are going to Canada next January, and will be in Vancouver for 4 days prior to going to Sunpeaks, but unsure how good the New Year sales will be (we’re there 2nd Jan. to 6th Jan.).

Would it make more sense to wait until we get to Vancouver, as then we can try on the gear (my wife is also very fashion conscious), but I have seen some great deals over the internet. Could hope to get a good deal in the shop at Vancouver as 4 of us will be buying new Jackets, Pants, Gloves, Goggles, Helmets, etc.

So are the sales in Vancouver after New Year (with 2 adults, 2 kids buying full set of gear) worth a good discount, compared to the ½ price deals over the internet Puzzled

A snowHead

Ski gear sales in Vancouver start Boxing Day and then discounting continues throughout the rest of the season. Will be hard to beat US online prices given parity of Can & US $ and the fact that online sales are usually last year's gear. Assume you're not looking to buy hardware.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Celts88, test fit is perhaps worth waiting, particularly with children.

Honestly, the selection in Vancouver is probably as good as you'd find on the net, the only trick is finding it amongst the brick and mortar.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Celts88, I found the end of season sales excellent, especially with the £/CAD rate at the time. I reckon you're better off waiting.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The main problem is sizing. If you're sure of the sizes, it's a good deal. Otherwise, it's wasted money. (I presume return postage cost will be prohibitive). I personally had never had any luck getting shells (jacket/pant) that fits right from mail order. Fashion has nothing to do with it.

For the kid's stuff, you can err or the larger side and they'll grow into it next year anyway.

Why not buy things such as socks, gloves and inside layer but leaves jackets and pant till you get to Canada?

You'll need to Register first of course.

Have been in Vancouver for a few days on previous trips and found excellent deals.

Plan to do the same this January before heading up to Big White, Silver Star, Apex & Sun Peaks.

We need new skis & boots and the place to go iirc was west 4th Avenue, loads of ski & board stores, we walked from our city centre hotel so only a short taxi ride if you have family in tow.

You also have to visit the Canadian Mountain Equipment Co-op, www.mec.ca the biggest outdoor store I've ever been in, bit of a longer hike from centre of town but buses or cabs will get you there.

Once you've been shopping take a drive up to Grouse Mountain and play with all your new toys, floodlit slopes and superb nightime views of Vancouver & Pacific sunsets.

13th January and I'll be there!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Thanks for all the replies.

We are going to wait until we get to Sunpeaks (most likely Jardine’s) before we buy boots (yes, could get them in Vancouver, but would prefer the option of on-slope tweaking any time it’s required, without being slogged with additional costs). Regarding skis we’ll most likely also wait until Sunpeaks as this will be our 1st time buying skis, and I assume it would be better to demo a range of them prior to buying (yes, it may cost more, but at the moment this holiday is costing a bomb anyway – 7 weeks in total).

We have bought all the thermals (icebreaker) I think we need (myself 2 top-layers, kids 3 top-layers, wife 4 top-layers, with 1 layer leggings, 1 neck shute & 1 pair glove liners for everyone), plus 2 pair Smartwool socks for everyone (Ultrathin for myself and wife, with slightly thicker for the kids).

I bought a shell jacket & pants of the internet 3 years ago and was lucky that they fitted great, but have had problems in the past where the kids sizes were so much bigger than I thought (a medium size for an American kid, and a medium for an Aussie kid seem way different).

We haven’t all tried helmets before to see which make/model suits, so this will definitely have to wait until Vancouver, and as the goggles will have to fit the helmet these will also be best waiting until Vancouver (will try fit of goggles with helmet on to see which match the best).

We could get the gloves before hand, but unsure as these are not a major money saving item (not after including postage to Oz), and still thinking of getting mitts instead of gloves as most people say these are better for keeping hands warmer - my wife and kids are Australian and have heard it can get really cold during Jan/Feb in BC/Alberta (going to Sunpeaks for 2 weeks, then 3 days Jasper, 5 days Banff, 3 days Panorama, 1 day Kicking Horse, then 3 days back in Banff to finish).

I have seen some great deals on the internet for jackets and pants, but the old sizing issue is putting doubts in the back of my head. The exchange rate with the US dollar is still tempting me, but if I can hopefully get some good after New Year deals in Vancouver it may be worth waiting (I would hope that 4 people buying jackets, pants, gloves, helmets & goggles may help to get an Ok discount).

Yes, I don’t want to spend all our time in Vancouver shopping, and this is why I have bought the thermals & socks over the internet, but am now leaning towards waiting until Vancouver to get the jacket and pants (that’s a definite maybe).

On a side note – is the Arc’teryx factory store in North Vancouver any good for discounts (excellent gear, but at a high retail price)???

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

fatbob, we will send you to Perth in a mid-summer swelter and see how 40+C days goes with you.... rolling eyes

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Internet Sales or Wait until in Vancouver

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