best time of year to buy new gear

A snowHead

hubby needs new boots and i need to upgrade to better ski's, not bothered about the current season styles so when would be best to buy new. Would like to get new and have at least a few goes at xcape before we go on out trip next january. was thinking after current season shops will be trying to get rid of old stock to make room for new season stock, is this normally the case?

A snowHead

charlichops, yes, buying at end of season sale would be a good idea as you can pick up last season's models, but I suppose it depends on how long you want to wait.

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

charlichops, http://www.sport-conrad.com/index.asp?disp=artikel&art_nr=70405263 try these

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or ebay if you search the whole of Europe.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I always stock up on gear with the Feb/March sales great for the spare pair of goggles and such.

You'll need to Register first of course.

End of season sale prices are great - often 50%+ off new stock. Less choice obviously, but that shouldn't be a major problem. Boots are the one thing I wouldn't necessarily buy in the sales though. It's far more important that they fit right, than whether they are cheap or not. But if you're not in a hurry I'd hang on until the end of March.

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

Boots at the start of the season when you have the widest choice of fit available. Scrimping on boots is false economy IMO. Skis and clothing off ebay or in the sales.

After all it is free

thanks everyone, hubby had to hire boots at glenshee yesterday as he could just not do his up (have no idea how he has managed to get his feet to grow in 5 years????) mine on the other hand still fit like a glove and i was fine in them all day. Think for the sake of 6quid hubby will continue to hire for our trips to glwenshee and buy something new for next season. My ski's are pants as i discovered yesterday but i think i can manage until end of season sales, just worried i won't get what i want in the size i want as mine are currently 150 but i definatly need shorter and whenever i see sales on womens ski's it seems to be only the 160's left.

See my posts on your other thread about moving the bindings forward (or getting them tuned if you are having trouble with edge hold and they haven't been tuned recently).

I got a pretty good deal on ebay before the start of the season on some of last years teen skis (148 cm Roxy Wista made by Dynastar) for my wife who is about your height (and very petite). Not sure if they helped her skiing, but the graphics look good. Pretty good selection of 138 to 148 sizes from Ecosport (I think). However, with improved snow conditions in the Alps this year, it is possible that there will not be as much stuff left after the season as last year although I would still think that you could find something suitable if mount adjustment, tuning or leasons do not seem to help.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I've had fantastic deals on my last 2 pairs of skis at the end of the season. I got my current skis in March in Austria - about 1/3 of the UK full price. OK, they have last season's colour scheme, but that doesn't really bother me.

It is a bit of a gamble, waiting until the end of the season, if you require shorter skis, but my last 2 pairs were 147 and 155. You sometimes find that it is the popular mid-sizes that sell out, and the sale prices can be had on the shorter or longer skis.

I'd tend to buy things like poles in resort - I've found generally the prices are the same in Euros as in pounds, so you can get them cheaper in Europe, even in Courchevel 1850 Wink

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Everything end of season from a reputable local store (Presume there will be an Ellis Brigham & Snow and rock in Edinburgh) these places are up to 50%off all stock at end of season. They clear everything out, register on website and they email details of sales.

Forget Ebay and internet stores.
1 Your boots need to be fitted.
2 That Goretex XCR Jacket may well be a Chinese copy and anything but breathable.
3 The ski's that you buy off the net may well come with the bindings in a box. The fitters at EB will p**s themselves when you inevitably have to take them in to be mounted and charge you accordingly.

Always buy local, my wife had some problems with her feet last year, went to Ellis Brigham's at Manchester to buy a new pair. The fitter insisted that he took a look at her old pair before we bought new. He re-moulded the liners and blew the toes out and it cost nothing, because we had bought from there in the 1st place all be it 2 years ago. Try that with an Ebay Power seller.

snow reports

Buying boots off ebay or anywhere on the internet is a recipe for disaster, but other kit such as clothing or skis can be had for good and sometimes amazing prices. I've got some great skis at very silly prices from Ski-Bilek, for example.

rob@rar, just gotta luv these Germans!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Silly prices at EB too on ski's, if you go at the right time. My son got some K2 public Enemy skis, brand new, bindings fitted at set up to boot. think they were about £190 RRP was £410. Might be cheaper elsewhere (not much) but consider after sales support.

A snowHead

thanks again everyone

not a fan of ebay personally, it's okay for little bits and bobs but nothing important.

we have EB in lasgow at braehead so there is the option to demo some ski's first although hubby is reluctant to part money with them as they have always been arsey when we have been in, but saying that i got my boots from there 5 years ago and they still fit like gloves now, nearest snow and rock is gateshead but not an issue as we are down that way quite abit. we also have craigdon mountain sports in perth not sure if anyone has heard of them or has opinion of them.

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

I desperately want to buy new skis for my hubby. He still uses the old straight ones, cos he's too stingy to buy carvers. Embarassed

I'd like him to have them for our holiday to Morzine 14th March. Are there likely to be any sales in the shops in Scotland before we go or should I wait till we get to Morzine?

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sheepmadang, wouldn't have thought the shops will have sales before then - too much in peak ski season for the brits...... (could be wrong tho) I'd try the german websites - sport conrad and ski bilek - whole family just bought skis from sport conrad for less than would have cost to hire for 2 weeks in france... I bought slalom skis from them in the summer and they were about 1/3 of price I would have paid here or in a shop on holiday, arrived in a week, bindings fitted, all fine. If you can find skis you want in size you want highly recommend buying them from either of these as service is excellent - cheap price does not indicate shoddy goods or service, just a genuine bargain! Wouldn't recommend online buying of boots but for skis, great, save yourself a fortune! Very Happy

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best time of year to buy new gear

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