Are your kids interested in downhill skiing? Not a skier yourself? Here is what you can expect if your kids get into the sport.
Skiing and snowboarding are popular winter activities. If you live in an area with a downhill ski area, then chances are that your kids will have friends that ski, and may be interested in trying it themselves. As a skiing family ourselves, we often have an extra friend or two join us for the day. I’ve recently had a call from one of the moms who wanted to know what it takes to get her daughter into downhill ski gear for the upcoming season, which is what inspired me to write this article.
Part 1: The basics of outfitting your kids for the slopes
Equipment required for downhill skiing:
- Skis & bindings (Bindings are the parts that hold the boot to the ski. They are purchased separately, but once mounted, or when you rent, they are considered part of the skis.)
- Ski boots
- Helmet
- Goggles
- Ski poles are not required for beginners
The basic clothing required for skiing:
Warm and waterproof clothing, including jacket, snowpants, mitts or gloves. Jackets and snowpants can be rented at many resorts for about $20-25. A thin hat to wear under helmet on extra cold days. A neckwarmer or turtleneck, or turtleneck sweater. It’s best to dress your child in layers (ie: undershirt, turtleneck, fleece, jacket) so that they can adjust the clothing according to the temperature.
If you are sending your child on a ski outing with another family, please make sure that they are properly dressed. There is nothing worse than being on the hill for 1/2 hour when you discover that the friend is freezing because all she’s wearing under her jacket is a T-shirt (true story). Luckily, we had enough other layers to get her dressed adequately enough to continue our day.
Part 2: The first ski experience
Ideally, your child’s will be going with someone who is familiar with the mountain. If the adults are not experienced in teaching skiing, you may want to consider booking your child a 1/2 day lesson for the morning. They can then ski with their friends and family after lunch.
In terms of lessons, a half-day lesson is about $55, or $100 if packaged with lift and rental. The lift pass is valid for the rest of the day. If your child enjoys the first few days on the slopes, then you may consider ski camps, where the same 5 half-day lesson package described above will be about $270 (roughly half-price).
Dress your child appropriately. If your child does not have suitable winter clothing, make arrangements to rent a jacket and pants. Rent the equipment. You can send a packed lunch, with a thermos of hot chocolate and lots of juice/water, or money for the cafeteria.
Expect that this experience will cost you from about $50 for lifts/rentals to $150 if you include a half-day lesson, clothing and lunch. Now that you’ve caught your breath, don’t worry — it gets better (and cheaper).
Part 3: Overview of kids’ ski equipment options.
1. The Ski Equipment Rental Option:
RENT, RENT, RENT! If your child has never skied before, please RENT! Check the cost of equipment rentals at your local ski hill; they are usually very reasonable, in the range of $25/day for skies/boots for kids, and $40/day for youth.
I would also recommend this as an option for the occassional skier. See the purchase options below to see how often your child would need to ski each season to make a ski equipment purchase worthwhile. Generally, you would need to rent about 12 times to break even (with new equipment).
TIP: Ask if your mountain has a seasons or a multiple rental pass. Also worth noting, is that if your child is young and skied once or twice last year, then you may want to rent one time to make sure that the interest is still there. We went through this with our daughter who loved skiing in grade 1, then became fearful of the hill the following year! Thankfully we were going to get her equipment for Christmas, so our first outing was a rental!
What you need to bring when you rent: Your child’s height, weight, foot size, ability level and birth date information.
2 & 3. Purchased Ski Gear Option — New or Used
The information is the same, only the pricing differs.
Skis & Bindings
The size of the ski is determined by the child’s height and ski ability. On kids, the new shaped skis should come up to somewhere between the chin and the eyebrow. If your child is a beginner, then shorter is better. As they advance, you can get the taller sizes and get more time out of the skis. Skis have no left/right sides.
Bindings are the parts that hold the boot to the ski. They must be purchased separately, then will be mounted onto the ski. Unless your child is very large/overweight, then a junior binding will do. You will need to provide a ski boot at the time of mounting, so the binding can be correctly sized.
The binding is the part that’s responsible for releasing the boot from the ski in the event of a fall. Please provide the tech with an accurate weight of your child and his/her ski ability — these factors determine the setting on the binding, and make the difference between the ski releasing when it should, or a broken leg.
If you are buying used equipment, then the binding will likely be attached to the ski. Please ensure that the child’s boot will fit the binding (foot size can vary with height).
New vs. Used: For elementary school children, look for Junior ski packages. You can expect to pay about $130 for skis, $75 for bindings (new). However, if you keep an eye out, you can get the two bundled for about $150. Some companies charge for mounting (the binding to ski) while others provide it as part of the package.
Also ask about last year’s equipment. The ski industry is very trend driven, and the products are designed to all match with each other. As a result, you can expect significant discounts on last year’s models. With the larger retailers, they will often bring in equipment from other stores at no charge.
In the Junior ski category, many stores have a buy-back option that allows you to resell the ski set back to the store within a set amount of time (1-2 years) for a pre-determined price (25-50% of original purchase price). So if you have a 7 year old child, his/her skis and bindings will cost you about $200. In 2 years you sell it back to the store for 25% — $50 — which goes toward the new purchase. In that year, a similar ski set would then cost you $150.
This is great news if you’re looking for used equipment. The same store will then resell what they take back, often at the price they paid. That means that you can get 2 year old skis for $50! It’s best to keep an eye out early, and check back often. I found that the specialized shops and larger retail outlets provided the best selection.
Ski boots Ski boot sizes are not measured in the same units as shoes. They should have a fairly snug fit. The boots vary in how you enter them, the height of the boot, number of buckles and their stiffnes/flexibility. Let the store clerk guide you in the current choices for your child.
For elementary school kids, you can expect to pay about $100-125 for new ski boots. Used boots sell for about 50% of the original price. It’s worth mentioning that while skis last our kids for 2 seasons, we have to upgrade boots annually.
Helmet A ski helmet varies from a bicycle helmet in that it covers more of the head. It also comes with linings for varying levels of warmth. Kids ski helmets cost about $60. Can be rented at ski hills for about $8.
Ski poles are not required for beginner skiers, in fact, many ski instructors prefer that novices do not use them. To get the right size, turn the ski pole with the handle on the ground. Have the child hold the ski pole under the “basket”. A properly fitting ski pole should have the child’s arm at a 90 degree angle. Junior ski poles are about $25.
Buying New
Check out the outdoor gear and ski shops in your area. Here is a list of the bigger retailers, but small and specialized ski shops carry many of the same products and will often provide comparable packages.
- SportCheck
- SportMart
- Mad Dog’s Source For Sports
- Comor Sports
- Fluid Sports
- MEC for helmets and clothing.
Buying Used
Our recommendation is to start by looking at new equipment. It will give you a chance to see what current equipment looks like (so you know that if someone is selling you “last year’s modle” of straight skis, they are not being truthful), get your child properly sized, and give you an idea of current retail cost. While you’re there, see what buy back products they have in store. Bring a pen/paper to take notes just in case you don’t find what you’re looking for.
Skis - size (cm) - $
Boots - size, preferred brand - $
Poles - size - $
Where to buy new and used ski gear in the Greater Vancouver & Fraser Valley (BC) area: Many of the same stores that carry new ski gear have buy-back items for sale.
- SportCheck
- SportMart
- Mad Dog’s Source For Sports
- Comor Sports
Once you are comfortable with sizes and full retail prices, you can also try consignment stores. Here is a list of some in the Greater Vancouver / Fraser Valley area:
- MEC’s Outdoor Gear Swap
- Sports Junkies
- Cheapskates
- Replay Sports in Richmond.
- Sports Replay in Langley.
Part 4: Lifts & Lessons
Lift tickets pay for the access to the ski hill and gondola and/or lifts. Prices vary by resort. In Vancouver BC, a day of skiing will cost you about $20-30 for kids (5-12), and $33-50 for youth (13-18), depending on which mountain you go to. For more info, please see the individual ski area websites:
- Grouse Mountain
- Mount Seymour
- Cypress Mountain
Of course, if your child really gets into the sport, then you may want to invest in a season’s pass. The best deals are if you buy early or late in the season. Under these circumstances, you can buy a child pass (6-12 year olds) for less than $100. Combine that with some great deals on used equipment and winter clothing purchased on sale, and a season of skiing can cost you well under $300.
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