Buying Skis for Kids.

Im currently paying about £50 a trip to hire Skis for my little girl and have just noticed how cheap kids skis are to buy.

Take a look at these

http://www.biker-boarder.de/shopware/K2-Luv-Bug-Fastrak2-7.0-Set-2012-Ski-Set-2012_detail_22715.html

At that price i am seriously considering buying.

Now i know that generally it would be buy boots then skis but due to her growth i really do not see the point in investing in boots just yet. I think skis would be safe for a few years though.

Do you think this is a good idea?
And also do rental shops allow you to hire just boots?

Snapzz, only about £30 to £35 via Snowberry in val d'isere. Are other resorts more expensive?

I wonder if these skis you've highlighted will be any near as good as quality hire gear??? Then of course, you need to pay for servicing per annum and possibly baggage costs on the flight over?

We've bought out two kids helmets but that's it for the time being. My eldest wants to buy a snowboard but only when she's got near to her likely adult weight which is probably a couple of years away.

We've had one bad experience with a hiring gear (Les Arcs) but excellent elsewhere. We always go for the premium option which is not much more if booked ahead.

Mate, I know what you're saying about rental prices.
Yes you can hire boots alone.
Normal prices I've seen for renting skis and boots for a week are around 50eu although in the more swanky resorts it can be double that.

However, personally I would not consider buying boots or skis for my kids until they have stopped growing as each year that passes and therefore each season what you've bought is going to be useless, unless of course she does not grow for a period in time.

I think you'll be throwing money away personally. Boots before skis every time, but obviously you can't buy boots while her feet are still growing. I imagine some people for whom money is no object would disagree with me, but I honestly think kids can make do with rental gear so they have the perfect fit and size each time they ski.

bedrock barney wrote:Snapzz, only about £30 to £35 via Snowberry in val d'isere. Are other resorts more expensive?

I wonder if these skis you've highlighted will be any near as good as quality hire gear??? Then of course, you need to pay for servicing per annum and possibly baggage costs on the flight over?

We've bought out two kids helmets but that's it for the time being. My eldest wants to buy a snowboard but only when she's got near to her likely adult weight which is probably a couple of years away.

We've had one bad experience with a hiring gear (Les Arcs) but excellent elsewhere. We always go for the premium option which is not much more if booked ahead.

Sorry, my mistake, i just checked. I paid 54 Euro for skis and boots in Flaine.

Re quality, i would suggest they would be much better. some of the junior hire skis i have seen are in a sorry state, i doubt they give as much attention to servicing them as the adult skis.

Tony_H wrote:
I think you'll be throwing money away personally. Boots before skis every time, but obviously you can't buy boots while her feet are still growing. I imagine some people for whom money is no object would disagree with me, but I honestly think kids can make do with rental gear so they have the perfect fit and size each time they ski.

But at that price! we will have at least two trips next season possibly 3. Even if they see her for only year i could sell them and still not loose.
They will be light enough to chuck in my ski bag (no carriage costs) and i can't help feeling that she will be delighted and encouraged in her skiing by having her own planks.

Snapzzz wrote:

Tony_H wrote:
I think you'll be throwing money away personally. Boots before skis every time, but obviously you can't buy boots while her feet are still growing. I imagine some people for whom money is no object would disagree with me, but I honestly think kids can make do with rental gear so they have the perfect fit and size each time they ski.

But at that price! we will have at least two trips next season possibly 3. Even if they see her for only year i could sell them and still not loose.
They will be light enough to chuck in my ski bag (no carriage costs) and i can't help feeling that she will be delighted and encouraged in her skiing by having her own planks.

You've just sold them to yourself mate.

Snapzzz - can understand the maths on cost alone and I agree with others that boots should come first.
But - ins't Snapzzz Minor about 12?
So .......
Feet still growing rapidly and probably that early tean growth spurt hasn't happened yet?
Which to me suggests that any kit bought now is unlikely to have much of a shelf life - based on size alone let alone how her skiing develops (or not - after all she may give up on skiing as other interests develop!).
Other issues are that poles will be needed as well and a bag and, of course, transport costs.

But at the end of the day I'd say why not if that's what you want. Doubt this is a potential purchase based on logic alone. Personally I wouldn't buy hardware for a youngster - too many things change. I'd focus any "treats" on clothing and extras like goggles and decent gloves and a helmet first.

I took my niece on holiday sking when she was 14 and was instructed to find some boots. She still uses these same boots 10 years later.

You posted while I was writing - :mrgreen:
Tony has it !!!You have decided - hope she loves them :thumbup:

Can the ski purchase double up as a birthday present? That would make most economic sense! )