Assess the ski rental decision

Spring is here. Well it is, judging by the spring trail conditions posted on the cross country trails I check regularly. As I not fond of spring trail conditions, there will probably be no more skiing for me. I thought it would be a good time to assess my previous decision of renting instead of buying.

This winter in total I went cross country twice, and snowshoeing twice. Not a lot, but it really varies due to trail conditions and my schedule. If I bought skis I probably would have opted for skiing the both times I went snowshoeing. Then this year I would have 4 ski rentals at $15.75 each time (taxes included). That’s $63 instead of the $230 I would have spent on skis, not including the price of getting new boots, which I would have done.

Sure I’d have used them again for years to come. I need three years of good cross country skiing conditions and cooperating schedules to get my money’s worth. It would be longer if I’m too busy, or I want to go downhill skiing or snowboarding, or do other things during the winter. Who knows where I’ll be in a few years.

The best part of renting? New(ish) equipment every time. No maintenance. No storage problems. And not having to ship anything oddly shaped like skis when moving (important for someone who lived on one small suitcase and a backpack overseas, came home, and the moved cross country)