I want to buy new ski stuff, I just wanted to know what time of year is best to get the most bang for your buck, thanks!

End of the season. Some places start marking stuff down right after Christmas…especially if they are a multi-sport retailer. Eastern Mountain Sports will usually start slashing ski and snowboard prices by mid-January to make way for new backpacks, tents, spring sports, etc. REI might do the same. So will ski shops that carry canoes and kayaks…sometimes.

Specialty ski shops might hold out until after President's Day. But shops in ski towns usually have sales those weekends in order to entice the tourists to drop mad cash.

Me personally, I wait until post-season…then I start to dicker with the shop owners. If I see a set of skis I like and they're $300…I'll offer $200. He'll say no. I'll go in the next day and offer $150…he'll say, "you were gonna pay $200 the day before."..I'd say, "you want me to come back tomorrow?" I usually then leave with a new set of planks for $150.

Pre-season Ski Swaps are also good places to pick up a killer deal. Sure, there is a lot of used stuff, but the better swaps have new stuff too…sometime a season or two old..but let's be honest…some companies only change their graphics from year-to-year unless there is a major overhaul in their stuff.

In November 2004 I bought an unused pair of K2 skis for $250 at a swap. Bindings for $130 at a local shop, and picked up a pair of boots…used like twice…on eBay for $75.

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