Get ready for winter — and find a deal — at these Vermont ski and snowboard gear swaps.
Looking to buy a pair of skis but don't want to spend a fortune on them? Ski swaps might be the answer.
Swaps are sales where people can buy used ski gear at a fraction of the price, and Vermonters are organizing several over the coming month.
An article from national ski publication Powder Magazine gives tips on what to look for when shopping for used gear. Deep gauges in the base and topsheet of skis are the biggest deal breakers along with gauges to the edges as these can allow water damage in the core of the ski.
Looking for how the skis were treated in their previous life is also important, says ski blog Skiing Lab. A fresh wax job or sharpening are good signs that the skis were regularly serviced. Check to make sure the edges of both skis are straight, the same thickness and not too thin. Delamination of the top sheet or edges also is a no-go. If you can determine the age of the skis, Skiing Lab says bindings should not more than 10 years old as they may not be serviceable or safe after then.
Every year Vermont skiing blog Ski Maven cobbles together a list of Vermont ski swaps for all to access.
Here's a quick look at the opportunities in the weeks ahead to get ski gear:
Killington Ski and Snowboard Club Ski Swap
Dates: Oct. 7-9
Location: Ramshead Base Lodge, Killington
Smuggs Ski and Snowboard Sale
Dates: Oct. 8-9
Location: Tarrant Center, St. Michael's College, Colchester
Waitsfield Elementary Ski and Skate School
Date: Oct. 16
Location: Mad River Glen ski area, Fayston
Cochran's Ski and Ride Sale
Dates: Nov. 5-6
Location: Camel's Hump Middle School, Richmond
Cambridge Area Ski, Ride and Winter Sports Sale
Dates: Nov. 11-12
Location: Cambridge Community Center, Jeffersonville
Okemo Mountain School Ski Sale
Dates: Nov. 18-20
Location: Round House, Jackson Gore Inn, Okemo Mountain Resort, Ludlow
Contact Urban Change Reporter Lilly St. Angelo at lstangelo@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @lilly_st_ang
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Vermont ski gear sales: Where 2022 ski swaps are happening
