If you’re just starting out, the big gear question always comes up: should you rent skis or buy your own? Shops and resorts make it sound simple, but the truth is messier. I’ve worked in rental shops and ski stores, and I’ve seen beginners waste money both ways.
There isn’t one answer for everyone. It depends how often you plan to ski, where you ski and how committed you really are. Let’s break it down.
✅ Quick Answer
Beginners should rent if they ski a few days a year. Seasonal rentals make sense if you plan 5 to 10 days. Buy your own setup once you hit 10 days a season or you know you are committed. If you buy one thing first, make it boots.
- 1–4 days a season: rent
- 5–10 days: seasonal rental
- 10+ days: buy
- Boots first for comfort and control
Why Renting Makes Sense at First
For total beginners, renting is usually the smart play. Skiing is expensive. Dropping hundreds on skis before you even know if you’ll stick with it doesn’t make much sense.
Rentals let you test the waters without committing. You get to try different lengths and shapes, and you don’t have to deal with storage, waxing, or lugging skis through airports.
If you’re only skiing a couple of days each winter, renting is almost always cheaper. You’ll spend some money, sure, but not nearly what you’d spend on new gear that mostly sits in the garage.
The Downsides of Renting
Of course, rentals aren’t perfect. Most rental fleets are built tough, not fun. They’re heavy, stiff and tuned for durability more than performance. I’ve seen beginners struggle to turn because the skis were dead and overused. The picture below is a perfect (exaggerated) example.
You also waste time every trip waiting in rental lines. Show up on a busy Saturday and you could lose an hour before you even get on the lift. And if you’re picky about fit, you’ll notice little annoyances: boots that don’t feel right, skis that don’t glide smoothly, edges that are dull.
When Buying Starts to Make Sense
If you know you’re hooked, buying your own skis changes everything. Your skis fit you, they’re tuned how you like them and you’re not wasting time in the rental shop every trip.
Financially, buying can make sense if you’re skiing often enough. If you’re putting in 10 or more days each season, rentals add up quickly. After two or three seasons, you’ve usually spent more on rentals than you would on a decent entry-level setup.
There’s also the comfort factor. Having your own gear means you can dial in your boots and bindings once and just ski. No guessing what you’ll get each time.
The Cost Side of Things
Buying skis feels expensive up front, but over a few seasons it often works out cheaper than renting. A decent beginner setup – skis, bindings and boots might run $600 to $800 new. Rentals can cost $40–$60 a day. Do the math. Ten rental days in one season is $400–$600 and you’re left with nothing at the end.
On the other hand, if you’re skiing two days a year, buying doesn’t make sense. You’ll end up with dusty gear in the garage and you’ll still have to pay for tunes and wax when you finally use it.
The Stoke Factor
This one isn’t talked about enough. There’s just something awesome about having your own hand-picked ski gear. It hypes you up to get out there, leading to more days on snow and more chance of enjoying your skiing. If you’re loving skiing and can’t wait to get your own stuff, do it (if you can afford to of course).
What About The Kids?
For kids, rentals are often the best option. They outgrow skis so fast that buying is a waste until they’re older. This obviously depends on how much they ski though – if they’re out every weekend then a budget setup will be far cheaper. Consider well maintained used gear too.
My Take
When I worked in ski shops, I’d tell people to rent until they were sure they loved skiing. Once they were skiing ten or more days a season, buying started to make sense. And once they had their own boots and skis, they usually improved faster because the gear actually worked with them instead of against them.
So here’s my honest take.
If you’re skiing once or twice a season, rent.
If you’re skiing five to ten days a season, consider a seasonal rental.
If you’re skiing ten or more days every year, buy your own gear.
Final Thoughts
Beginners don’t need to rush into buying skis. Renting makes sense early on. But if skiing is going to be a real part of your life, owning your gear pays off. It’s cheaper over time, it feels better on snow and it cuts out the hassle of the rental shop. The skis you own will help you progress faster — and they’ll feel like yours, not just another pair of beat-up rentals.
