If you’re going skiing soon, now is the perfect time to buy or rent your equipment. RMC Conso details a few good deals to save money.
Are you planning to go skiing soon? Between equipment, rental, lift tickets, accommodation and groceries, ski holidays frequently enough represent a critically important budget for the French. Hence the need to try to find good deals to save money.
According to Aymeric de Rorthays, president of the online sports site Au Vieux Campeur, “it’s really the time to equip yourself at the best price, while still having a lot of choice.Stock is at its maximum, as the February holidays are still far away. Plus, the snow conditions are exceptional.”
But how do you find good deals? RMC Conso has selected a few simple and accessible ideas for everyone.
clothing up to 50% off on average
The first thing to look at is the promotions in traditional and specialist shops. And it’s a good thing because it’s the winter sales period, which lasts until Tuesday 3 February.
At Decathlon, which operates on a logic of rather low prices, there are promotions of up to 50% off on all winter sports products.For example, ski underwear is displayed at a 34% discount.
The major equipment such as jackets, trousers and suits, where discounts can reach more than 200 euros compared to the initial price, are the most interesting products. The entry-level prices don’t move, but it’s on the brands where it can really be advantageous.
Intersport, Sport 2000… All the specialist shops offer discounts of 20% to 50% off ski clothing during the sales.
Find a pair of Rossignol ski boots for around 80 euros,compared to nearly 200 euros originally,and skis for 250 euros instead of 450 euros.
Another good deal: private sales sites. Private Sport Shop, specializing in sports, for example, indicates that customers can “save up to 80% on the biggest sports brands.” More general sites like Veepee (ex-private sales) or Espace des Marques also offer some winter sports brands.
The choice of second-hand
Whether for clothing, furniture, books or even smartphones, second-hand has truly become a reflex for many consumers, seeking more accessible prices.
Some sites that offer new products, such as Decathlon or Au Vieux Campeur, now have a section dedicated to used products.”The prices offered are at least 50% lower than the new price, except for ‘almost new’ products where it’s rather less 30%”, explains Aymeric de rorthays.
To guarantee the quality of the products they buy back from individuals, the store only accepts “brands with which it works.” Only skis require an additional step: “we charge for maintenance and the skis come out in perfect condition, which is why they are among the best-selling products at this time,” he continues.
But there are also platforms that only offer second-life items. Ski exchanges, but also Ski d’Oc, Topn’Sport, or even freeglisse.com, “No. 1 in used skiing in France for 30 years”, as can be read on their site. More broadly,”it’s everything related to gliding: downhill skiing,cross-country skiing,snowboarding,snowshoes”,specifies Emmanuel Zocchetti,site manager.
Specifically, “ski rental shops in resorts keep their equipment for three to four years and then resell it to renew it. We then recover all the equipment. All the soles are redone and the skis are repaired thanks to state-of-the-art maintenance machines.And we resell them.”
Okay, here’s a breakdown of the factual claims within the provided text, followed by an adversarial research plan to verify them. I will not rewrite or paraphrase the text itself, but will focus on checking its assertions. I will also look for more recent data as the article appears to be from late 2023/early 2024.
Factual Claims & Verification Plan:
- Freeglisse Pricing: “Une paire de chaussures de ski adulte est par exemple à seulement 12 euros et une paire de ski adulte à 39 euros.”
* Verification: Visit the Freeglisse website (https://www.freeglisse.com/) and directly check current pricing for adult ski boots and skis.Look for any disclaimers about limited availability or specific models at those prices. Check for reviews mentioning these prices to see if they are consistently available.
* Potential Contradictions: Prices may have changed as the article was written. The stated prices might be for very basic models or end-of-season sales.
- Freeglisse “Importance des volumes” clarification: The article attributes Freeglisse’s pricing to “l’importance des volumes” (the importance of volume).
* Verification: Look for official statements from Freeglisse regarding their business model.Search for interviews or press releases explaining their pricing strategy. This is more about understanding why the price is low, but it’s still a claim about their operation.
* Potential Contradictions: They may attribute it to other factors (e.g., direct sourcing, lower overhead).
- Leboncoin/Vinted Ski Boot Listings: “105.441 annonces par exemple pour l’occurrence “chaussures de ski” sur leboncoin.”
* Verification: Go to Leboncoin (https://www.leboncoin.fr/) and search for ”chaussures de ski”. Record the current number of listings. This number will almost certainly be different now.
* Potential Contradictions: The number of listings fluctuates constantly. The original number is highly likely outdated.
- Leboncoin/Vinted Negotiation: “il est encore possible de négocier.”
* Verification: This is generally true for these platforms, but it’s an observation rather than a hard fact. Review Leboncoin/vinted’s terms of service and user guides to see if negotiation is explicitly permitted or discouraged. Look for user forum discussions about negotiating prices.
* Potential Contradictions: Some sellers may state “no negotiation” in their listings.
- Safety Equipment (Helmets): “il est tout de même préférable de prioriser l’achat neuf pour les éléments de sécurité comme le casque.”
* Verification: This is a safety recommendation. Consult ski safety organizations (e.g., national ski patrols, ski industry associations) for their recommendations on buying new vs.used helmets. Look for articles on helmet safety and the risks of using damaged or outdated helmets.
* Potential Contradictions: While generally accepted, some sources might discuss the possibility of carefully inspecting used helmets for damage.
- Facebook Group Membership: “Troc et vente de matériel de ski et snowboard” regroupe plus de 18.000 membres.
* Verification: Visit the Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/507961042556723?locale=fr_FR) and check the current member count.
* Potential Contradictions: the membership number will have changed.
- Edenred Ski Discounts (skipower,Netski,Travelski): “Edenred propose par exemple moins 50% sur les forfaits de ski sur le site de Skipower,moins 10% sur la location de ski sur Netski ou encore moins 8% sur travelski.”
* Verification: Visit the Edenred website (https://www.edenred.fr/) and search for current ski-related offers. Check the Skipower (https://www.skipower.fr/), Netski ([https://www.netski.com/](https://www.netski.com
