10 ways to get cheap ski and snowboard gear in Colorado

Ski season is almost here. The countdown has begun to see whether Arapahoe Basin, Loveland, Keystone or Wolf Creek will become the first Colorado ski area to open. It’s usually the first ski area in the country to open for the season, too.

Labor Day ski sales have come and gone, but there are plenty of ways for skiers and snowboarders to save money on gear and clothing, especially if you have little ones to outfit. We’ve pulled together a list of Front Range stores that sell used gear, options for daily clothing rental options and season gear rentals for your kids.

Sales of used equipment

• Play It Again Sports: This franchise chain with six Denver-area locations offers a wide selection of used downhill boots and skis for sale, along with some cross-country and telemark gear. You can walk out the door with a full set-up of high-end downhill gear, including boots, for $400-$700, according to Lakewood store owner Eric Patrick, and $300-$400 for less expensive gear. At the Lakewood store only, there will be another option this winter: Customers can rent gear for half the sale price, and if they like it, they can buy it outright later by paying the remainder of the original sticker price. And if you’re looking to sell gear, this is not a consignment shop. Bring in what you want to sell and you will walk out with cash, or in-store credit, based on quality and condition. Locations in Lakewood, Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Longmont and Castle Rock. The Lakewood store is located at 13057 West Alameda Parkway; Phone: 303-593-2108.
• Sports Plus: At this family-owned consignment store near Washington Park, which has been in business since 1980, you can pick up a full downhill setup for under $500. They also do daily and season rentals, but owner Zack Hope said he hasn’t set this year’s prices yet. “Usually we’re very competitive with anybody else in the area,” Hope said. “They can be booked online.” They also sell some cross-country, backcountry gear and clothing. 1055 S. Gaylord Street; Phone: 303-777-6613.
• Wilderness Exchange: This is a backcountry-oriented outdoor gear shop selling new and used equipment and clothing. Some of it is close-out products and used demo gear from manufacturers at big discounts. Example: The shop recently acquired a bunch of Dynafit demo alpine touring skis with bindings from the manufacturer and Scarpa boots. “We’re the source for them to liquidate their fleets,” owner Don Bushey said, “and a lot of these fleets are very lightly used.” Full setups that would have cost $2,400 new will be going for about half that, Bushey said. Wilderness Exchange also carries ski-area gear and has a consignment section. 2401 15th Street; Phone: 303-964-0708.
• Boulder Sports Recycler: In addition to downhill skis and snowboards, this consignment shop is a great place to go for backcountry gear including alpine touring gear, skins, split boards and telemark skis. The shop has doubled in size since last season. 4949 N. Broadway, Boulder; Phone: 303-786-9940.

Clothing rentals

• Loveland ski area: Clothing is rented piece by piece. Adult bib pants and jackets rent for $25 each per day, and goggles go for $12. For children, bibs and jackets go for $15 and goggles for $12. Loveland also has a Day Tripper package, aimed primarily at out-of-town visitors, which includes lift ticket, equipment rental and clothing rental for the day for $185. Phone: 303-571-5580.
• Colorado Sports Rent: This Westminster store rents clothing as well as skis, snowboards, boots, poles and goggles. Skis, boots and poles for kids go for $12 a day and $22-$32 for adults. Snowboard packages are priced at $32-$42 for adults and $16 for kids. Jacket rentals are $8 a day, pants $8, goggles and gloves $3 each. 6755 W. 88th Ave; Phone: 303-467-0200.

Programs for children’s season rentals

• Christy Sports: The Christy Kids program is a great deal that bundles season equipment rentals with kids’ season passes at two ski areas. Equipment rental with a kid’s season pass (ages 6-14) for Loveland costs $289, and for Monarch, the price is $343 (ages 7-12). Keep in mind the deadline to score those deals at Front Range Christy locations is Nov. 15, Equipment-only rentals start at $169 for kids and $239 for adults. Multiple Front Range locations.
• Epic Mountain Gear: Epic continues to offer its long-standing Junior Trade program. Parents can buy new or used gear for their kids and get 50% of the original purchase price back to use as a credit toward a bigger size when their kids outgrow the first set of gear. Used junior trade packages (skis and boots) start at $159, and new junior packages start at $269. Used junior snowboard trade packages start at $159, and new junior snowboard packages start at $299. Multiple Front Range locations.
• Larson’s Ski & Sport: Ski or snowboard packages with boots start at $90 and increase with the age of the child, up to $150. Adult packages start at $150 and increase depending on the performance level of the skis or snowboard. 4715 Kipling Street, Wheat Ridge; 303-423-0654
• Breeze Ski Rentals: Junior season rentals (ages 12 and under) will cost $110 for skis or snowboards and $90 for boots. Adult rentals will cost $180 for skis or snowboards and $130 for boots. 11355 Sixth Ave., Lakewood; Phone: 303-232-2384.