Consignment stores (like Second Hand Sports) and stores like Goodwill, Salvation Army and Value Village don't often have what we need in poly clothing but if you have some time to do careful shopping you can turn this to your advantage. Employees and managers at these stores often don't realize what they've got. As an example, I used to buy cross-country skis because Sue and I invite non-skiers along to introduce them to the sport. After all, with a season-long parking/groomed trails permit it doesn't really add to the cost if we fill the SUV up. Most relatively modern x/c skis have extrusions or corrugations on a portion of their bottoms to help keep the skier from sliding backwards when they take a step. You can feel these when you run your hand over them. Older skis are made for waxing and don't have these corrugations and are smooth to the touch; these are in much less demand and are priced accordingly. However skate skis (designed to be used on groomed tracks in a skating style) is a fast-growing segment of the sport and the bottoms of these skis are smooth and are in great demand (and very expensive). I found a pair of carbon-fiber skate skis for $9.95 at the local Goodwill complete with bindings (bindings alone go for over $100). Better yet, I've used them regularly for the past 3 seasons!!! Also, in the northern areas where there is skiing the clothing worn by skiers is often the same clothing that is worn by kayakers. If your second-hand or consignment store has a ski section then by all means check it out. Finally (I know you thought I'd never get here), there are also consignment stores for boaters. Seattle has "Second Wave" in two locations (one right next to West Marine in Shilshole... I bet *that* ticks 'em off) plus an excellent web site (www.secondwave.com). There is a consignment store in Portland and one in So. Cal. called "Minnies" that has been around for at least 30 years (Long Beach, I think). I've saved, literally, thousands of dollars shopping at these places. These stores often have dry suits and wet suits and sometimes kayaks, too. And then, of course, there's www.craigslist.com; look for one that covers your area. If you've never used craigslist then you should start now. Oops... that's one more after "Finally"; so sue me. :) Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Fri Feb 29 2008 - 09:19:19 PST
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:31:28 PDT