Coalition Snow may be a tiny, women-owned and -operated business, but it is making big waves in the ski and snowboard industry with its unorthodox 10th-anniversary sale. If buying a brand new pair of $600+ skis doesn’t fit within your budget, Coalition might have a solution that does.
This spring, Coalition launched its first “pay-what-you-can” Community Care Sale — and it’s just what it sounds like.
“At Coalition, we believe everyone deserves to experience the magic of sliding on snow,” the brand wrote in an online announcement. “This pay-what-you-can sale event on our skis and snowboards breaks down financial barriers so you can gain access to high-quality gear at affordable prices.”
Other affordable ski and snowboard solutions include buying used or past-season demo gear. But sometimes, you just want new gear. And everyone deserves to shop for something accessible at their price point.
That’s the concept, anyway.
The Community Care Sale: How It Works
This Community Care Sale is all about equity, affordability, accessibility, and price transparency.
“You choose your skis/snowboard of your dreams, then you make an offer,” Coalition Snow explains. “For every offer accepted above the threshold, it unlocks an offer below. Those of us who have the financial means can help make purchasing skis or snowboards easier for people who don’t.”
All customers have to do is pick their equipment of choice, click “make an offer,” and then enter a suggested price. As long as it’s above Coalition Snow’s “won’t put-our-small-business-out-of-business” threshold, the offer will automatically be accepted. And new equipment will be headed your way — just in time for next season.
Skis and Snowboards
There’s a whole slew of various skis and snowboards available during the sale. Ski sizes range from 157 to 180cm length, and boards range from 143 to 155 cm. And, of course, there are a bunch of fun topsheet designs to choose from, too.
The Community Care sale includes five ski models and four snowboard models. The MSRP for new skis and boards ranges from $499 to $899.
Community Care Sale: Preserving the Soul of Skiing
Coalition’s sale is a reminder that snowsports are growing increasingly out of reach for more people. Equipment is preventatively expensive. Pass and ticket costs continue to rise, resort food prices are astronomical, and most resorts are implementing charging paid parking and reservations — if they don’t already do that. People need affordable solutions.
Coalition Snow’s pay-what-you-can sale isn’t just about one person finding one affordable pair of skis or board. It’s about lowering the financial investment it takes to access the sport throughout the ski and snowboard industry as a whole. As Coalition Snow puts it, the sale is for all of us, to preserve “the soul of skiing.”
