Purchase: Indulgent or practical? Advice Requested!
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basicjim
Posts: 69 Member
I recently got an award from work that lets me spend $200 on Amazon.com. I am trying to figure out if I should be logical or indulgent!
I want to buy a pair of racing snowshoes. That is the indulgent side. Let me give you the down sides...
- At least 3 hrs travel to get to the CLOSEST race, most races would be 8+ hrs to get there
- Where I live, there isn't TOO much snow, so I will have limited use of them.
- I don't know ANYONE else who races on snowshoes. One acquaintance does snowshoe, though.
The positives:
-They are cool! (
http://youtu.be/Fr2UmRMiT20 )
- When the roads are icy, I can slap them babies on and hit a field or trail and I am golden
If I didn't get the $200 award, I wouldn't buy them. It's just not in the budget. My other options would be buying a couple more base layer shirts and maybe another pair of cold weather running pants.
Any thoughts? Which way would you go? Why
Thanks!
Jim
I want to buy a pair of racing snowshoes. That is the indulgent side. Let me give you the down sides...
- At least 3 hrs travel to get to the CLOSEST race, most races would be 8+ hrs to get there
- Where I live, there isn't TOO much snow, so I will have limited use of them.
- I don't know ANYONE else who races on snowshoes. One acquaintance does snowshoe, though.
The positives:
-They are cool! (
http://youtu.be/Fr2UmRMiT20 )- When the roads are icy, I can slap them babies on and hit a field or trail and I am golden
If I didn't get the $200 award, I wouldn't buy them. It's just not in the budget. My other options would be buying a couple more base layer shirts and maybe another pair of cold weather running pants.
Any thoughts? Which way would you go? Why
Thanks!
Jim
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Replies
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Sounds quite frivolous to me. I'd bet they end up in a closet, then the basement and eventually in a yard sale.
Buy a Garmin if you don't already have one.
Buy another pair (or two!) of running shoes because you know they'll get used.
Buy a pair of trail running shoes. You can use these in the snow too.
Buy a pair of Storm Socks to keep you feet dry and warm when you run in the snow.0 -
Get some Yaktrax to fit over your normal winter running shoes for next to nothing, and spend the rest as you choose :happy:
If you do want to enter the odd event, you can hire them.0 -
Sounds quite frivolous to me. I'd bet they end up in a closet, then the basement and eventually in a yard sale.
Buy a Garmin if you don't already have one.
Buy another pair (or two!) of running shoes because you know they'll get used.
Buy a pair of trail running shoes. You can use these in the snow too.
Buy a pair of Storm Socks to keep you feet dry and warm when you run in the snow.
I would definitely buy shoes. MOAR SHOES!0 -
Why spend $200 on something that is cool but probably won't be used more than once or twice? Those bad boys are going to look great taking up space in a closet.
With winter upon us buying some cold weather gear sounds like the way to go.0 -
If it was me I'd probably go with the snowshoes but my circumstances are completely different than yours (I have miles of trails just steps away from my house, lots of snow, lots of friends who snowshoe and there are a number of races - not that I've done one yet - close to home)
On a more practical note.......shoes, we always need shoes.0 -
If $200 fell from the Amazon heavens into my hands, I would buy a new Garmin FR220 at a nice discount. Or a 620 at half off.0
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Damn you practical people! Your right. I guess I will go with some more needed cold weather gear.
I already have a 110 that works so I am going to go with some coldgear or something like that. I need a couple more base layer tops and bottoms.
If we get a wicked snow fall winter, I will be sad!
Thanks everyone for the opinions!
Jim0 -
I'd get a pair of trail runners. Do you already need more clothes if you have them? And trail shoes are good in summer or winter.0
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If $200 fell from the Amazon heavens into my hands, I would buy a new Garmin FR220 at a nice discount. Or a 620 at half off.
AGREED. If I had $200 to spend on Amazon on me (me, me, me!!), I would get a Garmin because I deeply covet one and don't have one. If I already owned one, I would buy more running shoes and some running tights for winter runs.0 -
Does the $200 expire really soon? Does it snow where you live so you can at least run in the snowshoes even if you can't race locally?
If the $200 doesn't expire immediately why not sit on it and see if you still want the snowshoes in a month or two?0 -
Since you said "it's not in the budget", that implies you need to be a bit more concerned with how you spend it. Get something you wouldn't otherwise buy, but that you can use more often. Rent the special snowshoes when you go. If you would actually be able to go on the trips necessary to use them, then get them. It doesn't sound like that is the case.0
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Would it be possible to A) Buy your silly crazy fun snowshoes used, like off ebay or something? Since you know, they really are more of a whimsical thing? And then
buy all the other gear you need with your $200? This is what I would try to do if I were in your shoes.
Whimsy is great. I live and die for whimsy. At the same time, that's a whole hellofa lotta money for very little whimsy. Especially considering all the other costs that would go into snowshoe racing, like hotels, etc.
Good luck and great running, whichever decision you make.0 -
I just got $50 in Amazon from work and got some tall compression socks. Get something you will use!0
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So, I looked around and I can rent snowshoes in the area, but not "running" snowshoes. No big deal. For this winter, I'll walk!
I am looking at some trail shoes and more base layers. I actually don't have more than one good base layer shirt. I just pile on a LOT of layers.
Thanks for the great advice.0
