Under five days a season, renting wins every time, and it puts you on recent gear. Beyond that, buying pays off and saves you the counter line.
The case of children
For a growing child, seasonal exchange programs beat both buying and renting: bring back the skis that got too short and leave with the next size.
What people forget to count
Transport, storage and annual maintenance are part of the cost of owned equipment. At three days a year, they weigh heavily.