Sports Equipment Replacement

A post about teens expenses got me thinking.

If your child plays a sport and can still fit into their shoes/practice jerseys do you still replace them each year?

My daughter is 13 yo and plays volleyball. She plays school and club so she’s practicing/playing for 9 months out of the year. This does NOT include the off season when she is still using the same shoes/pads/shorts to practice on her own 2-3 times a week. We bought new shoes and pads in October 2024. She is still in the same size shoe as we approach school tryouts.

She’s asked for a new pair of shoes which will run about $140. Her current ones are in good condition but in the past we’ve bought new shoes each year because she usually sizes up. This year she won’t be sizing up (she wears a 9.5 women’s shoe).

We will purchase new knee pads and elbow pads if she feels she needs them and use keep her old ones as backups.

So.. do you buy new each season? Or replace when they wear out?