Snowboarding - deals/passes - rental options

Hi everyone, wondering if you could share your experiences with buying passes, snowboards and getting good deals on local mountains. For the past 2 years i've bought the Adult Lessons Program at Cypress Mountain and this year I missed their Oct 31st deadline for the discounted ticket.

I'm looking for resources for - cheaper rentals, or places to buy a snowboard+boots. I'm also looking for tips on where to get good deals on passes/lift-tickets. I heard that there maybe a year long pass for Grouse that'll be available in January?