How often are you putting yourself in new equipment and also fwiw even attire?

[Captain Furious]

I'm definitely a gear junkie. I usually buy 1-2 pair of skis per year to try out. However, this year I'm sticking with what I purchased from last year b/c I love those skis (Stockli Laser AX & Stockli SR95). I did buy new ski pants this year and a new mid layer in anticipation of weight loss. Maybe inspiration? Maybe I'm reaching here... Anyway, I do tend to buy expensive gear on a whim. Boots always have me second guessing myself. Had a pair of Head B3 last year that I loved until I got "one too many" boot adjustments done. Just a little bit too aggressive on the grind and now the fit on my right foot is sloppy. So I busted out my Head 140RS from the season before and I'm putting a new liner in them. Hoping that the Zip Fit Grand Prix will be the ticket to nirvana. Keeping fingers crossed!

By the way, the new ski pants were purchased due to the GREAT deal (66% off) that I got. PLUS they fit great. That's always a bonus Gotta look good on the slopes. And besides, my son told me my all blue outfit last year made me look like a blueberry

Bill

 

[RSTuthill]

This is my 17th year on my Goode poles (8602's) and I have a pair of carbon Swix GS bend poles and a pair of Scott speed bend aluminum poles both more than a dozen years old. I have a quiver of: 215x44m Atomic DH's, 205x33m Dynastar SG's, 198x22m Atomic GS's, 180x17m beer league cheater GS's, 177x 17mx93mm w early rise Atomic crud/slush/powder skis, 165x12m Elan SLX SL's and a couple of X-C race skis. All of them are more than a dozen years old and I have them ground only as needed, otherwise hand sharpened when needed. Always well waxed on my bench, usually with LF waxes. Edges are now the life limiting item. I get boots every 3 years or so but my Head Raptor 140 RS's are so good I will probably keep them a lot longer and simply get Zipfit liners. On my third helmet in 13 years. I add to my goggle collection every 3 years or so. I have a pair of Lenz heated socks which have never seemed to work but are great and I use high end race mittens with knuckle protection. Oh, hip and spline protection. Bought them for age group speed events but wear them all the time ... because I have it and might as well use it. Warm and comfortable. I no longer race as you might have guessed.

 

[slowrider]

I usually buy 2 or 3 pairs of skis a year. Boots every 3 years. Today I skied 192cm Praxis & 172cm Head chips. I like adjusting to different skis.

 

[FlyingAce]

I am such a shopaholic I buy based on “want” instead of “need”, but I can always justify a purchase to my husband I have only been skiing for 9 years. First pair of skis lasted 3 seasons, replaced with a 3-ski-quiver when I got better and those lasted 4 seasons.
Then I started going crazy last year after demo day at my mountain. Tried the Kastle MX89 and fell in love after 1 run. Purchased a pair the next day. A month later, my husband found a pair of MX Limited for my birthday. Then I took a race clinic and demo the Stockli laser ax, fell in love and purchased a pair too. I swear I don’t need any new skis this year...but I kinda wanted something in the mid-90s and somehow ended up with the Kastle FX96w...followed by an impulse purchase of the MX84. I have 2 other pairs that’s on my “want” list but I ran out of seasonal locker space and had to rent a 2nd locker. I am at capacity now so I really have to stop. I do ski all of them so at least they are not just sitting around!

 

[BClipped]

This thread reminded me I need new pants.

Best line I’ve read in all of Pugski. Especially good if read through a UK lense @DoryBreaux

 

[Tricia]

Obermeyer Charger in XLT.

Obermeyer is one of the brands that does a good job of building many models in both tall and short lengths. Kudos to them for doing that.

 

[Eleeski]

I do love my old Goodes. So much that I've replaced them twice now. And I have a backup pair ready to mount when I need to. Sometimes old stuff rocks so much you have to buy more.

I do chase new technology as well. Some of it ends up as part of the first string quiver - but not all. The evaluation process is part of the fun. Skis are cheap - compared to other things.

This thread reminded me I need new pants.

I just got new pants! Needed warmer ones.

Being a gear junkie - worth it!

Eric

 

[Tricia]

I am such a shopaholic I buy based on “want” instead of “need”, but I can always justify a purchase to my husband I have only been skiing for 9 years. First pair of skis lasted 3 seasons, replaced with a 3-ski-quiver when I got better and those lasted 4 seasons.
Then I started going crazy last year after demo day at my mountain. Tried the Kastle MX89 and fell in love after 1 run. Purchased a pair the next day. A month later, my husband found a pair of MX Limited for my birthday. Then I took a race clinic and demo the Stockli laser ax, fell in love and purchased a pair too. I swear I don’t need any new skis this year...but I kinda wanted something in the mid-90s and somehow ended up with the Kastle FX96w...followed by an impulse purchase of the MX84. I have 2 other pairs that’s on my “want” list but I ran out of seasonal locker space and had to rent a 2nd locker. I am at capacity now so I really have to stop. I do ski all of them so at least they are not just sitting around!

This is why we can be friends!

Can I say... Mic Drop, Beyotch!!

 

[ARL67]

I am a chronic ski dater.
Though I did propose marriage to a set of Laser SX after dating some other SX on a couple occasions. I plan to keep her around a long time so I opened my wallet and bought a brand new set, with the intention to provide me many years of wedded bliss. I do not have an exclusive relationship with any other skis in my quiver , so anything else is fair game to come and go when the whim strikes.

When it comes to ski attire, I usually buy very good clothing / brands ( all heavily on sale ) and keep them for many years.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I am a chronic ski dater as well. I've been skiing for 7-8 years and I've had a lot of fun over the years buying and selling and figuring out what I liked/didn't like. I've slowed down a bit lately as the more I find a ski that I like well I tend to keep it longer. I usually swap out a couple pairs of skis a season. I have several pairs of skis that I'm well into the second season with them. I rarely buy skis new and usually buy 1-2 year old demo skis.

Boots I replace every 3 seasons or so.
Helmet I replace every 5 years or so.

Soft goods I buy the good stuff at swaps or just sales and tend to keep that stuff for years.

 

[Marker]

Obermeyer is one of the brands that does a good job of building many models in both tall and short lengths. Kudos to them for doing that.

I just wish they had more exciting color combos in the tall sizes...

 

[brian avery]

Man, you guys are all way better at this than me. I buy stuff on a whim too often.

This off-season, I've bought a new jacket (used) after having bought a new one for last season. I also bought another pair of skis I don't need, because I like them and want to compare against the other ones I have. And I bought two new pairs of gloves, because I'm still looking for one as good as my old FTP ones.

My "On a whim" is out of hand. Need to get under control!

 

[Winks]

Is gear collector a thing?

I usually get one or two boots every season, new skis every month, goggles...well lets not go there. I have used the same pair of poles forever. Outwear is a bit different, I don't replace that unless I have too, but probably every two seasons or so. Probably need to replace my helmet with some others laying around but I like it too much.

 

[Andy Mink]

I went from "we are kind of embarrassed to be seen with you" clothing to 3 or 4 jackets/coats and 5 or 6 pants. Mind you, I do most my soft good shopping at STP or Costco so on the cheap(er) end of things. They may still be embarrassed to be seen with me but at least the gear is from this century. Two pair of boots in 3 years as I got back into skiing and realized what fit better.

 

[SSSdave]

Never a status symbol materialist consumer, no plan ever on periodic gear replacement, inconsistent buys over decades, already ski at high level for fun so not interested in improving skill via gear purchases, not wealthy so frugal, keep gear until it is non-functional and like duct tape. Currently using 2011, 2012, 2014 skis, 2012 boots, 2015 parka, 2018 pants, 2012 poles, 2013 helmet, 2013 goggles. Skiing nearly 5 decades so also have pile of old gear I gradually junk. Clothing keeps me warm and looks ok so may last until skiing is no longer a choice with my aging body. Have been considering an all mountain 90mm-ish ski and bump ski edges are thinning but motivation to actually buy something is low.

After reading subsequent member postings, an update to my above October post #23 on page 2 relating some actual current thought processes and reasons during buys. In this era I rarely buy anything more than say $20 at a whim but rather first thoroughly research whatever on the web.

At Christmas without expecting to, bought 2020 Santa Ana 88 midfats that have now skied enough that they are solidly my new primary ski in a 4 ski quiver. It had been a hole in my quiver keeping me away from all mountain terrain. My old Twister bump skis will remain my choice on days with cold packed powder snow that I choose to ski moguls all day though on most days will probably be skiing more moguls with the SA's because they are more versatile and fun in a wider range of snow conditions especially on groomers. Can't imagine a better soft powder ski than my 2012 S7's so that slot will be solid till I'm too old. My beautiful banana colored, extra short Scott The Ski boards have a dual use as a light use ski for shallow powder conditions because they sink deeper into powder allowing better lower speed control in steeper terrain while their lightness allows for easy skinning in the bc. However just bought some Fischer Profoil skins that have fitted to the SA's that are going to be better in a range of bc conditions, especially spring corn and will float more in deeper powder.

With the season now well along into January, am recalling issues with my clothing I need to remedy. On one stormy day felt my Columbia pants soaking up wetness atop lift seats. A seam in the seat had begun unraveling a few inches. Buy new pants..Heck No. Instead grabbed a tube of E6000 goopy glue and has been fine since. Out of 4 pairs for different light conditions, my expensive 2013 Smith 30% VLT rose goggles foam was tearing loose. Applied some duct tape but looking at the lens shows enough small scratches that I will be looking for a replacement. And somehow lost my also expensive Smith Ignitor 50% VLT lens goggles when they apparently popped out of my Forester door in a parking lot so need a low light lens replacement now. After reading the really long Booster Strap thread, decided that made logical sense, so recently bought an intermediate set so my RS110 SC's now have 2 strap sets to snug each boot top even tighter that seems to now work well. I have 2 sets of old worn gloves and one set of expedition grade mittens. Both gloves are no longer waterproof so have been pushing my hands into new products at ski shops that will likely be my next purchase this winter.

 

[Mike75]

I think bigger guys like myself (220 lbs), tend to wear out their gear faster than those of you who are svelter. I also try and buy at the end of the season to grab some deals (lots of time scouring Steep and Cheap). I'm willing to pay more for high quality gear, but I try not to pay full price.

Skis - 80 to 100 days. I've got about 40 days on my Bonafides and they are starting to lose their pop.
Boots - 120-150 days. My current boots are about 100 days in and the stock liners were replaced with intuitions last season, one of the buckles is bent and the shell is taking on that aged plastic patina. The idea of keeping my boots for 200 or 300 days seems unrealistic.
Jacket and pants - 5 years or so. Once they are done they rotate into home use as rain/snow gear.
Layers - These seem to last forever. I'm a big fan of Helly Hansen baselayers and they wear like iron. Same for my Arcteryx Atom jacket and vest midlayers.
Gloves - 2 or 3 seasons I buy Kincos or the Flylow knock offs, 2 or 3 pairs at a time, and rotate them during the season. When it gets cold, I throw in a pair of hand warmers. I've bought expensive Hestra Helis in the past and they aren't much warmer than the Kincos.
Goggles - I just replace the lenses at this point. Frames seem to last for quite a while.
Helmet - every 5 years.

 

[PNWRod]

REI Gear Tape and Beer! Nothing else matters.

 

[RSTuthill]

Just an observation. Many race skis have wood cores, and wood core skis do not lose pop over time. Bases wear and edges get too thin, but if you have a quiver of primarily older race skis they should last you a long long time. OTOH, there is always that urge to try something new ....

 

[KingGrump]

Just an observation. Many race skis have wood cores, and wood core skis do not lose pop over time.

I'll call BS on that.

 

[EricG]

I am a chronic ski dater as well.

your ski collection are more akin to tinder action on Friday night....