Replacing Gear (Helmets, Ski Boots), etc.

[surfsnowgirl]

Saw this checking out other gear...

https://www.levelninesports.com/atomic-nomad-lf-helmet-2084

Thank you. That's my helmet..... I love that thing. I don't think I have to have a black one to teach in. However, I have huge cranium and need a L, waaaaaaaaaaaah

 

[firebanex]

Helmet: About every 3 years, I don't like to chance anything related to my personal safety.
Boots: Had a pair of Langes for like 5 or 6 years before I cracked them above the ankle.. since then I've had a different pair of boots each year as I tried to dial in a fit since I don't exactly have access to a bootfitter. I've found the boot, Lange XT 130, now and will stick with it until it either breaks or wears out.
Softgoods: Coats, jackets, gloves, layers ect.. they are replaced when I start putting significant damage onto them or I find a superior replacement, maybe 2-3 years of use usually. Goggles are replaced at the same interval of my helmet, every 3ish years.
Skis: 2 seasons and they are sold at a ski swap, I like having current gear and shopping for new skis, also I can definitely feel a ski wearing out after about 2 seasons of skiing. Bindings go with the skis, I don't save them to mount on a new pair of skis.
Poles: Someday when I break my 15 year old Goode carbon poles I'll replace them with another pair.

 

[Wasatchman]

Helmets: As you mention replace after a fall/impact. Otherwise 3-5 years but I think 3 years is a bit conservative. My rule is to replace when I notice a fit issue or there has been a significant tech upgrade....or the new helmet has features i want etc. (brim/venting/shape/etc.) Probably 5-6 years ish.

Boots: I used to HATE getting new boots...the whole ordeal....however as a consumer I've really noticed big improvements in boot tech making it way easier to get a more customized fit - performance without the agony! (better lasts/shells/thermo-moldable plastics/custom liner options etc. So it definitely makes it easier to replace my boots sooner rather than later. A lot will depend on how many days you have on them....how custom a fit/performance you need...how sensitive to cold....how much your feet change...and how much your liners pack out...how hard you are on your gear.

Most times for me it's a liner packing out/fit issue and rather than getting a new liner it's just as easy (now!) to get new boots. Usually the tech will have improved and/or will be lighter/stronger have improved features etc. I think the 200 day mark give or take 50 days is a good estimate. I love the glove-like custom fit of my boots (no cramped toes, no heel lift, instant response to ski) - all the performance and no discomfort...once it becomes too difficult to maintain that fit/love...I'll replace em.

Amen on just getting a new boot when the liner packs out. Learned the heard way recently. Got a new intuition liner cooked for Lange XT's after the liners packed out and I and just couldn't get it to work for whatever reason even after trying some adjustments with a different boot fitter.

Finally decided it was easier to just buy a brand new Lange and be done with it. The other experience I have is when you find a brand that has a shell that is a good match with your foot, stick with it. The difference in fit between different brands on my feet are remarkable. There a number of brands out there that I think I wouldn't get to fit quite right even with all the tweaking in the world.

 

[Primoz]

Personally I don't really buy that "you have to change helmet every 3 years". I mean materials that helmets are made of (skiing or cycling, as it's more or less same stuff and same suggested lifetime) last way longer, if they are exposed to sun 24/7. Helmets are nowhere near such exposure. But I understand manufacturers need to sell stuff, so they push this. But nevertheless, I still change my helmet every 4 or 5 years (again, both ski and bike). I don't want to be wrong with what I wrote above, and someone will say one day, well if he would change helmet, he would still be ok. So I rather change it, as I think my head is worth more then few bucks that helmets cost.
For boots, skis and stuff it's every year for me. Most of skis I have, need to go back to factory on the end of season, so like it or not, I get new ones somewhere in middle of summer, or in worse case, sometimes in middle of the season While skis would actually survive two seasons with me, before edges would be filled too thin, boots are normally pretty beaten up on the end of season, both liners and also shell. Changing boots is a bit more annoying, but considering I know where I need to punch them out and grind them, it's few evenings work and they are done, so not all that much of hassle either.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Amen on just getting a new boot when the liner packs out. Learned the heard way recently. Got a new intuition liner cooked for Lange XT's after the liners packed out and I and just couldn't get it to work for whatever reason even after trying some adjustments with a different boot fitter.

Finally decided it was easier to just buy a brand new Lange and be done with it. The other experience I have is when you find a brand that has a shell that is a good match with your foot, stick with it. The difference in fit between different brands on my feet are remarkable. There a number of brands out there that I think I wouldn't get to fit quite right even with all the tweaking in the world.

I'm pretty sure my fitter is in the camp of replacing my boots when my liners pack out.

 

[luliski]

My fitter, who also sold me my boots, talked about just replacing the liners when they pack out. My boots are LV, so I hope I can get a liner that fits my feet and fits in the shell. Don't really know how that works, but I'm sure my bootfitter does.

 

[Wasatchman]

My fitter, who also sold me my boots, talked about just replacing the liners when they pack out. My boots are LV, so I hope I can get a liner that fits my feet and fits in the shell. Don't really know how that works, but I'm sure my bootfitter does.

Let us know how you get on. I definitely can see the appeal of just replacing the liner, especially if you have done a lot of tweaks to your shell to get them dialed in. Some I know also swear that most stock liners aren't that great anyway, and purchase a high performance liner from the getgo. So I definitely see the appeal of the replacement liner versus new boot.

But my experience with replacement liners is a mixed bag. And recently I spent a fair bit of money on trying to get the new liner to work with two different boot fitters and just couldn't get it to work which makes me lean on just buyobu new boots going forward. That said, if I struggle getting my new shells tweaked the way I like it, I'll be singing a different tune.

Let us know how your replacement liners work out for you.

 

[luliski]

Let us know how you get on. I definitely can see the appeal of just replacing the liner, especially if you have done a lot of tweaks to your shell to get them dialed in. Some I know also swear that most stock liners aren't that great anyway, and purchase a high performance liner from the getgo. So I definitely see the appeal of the replacement liner versus new boot.

But my experience with replacement liners is a mixed bag. And recently I spent a fair bit of money on trying to get the new liner to work with two different boot fitters and just couldn't get it to work which makes me lean on just buyobu new boots going forward. That said, if I struggle getting my new shells tweaked the way I like it, I'll be singing a different tune.

Let us know how your replacement liners work out for you.

I don't yet know if that's the way it will go. I had foot surgery this past summer and my foot is shaped differently now. I did a shell fit with my boots, and that seems ok, but when I tried the liner on, I could not get it on (I wasn't too forceful because my foot is still a little sore). I had already had the toe area stretched in the stock liners. I'm going to wait until my foot heals a little more and then see my boot fitter to see if there's a replacement that will work with my boot and my foot. I'll have to get new footbeds made too.

Did you buy the liners separately and take them to the boot fitter? My fitter has liners in his shop so I'm hoping he'll be able to figure out which ones might work.

 

[Wasatchman]

I don't yet know if that's the way it will go. I had foot surgery this past summer and my foot is shaped differently now. I did a shell fit with my boots, and that seems ok, but when I tried the liner on, I could not get it on (I wasn't too forceful because my foot is still a little sore). I had already had the toe area stretched in the stock liners. I'm going to wait until my foot heals a little more and then see my boot fitter to see if there's a replacement that will work with my boot and my foot. I'll have to get new footbeds made too.

Did you buy the liners separately and take them to the boot fitter? My fitter has liners in his shop so I'm hoping he'll be able to figure out which ones might work.

I did buy the liner separately and go to the bootfitter afterwards, but the bootfitter certainly didn't express any reservations when cooking the liner for me. Boots with replacement liners feel fine when I put them on, but after 10 minutes skiing the inside instep areas of both my feet are in agony. It's a tricky area to troubleshoot and another bootfitter couldn't figure it out either. Frustrating process because I couldn't tell in the shop any problems until I'd go skiing. Finally gave up and went back to my packed out liners and then buying new boots end of season.

 

[Wasatchman]

I don't yet know if that's the way it will go. I had foot surgery this past summer and my foot is shaped differently now. I did a shell fit with my boots, and that seems ok, but when I tried the liner on, I could not get it on (I wasn't too forceful because my foot is still a little sore). I had already had the toe area stretched in the stock liners. I'm going to wait until my foot heals a little more and then see my boot fitter to see if there's a replacement that will work with my boot and my foot. I'll have to get new footbeds made too.

Did you buy the liners separately and take them to the boot fitter? My fitter has liners in his shop so I'm hoping he'll be able to figure out which ones might work.

One thing I forgot to add, and your bootfitter will know best, but with a different shaped foot post surgery, one would think it might be better to start fresh with a new shell that can also be tweaked.

Good luck, and hope your foot heals up well.

 

[luliski]

One thing I forgot to add, and your bootfitter will know best, but with a different shaped foot post surgery, one would think it might be better to start fresh with a new shell that can also be tweaked.

Good luck, and hope your foot heals up well.

Thank you. Yes, it might be better to start over. But I think it might just need a small punch on the little toe side, and the big toe side punch doesn't need to be there anymore . I'll see how everything feels when the swelling has gone down more. I'm not even sure anything needs to be replaced yet.

Regarding your instep problem: I think its' pretty common for boots to feel pretty good when you first try them and then not so good after a little skiing. I don't know if certain liners work better with certain boots or not. Maybe the way the liner fit into the shell around your instep created more pressure there? It's too bad it didn't work though.

 

[TheArchitect]

Helmet: I’d replace it every five years or less. Even the most expensive helmets are cheap compared to a concussion

Agreed. I only got 3 days of skiing last year because I got a concussion. Of course, I didn't do it skiing but slipped on ice in the parking lot at Sugarbush. Still sucked though.

 

[TheArchitect]

@surfsnowgirl

https://www.alpineaccessories.com/Atomic-Nomad-Live-Fit-titanium-helmet/productinfo/A8NHG LARGE/

 

[surfsnowgirl]

@TheArchitect THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Foot beds last a long time. My last pair held up for over 900 days. Got my money's worth.

Depends. I know a freestyle competitor (halfpipe and jumps) who breaks them regularly. He might have several pair made in a season.

When Vail Resorts began requiring helmets for all on-snow employees the replacement schedule was every other year for full-timers and every third for part-timers. Recently, the schedule changed to add a year.

 

[KingGrump]

Depends. I know a freestyle competitor (halfpipe and jumps) who breaks them regularly. He might have several pair made in a season.

It's nice to be young. I like to stay grounded. All those landings must be hell on the body. If it is strong enough to crack a foot bed on a consistent basis, think how much force must be involved.

Next, body part replacement schedule.