New shoes for me.
I’ve been in the same old Nordica AT boots for 25+ yrs. & although they have been fine for the majority of backcountry skiing I do, they are awfully soft & worn.
Prior to this I was in leather tele boots.
Over the past decade I have tried a few other true AT boots, Garmont & Technica/Lowa but even with modifications they didn’t work for me. I got the new Langes in anticipation of being shut out on lift service & forced into the backcountry when conditions are less than stellar. I figure they will be a little more powerful for the crud & crust I will encounter. Also, with a walk mode & grippy sole I can more easily hike some of the terrain that I previously accessed by Tram or Cat that may not be available this year.
I also just purchased my first set of tech bindings which these boots will accommodate, now what skis to mount them on
I for one am not looking forward to the anticipated increase in new backcountry users this season. I have had a number of inquiries from friends and acquaintances asking about skis, bindings, boots & skins but avalanche gear, etiquette & safety don’t come up till I mention it.
Personally, I have never been a huge fan of wintertime backcountry powder skiing & much prefer the ease of lift served, somewhat mitigated terrain. Maybe my tolerance for risk has lessened with age but it seems like the more I know the more scared I get & really enjoy the nice weather & stressless stable snow of springtime.