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Skiing equipment purchases that you regret/have regretted

dbostedo

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Free The Powder gloves with removable liners. I take my gloves on and off fairly frequently, and just can't do that easily with the removeable liners. They're were used a couple times - I even tried using velcro to hold them in place, but that's annoying and only sort-of works too.

I love my FTP gloves with fixed liners, and would buy more of their standard model with fixed liners if I could. (I used to have 2 pair, but have lost one.) But they don't make that model with fixed liners anymore.
 

Jim McDonald

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A pair of Dolomite boots that were almost knee-high: the concept was more leverage; the reality was I didn't.
 

ScottB

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The first two pair of ski boots I bought and paid for myself. The first pair were Nordica's and way too big and too soft. Only lasted a few years with a lot of foot pain from moving around in the boot. The second pair were Langes (on a friends recommendation) and much better boots. I bought a size too big, at least I got closer to the right size this time. Luckily they were stolen after one season and I replaced them with the correct size Langes and have been happy ever since.
 
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SpikeDog

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Regret buying Moment Deathwish powder skis in 2016. I tried two styles of bindings on them, but they always felt vague and sloppy underfoot. Their weird mustache rocker put a bulge right where the skis would go into my car ski rack clamps. Like the OP mentioned, I can ski powder with a <100mm ski just fine.
 

Philpug

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Atomic HV6 RS. It was either a neutered SL or a nervous GS, it couldn't make up it's mind, either way it was a bad ski.

Garmont Ultralite II. The only flex was the compression of the foam in the tongue

Lightning Skis. They broke/snapped on literally the first run
 

Paul Lutes

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Not so sure regret is productive/appropriate if you learn something valuable from your so-called mistake.
Now, if you're making the same mistake over and over again i.e. NOT learning, well ....... you get what you deserve
 

tch

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The first two pair of ski boots I bought and paid for myself. The first pair were Nordica's and way too big and too soft. Only lasted a few years with a lot of foot pain from moving around in the boot.
Yeah...I'd definitely agree that my first couple of boots were mistakes. The first were the worst. Bought them from some big box store with no assistance whatsoever; they were "comfortable" like a pair of well-loved slippers. One of the first times I fell, my foot actually came out of the boot.
 

Seldomski

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Regret: Anon goggles with swappable lenses. Total and complete garbage. The lenses were extremely fragile and marred to beyond useless in one ski trip. Also not a fan of swapping lenses and dealing with all the extra hassle of multiple options. I found them to be too much work for me - I'd rather have a goggle that is mediocre in all conditions with a single lens I don't worry about.

Not a fan of free the powder gloves with removable liners. I didn't like the fit or bulk of a pair I ordered. Great customer service though - they took them back no problem. Great company, just didn't like their product.

Most other gear I have is a compromise of sorts - the pieces have strengths and weaknesses. So sometimes I 'regret' a particular piece, but it's because I am using it at or beyond the limit of its intended use. For example, my strafe ski pants are breathable but not waterproof, so in some conditions, they are pretty bad (ie when it is warm and snowing they get drenched).
 

jt10000

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Not so sure regret is productive/appropriate if you learn something valuable from your so-called mistake.
This is a good point. My first boots (after rentals) were a good fit (from a good bootfitter) but a little on the comfort side. Worked well for a couple seasons, but I'm moving on even though the boots have a lot of life in them. That's OK.
 

bbbradley

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Epic Pass last year. Lesson learned: Vail resorts has a very skilled team of legal experts that know how to say everything you want to hear to reassure you, then change terms after the fact and deny responsibility. :)
 

Bad Bob

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Hanson Experimental back in the day. What a torture trap, there should be laws!
I was dumb enough to ski Hanson's for 2 seasons; shame on me.
 

Uncle-A

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I regret purchasing a pair of:
1. Burt bindings, way too heavy
2. K2 710's not the foam core model
3. Salomon 727's with out the metal heels
That's all for now may be more later.
 

pchewn

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These San Marco "Super Pro" ski boots. In 1974 or 1975 . I bought them at Gart Brothers in Denver at the "Sniagrab" ski sale (Bargains spelled backwards). All of those fancy forward lean and cant adjustment mechanisms were bent or destroyed after 1/2 a season.

San-Marco-1975.jpg
San-Marco-green.jpg
 
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Pacobillie

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So OP, I think we can see a certain pattern or agenda emerging re the threads you start, what powder skis exactly have you bought that you have regretted and what conditions and places have you used them in before you had those categoric regrets?
Blizzard Gunsmoke. They are perfecly fine as pure powder skis, but as soon as things turn to cut-up powder or crud, which is about 30 minutes after the first skier reaches the top of the lift in the morning, I prefer by BMX 98. I have had the Gunsmokes for 9 years and have skied them only otwice for a full day (both times, in spring conditions). On all other occasions where ther was substantial overnight precipitation (up to 18 inches), I changed back to the BMX 98 well before noon. On my most recent trips out west ( Winter Park, Snowbird/Alta, Panorama/Fernie) I have not even bothered to take them with me. AFAIAC, the BMX 98 can handle everything out west.
 

Ken_R

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I only regret selling my Moment Deathwish. I have liked all the skis I have purchased. I did somewhat regret buying frame bindings. They served their purpose, to teach me that pin bindings are so much better for touring hehe.

The first 2 pairs of boots I purchased were also a mistake. The first ones were very cheap, very warm which was awesome, but very soft and too big. The second pair was still too large but not warm, it was the right stiffness though. :(
 
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4ster

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ETA:Also my 19-20 full Ikon pass that I only got to use 6 days at the JHMR gathering.
I only got a few hours on mine...
...on a Green WROD! but who could’ve known :huh:.

My first pair of stiff (not soft leather) boots were a pair of foam injected Humanic’s. The foam turned hard as a rock & probably did permanent damage to my feet but my skiing reached a new level. Then some Dynafit 3F’s that probably set my skiing back a level & damaged my feet a little more.
Besides a couple pair of Nordicas, l have probably owned 30 pairs of Langes & they have always been great.
A pair of Garmont & a Pair of Technical/Lowa AT boots that didn’t work out.

The only skis I’ve owned (& I’ve owned a lot!) that I didn’t luv where probably some Fischer RC4’s just before the Vacuums began & a pair Dynastar Course Ti GS cheaters. Didn’t hate them but didn’t love them either. Don’t get me wrong I loved the whole Vacuum series of Fischer skis and owned plenty of other Dynastars that I loved!
I think every other skis that I have had has always been the best ski I have ever owned till I find the next pair ogwink!
 

BMC

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O2 telemark bindings, replacing Rainey Super Loops. I wish I still had the Super Loops.

Head Rev Pro 85. Sorry Head. I kept it 4-5 years - coinciding with the first 4-5 years of my daughter’s life as I skied less. But I never got into them. Not terrible. But in that class there were many better skis.

Salomon Mtn Lab skis for powder. They‘ve got great width and they're pretty good for deep days. But they’re a cambered ski with limited to and tail rise. A ski with tip and tail rocker, and tip taper, would be better.

White ski pants. What was I thinking? They were gore-tex, if that counts for anything.
 

ski otter 2

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The first, original orange, too tall, Lange plastic race boots. Ugh. Almost stopped me from skiing further. Made any skis feel like toothpicks at the end of my feet. Just a felony on snow.

Most recently, Rossi RD 19X, limited edition pro Super 7 skis. Supposed to be stiffer and better than the Super 7 HDs in crud. Not so much. Also required too much speed to ski right, and nervous, proactive, dancy - very active - feet. One and done, with that ski, unfortunately. And it was a choice for me between that and the current Nordica 115 Pro/Free ski, also a limited edition at first, a very good, stable charger, easy going to be carving anywhere, and in most any powder/crud.
 

MikeHunt

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What have you all done with wrong purchases? Put up with them for a few years til the equipment has worn down or just sell them at a loss or just give them away?

Hard to write off bad purchases with ski equipment as most items are in the hundreds to thousands of dollars.

But then again, injuries with bad equipment can last a lifetime and cost more than a few thousand in the long run. Some injuries are probably immeasurable in dollar value.
 

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