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Poll Will the current economy impact your ski days in the 2022/23 season?

How will the current economy and inflation impact your ski days next season?

  • No change. I'll cut back other things more.

    Votes: 59 41.8%
  • Some change, maybe stay closer to home but still traveling some.

    Votes: 32 22.7%
  • Big change, I'll have to take it easier if the economy doesn't recover.

    Votes: 8 5.7%
  • I'm gonna ski even more!

    Votes: 24 17.0%
  • Flawed poll as usual..

    Votes: 18 12.8%

  • Total voters
    141

Philpug

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Frankly, our gear storage room is above the garage… where he never goes… and I work from home, whereas he does not… so I’m not sure he would notice a new purchase if I were to buy some new sticks without informing him.
These ole things? I couldn't tell you how long I have had them..... have you been working out?
 

ilovepugs

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These ole things? I couldn't tell you how long I have had them..... have you been working out?

Frankly, the skis-for-guns thing is a self-regulating measure, to make me pause before I go wild with spending - he’s the biggest enabler there is. At his encouragement, I just bought another (another!) jacket after saying I would only buy just this one new shell for the season.

So much for being mindful about spending in this economy. Jacket was only $68 though and I get good use out of all of my gear, especially for someone who works full time in a paper pushing job.
 

cantunamunch

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And THAT is why many of the car talk threads on this site are inherently political. The "I want/need/desire/deserve this bigger/faster/stronger toy" do not sit well with the future of the ski industry 25/50/100 years hence.

They aren't the only evil (and neither are EVs the panacea given their draw on precious metals and energy) and no-ones a saint.

Kinda my point - I would have expected to see a bit of a Great Migration Back East by now.
 

fatbob

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Kinda my point - I would have expected to see a bit of a Great Migration Back East by now.
Nah - can't you just steal/outbid your neighbours for water and resources? Wealth is right. The story of the Eastern Sierra and the Inland Empire writ large. Anything else would be un American?
 

James

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Nah - can't you just steal/outbid your neighbours for water and resources? Wealth is right. The story of the Eastern Sierra and the Inland Empire writ large. Anything else would be un American?
Yep. Expect it to be backed by SCOTUS, which backed the enormous business of slavery too.
 

snwbrdr

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No, that's why I'm in a ski club. You tend to save money on lodging and transportation (if flying)
 

Tricia

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Tricia

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My hubs and I have a deal - I buy skis or a snowboard, he gets to buy a gun or major gun component. Although I don’t expect my ski days to change, I am trying to be more mindful of gear purchases for this season.
You definitely have to come visit us!
 

Quandary

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The market crash has significantly eroded my savings. It was mostly in equities, with the rest in bonds that also tanked. Worse, almost half was in one particular growth fund, with poor management that just sat back and watched it fall, I now realize. That will impact my plans this coming winter.

Had I known:doh:, I would have pulled out of the market last December.

 

Rudi Riet

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The "explanation", which many here didn't want to admit, is the ski demographic is pretty well off.

So not impacted by recession, period.

Yet there are quite a few of us who are not well off and will be altering our behavior accordingly.

I'm one of them.

As I've often said: if I wasn't working in the industry I likely wouldn't be able to afford to ski at all. The sport is pricing itself out of existence, to be blunt - at least in North America it is. The cost of entry is a high barrier, and once you're into the sport the maintenance costs are high.

The altered behavior for me will likely include:

- Fewer big trips outside of coaching duties
- No new skis (other than coaching skis which fall into different pricing strata) for at least another 2-3 seasons
- No new boots (and I desperately need a new set of boots but even at pro rate they're out of my price range)
- Using the same shells, pants, parkas, etc. for another year (which is good practice, anyway)

Let's face it: even though I'm in the industry the sponsors aren't there. Many brands are cutting back, and they want influencers who are in ski country. It is what it is and I accept that.

I think the long and short of it all boils down to the want vs. need equation. We all want new skis, boots, or ski clothes. We all want to go on those awesome trips to Utah, Colorado, British Columbia, the Alps, Dolomites, or some far-off heli ski paradise. And everyone would love to be able to do this with the full assortment of unrestricted season passes.

But tough financial times will distill this down to what we need to participate in the sport. And really that means having a good basic ski equipment setup and access to a mountain by any means possible. That may mean earning all your turns (easily done in areas with real winters and some topography). It may mean taking a seasonal job at your local ski area to get a discounted or free pass. And it may mean sitting out a season to save up for the future.

So please remember that there are many skiers in the world (and some who are "lifers" on this site) who are facing some tough decisions for this coming season and possibly for many seasons to come. A recession will affect them and, in turn, will probably affect quite a bit of the crew here.

Just my $0.02. YMMV.
 

surfsnowgirl

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I don't think it's right to assume most of us are well off. I am not. I work at one mountain for a season pass and work at another for all the perks. We share lunches, mostly bring our own, mostly bring our own adult beverages. I rarely go into the lodge to buy anything and if I do it's using my discount. I buy all my skis used, get them tuned at my mountain where I get discounts. I'm an instructor so I get free ski training so don't have to pay for lessons. I volunteer for events in exchange for lift tickets. We tailgate every spring bringing our own food and drink, rarely going into the lodge. Just because my lifestyle isn't changing doesn't mean I'm rich. These are things I've been doing for years.
 

zircon

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It's true that skiers on average are quite well off—many on this forum included—but there is also a substantial group who skimp and save elsewhere to maintain their skiing lifestyle because it is a sport they're dedicated to. I'm definitely not in the well off category (will likely never make close to 6 figures or own a home). My income source is, however, largely recession-independent. Kids need to learn math and science whether or not the economy is going well.

I'm about to patch some cuts on my clearance rack jacket that's been going strong for a few years. Bought one pair of new skis ever. Fly on credit card rewards or not at all. Lived the sad peanut butter sandwich life the whole time. Maybe next time I travel to ski I'll buy a cheap toaster for my hotel room for a luxury upgraded sandwich experience. It'll work out, but it requires careful planning and committing to no travel the rest of the year.
 

Tricia

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Yet there are quite a few of us who are not well off and will be altering our behavior accordingly.

I'm one of them.

As I've often said: if I wasn't working in the industry I likely wouldn't be able to afford to ski at all. The sport is pricing itself out of existence, to be blunt - at least in North America it is. The cost of entry is a high barrier, and once you're into the sport the maintenance costs are high.
Same with us.
If we didn't do what we do, we couldn't afford to do what we do.
 

Pat AKA mustski

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I suspect most of us cut back on spending to be able to afford to ski as much as we do. Bob and I VERY rarely buy food (or adult beverages) at a ski resort. The exception is when we go on a ski vacation. Then we enjoy the splurge. The other exception is when we have guests who are on a ski vacation and we join in with them.
 

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