Does Anyone Really Need A Ski Quiver? - Ski Rex Says...

Ah yes, another question posed by Ski Rex Media that some would be shocked by. How could one even ask such a question? Well, I'll answer that along with the question from the title now.

First, the reason I'm asking this question, to begin with. It's springtime and there are going to be more than a few springtime clearance sales at one's local shop and online. It's a great time to buy ski and snowboard gear. But, while there are those out there taking advantage of these sales for different reasons, should one take such advantage of the sales that they have a full quiver of skis or snowboards?

The answer to whether one should have a quiver or not, like most questions tackled here at Ski Rex Media, is an easy one. While there are some that do need a selection of skis or snowboards at the ready, others just want a ton of skis or boards and don't really need them. That's where I'm going to turn a short answer into a long one, which is just my style, anyway.

The Difference Between "Need" & "Want"

One of the big issues in society today is the misuse of words. Either someone isn't aware of the definition of a word and uses that word incorrectly, which does happen to almost everyone and is okay, or a person attempts to manipulate the definition of a word for whatever reason they are doing so, which is not okay.

With that said, I think we all know the difference between "need" and "want". By those simple definitions, only certain people need a quiver of skis or snowboards, which would be based on how that person chooses to enjoy the sport.

For example, if a person just rides groomers during the winter and that's it, then they really only need one pair of skis or a specific snowboard to accommodate that kind of riding. However, if that same person can regularly get out to deep powder spots, then another pair of skis designed for powder riding would make for a good addition. Of course, it goes on from there if one is also an uphiller, a park rider, a cross-country fan, or a professional, and so on and so forth. The more one is able to do, then the more different types of skis or snowboards they might need.

As for me, a New England skier that stays inbounds and hasn't gotten into the uphill scene as of yet, the pair of all-mountain skis that I have is more than enough. They more than fit that riding style but are also suitable for a New England powder day or if I were to feel squirrely enough to take a tree run. As I said, an all-mountain ski.

Now, I do have a second pair. A pair of skiboards that I have talked about here on Ski Rex Media. I do love skiboards, but I do not need them. There was a time in my life that I wanted a pair of my own, I had the money for them, so I bought them. They aren't bad as an all-mountain alternative to the other pair that I have, but as the other pair are all-mountain, I really didn't need the skiboards.

So, that the difference between needing a specific pair of skis or snowboard. Pretty easy, right? But, let's go to the next step in answering the title question.

By the way, I have been trying to work on a more minimalist lifestyle, skis included. So, unless I really need a pair for something specific, I won't bring them into the house.

What Kind & How Many Pairs Does One Need?

That's an easy one to answer and I'm really only throwing it in here as filler. The amount and type of skis or snowboards a person needs should be based on how that person enjoys skiing or riding. It's really that simple. There's no need to own park skis if one doesn't ride park. There's no need to have an uphill or touring setup if a person isn't into that sort of thing. Just be honest about the type of riding that you want to do and get that setup that fits that style.

So, We Know What We Need, But What About What We Want?

Again, this one is up to each and every individual out there. I can't tell you what you want. Only you can tell you what you want.

Let's say a person is in their local ski shop, maybe picking up their skis or board after having some tuning done. While waiting for the nice clerk to run to the back to get their skis, the person doing the pick-up is wandering the sales floor, kind of browsing while they are waiting. That person then sees a pair of skis in a shade of purple that they just can't resist. They also have a credit card with a decent limit. So, as the clerk returns with the original pair of skis, the pick-up person just tells them to throw the purple skis, with bindings to match, on the invoice.

Yes, impulse buying is one of the truest forms of "want". It's also totally fine, as long as a person spends within their limits. One should never let a sport bankrupt them.

There are also the collectors out there that never give up a pair of old skis, even after a new pair has been purchased to replace the old pair. That person may even bust out the old pair for old-times sake every once in a while.

In any case, if you want a pair of skis or another snowboard just because you want it, then go for it. Again, watch that bank account and don't overextend yourself, but go ahead and have some fun with an impulse buy, or even a planned buy that fits more under "want" than "need".

We Get It, The Difference Between "Want" & "Need", But What Else?

That's right, there's more. Yes, I do know that just about everyone who will read this knows the difference between wanting and needing something. I also have no issue with anyone shopping for "want" vs. shopping for "need".

The issue that I have is when the idea of needing a quiver of any size is presented as something that real skiers and riders need. That's right, Kids...Tim from Ski Rex Media is talking about the haters and try-hards that push the idea of a "real" skier or rider on folks, which is something that I do not agree with, do not support, and I don't hide that fact, at all.

I think that when sports like skiing and snowboarding, both fairly expensive, are presented in a way that it makes people think they need a ton of gear to actually participate, that it's bad for the sport and the industry as a whole. Being bad for the entire industry might be a little dramatic, but I think it applies here.

The fact is that snowsports are not all that popular. They seem popular to those of us that participate in them because we see the long lift lines and here the stories of overflowing parking lots and things of the like. But, from the outside, not nearly as many people participate in snowsports as they do in other sports. With that said, we don't need those that already participate in snowsports driving others away from them.

Never let someone tell you what you want and only let someone tell you what you need if they are actually trying to help. Someone who is trying to help you will tell you to buy what you need based on how you'd like to participate, your budget, your carrying options for travel, and how you might have to store your skis and snowboards. All of these are factors for what a person might need and nothing more. Anything beyond that is what a person wants and that's up to how each person wants to handle it.

In closing, I really hoped that this article made sense. In the end, I'm just trying to help people enjoy snowsports and show them that it's not all about how much money one spends and that one should never be told that they need more than they actually do. I guess it could also be me just projecting my own dislike of the try-hard/hater world into something that we already know. But, I still do only want to help and push the idea of there being no right way to do it.

Well, except for technique. There are right and wrong techniques, but that's something you discuss with a ski instructor. Beyond that, you do it how you like and let the others do it how they like. Right? Right.

Top Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay