Skiing and snowboarding are full of expensive pieces of equipment, from small tools to high-cost gear. We recently posed the question “what’s a piece of ski or snowboard equipment that you really don’t need?” to our Facebook followers, and we got hundreds of responses. Some of them are a bit more humorous, some more serious. Some of them we agree with, some of them are a bit more controversial. Here’s a breakdown of those responses.
The Top 5 Pieces of Equipment You Don’t Need According to Our Followers
- Snowboard Leashes: Topping the list, snowboard leashes (also called tethers) were called out by several commenters as relics of a bygone era. With modern bindings keeping boards securely attached, leashes are seen by many as unnecessary clutter.
- Ski Poles: This one is certainly controversial in the ski world, with a majority of skiers believing that ski poles are a good piece of equipment to keep with them. For some park skiers, however, poles wind up getting left on the side of the trail more often than not.
- Helmets: The helmet response is one I heavily disagree with. Wearing a helmet, even if you’re confident on the slopes, can protect you from a serious injury, and it really isn’t that much of a hinderance to wear one.
- Bluetooth Speakers: Backpack speakers, jacket speakers, whatever it is. There’s little that pisses off everyone else on the mountain quite like blasting your tunes for the whole world to hear, especially when headphones exist.
- Lift Tickets: With backcountry skiing and snowboarding growing in popularity, many people are choosing to forgo the lift pass entirely. If you enjoy earning your turns and would rather save money/avoid lift lines, what’s the point in getting a season pass or lift ticket?
Honorable Mentions
- GoPros/Selfie Sticks: Most people don’t need to be filming every run with a GoPro on their head or at the end of their pole.
- Pole Straps: For some people, pole straps are vital to their day. For others, pole straps can be more trouble that they’re worth. In some terrain, especially in avalanche terrain, it’s heavily recommended to keep the pole straps off completely.
Skiers vs. Snowboarders
Two of the heavier responses not mentioned in the top five, as they aren’t quite as serious as the others, were skis and snowboarders. Surprise, the skier versus snowboarder beef lives on. Snowboarders don’t think skis are a necessary piece of equipment, while skiers don’t think snowboards are a necessary piece of equipment. The debate will likely never end.
