I should probably mount my bindings and trim my skins and modify my outerwear in the garage.
Itll make you love skiing even more.
Ilovemessing around with my ski gear.
Theres something really rewarding about adjusting and tweaking and modifying your gear to be perfect.
Sure, getting a new setup mounted and fit at a shop is the safe move.
But sometimes that feels a little too sanitized.
Thats what makes those gloves yours.
No $200 glove comes with that.
If you fuck up, well, theres ways to fix that.
Theyre just skis after all.
We go fast in trees, we jump off cliffs, chairlifts are scary for crying out loud.
Spending a few hours learning how to put 16 wood screws in the right places is childs play comparatively.
Work on your gear.
Learn how it works.
If it’s been a while, take your bindings and boots in and pay for a release test.
Then get out and ski.
Cutting skins is a group activity in my house.
Sure, we could pay somebody at a shop to trim our skins, but why?
I want to be more connected to skiing, not less.
Thats fine, no judgment at all.
But even if money was no object, I just wouldnt find it satisfying.
Ritual is an important part of my connection to skiing.
Some things, like forging ice axes, should be left to the pros.
Install those booster straps on your new boots.
Swap out the buckles for your favorite kind and duct tape the seam.
Sno-Seal your gloves and add your own wrist straps.
Build a beacon anchor into your favorite ski pants.
Mount your own skis.
Trim your own skins.
Put stickers on your helmet.
Go ham with paint pens.
Put tape on your adjustable poles to make them quicker to adjust to the perfect length for you.
Add daisy chains to your favorite pack.
If youre on this website, chances are that skiing is something you use to anchor your self-perception.
Great, thats cool!
Thats how humans work!
Working on your ski gear isnt some dark art that only licensed professionals should attempt.
And it pays off in spades with an increased appreciation for the tools we use to enjoy snowy mountains.
