Is Buying New Gear Better than Using Old Gear Until It Falls Apart?

Our gear editor goes up against her dad in this month’s debate: Is it better to buy new outdoor gear, or is it better to use old gear until it doesn’t work any longer?

Your Trustiest Stuff Deserves Loyalty

By Hugh Klein, former junior ski team parent

When it comes to gear, there’s a saying that will always resonate: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Even better: “If it is broke, fix it yourself!” Why not duct-tape your ski gloves once they sustain a few tears? If nothing else, mine are more waterproof now. If you have a ski with anything short of a blown-out edge, it’s amazing what a good base grind and edge sharpening can do. When I freeheel away from lift-served terrain, I’m still using my ancient telemark gear: 20-year-old K2 World Pistes. They’re wet noodles on hardpack but work fine in backcountry snow.

You can save a ton of money rescuing old gear from local shops. And someone please tell me why my poles need to match. As long as they’re about the same weight, who cares? The last time I snapped a pole, I went to the closest ski shop, fished one out of the trash, cut it to size with a hacksaw, and kept that $100 in my pocket. Hand-me-downs for your kids are a no-brainer, too. Younger siblings will be stoked to have their older sibs’ stuff, especially if you con them into it. “Kelly, remember how fast Charlie was in this speed suit?”

Everyone knows how dorky brand-new kit looks—and how cool the worn-in stuff makes you. I love breaking out my leather Merrell tele boots with the white plastic shell around the ankles. And while keeping that weathered ski jacket yet another year puts you out of fashion, the planet will thank you. There’s a pretty cool dude named Yvon Chouinard who’ll tell you the same thing.

I’ll Take Safety and Comfort, Thank You Very Much

By Kelly Klein, Outside associate gear editor

First things first: I’m not a proponent of new crap for the sake of new crap. I’ve written on the merits of used outdoor gear, and hitting thrift shops is one of my favorite leisure activities. But there comes a time when using the same old gear is a safety hazard that could be detrimental to my time outdoors.

Take touring bindings. My dad is a really good tele skier, and he uses that gear—much of it made in the previous century—to ski with me in the backcountry. I have no beef with tele skiing, but because he refuses to spring for a touring setup, he does not have the option to ski with his heels locked down the way I can with my hybrid Shifts. The latter offer better versatility and control, and I believe I’m a safer skier for it. And those duct-taped gloves? They look pretty badass, I will admit, but my Hestras keep my fingers much warmer.

I’ll readily concede that my dad looks cooler than me in his vintage gear, regardless of what shape it’s in. (Though, if you’d asked me who came out ahead when I was a teenager on the free-ride team, you would’ve gotten a very different answer.) And no, I don’t think you need to buy new stuff every season—that’s just wasteful. But if old gear is going to hold me back or jeopardize my safety, that’s not a trade-off I’m willing to make. And while we’re at it, Dad: I didn’t hear any complaints when you unwrapped those sweet Smith sunglasses last Christmas.