Why it’s a Good Idea to Buy the Newest Gear
blyjak / iStock / thinkstock.com
It’s not just about showing off when you always have the newest and best gear, though that’s part of the fun. It simply makes a lot of sense.
Technology Helps Me Ski
As my body falls apart, my equipment makes up the difference; at least that’s the hope. In downhill skiing Rockers and Fatties are all the rage. No, I’m not talking about my ski partners and me, I’m talking skis. First the shaped skis came out and I bought them; that seemed to help. Then fat skis came out and I was able to ski much better. Then I heard about rocker skis that will really lift you up on top of the powder with their curved up tips and tails. Now I am not only a fat, shaped, rocker, but I ski on them as well.
Clothing Matters
At one time, we wore wool for warmth and cotton to stay cool. Now we have Gore-Tex, polyester, carbon fibers and so many other highly developed materials it’s hard to keep up and harder still to ever get too hot or too cold again. I now have shirts that wick away my sweat, ski jackets that fight off the wind and pants that unzip into shorts; what an amazing world we live in. I have Under Armour to thank for freeing me from those one-piece red, cotton suits of long underwear with the poop-flap in back. I also wish to thank Obermeyer, North Face, and every other ski clothing company for saving the world from my old neon blue, one-piece ski suit. Not that I could fit in it anymore anyway.
First Impressions Matter
For years I struggled with the game of golf while using a mis-matched set of used clubs. I still struggle with the game but I now do it with a shiny new set of clubs. The irons lift the ball right up in the air, the woods sail the ball over every fairway and the putter is exacting in its trajectory. At least, that’s what their ads say. In reality I still suck, but I do it in style. No longer do I get the eye-rolls and the sighs of dread when I pull up to the first tee when stuck playing with strangers. That still comes after my first shot, but at least I arrive in style.
Bigger is Better
I went to play racquetball recently after a long hiatus and brought my state-of-the-art, top-dollar racquet along. Well, it was state-of-the-art, top dollar about twenty five years ago. Now the racquets everyone uses are about twice the size and in that game, size matters. It’s pretty bad when you see your equipment mounted on the wall behind the counter, displayed as antique art. Everything is bigger these days from tires on bikes to skis and from racquetball racquets to golf drivers. I don’t know if that’s because we’re bigger—I know I am—or if the old adage is correct, but the price tags sure follow that trend as well.
Performance vs Beauty
Hey, if I’m not going to be good, I may as well look good. There is a certain satisfaction that comes from showing off. If I can’t dazzle you with my expert mogul skills on this run, I will look awesome in the lift line. Sure you and your kids, okay your grandma too, may have passed me on the bike trail, but that new Trek Mountain bike looks awesome hanging in my garage. Yeah, my gut is hanging out as I am huffing and puffing on that hiking trail but it is encased in sweat-wicking Under Armour and wrapped in a wind resistant Gore-Tex windbreaker and supported with the newest technology in advanced hiking boots.
Get the Gear
The newest gear should make you perform better; not all advances are made just to move product, most really do help you improve. When I’m done schussing down mountains and hacking my way around the golf course, I expect I’ll have the newest, fastest, shiniest wheelchair in the home.
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