I often see people who buy new snowboards when their old skis/snowboard still works perfectly fine. Stop wasting your money!
Here are 4 reasons you should keep using your current gear.
1) Your new snowboard isn’t the reason you’re improving
This is the most common reason and it’s usually completely untrue. You get better from experience and the reason you feel like your new snowboard is better, is because you’re slowly learning to control your snowboard better.
Very rarely is any improvement due to your new gear.
2) Newer model doesn’t mean better performance
Just because a company says they put a ton of new technology into this years model, doesn’t mean it’s actually better. To this day, the best snowboard I’ve ever had is still the K2 Jibpan from 2-3 years ago, before they added hybrid camber.
If you gave me a choice, I’d buy 50 K2 Jibpans from 3 years ago and ride them until every single one breaks.
3) You need time to get used to your equipment
Everytime you change your skis/snowboard, you have to get used to the slightly different way that it rides on the snow. Stop confusing your body when you don’t need new gear!
New equipment means everything handles a tiny bit differently. Personally, I hate that period where I feel like a beginner again and everything I do feels ‘off’.
Why force your body to adjust when you don’t need to?
4) Your money is better spent on lessons
If you really want to improve, go get some lessons or coaching. That will actually help you improve, and you’ll learn how to control your current equipment better.
Final Thoughts
The main reason to buy new gear is if your riding style has changed and your current gear isn’t suited towards it.
For example – If you’ve realized you love powder, but you have an really flexible park snowboard, then this might be a time you want to get new equipment.
And obviously, if your gear breaks, go buy new gear, but don’t waste your money for no reason.
Gear isn’t what makes a good rider good.