Instead of a healthy retirement portfolio, my husband and I have gear. In the back of our minds, the plan must be we'll die of exhaustion before we can succumb to retirement.

We have gear for all seasons, several sports, and varying conditions. But it's the winter sports that really eat up space and finances. Our ski quiver would be truly impressive if it weren't for the fact it really does represents a huge chunk of what should be in retirement accounts. But once past intermediate skiing, you learn quickly that different skis work better in different conditions and are oh-so-much more fun. And isn't fun now much more important the saving money for when we're too old to have Epic Fun?

Since we play in three disciplines, cross country, telemark, and alpine, and in widely varying conditions (hard pack, ice, slush, rain, sub-zero and this year Ullr, the Norse God of Skiing, has even wrought upon us heaps and heaps of powder) we "need" and use it all and then some. (Yes, there's still a list of Wants.)

In deference to our dwindling retirement accounts, this is the year we decided to put our second home, which is in a ski area, into a vacation rental program. Our cabin has served as our winter gear annex. But we needed to reduce the number of personal effects, so we had to make decisions about what to schlep back to house #1 home and what we could leave. It made sense to to bring home the alpine gear which we can use at nearby resorts and leave the real mountain gear back in the mountains. Makes sense, right? Sense to everyone but Murphy.

Murphy's Winter Law has been decreed: You will never have the gear you need, when you need it, or where you need it. We are now looking down the barrel of our second two-foot snowstorm of the season...at our flat land house. And not a snow toy to be had. Deep snow boots? Other house. Gaiters? Other house. Cross country skis? Other house. Snowshoes? Other house. The upside to renting our vacation home is that we ski other places now, but the logistics of that, courtesy of Murphy, seem insurmountable. Since Murphy passed this new law, it never fails that some key equipment is missing. No matter how many times we check the snow reports and forecasts and plan for contingencies, pack and repack, we just can't seem to get it right. My favorite gloves will be stuffed in the pocket of a coat I didn't bring. We'll bring the groomer skis and find beautiful bumps begging for the short skis. My personal favorite is the ice melting off the lift soaking through every layer...on the first two runs of the day.

I was spoiled by not having to suffer the discomforts of day-trippers. Yet one thing this Murphy character can never spoil for me is that any day playing in the snow, no matter the conditions, is far better than anything that can be had under a roof. So bring it, Murphy. You can't wipe the smile off my face, especially when it's frozen by snot.

Cross country skiing can still be done on the cheap and provides unparalleled enjoyment for millions of folks every year. Most people opt to stay with skinny skis and leather boots. The options are many: You got your ultra-lights, skate skis, race skis, carbon poles, and special gear enough to make you blush and broke. I entered the free-heeled world from alpine skiing. I like my heavy boots, that feeling of being locked and loaded, of carving tight turns and skiing glades. I also love solitude. While I could find plenty of adrenalin downhilling, untouched powder and quiet were hard to find.

Skiing regularly with an expert telemark skier, I was convinced it was time to make a break for the backcountry. A confident and very competent skier on alpine equipment, I was eager to strut my stuff on the wimpy slopes at the neighboring Nordic venue.

I opted for Karhu 10th Mountain Division backcountry skis over the skinny skis and had some burly Hammerhead binding slapped on. I paid about $200 for some high end Alpina backcountry leather boots. Going up wasn't too bad. I was grooving. The skis and boots were weightless. Granted, they felt a little flimsy. Ok, a LOT flimsy. As we switchbacked up on a green trail, I knew this was a sport for me. So quiet. Beautiful, pristine wilderness and not a lift line or a snowboarder in sight. This is IT.

Two sweaty hours later, I slid none too gracefully onto the summit of Bald Knob. I was now ready to cash in on some turns I had earned. "This," I thought, "is where the fun begins."

Not so much. Leaning forward in my flimsy boots with a free heel brought about predictable results. Superman I.

I gathered myself and my dignity up and adjusted. I leaned back and promptly fell flat on my tail.

For the next hour and a half, I weebled and wobbled all the way down. On greens. Groomed greens. No fresh pow for me. I couldn't even stay in a set track. I reverted to snow plowing and prayer. And I kept falling. The real workout for me was in getting up 20 or 30 times.

Wait a minute. I ski expert slopes. Bumps. Trees. Steeps. And I can't do this???

Let us bow our heads for a moment of silence in remembrance of my hyper-inflated ego. I made it back physically uninjured, snow covered and exhausted. I struggled to free myself from the tele-bindings. Even that's harder. After several moments of self-pity and self-flagellation, I traded my Aplina boots for some Garmont Excursion, hard plastic boots.

And I went out again the next day. The beefier boots gave me a modicum of control and much more importantly, confidence. The next weekend I took my stuff over to the downhill resort and started again. And again and again. I took telemark pointers from my husband. And I fell some more. After a few weeks I managed to ski a two-mile green without falling, linking wobbly telemark turns the entire way down. I wasn't finding adrenalin, but I was punching my tickets for freedom. What I gave up in adrenalin was more than replaced by finding endorphins and satisfaction.

This year, we passed on buying season passes at the alpine resort and saved several hundred dollars with season passes as a Nordic ski area which actually offers more vertical than the neighboring downhill venues. This is the year that Ullr, the Norse God of Skiing, has blessed us with epic powder. I am now skiing back country powder clumsily and haltingly, but I'm doing it. And every successful tele turn is as sweet as clover honey. I am now rewarded with both adrenalin and endorphins. I still strap on my alpine gear for some flawless runs at lift-serviced resorts, but there's nothing sweeter than earning a turn. Nothing.

So the Beginning of another season and I can only dream it's gonna be a good winter. The weather so far has been somewhat normal,I wish it was a lot colder and the snow guns were firing away everywhere. With that said lets move on to the subject at hand. The Boston Ski and Snowboard Expo at the baside Expo Center. I will be attending this Saturday Nov. 21st. It runs from Nov 19th to the 22nd.

I went last year and grabbed a bunch of discount and free lift passes, not to mention I won a free trip to the berkshires. It is not just for northeast resorts either, there were canadian resorts there, Tahoe region, and Colorado. I brought my 2 and 4 year olds and they had a great time. I cannot say enough good things about the Expo. All I can say is if you are a serious Skier or Rider you needto get there for at least one day. You'll save alot of money in the long run and have a blast while your there.

SO if your in the Boston area this weekend and want to see the hottest new gear, grab some killer gear discounts and possibly lots of free stuff, stop in. You won't regret it.

See you on the slopes folks Bryan

Lets face it: adventure sports ain't cheap. The free market has even found a way to make hiking expensive. Gear for everything from skiing to climbing demands large chunks of paycheck and stores such as EMS and REI don't help, unless there are store-closing sales. Enter Backcountry.com .

A few years ago, a friend introduced Backcountry's steepandcheap.com , which features one gear deal at a time. The site lists a single skiing, climbing, hiking, etc. product at a massive reduction in price until the item sells out. Then, a new deal is listed. This means several deals daily and a massively distracted work force hungry for a steal. The site has even added a widget that alerts users to each deal as it launches and web browser toolbars nationwide are littered with buttons for the backcountry family of sites for quick access.

Next up was whiskeymilitia.com , the punk younger brother of steepandcheap that caters more to the snowboard-surf-skate crowd and also offers streetwear deals. After scoring a few deals from these sites, one becomes hopelessly addicted and finds themselves buying gear that they don't even really need. I still haven't gotten into rock climbing yet, but that pair of Five Ten shoes from a steepandcheap session two years are great surprisingly great for bowling.

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President's Day is a day many of us look back in history at the great accomplishments and contributions of those who came before us. What became quite evident over this past President's Day holiday weekend is that many skiers chose to expand on the tradition of looking back by raiding gear archives. The last 30 years of skiing history was on display. Skis and boots that have been lying unused and untouched for sometimes decades were pressed into service for this observation.

As a relative newcomer to the sport, the weekend past gave me a glimpse into the not-too-distant past where skis were straight, boots were oddly angled wedges, and bindings were today's equivalent of a paperclip.

Listen: I'm all for being frugal and for reducing waste. (Ok, in truth, I'm probably not just frugal, I can be downright cheap.) When I travel, I shop around for the best rates. But I won't rent a 25 yr. old car that's been sitting unused in a garage and lacks anti-lock brakes and air bags. I won't stay in a motel with a methamphetamine lab next door. That kind of regional flavor I can do without. The few bucks I might save are quickly paid in misery, discomfort, and risk.

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I'm not sure which was worse: Rusty's decision to try their hand in the snowboarding business or my decision to try my hand at Rusty's new bindings. Less than two days and two mid-sized kickers later, and the Rusty bindings were toast. And so was my ankle. Whoops-a-daisy. After the binding frames exploded like a grapefruit in a microwave, I was left with a sprained ankle and more than half a day left on my lift ticket. Not exactly what I look for in a binding.

That was ten years ago. Since then I've returned a pair of Airwalk bindings and pawned off a pair of Burnt bindings (the sales lady said they "love them in Austria" and I was 17) on eBay. These failures have led to a commitment problem when it comes to bindings. But it was my fault: I was too determined to own "something different (and find a deal)," and I finally bought some Burton Freestyles. While relatively inexpensive and no-frills, the Freestyles and I made happy memories for several years until parting ways this winter. There was someone else. After Christmas, I finally gave in to the daily barrage of emails from backcountry.com and bought something from on of their never-ending sales: the Burton Cartels. The colors were hot and I jumped at Winterfresh.

To the right of the Freestyles, the Customs, and the Missions and to the left of the Triads, the CO2s, and the C60s, Burton's Cartels are mid-range price wise. And part of why I pulled the trigger on them is that I was able to get a low-range price on them ($109). So I screwed 'em on, and here's what I found:

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My mate could find a pea under 30 mattresses so you can imagine finding good boot fit is a challenge.

He had a pair of Langs. He would grit his teeth so hard getting into them, I thought the molars were going to explode. He was cranky for the first chair, but after two GS turns, 'Cinderella' was all smiles. Family buddy also has Langs. He also wants to cry when putting them on but he's more stubborn and is going to make them work for him... or lose a toe, whichever comes first.

Me, I have realized that if I clinch my toes into little mini fists, I can take up the extra space in my boots. It never starts out like that. The day starts with very snug boots but after two steep runs... and I'm boot slamming.

I have learned the following Boot Laws.

Number 1. Find a good boot fitter. The rest are just nice to have, but that boot fitter is going to make a huge difference!

On a 10 degree January day, you will be very happy to have boot heaters or at least some duct tape to cover up where the snow melts into your boot.

Custom insoles. If you're a runner or you have noticed your feet burn. Tell the boot fitter. He/She can make a big difference.

Your ankle in your buckled boot should be really snug as in not being able to move. I'm afraid I learned that from 'Cinderella' when he saw that I could almost twist out of my boot. I figured locking my ankle made it better but it would explain why my feet get a little tired.

You should be able to flex your boot. In the toasty warm Ski Shop, you should be able to really move those things. Once on the cold hill, that movement is going to be sharply limited.

I'm going to get new boots but first I'm going to pull them apart and see what bracing can be added. I suspect it might be as fascinating as wax combinations for the skis or boards. And 'Cinderella'? He got a pair of Dalbellos. Family friend? Still fighting the Langs. Me? I'm going to hunt down a pair of boots that can handle a crazy high arch.

Armed with duct tape, as long as I get out there and play, I'm not proud.

I recently discovered the beauty and wonders of a proform. What's a proform? Well, when you work at a ski/snowboard shop, work for a snowboard company, or become a professional snowboarder, you may get the chance to find out.

First off, you receive a card number and a password for logging onto the proform of the brand that you received a card for. In my case, it was Burton. So, I logged on, not knowing what I would find around the corner. Honestly, I was blown away by the prices and options that they offer there. Not only did they have shop series that are exclusive and hard to find anywhere else, they also had AWESOME prices. And when I say awesome, I mean more than %50 off of the retail price. I took this screenshot of the website on December 29th and you can see just how great their prices are.

A $699.95 2009 Feelgood ES sells here for only $324.80 and a $399.95 2009 Blender sells for a mere $185.60--you can't even find prices like these for used boards.

Keep in mind that these are not defective or used or scratched boards; they are brand new, off the shelf boards for a fraction of the retail cost. It is Burton's way of saying "thank you" to their friends, employees, and supporters.

Not only does the proform website have snowboards, they also have boots, bindings, outerwear, baselayers, and gear such as helmets, board and boot bags, and backpacks. Anything you need, you can get there. For example, I had been eyeing a pair of AK Women's Guide Gloves for a while but the price of $109.95 was way too steep. The proform offers the gloves for only $44 and ships them to your house for super cheap, too.

But the proform is not just about getting cheaper gear; receiving access to a proform is a professional honor that allows you to promote a brand, try out new equipment, and feel a little bit more special inside. Yet, it also comes with a level of trust from the sponsoring company. The company extends trust that you will not to sell your card, get discounts for friends, or buy items and resell them for a profit.

Being endowed with a proform card requires that you uphold your integrity. Sure, I could have bought a Feelgood ES and sold it on eBay or something for like a $300 profit, but the person who bought that board from me could have put that money into the industry by supporting a local snowboard shop instead. Ones integrity should be priceless and anyone who has a proform or who may get one in the future should keep this in mind, especially during this economic crisis when small shops are struggling to keep their heads above water.

If you don't have a proform card, this article has probably made you really want one. If you do have a proform card, perhaps this article has allowed you to truly appreciate it and to understand the burden that it comes with. Although it may sometimes feel like one, I think integrity should not be seen as a burden, but instead an opportunity to show yourself who you really are.

So, go out there and work for your local ski/snowboard shop, ski resort, or snowboard company; it comes with great perks and a lot of opportunities!

As a skier for many years, I was skeptical when ski buddies insisted that I try the "new" shape skis a few years back...In fact the same guy that talked me into buying "nothing shorter than 210's' was the same guy berating me for not skiing on 160cm parabolics!

Fortunately I have a good friend who owns a ski shop who also wanted me to give my knees a break and try the new shape skis. He was even willing to let me try out several different models and lengths at his ski shop at the mountain! I could hardly refuse a day of demo skiing just for me and free! My good friend also happens to be a former Austrian Olympic skier so I couldn't have been in better hands. I asked him about the comments that I had heard re having to "learn to ski all over again with the shapes". His comment was " just trow(sp)yourself down the mountain " which I did.

After a couple of runs I realized what he meant. They were much easier on the legs than regular skis. After a couple of fun runs I settled on a pair of Fischer RX6 165cm. I skied the same way I always ski with no problems. Also: I was able to ski twice as long as I normally do without a break !!

I ended up buying the Fischers.

Here's the best part. I had gone through the hassle of putting my ski racks on my car roof–-knowing that I probably would buy a new pair. (My Rossignol 4S's were really beat.) My friend opened my trunk and easily put the new skis inside! No more frozen fingers at 5:30 in the morning!! No more salt in the bindings. No more ski covers or junk on the roof!

Is that great or what!!

-from your "Well-Seasoned" Skier

I hate being cold. I don't mean the usual "I don't like it and prefer to be warm" kind of hate. I mean I hate being cold. I know, not the best thing for an individual who likes to spend a lot of time outdoors, but there it is. I have learned to ignore it, turn it off, focus through it, mentally disregard it, and even use it as a tool, but I hate it just the same. So with that in mind, I am always on the lookout for warm, functional socks and gloves.

For skiing, I don't really have a good pair of ski socks. My wife gave me a pair last year, but they are so thin that they don't get the job done by themselves at 0° Fahrenheit. I end up wearing a second pair of wool socks over them, and my shins, calves, and the soles of me feet are screaming at me by the end of the day. If you have recommendations you'd like me to try, send them to me and I would be happy to try them out and let you know what I think (pretty smooth how I worked that in there, no?).

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