Gear
Last updated: 2015
There is something very cynical or nihilist with the majority of corporate outdoor athletes/influencers in current climate/economic crisis posting instagram photos with their suitcases open showing all their brand new multi thousands dollars plastic gear well organize before a flight to far away location to find snow. Or in advertising for cars, private jet trip to Antartica, heli trips …. Not to mention the dull spirit. A bit insensitive/deaftone . The greenwashing is fierce : they are essentially advertising for plastic , representing the oil industry whilst waving the POW (protect our winter ) flag to gain more followers to sell more plastic (oil) . Not to mention POW is sponsored by north face _VF corporation financing the loudest right wing voice against anything environmental: Mitt Romney.
Regardless here is mine
For camera I’ve been using the canon 5d. i am pretty happy with how sturdy it is. The body went thru rain, snow,dust getting tossed around and a 300 meter fall thru cliffs and snow without being completely broken. the lens broke on the fall but not the body…impressive. I don’t have money for maintenance and stuff so everything is now about 3 years old and works great.
I dont think “pros” or “sponsored” folks are the best people to listen to when it comes to gear. They get paid by their respective sponsors to say good things. They are super trained and really good, they could ski, climb, run half naked with 1980’s gear. They get 4 different outfit-new gear-4 pair of skis every season…ah. I think magazines should ask skibums to test the gear… 😉
I am a ski bum;)
I can’t spent money on gear. The price range of any pieces of gear is outrageous (more than a month salary for a pair of pants) especially skiing in a place like cham which is chewing on new gear every season. I like durable stuff , if possible LOCAL and fair-trade. Also, i am not at a pro level nor am I super trained (work night shift) SO i will sweat a lot, i will crampon my pants, i need my skis to be easy to turn in every situation, i need everything to be light, solid, cheap, easy to use, forgiving. AND i will use my stuff for years and years…Luckily the ski community is very generous and i have a few nice profriends or industry people allowing me to get pieces of gear cheap/free-new or second/third hand -free . this is a list of what I use/used and very happy with, i update it whenever i get something which i think is good. . If i didn’t have hook-ups, i would buy everything queshua, the best brand i could afford. their stuff might not always be as light, as durable, made locally or fair trade,or as well designed but the price is right and the quality pretty good .
Post scriptum: if i didn’t like something -its not in there. i don’t want to bitch on anyone 😉
By fair trade i mean you know that all the workers involved in the making process are pretty happy: descent salary, lodging, healthcare, kids go to school. basic stuff that should be granted for every workers everywhere. Plum and cilao, vertical attitude , idris ski are good examples.
. RANT- [
I think all brands should give the customer the option of buying good or bad(toxic) : The ski industry is biting its own tail: Global warming is a fact we experience everyday skiing. The Lack of snow is not a fiction. the ski industry enhance the global warming effect, the economical crisis and pollution with producing gear in far away location using slaves and toxics + massive transportation logistic requiring always more oil and other fossil fuel. Then a few pro riders go to the white house asking to protect their winter??? Instead they should consider going to their respective sponsors asking to re-localize and refrain from using oil based and toxic products, this would also be good politically and socially (more job-more money-more skiers). That will never happen. Instead the CEO of the big outdoor brand come ski the valley blanche and when they go up the steps taking you back up from the glacier to the montenvers train they are too exhausted , can’t see the sign indicating the level of the glacier 5 years ago and complain about the french not being able to build the gondola all the way down to the glacier…AH! idiotics.
I am part of the problem (not the solution) I enjoy cheap gore tex, chopper ride, and fun trips. I often feel guilty but we are not given much choices to maybe try to make it better.
I know this sound very simplistic but we do have a problem when a CEO makes 23 millions $ a year, the bottom worker(slave) makes 10$ a month and That jacket (also made of oil with toxic chemicals waste thrown in the ocean/river which Will get around,…) still cost a month salary for the average westerners middle class potential skier…it doesn’t make any sens. Very expensive socially, more unemployment, less potential skiers and an ecological disaster.
Localizing is key in the global economy today not to mention the earth. To shift global business and give strenght to the people and the real economy, not to the financial and fantasy economy.
TO Buy Local IS voting for a better future and opposing the status quo imposed by the global corporations. When you buy local you are Opposing slavery, , pollution, wars. Everything we buy is a vote, everytime we buy something we are agreeing with every aspect in the making of that product. We are responsible.
if you look at a 600 $ jacket and it is made in slave world. It is toxic. Ask yourself is It worth that much?
It’s not going to be me revoutionizing any new tech for lower emissions or sustainable energy. But I can be mindful of my own impact and do what I can to reduce it when possible and make smart decisions. Lots of damns, drilling projects and wars are unnecessary. But as a consumer I don’t know where I am allowed to stand. When I fill up my car and plug in my computer, or buy toxics clothes, I don’t feel like I am part of the solution. Everyone’s some part of the status quo. But that absolutely does not mean we forfeit our agency to change the situation. ]
a good photo gallery exposing the result of our dirty industries and toxic trash sent in china because it is cheap and far…”the age of stupid.”
End of rant.
Cedric Bernardini 
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