Did You Get New Ski & Snowboard Gear for this Year?

The downside of the bad economy right now is that lots of people are cutting back on what they buy for new ski and snowboard equipment this year, especially if they have lost or are worried about losing their jobs. The upside is, lots of crazy deals are to be had right now, especially with all the upcoming holiday sales, not to mention the usual blowouts of last year's gear. Combine that with tons of online coupon deals, special sales and giveaways (one example: Outdoor Diva's RIDE FREE! giveaway Buy ANY Burton snowboard, and get a free Lift Ticket.), there's definitely a ton of ways to get the gear without going broke. And all girls want a good deal, right?

You can always go with the "Green" theme, and buy gently used ski clothing and equipment off eBay or Craigslist. Even better, host a ski / snowboard clothing and winter gear swap party for all of your girlfriends! Add some wine and cocktails, pop in a ski movie, and go to town trying on each others' ski clothes. At least they'll be new-to-you!

So far, I've only gotten myself a new pair of black Patagonia ski pants, but I got a crazy deal on them in the outlet store. I'd love to get a form-fitting hardshell from Arcteryx, Cloudveil or Mountain Hardwear (actually found an awesome windstopper softshell Mountain Hardwear in sale and clearance items at REI.comat the end of season last year) - just to round out the skiing wardrobe. Sierra Trading Post and Overstock.com are also great places to find the best brands / last year's leftovers cheap.

Still want to pick up some new cross country skate skis, but I'm also eyeing the Rossignol S7's as a new powder ski setup. All set on snowboard gear, as I took over the barely used Burton Custom my husband had as my powder board.

What gear and clothing are you looking for this ski / snowboard season?