Assess Your Gear Needs Early

Heat. It’s been on our minds, elevating the core temps. Today’s high in Bend is 94°. Tomorrow 99°. But it’s a dry heat. 

I did have a few hints of optimism this week. The days are getting shorter. Waking between 4a and 5a each morning, I noticed for the first time on Wednesday, weeks after the summer solstice, the Sun rising just a bit later. The birds, who I swear detect the Sun’s first photon to zip over the horizon each morning—around 4:05-ish—sing just a little later, too.

Hell or high water, winter comes. It’s just that right now, with all this heat, there’s a lot of hell around. This, too, shall pass.

I also know winter comes by spying less celestial and earthly seasonal indicators in my newsfeed and inbox. Behold, sneak peeks, and 2025 ski previews. I’ll admit, I did as the editors expected: I clicked the bait and took the peek. Depriving myself of the sneak-peek-induced Dopamine wash is so hard. 

I’m not seeking much new gear, if any. The quiver is fully formed. I’ll get one more season out of my beloved Dynafit Blacklights as my 1kg slipper. Yet, I’ll be hitting a ski shop not near me in the fall to survey the full spectrum of 2+ buckle boots. My definition of a near-perfect 2+ to 4 buckle touring boot remains elusive. I don’t need any peek or preview to know that Tecnica, Atomic, Dynafit, and Fischer (am I missing any?) have my attention.

As the rush and ephemeral satisfaction of the bait clicking wanes, I check myself. Which means I reread Dan Kennedy’s masterpiece “WE INVENT BULLSHIT WORDS TO GET YOU TO BUY ALL-NEW OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT.”