Exclusivity in Skiwear: A High Price for Steeze

By Libby Scaperotta

Outdoor sports, by their creation, are inherently exclusive, elitist, and white. 

Skiing especially comes with a hefty price tag. These costly prerequisites to make a “skiier” excludes those that might not blend in with the uber-rich crowd, due to their lack of expensive jackets or the most recent goggle technology. But this doesn’t mean that they can’t shred. 

Many do still enjoy skiing and the ski community despite their lack of costly fashion, yet typically not without some judgement. 

Growing up as the youngest child in a ski town, I lived off of hand-me-downs. I consistently wore my older brother’s or neighbors’ old jackets, pants, goggles––you name it. Oftentimes this meant that my outfits were somewhat ill-fitting, out-of-style, and simply meant for a boy. I vividly remember the first derogatory remark I received about my ski gear at fourteen years old: “Huh, with that jacket, I guessed that you wouldn’t really be able to ski.” At this point, I’d skied nearly every day that I could for about ten years, I just didn’t own a “nice” jacket. Although this jacket wasn’t new or expensive, it was warm, waterproof, and held my pass just fine. 

In outdoor fashion, oftentimes people correlate a higher price tag with a higher skill level. Some might prematurely judge or poke fun at someone if their jacket is a little dorky or if their snow pants don’t color-coordinate with their boots. Yet, more expensive equipment or better-known brands do not always equate to better-performing gear or suggest that one has more experience. 

Commonly, people perceive those with more expensive gear to be more experienced due to their “investment in the sport.” Arguably, someone who skis often will pay more to have a “better” jacket. Several skiers put it this way: “If I see someone with well-used nice gear, I’ll assume that they can actually ski.” Yet, this only accounts for those that can afford the “nice gear.” Some admit that there are plenty of good skiers out there with older gear that does not hinder them; yet, at a first impression, many would not assume their expertise from their outfit.

Investing money into ski fashion can be a fun hobby, but typically one that is only accessible to those with higher disposable incomes. Outdoor sports fashion is full of exciting trends, but they do not have to be exclusive. Skiwear doesn’t have to be expensive or brand-new. Second-hand or lightly used gear is a more sustainable alternative to buying a new jacket every season. The stigma surrounding second-hand gear is simply unproductive in the sport’s overall goal of sharing the stoke.

A pretentious view about outdoor sports fashion only perpetuates inaccessibility to outdoor recreation, and creates a derogatory stereotype against sustainable fashion. Anyone who wants to ski should be able to ski judgement-free. No matter what brand their jacket is.