Board Exam: 2012/2013 Yes Pick Your Line Snowboard Review

For more info (and better pictures), just say YES

What the rep said: Directional all-mountain ripper, freeride Camrock, DCP-styled

Stats/Setup: I'm around 6'1" and 165# and rode the 159 in Salomon Dialogue Boots (size 9.5) with Union Force SL bindings.

Conditions: Mt. Baker, Hardpack, chunder, ice, generally not that rad

First impression: Gnarly graphic, pretty light dangling from the foot

The Ride: Like I said, the conditions weren't great, but when you want to test a board, you want to see how it handles the muck. The first thing i noticed was the flex. Not firm, but not too noodley either. It gets edge to edge really quickly and still butters well for a freeride board. Those pow butters you always see Travis Rice and Nicolas Müller do? This board is all over those. Thank the freeride Camrock: camber between your feet, rockered outside. I'd call it a 5/10 flex and a 5/10 dampness. It was easy to get bucked that day, but this board handled its fair share and maintained stability at speed. It also had a surprisingly lively pop. As quick as it was edge-to-edge, it also held those edges as long as you wanted with a serrated sidecut. That wavy edge with a few extra contact points keeps you locked on the line you intended instead of making that nail-on-chalkboard scratching sound so common on icy days. I didn't get a chance to ride this board in pow or on rails. Just looking at the specs it should handle the pow just fine. It has a long nose and 2mm of taper to sink the tail a little. Rails aren't exactly this boards intended audience.

Bottom Line: I'm impressed with this offering from Yes. It was my first time on any Nidecker imprint and it has me sold. I'd take this board anywhere on the mountain and shred with confidence. Maybe after a while everyone will call me by my initials just like David Carrier Porcheron.

Similar Boards: Lib Tech Travis Rice, Never Summer SL-R, Ride Berzerker

Board Exam: 2011/2012 Capita Charlie Slasher Snowboard Review

First off, I didn't demo this board. I got a good price ($240 after 40% off, late-season deal), so I bought it straight off. The difference with this board is that I rode plenty of other pow boards, so I knew what I liked and didn't like. Charlie is a good combo of the likes without most of the dislikes.

What the rep said: Take it straight from Blue.

Stats/Setup: I'm around 6'1" and 165# and I went with the 164. I generally strap Salomon Dialogue Boots (size 9.5) into Union Force SL bindings.

Conditions: Everything, but this board was made for powder. You'll have a better board for other conditions. This is a quiver board. Not to be confused with a quivering broad.

First impression: Big and gnarly. I'm so stoked it just snowed.

Uh, it's the one on the left.

The Ride: I was lucky enough to pull the trigger on the Slasher just before one of the best pow days I've ever ridden at Mt. Hood Meadows. Knee-deep and sunny in Oregon just doesn't happen. Enough about my luck.

My biggest concern about the board was that it wouldn't perform in the trees. The combo of not much sidecut and a wide waist had me even more scared than the graphics. This video calmed me down. Then I took it into the woods myself and it lived up to the hype. Why? My guess is it's taper and enough torsional looseness to steer quickly. The nose rocker also aids maneuverability in powder's 3D world.

The true test of a powder board is its float and you know Charlie is on top of that. The 6mm rocker from the front insert pack to the tip, the 20mm taper and the overall width and surface area keep the Slasher cruising like a missile. Ride enough deep pow and drop enough cliffs and you'll eventually find yourself too far over the nose. It happens to everyone. Charlie has an answer for that, too. The two, 30mm-wide carbon stringers extending forward from the waist to the tip will bring you back where you belong. I'm not sure I've fully exercised these yet, but I've definitely had the nose sunk and not tomahawked. At the same time, I'm able to center my weight to a point where my back leg isn't nearly as tired as it normally is on a deep day. All of this on a board with a real tail that has power through turns and decent pop. A tail that buries trees and skiers alike in tsunami slashes.

Negatives about this board have to do with taking it out of its element. This is not an all-mountain, do-everything board. The only time you should ride it switch is when buttering. Short-radius turns on hardpack expose that shallow sidecut and wide waist and make it feel a little sluggish.

This board is not called Charlie Side-Slipper for a reason. Open it up and crank out bigger turns and you will be rewarded. If you have to ride it on hardpack, say between your favorite stashes, point it straight and rip it hard. Bury a skier and disappear.

Bottom Line: Pow-specific board with a freestyle feel. This should not be your first board, it should be your second.

Similar Boards: If you take this another step towards all-mountain it would look like the Ride Berserker. One more step and it's the Lib Tech Lando Phoenix.

For a limited time, check Capita for the full scoop.

Gear Review: 2012 Homeschool Snowboarding Line Up 2.5L Shell Pant Review

Homeschool Snowboarding - check out these legs

First off, his is the same shell material as the With Teeth 2.5L shell jacket I reviewed a little while back, so I'm not going to repeat a bunch of that info here. Check out the first few paragraphs of that review for the goods on the fabric. Synopsis: Cocona Xcelerator technology for xtreme breathability and great water resistance in a supple fabric with a comfortable cut. No insulation, so be sure to layer up. Now, let's get to the pant specifics.

Mmm... kibbles

The first thing I noticed about these pants was that thing on the right leg. They call it the Homeschool accessory holster and you can be skeptical all you want. I was. "I'm never gonna use it and it's gonna snag a tree branch and turn my new pants into basketball-warmup-style tear-aways," I said to no one in particular. Never happened. Turns out I actually use the thing. Every time. My gloves go straight in there whenever I take them off. They're easier to get at there than in a pocket, but still secure enough that they won't fall into the urinal. 

What about the rest of the pockets? Homeschool went with one back pocket on this pant. In reality, 'zero' is the correct number. Maybe some fake pockets back there so it looks normal, but back pockets on snowboard pants are terrible. I never use them. Too much chairlift time (most shocking stat from Alpine Replay). While we're on negatives, the cargo pocket on the left leg is poorly placed. Whatever you put in it falls squarely on your knee. I never use it. Then again, I never need to. The two hip pockets are plenty.

A note on fit, the 'Homeschool Engineered Fit' is neither tight nor baggy. I clock in at a 33-inch waist and 32-inch inseam and went with the medium. It fits as advertised. The waist has an adjustable inner velcro belt to tighten things as needed. Want ball-flattering tightness or gun-smuggling sag? Size up or down, use the belt or a sewing machine. 

Other details include zippered ghetto slits with snap-adjustable boot gaiters, full seam taping, mesh-backed inseam vents and some subtle yet stylish logo hits including a lift ticket 'ring.' The jacket to pant 'interface' is of the 'loop and snap' variety, so they include extra loops below the belt loops for that. Like I said in the jacket review, good but not great.

These pants have given me zero problems this year, but at a retail price of $225, you might want assurance that they'll last a few years before you swipe that MasterCard. Unfortunately, that's something I can't give you. I've only ridden these pants about 15 days at this point. They still look like new. They still perform like new. Their longevity will play out over the coming years. For now, I can only give my recommendation. Give Homeschool a chance. Discover what real breathability feels like on a garment designed by Northwestern snowboarders.

Check back for long-term updates in the "My Gear This Year" series to see how these and other products hold up to Father Time.

Gear Review: 2012 Homeschool Snowboarding With Teeth 2.5L Shell Jacket Review

Portland, Oregon is home to a new outerwear company in Homeschool Snowboarding and they are out to refocus the game. Ultimate breathability folks, pay attention. You sweat, it condenses inside your gear, you get wet from the inside out. When it isn't even raining or snowing or maybe even wet outside at all. You're sweating, so you stay wet. Garbage bags are water-resistant, but we can do better. Enter Cocona xcelerator technology. Activated carbon from coconut fibers. You need to keep the kit in a locked briefcase. I don't understand it, they do. End of the day, hyper-breathable and  still water resistant. Now on to the real jacket.

The hood actually works OK over my XL dome-piece.

First off, the breathability listed at 30,000gm performs as advertised. I wouldn't advise playing a basketball game in Death Valley in it, but for snowboarding and related exercise (hiking to your favorite spot) it shines. On New Year's Day, I hiked out Mt. Baker's Shuksan Arm to Safety Ridge in conditions that would normally have me in just a base layer. The With Teeth jacket (vents fully open, of course) was up to the test more than my hungover head and gut were. The only thing I could compare it to is my Volcom Gore-Tex Soft Shell. It's close, but I give the edge to the Homeschool jacket. I might have to wear the Volcom again to compare. I haven't worn it all year.

Do me a favor, though, don't buy a jacket like this and wear cotton underneath. I know, not everyone has access to the full Cocona Continuum Trifecta (that's base, mid and shell layers). God knows, I wish I did. You're going to want to layer up, though. This is a shell, as in no insulation. Just be sure to get some wool or polypro. You can pick this stuff up second-hand at Goodwill or Army surplus joints anywhere. You sweat into cotton, it doesn't much matter what your shell is, you're going to be wearing your sweat far longer than is comfortable. Sorry for the rant, but cotton kills, remember?

The water resistance is rated at 10,000mm, not stratospheric by any stretch. The argument is that unless you're drinking from a fire hydrant, you don't need anything more. In fact, more would sacrifice breathability and we'd be back to that Hefty bag scenario. In my days with this jacket, I would agree. It's seen plenty of wet northwest conditions and I've never felt better. Now, water doesn't always bead right off. Sometimes it looks like it's seeping, but like I said, I've never gotten wet. This is a 2.5L jacket. Good enough for Mt. Hood this winter (more rain than snow) should be good enough for anywhere.

The company calls their fit the "Homeschool Engineered Fit." It's not tight or flattering, but it's not baggy either. Sorry ladies, no women's-specific cuts. I measure a 29 1/4" sleeve and a 38" chest and went with the large size. Partly because I like my jackets a little bigger and partly because this one doesn't have wrist gaiters and I have to run the cuff straps over the thumb to keep things dry. This takes some effective length from the sleeve.

I would still like a wrist gaiter on every jacket.

How about that hood so prominently displayed in the top picture? Homeschool calls it the Darth (wind) Hater. It's adjustable via three elastic tabs ( two side, one rear). The front zipper comes to your lower lip and the panels on the sides come to the bottom of your goggles. Ideally, all you have to worry about are your nose and lips. I rarely use hoods, but this is the best I've seen. A smear of your favorite weather proofing on nose and lip (I use Dermatone) and you're invisible to the elements.

Up until now I've been pretty positive, but it's not all powder days and sun rays in this jacket. The front zipper is a big and burly Riri Aquazip, that's great. Why then do you need an inside storm flap and a 3/4-length outside flap for it to get caught on (which it does every time)? I say get rid of the inner flap, which is usually the culprit, and keep the outer which gives you the option to throw the coat on with just a couple snaps and the central, magnetic closure.

I'd like a better powder skirt. Homeschool uses the snaps, which are good, but there must be a better fix. Just because I like my jacket a little bigger shouldn't mean my powder skirt works worse, which seems to be the case now. I hate the fact that the zippered skirt is patented, but if you put the loops for the snaps a little lower on the pant, that would be a good start.

That's it, kids. That's all for the negatives. Snaggy zipper, good-but-not-great pow skirt and no wrist gaiters. Can you live with that? Are you OK with no flashy color options? If so, you get a long list of benefits. Breathable, water resistant and still supple fabric. The best hood in the game. Well thought-out pockets including a chest media pocket, a clear pass pocket and magnetic closures on the waist pockets. A Recco reflector. Mesh-backed pit zips. Fully-taped seams and mesh lining. All with a clean cut and subtle styling. No neon outside, but the print inside shows some classy flair.

Durability is always a question in a quick review like this one. The With Teeth retails at $325. For that price, I want a jacket that will last a few years. Here it is mid-February on an off snow year. I've taken it through the trees a bit and taken some good spills in it and it hasn't shown any wear yet. Whether it holds up for years to come will be revealed in the years to come. For now I can only say that I recommend giving Homeschool Snowboarding and the With Teeth jacket a chance.

Check back later for long-range updates in the 'My Gear This Year' series as the years go by.

Gear Review: Columbia Powder Bowl Parka

Summertime is the best time to buy new snowboard gear. Everything is half price. No, you won't have next year's gear, but you can shred easy knowing that you didn't pay full retail. With that in mind, let me introduce you to a jacket that you'd have to be nuts to pay full retail for: Columbia's Powder Bowl Parka.

Shell only. Snow nerd, not included.

The Powder Bowl is one of Columbia's 3-in-1 interchange jackets. You can wear the shell by itself, you can wear the liner by itself or you can zip the liner into the shell when it's extra cold. Both layers have Columbia's proprietary Omni-Heat technology, which they proclaim will keep you 20% warmer (it takes 20% more weight from other materials to equal the heat of Omni-Heat, allegedly).

Omni-Heat closeup. Silver dots reflect body heat.

I wore this jacket all winter, but the biggest test of warmth was on day one. At one point, I was standing around in near-zero-degree wind chill. With the liner and shell, I never got uncomfortably cold. Now, when we decided to get out of the wind and go to the warmer side of the mountain, even with the vents open 20º felt like 80º. You see, the liner doesn't have vents. It's just a synthetic, puffy 'sweater.' Opening the vents on the shell does nothing. Usually I treat my vents like an extra layer. This jacket combination doesn't allow for that. Once you've zipped the liner into the shell, you're locked in the sauna until you take off the liner. I can't overstate how big a drawback this is. In any outdoor venture you start out cold and warm up as you increase your activity level. With this warmth, you eventually need to dump heat or sweat like a Bikram yoga newbie. Not being able to dump heat means not being breathable enough. This severely limits the liner's uses. Even shoveling snow would overheat you. If you're a liftie or push a snowblower you might want this jacket. Carry the liner in your pack for when things get ultra-cold, emergency style. It does pack rather small.

The shell alone kept me warm snowboarding down to about 20-25º with a wool longsleeve shirt for layering. Of course, I tend to stay relatively warm. This puts the jacket in a similar category to my other non-Omni Heat jackets. The zip-in liner jacket is about twice as warm as the shell. A removable hood and vents on that thing would put it in another league.

Insulated liner

Speaking of hoods, the one on the shell will not fit over a size XL helmet without making you feel like The Great Cornholio. Then again few do. Be warned.

The water resistance skin is another proprietary technology. The shell has Omni-Tech. Columbia doesn't rate Omni-Tech in the standard mm of water resistance and gm of breathability scale. They just guarantee that it will keep you dry. Through one season, it did that job well. I'd compare the shell to a 20,000mm jacket.

The shell also stood up to some serious abuse. After days of heavy tree riding, I'd check it for wear and see nothing but skidmarks from the branches. No tears, no scratches. The fabric is remarkably durable, but even that comes with baggage: it is also remarkably stiff and takes a while to break in. One friend said I looked pregnant the way the shell tented out from my body. The combination of the fabric's stiffness and the zipper's stiffness makes for a goofy look, like I'm smuggling a dog house out of a pet store. This eased up, but it took time.

The liner's skin is Omni-Shield, a lighter-duty material touting water and stain repellency. It never saw snowboarding action by itself, but it did just fine in the drizzly Portland rain. I wouldn't take it through the trees, but it does fine around town.

Let's get back to the shell. The thing has eight pockets. Eight!? Eight, Bob. Too many. I used three. Pants have pockets, too, people. Anyone who wants eight pockets rides with a backpack.

Speaking of redundancy. This jacket has a water-tight front zipper with a double storm flap on the inside and half of one on the outside (chest to chin). If you want to show off the zipper, what's with the flaps? And why the half-flap on the outside anyway!? This jacket is just confusing. Why not a more flexible zipper with storm flaps as necessary?

On the topic of "looks useful but isn't", let's talk about the powder skirt. It has zero interface with pants. No clips, buttons, hooks, velcro, nada. It doesn't stay in place. EVER. If they could fix one thing that would make this jacket almost worth it, a powder skirt that actually works would be it. All of the other complaints are pretty minor, this one actually makes me wish I had a ninja suit or bibs. It lets snow where it doesn't belong. Making me mad and possibly cutting my day short should be something an outerwear company wants to avoid at all costs. On the bright side, you can zip it off and give it to your girlfriend for use as a real skirt. If you do, send me pictures.

Speaking of keeping the snow out. Where are the wrist gaiters? This jacket is too expensive not to have them. It might be tough to pull off with the interchange, but you'll figure it out. This is not an option, it's a necessity. Remember, keep snow out of the places it doesn't belong. If you can figure out a built in neck gaiter that actually works, you'll be rewarded there, too.

A word on fit. I'm about 6'1", 170# and I went with the large. I tried on the XL at a local store and it didn't seem to be much if any longer in the body, just in the sleeve and body width. When you try it on, remember to try on all three configurations as the fit of the liner alone is much different from the shell alone. The large was probably right for me, if a little short. It could have been made to feel like it fit better if the powder skirt worked better. Oh and it's no Holden, the cut is rather square. 

Full retail price, not according to Bob Barker, is $300. The internets are selling it for $180. Columbia sent it to me for free because they're trying to get tight with all the snowboard bloggers. That's why there's a dozen reviews of this jacket out there.

In the end, this jacket isn't worth $300. For that price, you can do better with a 20k shell with better features and your layering of choice. For $180 it's certainly closer. Columbia needs to figure out a better way to design clothes for people who are active outside. The Powder Bowl Parka isn't it.

Mid-Season Binding Review: Union Force SL

At the beginning of the year I bought some new bindings and now with about 30 days on them it's time to talk a little bit about the Union Force SL.

Your first contact with this binding should be this little oscar. It's a video FAQ. Why don't other companies do this kind of thing!? So helpful. And who doesn't like to sit and watch Johan talk for a bit, regardless of bindings? We all get lonely sometimes. On to the bindings...

Yes, they are lightweight. My kitchen scale says that the left one weighs 2 lbs, 1.375 oz with all the hardware. When I get my backups back from my friend, I'll have something to compare that to. If you have the specs on your bindings, let me know. Right now, I can just speculate.

Stability plus tweakability (yes, it's a word). The Force SL delivers all-mountain response and still lets you tweak out a tuck-knee like Nicholas Müller. DO NOT rotate the highbacks unless you plan on grinding off the excess! If you don't, this will happen to your boots:

These boots were new at the beginning of the season (review forthcoming). I rotated the highbacks, noticed the damage and rotated them back immediately. Be warned.

The straps are the most comfortable I've ever ridden. Union got it down this time around. The toe strap works well in cap strap and over-the-top positions and all angles in between. Other than a little wear (both ankle strap seams are splitting by less than an inch and some wear on the end opposite the ratchet; the toe strap is a little scuffed, see pics) they are holding up:

It would be nice if manufacturers wanted to go the leather route if they could include a single-use packet of Sno-Seal or other such protectant. As it is, I should have known to apply my own, but didn't until it was too late.

Adjustability is another area where these binders shine. The forward lean adjustment couldn't be easier. Just turn one piece to the side to loosen the slider, slide that puppy up and down to set your preferred lean (make note of the number for reference), turn back to tighten and ride away. Done in seconds, just like in the above-linked video. The straps are easy to adjust, too. The ankle strap is even tool-free for changes mid-run. My boot is a 10.5 and I went with the L/XL as per manufacturer's recommendation. As it turns out, I think I could have easily gotten by with the M/L, but my boots are on the low-volume end of the spectrum (and I got mine via pro-form and all they had was L/XL). If you plan on squeezing into the lower size be sure to take your boot to a store and try before you buy. Anyway, chalk it up to the flexibility of this binding that the straps aren't even at their shortest and neither is the heel loop. If pressed, you might fit a 9 in there and be held in tight as though to your mother's bossom.

One thing I'm not so keen on is the screw-down footbed (see 2 pictures up). If that screw strips, you're screwed (pun-tacular!). Also, I'd like to see Union add a canted footbed in the future. It seems like a natural for their footbeds and it seems like my bum knees would benefit. One other thing to beware of, the red highbacks bleed onto your boots.

I'm no fashionista (it's covered by my pants anyway), but it's something you might consider. If you wear your pants inside your bindings, they may turn pink, too.

Past that, all the little things are in place. The ratchets are smooth and easy to crank down. The toe ratchets took some getting used to for me to release them, but now I don't notice so much. They fold down flat (unlike my old Technines) for ease of use on the roof rack. The look is clean and stylish with some logo hits, somewhere between Union's Force and Data bindings.

Finally, these bindings are just plain comfortable to ride. Like I said, the straps are as plush as a they come. The EVA cushioning, along with the footbed and highback padding make for a cushy ride. The inward flexibility of the highbacks not only helps tweak out Japans, but it also decreases pressure from riding with a wider stance.

After the first 30 days in these bindings, I'm pretty impressed. If memory serves (and mine usually serves me poorly), the average shred, industry-wide, gets eight days on the mountain per year. This means I've already spent nearly four average seasons in the Force SLs. If all goes like it's been going, I don't see any reason I don't get another season to season and a half out of them. Something like 120 days. That's four-hour minimum days, too, remember that. Also, now is about the time you want to be shopping for a product like this. They retail at $279. Now that gear is going on sale, you could probably pick them up for 20-40% off if you shop around and act fast.

In the end, this is a high-quality binding. Comfortable and responsive, yet flexible. All-mountain shredding. Hairy trees to big, airy steez. May the Force (SL) be with you!

10 Ways to Save Money on Snowboard Gear

In the style of that creepy old dude, David Letterman, tonight's top ten list! From the home office in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (Best. City. Name. Ever.) Top Ten Ways to Save Money on Snowboard Gear. You won't find any talking reptiles here, just practical ways to spend less money while still getting the gear you want. Here we go (in no real order, I just happened to have 10 of 'em.)

#10) Buy used. Sometimes you can find perfectly good, gently used gear. Check the craigslist nearest you. Deal locally, deal in cash, check it out before you drop the dime. Also check second-hand stores, aka thrift shops, aka the bins. You never know. A friend of mine got some goodies that a magazine editor was dropping off at a local second hand store. True story.

Here's another snappy little second-hand store-y. Need something to keep your legs warm and something to keep your face warm? Buy some fleece sweatpants at the thrift shop and cut them off at the boot cuff level. That leaves just enough extra material to serve as a neck/face warmer. Double score!

#9) Buy last year's gear at the beginning of the season (like right now). If you need the next level shit, you pay the next level price. You want nearly the same stuff with a different color scheme from last year, get yourself an 80% discount. So easy.

#8) If you can wait, do so. Gear starts going on sale around March and prices spiral downward 'til right about now. I do most of my new gear buying in the April/May range. I've bought goggles and boots for half price. This works for any sport that has a season. It's that supply demand thing that you slept through in economics.

#7) Raffles. Seriously. Go to video premiers, rail jams or other events and buy raffle tickets. A new board goes for up to $400 and you can score it just by dropping $40 in raffle tickets. Even if you don't win the money goes to a video production company or a charity or something. Everyone wins! Plus some of these events are so empty you're all but guaranteed to walk out with something. If people didn't like to gamble, Las Vegas would be just another cave in the desert. Or just do something crazy at an event. I've been growing my hair about four years. It's nipple length. Now it's gone. Traded in for a free snowboard. All I had to do was have my friend cut it into a mullet and I was guaranteed to win the 'best bad haircut' contest...

This...

For this!

#6) One-deal-at-a-time websites. I will always advocate buying from your local core store for most purchases. Sometimes, saving money takes precedent over all the buy local hoo-rah. For those times, check out the Brociety. They just had Dragon Rogue goggles in five different frame/lens combos for $55 and Roxy's Ollie Pop board (last year's) in three sizes for $175. That's what we're working with. Not cutting edge new gear, just stupendous deals, one at a time. A handy alarm feature tells you when the deal's up and a fresh one's on. The best time to use this is when you're looking for 'some good pants,' if you're looking for anything specific you'll never get it. Warning: addiction possibility...

#5) Know somebody. Maybe you know someone at a shop or a company. Maybe she can get you a deal. Maybe you know someone who just won a brand new Burton Twin 154 with the rad EST Channel and he wants to sell it (see picture above). Maybe it retails for $450 and he's only asking $350 (seriously, make me an offer). Everybody knows somebody.

#4) Get a job. Preferably at a shop, snowboard company or resort. Then you're in. The money you save on gear and/or lift tickets is like earning two paychecks.

#3) Find the big Expo sales. Right now in Portland and soon in Seattle an agglomeration of snowboard retailers, companies, charities, resorts and all things shred are collecting in a big exposition hall hawking their wares for pennies. Snowboard swap meet. Find one near you, get there, save money.

#3b) Also coming soon to Portland is the Northwest Ski Club Council's Ski Fair. This might affect my chances of scoring a deal, but you should go anyway. This place hosts resorts from across the country. They all have silent auctions for lift tickets or lodging packages. It's like gambling with your vacation time, but again, who doesn't like to do a little gamble ramble? Last year, I took home three lift tickets to Jackson Hole for the minimum bid of $90. I saw Mammoth tickets that didn't make the minimum bid. Colorado, Utah and Montana were also represented. Of course the Oregon and Washington stuff went fast, but if you're planning a big trip anyway, you could walk out feeling like you stole something.

#2) Make friends. Shop kids, reps, pros, rich kids, bartenders near shops. Write letters to magazines. The best letter to the editor always wins something. Get creative. Maybe start a blog. If enough people read it maybe you get something free. Hasn't happened for me yet, but I'm just waiting to go from getting stuff at a discount to actual freebies. The box is probably in the mail. Then, I'll have made it.

#1) Make what you have last longer. That's right. Just don't buy anything. Maintain and repair. You bought it for some reason in the first place, make it work. It can't be that bad, can it?

The ability to reason is what separates us from the animals, but money is right up there. It makes the world go 'round and if the world didn't go around the sun we might not get winter. Then again it might be winter all the time. Just depends on the hemisphere, right? How's that for reasoning? Anyway, take what you've learned here today, spend less on your next shred buy and save some away for a snowy day.