Random Entry #2 Equipment and Gear

Gear and equipment for new activities are a dilemma for me. I don’t want to be “that guy” who buys all the best stuff for a sport she’s never done, uses it once or twice, then lets it sit in a closet somewhere as a quiet recrimination. Or have fancy equipment that serves the needs of someone far past my skill level. Talk about feeling like a jackass.

On the other hand, I am not going to try swimming without a swim cap and goggles. I pay wayhay too much money for Michelle and Goodie to do fancy things to my hair to let it become a chlorinated sheaf of pale, dried wheat.

Don’t get me wrong. Most of the gear investments I’ve made over the years have been worthwhile – good running shoes, a heart rate monitor I’ve had for twelve-plus years, a good water belt for running. I played Ultimate Frisbee for ten years in the same pair of cleats. I manage to get a lot of basic clothing essentials at great prices, too, either on sale or consigned. Even so I’ve been willing to spend more than usual, even at sale prices, for nice yoga pants or a quality wicking tank or t-shirt or solid winter running gear.

The point is that I use them. Those were all well-considered investments after I’d used basic and/or cheap gear for awhile and really knew I liked the sport or activity.

This is a little different. I have no idea if I’ll like swimming, or sledding. But if I’m going to try it, I need to make an upfront investment.

Yesterday I went to a big ol’ sports retailer and bought gear I’ve decided I’d like for the next phase of this challenge. I only bought things I couldn’t easily get from a local retailer (e.g., my running shoes and gear come from the running-specific store in my ward) or get used (I am not going to buy used bicycle shorts. It’s just not going to happen.).

The inventory:

1 pair winter boots (kids boots, good brand, on sale)
1 swim cap
1 pair swim goggles
1 pair bicycling shorts (turns out I like spinning!)
1 pair athletic shoes for club workouts (to replace a pair of beyond-worn-out shoes)

Each piece will help me maintain something I like, or try something I don’t know about. But I didn’t buy every bit of gear for every potential new endeavor. I’m not investing in a new swimsuit, for example, until I know I’ll be swimming with any great regularity. The one I have from Marshall’s that I bought at the last minute for a vacation two years ago will do just fine as part of this experiment.

But I didn’t get the cheapest of everything, though. While I bought the cheapest bicycle shorts they had (padding for those rides will be nice, but I am not Jan Ulrich or anything. Doing 50 minutes of spinning was fine without it. I think it will just be better *with* it, even at the cheapest level) I did not buy the cheapest goggles or swim cap. Four extra buck for goggles that felt ten times better seemed OK to me.

The only sad part was showing up for a spin class today in my shiny new bike shorts and having to do yoga instead because the bikes were all full. (The January Effect at the gym is remarkable. My wish for all those folks is that they’re filling the bikes in March, too!)