Its not the equipment, its you.

Sneakers have made great improvements over the last 20 years, but quality differences between Nike, Reebok, and other quality brands are almost indistinguishable. Yes they look different, have different sponsors, and different prices, but the sneakers are virtually identical. If Michael Jordan didn’t wear Air Jordan and instead wore a 3 year old pair of Reebok basketball sneakers, he would still blow everyone away. The only difference is that he and Nike would be a few million dollars less richer.

Since tennis racket makers stopped making wooden tennis rackets, all tennis rackets are all about the same quality. Different rackets are different sizes or have different feels to them, but different does not mean better. And new rackets are not necessarily better than old ones. After losing a match it is tempting to go out and spend $90 on a new racket, but I know I would be better off working out or practicing more, rather than spending more money.

I was mountain biking with a friend and as he was huffing and puffing to get up the hill, he complained that he needed new pedals and new gears. Rather than spending a few hundred dollars more on equipment, he would have been better off working out more. His problem was the size of his belly, not the quality of his equipment.

Their is clearly a difference between snow skis from 20 years ago and today, but the new skis that come out every year are all basically the same. Some are bigger, heavier, or softer, but that doesn’t make one better than the other. People who feel that their skiing will improve by spending an extra $500 each year for new skis are misguided.

I went to a water-ski camp in Florida last year and was the only one who didn’t have a $200 wet suit. It was 85 degrees and sunny but no one could imagine skiing in a swim suit. The key to successfully running the water-ski course is to be in great shape and practice a lot. Buying gloves, a wet suit, goggles, and all the other fancy gear is unnecessary. One woman in my class who was struggling on the course, promptly went out and spent hundreds on a her 4th wet suit! She was actually convinced the new suit would be the solution to her skiing woes.

There is a difference between very old and very new equipment in any sport, but within a ten year bracket, the equipment is basically the same. Even if the equipment is different; practice, motivation, and physical shape are far more important. Equipment manufacturers try to convince everyone to spend hundreds of dollars to be successful in a sport, but don’t fall for it. If you are good at baseball, you will do well even if you wear a biking shirt.

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