Gear up for winter on the cheap. Follow these tips to score gear up-to 90% off.

First off let me say that I am not a sponsored athlete, nor did I receive any special deals or incentives to promote any organization in this article. I do however has an insatiable appetite for gear, a knack for destroying it and lack of funds to replace it.

Last year while bombing down a powder filled mogul run at Burke Mountain, I exploded my binding such that it ripped entirely off of the ski. This year I was super motivated to get a good deal and return to the steeps.

So what are we talking about here, a system, a coupon, a buy in scheme? Not at all, just a list of some surefire ways to save money on quality gear.

1 - The first thing I do when I decide to buy a high value item is figure out exactly what I want. A lot of people agonize over the single model of bike or ski that they want and that's totally fine. In my experience, if you can find 2 or 3 models that you really want you are in great shape. Why? Because your chances of finding a great deal on 1 of 3 products is much better than finding a deal on one specific item. Also know your size for anything you want, and have it on you, such as in your wallet. I will explain why later.

2 - Know what you want during the off season. This isn't always possible and its super obvious but worth noting. If your looking to score a bike you will get a good deal at the end of the season and during the winter. If your looking for ski's you wanna shop late season, summer and early fall.

3 - Exploit the market conditions. Right now is an AMAZING time to buy gear because retailers who normally expect strong seasonal sales are worried about falling on their faces and are unwilling to go into debt to get more product. Sellers are looking to clear last year's inventory and use that cash to buy goods for x-mas. Take advantage of these great deals. For instance I got a pair of 2007 K2 Apache Recon Ski's with bindings for over 50% off retail from Aspen Ski and Board .

4 - Watch Steepandcheap.com, Tramdock.com and ChainLove.com. All these sites are run by Backcountry.com and sell only one piece of gear at a time, always for at-least 50% off. You can download a little ticker that pops up in your browser so you don't miss deals. Ive snagged Mammut Work Gloves for 50% off, a really nice Bamboo Kavu button down for $7 bills and my girlfriend got a sick Arc'Teryx jacket for something like 65% off. All the sites have a no questions asked money back guarantee which is nice when your contemplating something you don't really need but suddenly can't live without.

Beware: These website will save you money if you buy what you were gonna get anyway, but their prices are so low its hard not to buy stuff you have no intention of getting. If you know your size, for say a ski helmet, and it pops up on your ticker, you'll be able to save yourself a lot of money.

5 - Plug into local sales and events. Most often local retailers are more expensive than web sellers but often they will have a big sale and drop below the internet price. REI has a sale 4x a year called the garage sale. It is an event of sorts, they open the loading dock and sell off returned items, slightly irregular stuff and regular stuff they cant seem to sell. For these you wanna be EARLY. I was inline at 7am and waited for 3 hours for the doors to open. As I was one of the first 20 people in line I was permitted to storm in and grab anything I could before the remaining people did the same. I got a sick Gregory pack for $20 (yes not a typo list was $250), a Sugoi jacket for $10 (90% off) and nearly bought a bike for 30% of retail. This was a big success because I have been eyeing a backpack for many months. If your in the Boston area, the Ski and Snowboard Expo, Nov. 20-23 is another great place to get hooked up on the cheap.

6 - Ebay - I don't personally use ebay. Its obviously a great resource but for some reason I never warmed up-to it. I can't recommend it because I don't use it but many people do and love it.

Overall you will save money by knowing what your want, and having time to wait for really really good deals. If your going to buy a big ticket item I also recommend seeing if you can toss a sponsored friend, or someone who works at a shop some bills to hook you up. The same people consistently get the best deals and it should be you. Good luck and happy spending.

Image from Ryan Maupin's Denali Expedition