Gone skiing for a week (lots of powder, no moguls, go figure). Come back to pick up on the trail...
some time we look to improve technique through gear and not through good lessons and practice. (Like I have)
Not my case at the moment.
I've been away from the snow for some years (not too many, fortunately). I no longer have a usable ski, period. So I'm not "buying ability" per se. I'm just researching and demo-ing for my primary ski.
Most people's first ski isn't a bump ski because most intermediaates are afraid of bumps. But I've been there. I'm a solid intermediate who enjoys a challenge the bumps provide.
I've been steered by shops to advance/expert carvers, which works as advertized. But I just wasn't all that excited about going fast down the groomers. The "light bulb moment" came when they ran out the ski they thought I should try so they gave me a lower level ("intermediate") soft ski for free just to pass the time. I loved it in the bumps!
But I can't afford to have a 5 ski quiver. So a do-everything-but-nothing-great ski will have to be, just with more leaning towards the bumps.