Just back from another awesome trip with Bike Verbier followed by a 3 day tour round Mont Blanc. The riding was phenomenal but the toll on kit was just a little bit mental.
Broken front rim and cracked POC full facer, new ice tech rotor warped after three days of riding, new XT rear brake needing bled after three days (the front started to throw in the towel on the last day in sympathy), two week old Mavic shoes starting to come apart at one of the straps, air leaking from my Magura Wotan's to the extent that part way down big descents they would pack down with about only an inch and a half of stanchion showing, brand new Crank Brothers BB creaking under load by the third day, rear mech going out of alignment and my left hand XTR seizing up. Arse biscuits! I think I need to find a cheaper sport! Ha! Ha!
Given that isn't an option, what do folk recommend as Alps proof kit that is tried, tested and reliable? The forks and shifter were the real lowlights. The shifter seized on a descent into Courmayeur on the second day of the tour ride while the forks decided to throw in the towel at the same time. Playing with the rebound adjuster would have been an option but it had fallen off on a previous ride. Doh!
In a month of whistler riding the only stuff I've had to replace have been 2 tubes, brake pads (formulas small pads seem to wear really quickly) and leaky fork seals. Sounds like I've got away quite lightly so far! My body's in worse shape, having to take days off every week so my wrists and fingers can recover 
