Paid big bucks (for me) for a very highly rated "Gucci" brand of Gortex pants, and the scuff guards are totally shredded after about 50 days skiing. Is this normal? 50 days, $450 pants? What are others experiences? Mine are dead. I know these are good pants, but is this the usual deterioration rate for top line pants? That's really expensive. Are there more bullet-proof brands out there? Am I just dreaming? Hopefully the company will be able to mend them.