Replying to Can you read the snowpack?

hey ns,

so last year i harldy skied any pow because the avalanche conditions were gnarly and I know nothing about reading the snowpack and so on. I was wondering: Do NS members actually know how to read the snowpack and own the proper gear? Or do you just hope for the best when skiing pow?

I want to get more into pow next year but I am quite scared of avalaches.
The only thing I know about them is the 30degree rule.
How about you guys?