 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, This is my first posting here so please be gentle 
Basically after 2 trips to the Alps last year with the Uni ski club I am completely hooked on the snow, and have so far planed 4 weeks skiing for next year (uni at Christmas, family trip for Feb. half term and the 2 BUSC trips). After looking at how much I was going to end up forking out on rental skis and boots over these trips it was not a difficult decision to decide to buy my own gear. Only problem is that there is so much available, and I haven’t a clue where to start looking.
So, basically I’m after skis, boots and polls (+some kind of bag to stick it all in) So if anyone can give me some advice on what I should be looking at id be very greatful.
Basically id say ability wise I'm currently happy on most red runs and just starting to attempt to get down blacks without a) going all the way down on my front leaving the skis at the top, or slightly better b) getting down in one piece but taking all day to do it! As well as this i like to do a bit of slalom on the dry slope, and hopefully will be doing some on snow at Easter.
Finally, I'm 6ft 2 tall and weigh about 15 stone.
One other question on the same sort of subject, I would prefer to buy my equipment in the UK (getting some of it (hopefully the skis) for my 21st next month). But again, I haven’t a clue where to look. I live in Devon (well for the next week or 2) then its back up to Cardiff Uni.
Cheers
Rich
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome, fatadder, nice screen name.
Start looking for boots, forget everything else for now. There have been some quality threads on this of late.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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the_fatadder, welcome. OK, before anyone else jumps in, I'll say this:
Get a pair of boots.
Get a pair of boots fitted by a bootfitter who knows what he's doing.
Don't scrimp on them.
Once you've done that, then come back and tell us how much you've got left, and we'll be able to give you more advice on skis.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Agree with boot advice! I got Profeet in London to do mine and was happy with them.
For skis you can probably wangle some testing time during your first trip. Explain to them you want to try a range out and will probably buy at the end of the week. Then test as many as you can in the week, and buy the ones that do you best!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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the_fatadder,elcome to snowHeads and echoing everyone else, boots first, find a good bootfitter, to give you an idea a good bootfitter will take on average 2 hours to get your boots fitted just right, most shops in the uk only sell boots they do not fit them properly. When you get the boots try to get them to include a boot bag in the price.
Definately wait to get skis in resort, most places will hire you good "test" skis on a daily or even halfdaily basis and then deduct most if not all the hire cost off a pair of new skis if you then buy from them, when you get the skis see if they will do you a deal for poles and a bag.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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the_fatadder, Welcome !
When you compare renting skis and boots to buying - remember to add the cost of servicing your skis (£25 ish) and paying to get them to the resort (£10-£15 ish) and back again(£10-£15ish) - and then there's the hassle of carrying the things !
Given what you have done so far, you may want to wait a year or so for skis. You'll then be able to get most out of some of the better performing skis, and save some money.
As for boots, same as every one else has said - go to a good boot fitter. 
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| ski wrote: |
When you compare renting skis and boots to buying - remember to add the cost of servicing your skis (£25 ish) and paying to get them to the resort (£10-£15 ish) and back again(£10-£15ish) - and then there's the hassle of carrying the things !
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Not necessarily!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Ahhh... but this is what student loans are for:
1) Best fitting boots you can find.
2) 3 pairs of skis, possibly 4.
a) Uber Fat off piste skis, make them twin tips - it stops you from needing a second pair of off piste skis, unless you go for a swallow tail...
b) Park skis, I assuming, as you're a student, you're young enough to want to be where the party's at...
c) GS or Skier Cross skis - for ripping the cordroy & racing.
(d) Slalom or super carving skis for going round in circles & racing.)
3) All the other gear you'll need.
Hmmm. That's more than one student loan. I revert to the information given by more practical member of the forum ^^^^
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the_fatadder, Welcome love the soubriquet. Find out what boots you need by visiting as many good bootfitters as you can which will probably be just one and once you've decided on the best for you . . . examine your conscience and either buy from them or hit the internet and buy on line from a German or UK discounter. there are some good deals out there for both boots and skis.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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But remember that if you buy on the internet you still need to get them fitted somewhere which can cost you. I would have a bit of respect for the people you go and see to try them on and buy from them - they are more likely to want to help you out and work hard for a good fit if they don't feel like you have just used them to try on some boots, waste their time and then go and buy them somewhere else.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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the_fatadder, while I agree that waitingforwinter, has a point, you don't actually need to take up much time (of a bootfitter that is). And you can be up front honest and expolain that you are trying on lots of boots from lots of people. You might also find that there are lots of pairs of last years (or earlier) boots lurking around at knock down prices.
But definitely, boots at this stage, skis are secondary. Anything sold to you for your current level of skiing will be "outgrown" very quickly.
I don't know any shops in Devon or cardiff, someone else might.
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the_fatadder:
Hiring intermediate skis 1 wk: £40-60. x4 wks = min £160, max £240. Leaving drinking money of either £240 or £160 (depending on how you look at it).
But it's not just about price.
The convenience of owing your own skis is never quite as convenient as it seems, IMHO.
Problem with buying skis is that, no matter how much money you think you have, you never have enough left for the ideal ski on the day that the weather conditions change unpredictably and your existing "quivver" doesn't contain the right arrow.
Thoughout the season, if you rent, you can nip into the well-stocked larder of yer chosen rental shop at any time you like and nab exactly the right set of planks for the task at hand. You can change at lunchtime if you wanted. Hell, you could change them throughout the day every time you blinked, and it wouldn't be a problem.
Bit of a problem doing that if you buy, unless you truely have the bank balance of the UK's GDP.
And to be honest, there's drinking time wasted in servicing your own skis - much more cost-effective for the ski-shop to doing it themself as part of your hire-price, while you're off downing a few pints and (probably not) getting some shut-eye.
And you can loose rentals. Have them nicked in resort (and never have to worry about them turning up at the airport baggage claim). Ski rocks, even. You won't be quite so worried about putting deep scars in a pair of rentals. Never forget the peace of mind that comes from renting. 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Manda wrote: |
Thoughout the season, if you rent, you can nip into the well-stocked larder of yer chosen rental shop at any time you like and nab exactly the right set of planks for the task at hand. You can change at lunchtime if you wanted. Hell, you could change them throughout the day every time you blinked, and it wouldn't be a problem.
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Provided they have the ski you want in the length you want, and the edges haven't been trashed, and the base was waxed in the last few days...
But yes, you're right, there's lots of benefits of renting - like standing in the queue in the rental shop while your friends are at the bar, or wondering what to do with the moeny you make when you sell your skis, or bringing your own waxing and edging gear to the slopes so your rented skis are skiable, and think of the extra muscles you'll build up from the weight of the rental bindings. And, of course, when you're back home, you can go to MK or Castleford, and use their rentals... 
Sorry Manda, there may be a case for renting, but there is also a case for owning.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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People with ordinary type feet, going to a reasonable bootfitter (I know people rubbish Snow and Rock but they did my boots fine) need not get too hung up about it. There are often some of last year's boots around. Some people with difficult feet have to move heaven and earth and pay a fortune, but my student offspring all got bargain boots (because that was all I was prepared to buy them....) and skied happily (and well) in them, for years. In all cases they got good quality boots in ranges which had been superseded, cheap. And fitted well in our local ski shop (Filarinski, Havant, not too near Cardiff though there is a train).
There is sometimes a convenience factor in having your own skis, and knowing them well enough to feel really comfortable on them. Until you are a really good skier you might find (as I do) that some of the fine distinctions which others on this forum have the skill to make, between different kinds of skis, go well over your head! It's good to know you can jump out of your apartment at 0830 in the morning, put them on your shoulder and go straight up the nearest lift without hanging about. But, if you do hire, please don't ski across rocks just because you can. Respect for equipment - wherever it comes from - should be part of any sport. Sorry if that sounds sanctimonious but it gets right up my nose to see people ski-ing over rocks (or down a set of stairs, in one case last year....) and obviously thinking "What the hell, they're rented". I am good friends with the guy in our local ski shop - he often services our (own) skis free, because we take visitors to hire skis from him. He doesn't make a fortune, he's always cheerful, has a great sense of humour and is a good source of advice. He doesn't deserve deep scars in his skis.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Fatadder, I'm directly involved in the ski hardware business but I'll try and give you a straight opinion. As everyone has said, get your boots first, the best boots are the ones that fit! All the major manufacturers make good boots so the ones you are the most comfortable with are the best. On your budget, £250 - £300 will get you anything you need. Get a good boot fitter, there are several good shops in Devon, Mission in Brixham, Sound Skis in Plymouth, Devon Ski Centre in Newton Abbott and if you go up as far as Bristol, Ellis Brighams. These guys all know how to fit boots although it can be a lengthy process. As far as skis are concerned, I would like to see you buy them because , if you chose the right brand, it pays my wages! Rental is very good these days but its good to have your own kit. At the kind of budget your talking about you have a wide choice and skis now have a wider performance range than they used to, so talk to the guys in the shop.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Find a friend in the ski resort. Get him to get end of season bargains, like K2 Enemys for £80, or Salmon Crossmax 8's for £40. Ski on them for a couple of weeks. Sell them on ebay, ebayer gets a bargain second-hand, barely used ski. You get real bargain. Use money to buy brand new skis. Repeat.
Don't bother buying skis until you are any good, it's a waste and you don't know what you are getting. Ski technology changes fast, much faster than other bits of skiing. Invest in some good boots, which is difficult as you don't know what 'feels right' until you have tried some on. Rent skis until you are prepared to waste money on them. My latest pair were £500 including bindings, are great for off piste and because I have skied a lot, will do when I rarely ski on piste. That said, I have a list of 4 or 5 other pairs I want. Explosivs, Gotamas, Line Mothership, Armada AR5, Powder Plus. All with different lengths and bindings. Skis are epensive, and you can bin a lot of money on them. However, when you really really like it, spend a load of money on a really good pair and await your first epic powder day. Then your life changes!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Wear The Fox Hat, I know. Was just trying to convert one more to the joys of rental To be fair, I've never waited in a queue at the rental store (there are ways and means), and I've always found what I wanted. If the edges aren't up to scratch on the pair offered to me, I just demand they get fixed. Problem solved.
I'm of the same opinion as flicksta. While it's nice to own, there's no point until you really know something about skis.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for all the advice, finally made it over to EB in Bristol this afternoon, and spent a couple of hours getting boots fitted (now itchiching for next mondays dryslope to test them out!!!)
Anyway, this leaves me with about £400 or so left over to buy skis (was my 21st last week, and parents offered to pay for all my ski gear.)
Currently im thinking that it sounds best to wait till im in La Plagne, so that i can test properly before parting with my cash. But would like a rough idea what im looking at before I go.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Don't bother buying skis. They are about as good an investment as a car, you lose money on them immediately. Wait until you have been a few times before you buy them. You get a much better return on your skiing ability with proper boots.
Why buy a pair of skis that will be out of date in a year, unless you are prepared to spend lots and lots of money on skis over and over again?
Wait to see how much you like it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd agree with the advice - buy boots and rent skis for now
If you are keen and fairly athletic your rate of progress will be so fast that your skis for this year will be the wrong ones for next year. As you should get a minimum 10 weeks HARD skiing out of a pair, it seems pretty pointless to buy.
When your rate of progress slows, I would buy but not really for financial reasons instead because
a) it's nice to have your own
b) avoids rental bindings
c) avoids going to hire shops - particularly when you get into resort 2 hours before the lifts shut and by the time you've got kitted out its too late to ski (THIS IS A BIG DEAL TO ME)
d) if you get a good allround ski you can ski the same one all the time. I personally find the "feel" that this gives you outweighs the benefits from hiring the optimal ski design for the conditions/piste/day of the week (obvious exception would be bottomless powder but that NEVER happens in europe so why worry about it unless you are heading to the rockies)
J
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I bought my skis after the first week (split over 2 years) skiing - the good old all round B2's - but I'd tested them for a couple of days and really fell for the ski. So test as many as you can - and like the folk here say - go for something you will advance with. Untill you can ski enough terrain to evaluate a pair properly then it is probably best to stick to renting for a while.
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I am happy sking Reds, with the odd black chucked in if i can be botherd to attempt it (although the really steep stuff isnt really my cup of tea) along with the odd spell of jumping here and there (ok so every couple of times i end up falling, but what the hell its fun!), + im allready booked up for 4 weeks skiing this year, with a 5th week looking very likly, along with training on the dryslope every week.
As for renting, most of my skiing is done with the University (still got another full year at least after this one at Uni so this isnt going to change for a while). So when we get to the resort there are allways huge ques (300 students arriving at exactly the same time the majority of which all queing for the hire shop isnt exactly fun, not to mention that despite paying the extra for suposed 'primium standard'' skis the past couple of times they have still been rubbish quility, and not particually well maintained (proberbly something todo with the lack of care the majority of people seem to take with hire skis) Yes i know that there will be other hire shops in the resort which will rent out decent gear, but similar to the queing i really cant be bothered searching out a decent hire shop each time im out there, then the cost of the actual rentals.
Basicly in otherwords, i will be returning from La Plagne with a long bag i didnt go out with 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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the_fatadder,
Don't use that shop then if the skis aren't upto it. I hire premium skis and I suppose it works out between 80-100eu pw.
I roughly know what I want but I ask them what they have and what price they are. You aren't likely to get a better deal down the road so much as a better/different ski and that is the reason I swap around. I never want to be anywhere near a shop on changeover day so go elsewhere. Ignore the so caled tiied-in deals, they aren't likley to get you a better ski IMO.
Also, it isn't always the case that shops like to change skis all day, everyday, some charge. A good shop will serviced them everytime they come in so don't want to be doing this all the time. But you can ask them if you can change the ski and once or twice is acceptable IMV.
But whatever you do, don't just stand there blankly holding out your hands for any old ski, do some homework and ask them for the ski you want and have a shortlist if poss' and accept that good skis cost a bit more but premium prices should cover this.
This way you stand a chance of getting a worthwhile ski.
Anyway, bets of luck with what ever you buy
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the_fatadder,
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Basicly in otherwords, i will be returning from La Plagne with a long bag i didnt go out with
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Are you staying in Plagne Centre??? The reason I ask, my 2 brothers have both bought ski's in La Plagne the last 2 seasons, and both used the Intersport shop in Plagne Centre, just down the stairs from the Aime 2000 cable car (along the corridor from the Sherpa supermarket).
This was the cheapest in the resort, and both had excellent service from them. My eldest brother bought a pair of Atomic SX7's, and they didn't have a demo pair, so they made up a brand new pair for him to demo, let him use them for 7 days, then when he went back to purchase them, gave him a brand new pair, and didn't charge him a bean for the priveledge. Dunno if this is standard practice in ski shops, but I thought it was above and beyond the call of duty IMO. My other brother also bought a pair of Rossi Bandit 2's from there the next year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Charlatanefc wrote: |
| My eldest brother bought a pair of Atomic SX7's, and they didn't have a demo pair, so they made up a brand new pair for him to demo, let him use them for 7 days, then when he went back to purchase them, gave him a brand new pair, and didn't charge him a bean for the priveledge. Dunno if this is standard practice in ski shops, but I thought it was above and beyond the call of duty IMO. |
Quite normal, I believe. The demo pair they made up will probably have been fitted with rental bindings (quick adjust) and they will have put standard bindings on the pair they sold him.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Don't forget you can always sell your skis on ebay in a years or so's time if you feel you want to progress to a better ski. You should be able to get a pretty good price for them especially if they're only a few years old.
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Alastair,
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Quite normal, I believe. The demo pair they made up will probably have been fitted with rental bindings (quick adjust) and they will have put standard bindings on the pair they sold him.
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Can't remember TBH. I WAS there with him when he bought them, but that was two years ago, I'm lucky if I can remember me name some days
I know he HAS bought ski's in resort b4, and said it was the best service he'd ever had with a pair
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FAQ
As for serviceing, i assume thats a combination of waxing and grinding the edges? if so that looks pritty stright forward for doing at home........
