Ski advice

A snowHead

Hi

I have currently had lessons and doing recreational skiing at Snowdome Tamworth, and using 156cm skis. I have been getting with this length nicely. Then decided to buy skis, so popped into Ellis Bringham and explained i wanted pair of skis for abroad and to use in snowdome. Anyway the length they ordered was 163cm, i bought them and tried on Thursday. OMG, i felt so out of control, and the tips kept crossing over. My confidence dropped so much, after 6hrs still no better and unhappy. Night before i learned to do parallels and was so confident doing emergency stops no probs. i cant in these skis.

I rang ellis bringham and explained, manager was lovely and waiting to see what they can do as i have used them.

Anyway, i popped into my local ski shop and explained my dilema. He said he would never put me on that length, he would have stayed with the same size. He said or maybe bit shorter. He has recommended Salomon Lava 151cm.

I am 5ft 8, and 14st. I am so confused about length, i have tried researching and most say cos of height then i need 160cm.

Does length really matter? Keep it clean!!!

Thanks

Anna

A snowHead

Length of course matters but in the context of 156 v 163, you aren't talking a massive leap. And by their design ski's will vary in optimum length for the same person. I presume for the lessons you are just given a different pair of hire ski's each week? On what basis did you choose the one's you bought? The best thing to do is try before you buy.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I would have thought 163cm to be correct --- However, what you are happy with is more important, and you were happy with the 156's.......

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The ski manager advised these skis, Blizzard viva 7.4 163cm. They didnt have demo before i bought. Perhaps i should just tried the length in hire.

Do you think 151cm would be too short?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Dals, there are loads of ski techno minded peeps on here who will be along to advise. My own personal experience was that longer skis were troublesome in a fridge but out on the slopes, in real snow conditions, they were more manageable and better suited

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I just wanted a ski i could in snowdome too practice on too

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Dals, I have my own skis but I wouldnt use them in a Snowdome - far too easy to get them scratched and damaged. I use my own boots but use the hire skis in a fridge

After all it is free

Thought that using them there would help get used to them before hols and just being on one ski. When i was ploughing the tips were crossing and got stuck a few times. I just felt i had no control at all, even after 6hrs! Sad

Dals, the weekends are really slow on here - you will get loads of great advice once the working week starts on Monday Laughing

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Ok thank you. I may ring a few ski shops for advice too

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Hi. I'm a bit of a tech anorak and at your height and (ahem) weight you should definitely be on 160cm+. 151cm in the Lava is miles too short. The Lava 7.4 is aimed at people a little above your current skiing level so they are not just longer but almost certainly stiffer than the beginner's rental skis you're using at the dome so there's an adjustment period. They're aimed at people who have maybe 2-3 weeks real skiing experience.

I think you've got to take the long term view and consider how much skiing you intend to do. It sounds like you've only just started skiing but you're keen to practice and improve? So the trouble is, if you buy a short and soft beginner's ski like the one you're renting you'll outgrow them in about 2 weeks of real skiing on a mountain. You might think you're having fun but in reality they'll be holding you back once you've got that level of experience. OTH if you stick with what you've bought they'll be good for 6-10 weeks before you start thinking you should maybe upgrade. The learning curve will be steeper but they'll last longer. Ultimately, if you really do want a soft, short beginner's ski you'd be better off financially renting some in resort rather than buying and then buy a better ski when you're a better skier. Or keep these and rent on your hols until you feel ready to use them.

Although it's not necessarily cost effective if you only ski occasionally, there certainly is a benefit to using your own skis all the time as it removes one variable from the learning parameters. I wouldn't worry about scuffing them up at or using them at a dome - skis are much tougher than most people think and a quick service (edge and wax) in resort will sort out the bits that matter when you're on holiday.

If you're at Tamworth are you going from the top or just using the rope tow? Whichever it is, stick to the rope tow until you become used to them. It will be worth persevering even though it feels a bit demoralising at the moment. Also try to get another lesson or join one of their improvers ski sessions or the free coaching they do on a Wednesday (if they still do - long time since I've been there).

A better idea! Start a lesson/practice on their rental skis, then switch to a longer length of the rental ski when you feel confident? When you've adjusted to the length, switch to your own skis. Doesn't matter if this process takes a few sessions.

Good luck and remember that as soon as you've done a few weeks on a real mountain you'll wonder what on earth you were worried about Very Happy

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Dals, The snow dome peeps probably gave you shorter skis as a beginner. I am 5'5 tall and my skis are 155cm and I could go longer (fnaar), but if you are happy with that, then that's what you're happy with. Hope you get it sorted out!
As Shimmy said above, the indoor domes do feel very different to skiing on proper snow in resorts.
PS Once you are not snow ploughing any more, you'll find the skis easier to control.

Dals, Agree with Raceplate that the 160+ is definitely better for you. Without seeing the skis it's difficult to know but if a ski isn't set up properly by the shop they can be very difficult to ski. Get Brighams to tune them for you, though really this should and may have been done already. Even with modern skis, you occasionally find a pair that has a severely concave base. If these are not tuned properly they are very difficult to turn. If it's not the tune that's the problem then it's more likely it's a case of just getting used to them. They shouldn't have felt so bad, however, unless you were intimidated by them in some way and ended up sitting right back. This could explain the tips crossing. I still do wonder about the tune, however. 151 is way too short by the way.

As for using the skis on indoor snow, there won't be much of a difference, if any in performance. It's manmade snow but it is snow. If you were skiing on matting there would be a huge difference and I would be telling you to rent skis, but not for indoor snow. Don't worry about scratches. Most people don't get enough use out of a pair of skis. One thing I would recommend is regular waxing with a hard (cold snow or specific indoor snow) wax. The manmade snow in these centres is more abrasive than natural snow and will cause more wear on your bases.

You know it makes sense.

Thanks guys for your advice. Still dunno what to do, after my local ski shop advised i should stay shorter.

Dunno whether to keep and perservere 163 or exchange for shorter what i am use too. But i dont think they have much in stock in a sale price. I dont really want to pay loads tbh

If there was a pair of ski best suited for me, what would you recommend? Would like them last for a few years and progress

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Don't relent on length. You are not suited to such a short ski. Remember, the skis you have hired are a beginner ski, probably with no decent edge on them and this enables you to throw them around without too much penalty. I don't know what your skiing is like without seeing you and you don't say how many lessons you've had. If you can afford a private lesson with an instructor who has a good reputation, take one. They should be able to help you overcome the technical issues that are holding you back with the new skis if that is the problem. The Lava will definitely be a more advanced ski than you're used to and may not be the ideal choice just yet, but it will take you to a good standard. The problem with buying a lesser ski is that you will probably outgrow it in a short time. Having said that, the Lava is not too stiff and with a bit of work I'm sure you'll learn to love them.

A snowHead

Only problem with the lava is the he only has 151cm and says i be fine on that length. What about buying them online in a longer length? But then i have no idea on setting them up

A snowHead

Sorry, I thought you had the Lava in a 163. What ski do you have?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Blizzard viva 7.4 iq 163cm

Sorry for confusion

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No my fault. Blizzard make really good skis and this ski will do a similar job to the Lava. I'd always be a bit sceptical when a shop tells you that the best thing for you is the one they happen to have left. My advice would be, check the tuning (very important) get another lesson. As I intimated, throwing a more technical ski around is a little harder than a beginner ski. They will reward your improving technique. If I can be of any more help with ideas of what you can do to practice, feel free to ask, or PM me.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

The skis were in wrapper, and he put them together. Think i will try and perserve with them. Think i was expecting to them straight on and be as good as i was previous night in a lesson doing turns etc. they are so fast compared to rentals and try and be more oatient.

Thanks everyone for advice

Very Happy

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Reading the reviews it looks a nice ski that you can develop into. Hope you grow to love them snowHead

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Bear in mind too, that brand new skis will also have far more effective edges, and faster running bases than a rental ski. Where you'll have found it easy to skid and slide the skis on the edge before, you'll find the new ones are really wanting to bite more, and that is, quite possibly, what is causing your tips to cross. The skis are gripping on the edge and running straight... straight over each other rather than sliding to the side.

Really try pushing the heels of the skis out rather than just putting them on their edge as you could probably do with hire skis.

After all it is free

It was more crossing, when i was ploughing. I was at top of tamworth, and felt i was going too fast and wanted to slow down around the bend. Then when i ploughed, they were crossing. Do i need to go slightly wider plough?

Do you any good websites to help with stance, footing etc. i have had lessons, but still i find i learn by reading or pictures too

Thanks

At your size, 160+ really is best.

I don't know the skis you mention, but I would be prepared to bet that the new ones are significantly stiffer than the rentals you're used to, and that this is what's causing the problems.

A stiffer ski is definitely better in the long run, something you can grow into a bit, but also they'll be more challenging to learn the basics on.

If you've got the option to take them back, I'd just rent skis for the first couple of weeks as your ability and what you want from a ski should change a lot. After three or four weeks on snow, have another look around at the options. You could always buy a soft, short beginner ski now, but then you'd want to upgrade it after a few weeks of holidays. Whether that's a problem depends on your financial situation I guess.

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160+ sounds about right. I suggest you persevere with them a little longer.

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clarky999, +1

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clarky999, +2

clarky999, +2

You know it makes sense.

http://www.youtube.com/user/elatemedia/videos This series of lessons is pretty good. There are lots more to choose from on Youtube. You just have to be a bit careful as there is some rubbish out there too. A great book; in my opinion the best single book out there is Ultimate Skiing by Ron LeMaster. It's aimed at skiers who are genuninely interested in finding out about the sport and understanding the why and the how. It is not, however, a teach yourself to ski book.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Thank you. I may get that

A snowHead

A snowHead

Thank you guys for advice. I am going to keep them, and be patient in Tamworth. Think i am trying to run before i can walk

wink

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Dals, Some good advice been given already, but the important thing is to gain some perspective - although I think you've done that already by saying about running before you can walk. I go to Tamworth fairly often (I live in Coventry), but I never take my own skis. I'm 6' 3" tall, and weigh around 15 stones. I ski on a pair of 178 cm planks, although I could ski on up to 185cms for my height and weight. When I'm at the snowdome though, I only hire 165cms. The main reasons being that I don't want to damage my own skis, and the slope isn't really wide enough for anything too long. You'll find this out for yourself when you start to develop more speed as your confidence grows. In other words, you and your 163 cm skis will soon 'outgrow' the snowdome and crave for wider, longer, steeper, generally more challenging stuff where your longer skis will be better suited for you. Good Luck!

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

For my students I recommend a ski length where the ski tip sits between chin and nose when the ski is held upright with the ski tail on the floor and the student standing 'at attention' wearing their skis boots.

My girlfriend is 5' 7" and skis on 153cm Rossignol Temptation 82 skis.

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Mike Pow, and what does your girlfriend weigh?

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Apologies, 58 kg.

But for reference I'm 188 cm, weigh 95 kg and ski 170-175 cm skis.

After all it is free

Mike Pow, bit of a difference, eh? OP is 89 kg hence why everyone is recommending 160cm +.

Mike Pow, Presumably you agree that height is not the only determining factor Mike? Out of curiosity I just measured my wife, not in ski boots. She's 5' 5'' and measures 155 cm to just below her nose. Therefore at 5' 8'' and other things taken into account 163 about right. My wife skis on a Fischer Koa 84 in a 159 by the way.

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Shimmy Alcott,

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