 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
we would like to try one of these next week (29th - sunday) and would appreciate any advice. We are based in north Kent so I am thinking Hemel is probably a bit easier to get to?
Also having never skied indoors before what do people normally wear?
Many thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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LDM, most people wear their regular ski clothes. Haven't been to MK for ages, so can't compare the two.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hemel is a few yards longer and possibly slightly steeper right at the top but Hemel used to havce slightly better snow. Not sure if the last is still true? The differences are small and an extra half hour each way is significant.
Weekends are busier, unfortunately. I tend to go to Hemel during the week (but not Friday which is freestyle only night with lots of jumps and rails) either early morning (Tuesday from 7-10 is really good) or late evening.
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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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MK has a freestyle night on Thursdays and Fridays.
Both have their own pros and cons, but neither stands head and shoulders above the other. I'd go with whichever is closer. There's more to do at MK if you're out for the day, I suppose.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Car parking - free at Hemel, not so at MK I think? Neither have anything I'd eat or drink on site. It is worth checking what they have going on, and even calling them to ask when the quiet times are.
Personally I prefer Hemel.
Oh yeah, here's a video of that so you can see what people are wearing. http://vimeo.com/20111958
I wear less than my normal stuff because it's not very cold in there and you're not going to get over the head powder. They have lockers, so if you take too much c**p you can leave it in there.
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I have never felt the need to wear a jacket or outer layer at either Hemel or MK, usually just have a fleece over T-shirt. (but I rarely spend longer than an hour or two when I do go).
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| philwig wrote: |
| Car parking - free at Hemel, not so at MK I think? Neither have anything I'd eat or drink on site. |
Parking is free at MK after 6pm
bear in mind, tho, that the SnoZone at MK also has the shopping area underneath it, with quite a few eating options, Nandos, Ask, La Tasca, Wagamama and others
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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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I prefer Hemel to be honest : )
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IF you go to MK on a Sunday either do early (10am) or after 7pm. The snow tend to be bad before the evening groom (6pm).
MK has a Nandos - that tends to sell it for me. Others might not be so fired up about it 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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gilleski, 
Use of the lockers is free at Hemel. Costs you a quid every time you open the locker at MK. Pisses me off no end!
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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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I have ventured over to MK a couple of times now, usually for the shopping as a primary reason but "oh might as well have a ski" too. It always makes me nostalgic for Hemel. Hemel just feels nicer, smarter, better run.. and in my own personal experiences, people seem more polite. More about skiing/boarding and less about mucking about and showing off (disclaimer - have never been on a Freestyle night!). And the changing rooms are tiny at MK and they keep your locker money, grr. And the button lift jerks you quite unpleasantly when you go from the flat bit to the incline unless you're prepared for it!
In favour of MK the slope is a bit more interesting as it has an incline/flat/incline, and it does feel slightly steeper at the top. But the snow quality does not feel as good and I find more lumps of ice. The shops around it are also better - I prefer Ellis Brigham to the Snow and Rock at Hemel, although the Snow and Rock is not bad either.
I think the final straw for me was when I was in a queue behind some kids in a lesson at MK. The kids were hitting each other with poles, and narrowly missed me and my six year old. One of them kept stepping on my skis and sneering up at me as if to say "So what you gonna do?" The instructor was right there and said nothing, and nor did the staff member on the lift - they could see perfectly well the kids were fighting and just let them get on with it. I've never seen children misbehaving to that degree at Hemel and certainly not whilst under immediate supervision.
If I lived exactly halfway between the two and could only pick one for the sole purposes of skiing, I would pick Hemel each time. Fortunately for me, I live five minutes drive from Hemel 
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Thanks for the advice, will probably make it Hemel as nearer but will check what's going on etc first.
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You know it makes sense.
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| sparklies wrote: |
| I have ventured over to MK a couple of times now, usually for the shopping as a primary reason but "oh might as well have a ski" too. It always makes me nostalgic for Hemel. Hemel just feels nicer, smarter, better run.. and in my own personal experiences, people seem more polite. More about skiing/boarding and less about mucking about and showing off (disclaimer - have never been on a Freestyle night!). And the changing rooms are tiny at MK and they keep your locker money, grr. And the button lift jerks you quite unpleasantly when you go from the flat bit to the incline unless you're prepared for it! |
If you go into the loos at MK, there's a Hyooge changing room at the back (at least there is in the gents) and it's almost never used. I've not used the microscopic cubicles for years.
That being said, at least there's a decent number of places to change at MK. I find when Hemel is busy, there's often a queue for the changing cubicles.
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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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Ahh.. I have never dared venture into the loos there! I'll take a look next time I'm there. It was impossible to get both me and my six year old changed in one of the micro-cubicles together!!
I also try and avoid Hemel (or indeed, MK!) when it's busy.. I go a lot more in the summer and at the crack of dawn, so I've never experienced queues for anything so cannot compare on that front.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Food: I could eat in Wagamama's, my dog could take his pick of the other brand outlets.
Supervision-wise, I think it's very much a question of who's working in either place.
In my view they're generally lax . Whilst I'll happily politely suggest your kids don't push in in front of me or put their skis on my board, it shouldn't be necessary. They seem very loathe to dissuade dangerous people from riding. I try to avoid the busier times as I don't want to miss a season because some out of control t**t breaks my leg. I think dry slopes are better from that perspective - probably because the out of control guys learned the hard way there.
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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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LDM, Check availability of the slope; there is a race on at Hemel on the 29th. Main slope will be closed to the public until 15.00.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Hemel are pretty good at kicking eejots off. Always amuses me to see them plodding disconsolately down the side of the slope holding skis like a bundle of firewood, presumably having decided that skiing looked pretty easy they might as well just have at it. My most recent takeout was by a 50+ moderately incompetent woman, if it'd been a 20 year old lad I'd have put a elbow or shoulder in ensuring I stayed upright at his expense.
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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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| snowball wrote: |
| Hemel is a few yards longer and possibly slightly steeper right at the top but Hemel used to havce slightly better snow. |
Hemel's definitely steeper at the top. Snow quality has decreased dramatically of late.
Also, as far as I know, MK is 170m and Hemel is 160m main slope.
Hemel WAY more relaxed and nice. MK piste patrol are a load of jumped up little orcs.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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MK has pillars down the middle of the slope and bits get closed for sledging. You have to pay for lockers and parking. As it is further away from you I really can't see a case for going there.
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Parking at MK is still free after 6.
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and mk has the snowheads ski test on the 28th, plus paid for parking is only 25p per hour if you know where to park.
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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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Like both and a few years ago I was indifferent but now on balance it has to be Hemel. Monthly passes, day passes, better freestyle, free parking, free lockers, closer to London etc. Although the snow hasnt been particularly good in August it was no worse than I remember mk to be and certainty not as bad as Castleford last September.
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Closer to london isn't necessarily a good thing when you don't live in london 
And MK now has a membership thing too which, while it isn't a monthly pass, does offer significant savings on their hourly tariff, lessons and other stuff.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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MK is wedged between the shops/nightclubs and one of the two worst estates in MK. Car crime is notably rare at xscape but all the same its wise to leave no valuables in your car, park where it's visible (outside the main entrance rather than round the back) and it can be a bit dodgy very late at night. MK is grottier but much more fun - you can get air even with no ramps or rails. I wouldnt bother with mk if lived in London, but from nearer mk I wouldnt bother with hemel. mk you can park in the free madonalds spaces at the front though not sure how long for, or the free spaces across the road at the side for a couple of hours. You definitely shouldnt go to mk for the ski test, but that's only so I can have more time playing with the skis 
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FAQ
ski demo on the afternoon/evening of the 28th? Come to MK early, bit of shopping, bit of lunch try some ski's and meet some 
