 Poster: A snowHead
|
Hi all,
I love the mountains - I dream about my annual trip to the snow regularly throughout the year. But I doubt I would enjoy the mountains half as much if I hadn't discovered the joys of snow blades.
Being overweight and fairly unfit I found learning to ski technically very hard work. On my second trip to the mountains, after three days of agony progressing from blues to my first reds on 5 ft skis, a good friend of mine who had been brought up with the mountains took pity on me and suggested I try snow blades.
I have to say that first day I put on snow blades I felt free, and haven't looked back since. On blades I can negotiate even the severest black runs with a degree of confidence. Not quickly, I admit, or even elegantly, but with confidence that I won't kill myself. In my third trip skiing I took on La Face in D'Espace Killy with friends of mine who are very experienced advanced skiers. Yes, they got down quicker, but only one of them fell less than me.
The great thing about blades is that I get to see the whole mountain. Had I stayed with normal skis I am certain I would still be knackering myself out on red runs.
Anyone else out there found blades useful as a learning tool to improve your skills rather than as a progression from skis to enable jumps and tricks?
Or am I in a minority of one?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| ken_1969 wrote: |
Hi all,
I love the mountains - I dream about my annual trip to the snow regularly throughout the year. But I doubt I would enjoy the mountains half as much if I hadn't discovered the joys of snow blades.
Being overweight and fairly unfit I found learning to ski technically very hard work. On my second trip to the mountains, after three days of agony progressing from blues to my first reds on 5 ft skis, a good friend of mine who had been brought up with the mountains took pity on me and suggested I try snow blades.
I have to say that first day I put on snow blades I felt free, and haven't looked back since. On blades I can negotiate even the severest black runs with a degree of confidence. Not quickly, I admit, or even elegantly, but with confidence that I won't kill myself. In my third trip skiing I took on La Face in D'Espace Killy with friends of mine who are very experienced advanced skiers. Yes, they got down quicker, but only one of them fell less than me.
The great thing about blades is that I get to see the whole mountain. Had I stayed with normal skis I am certain I would still be knackering myself out on red runs.
Anyone else out there found blades useful as a learning tool to improve your skills rather than as a progression from skis to enable jumps and tricks?
Or am I in a minority of one? |
Yes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Blades are fun. But so is dressing in your mum's sparkly ballgowns when everyone else is out of the house.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
tinker - you are just plain strange
Blades are good, blades are your friend
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Is this thread a wind up?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I used to do a day on blades with all my students when they first came out. However, with the currently popularity of them it's now not practical for people to change for snowblades for one dya without paying extra. therefore I don't do it any more. Seriously I do think they're a great teaching aid, but i don't think they're the answer to everything.
Decathalon are now selling a special ski that's half-way between a blade and a ski. Very short, twin tips, but a little more length to help in deep etc. Looks like a great idea to me. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ken_1969,
Hi Ken, Well I agree with your view. You go on a ski holiday to enjoy yourself, surely it's up to you to use whatever equipment works best for you.
I am a fairly competent skiier but after trying blades a few times, purchased some last year & now enjoy using them more than normal ski's, wife tried a set last year & won't use anything else now.
Only thing I would say is that I would not use any without proper releasable bindings as the potential for injury is too great.
Enjoy your blading!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Smallzookeeper thats very smallminded. Ken 1969 good luck to you and don't worry about what others think. Charlotte I've just bought a pair of those short twin tips but I don't know whether to use poles with them. Great value at 129 euro's from Intersport including bindings. I will try them this week at Montgenevre and report back.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
I love blades too Ken. I started learning in skis at 21 and, although fairly fit and sporty, found it to be a bit tough. I could get down N.American greens and blues, but I wasnt really enjoying it, i was always struggling to get the turn, worrying that my right turn was a bit ropey so didnt want to get too close to the edge of the piste...... then I put on the blades..... within a day I had so much more confidence. I was making the turns and carving away with no trouble. I was able to relax and as a result my style was so much more free. I immediately bought a pair and within a couple of days I was (slowly and methodically) trying the steeper slopes and just having sooo much more fun.
Dont worry about people giving you stick..... at the end of the day, if someone else is having so much fun with their own sport, they wouldnt have time to be worried about putting down those trying something else! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ken_1969, (and buns),
I will admit that personally I don't see the appeal. But at the end of the piece, if you're having a ball, enjoying the mountains, etc., then who am I to criticise? If they were the easy way to get me to a similar position I would do exactly the same.
My personal beef (and reason I don't use them) is that I enjoy the particular challenges of skiing. Although, having started v. young I've never had to consciously go through the early learning process as an adult with skiing peers. Peer pressure can be a terrible thing when all your mates are "better" than you think you are.
Enjoy! and ignore anyone who says you shouldn't. (You might find too that as you now have a bit more experience there might be a place for skis in your larder too?  ;- ) )
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
When I learnt to ski back in the days of leather lace up boots and cable bindings there was no choice but to learn it the hard way. But why should you now? As long as you have fun and are in control I say ENJOY the mountains. I am planning to go to the Snozone soon and will try some blades there, but I do not expect to give up my 1.90m sticks soon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
snowman, Why are you still on 190s?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David Murdoch, cause any shorter and he'd have to buy a helmet to stop the tips hitting him on the head...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Whatever gives you the enjoyment we all get from the mountains, IMO.
Personally I find blades get dull after a few hours. I must say I am impressed you can ski steep and icy blacks with blades, the thought terrifies me!! Imagine it would be a bit like standing on the slope in your ski boots, not fun!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
beanie1, quite the contrary. Having all your weight pressing on a short length of edge gives great grip and security (no edges on boots ).
Ever thought about how Torvill and Dean managed to get around?
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Wed 30-11-05 14:47; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Must admit tend to have half a day on blades most trips, i find them much more tiring than skis probably due to v limited shock absorbtion/flex but good fun, you can go fast enough to keep up with your mates so why not ? better to be in the mountains on anything than looking at your b2's at home....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
My son tried rental snow blades for several days on a trip to Colorado we made two years ago. They led to a big breakthrough in confidence and parallel form. Then I got him some used skis that had regular bindings, but weren't much longer than blades. He loved those too and continued to get very aggressive on the slopes in a positive way. This summer at age 14 he asked for more normal length skis and will now be using 170cm used Atomics (he had been on 150cm skis before the blade phase). I think this is a very healthy progression. I feel that at some point you must transition to fuller lengths to gain more complete mastery of the slopes, but no hurry. It's all good.
The point made about using blades with release bindings is a good. Another concern: occasionally blades can give relative neophytes too much confidence and they try foolish things like hucking huge rocks or attempting extreme ski terrain before they've had much grounding in mtn safety.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Alan Craggs, quite agree about the grip thing. To me the main advantage is that it is so easy to hold an edge and they turn so tightly that you can carve every turn regardless of steepness. They are also great for stepping around the kids to pick them up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Blades are definately a lot of fun, but not sure I could stretch their use over a whole week. Skis give a lot more satisfaction IMHO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I think that if someone enjoys blading, and doesn't wish to progress further with their skiing then good luck to them. As they are easier to pick up, they are probably a better option for single weekers who don't really want to bother with too many lessons. I do feel however that a lot of people change to using them because they're easier to learn than skiing, and so never give themselves the opportunity to progress to becoming a truly proficient skier, and so get to appreciate just how good it is when you start to know what you're doing.
I've yet to meet a really proficient skier who feels that blades are much more than a bit of fun. Quite a few of my skiing buddies own them, but only use them infrequently.
Overall I would say that sure, enjoy blading, but be aware that you are taking an easy way out, and that you probably are missing out on some of the fun and flexibility of truly proficient skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
