 Poster: A snowHead
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I once spent a day skiing the Salomon range on a demo day in Whislter. I was amazed by the difference in the skiing experience between the different types of skis.
Many of us have bought our own skis over the years and I was just wondering how many had actually skied on a specific type and length of ski before buying? I'd be interested in responses.
How I chose my skis........
I'll suggest the following answers:
a: I'd hired or tested them and knew them well
b: I'd skied on something very similar and knew what I was getting
c: I'd read lots of reviews and knew this was the type of ski I wanted
d: The salesperson in the shop guided me towards these
e: Friends/ experts guided me towards this type of ski
f: They were on special offer
g: I really loved the colour/graphics
My skis were a combination of b,c,d and e - but I'd never actually skied on them.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes. I spent a whole day on the Missions I eventually bought and a similar time on Head Monsters. It was a very close call, but 6 years later I am still happily on the same skis. This was all thanks to the saintly Mountainsun's ski and boot camp at Tignes.
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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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I had Rossi B2's and wanted new skis, read loads of reviews and spoke to shop over the phone, also asked questions on here.
Bought some Scott Neo's in 176cm vs my old skis of 166cm and love them !
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b, c and e.
We should have more multiple choice threads.
Although I want to add mystery option "I wanted to see what they were like."
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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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Over the years you gain experience that tells you how particular skis will behave.Just quick look at sidecut , dimensions, profile and you know it.Reading some reviews is helpful to.
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@pytek23, not completely.
And reviews are typically aimed at the "average" user. I don't find them terribly helpful. Mantras (until this year) were always described as "stiff'" and hard work, which niether I nor other half have ever thought they were.
I did like a French review of Nordica GS skies described as "suicidal". I looked long and hard for a second hand paor after that. Never did find any.
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Lots of politicians on here. So who had actually skied on them before buying?
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Most recent pair - f.
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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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@cameronphillips2000, Option a.
I tried out my skis for two days before buying. Tried some others as well.
Fortunate to have friendly helpful shop nearby, and be in resort for 3 weeks.
Definitely wouldn't buy unless could try out beforehand. And try in all conditions.
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I tried a couple of skis before buying Nordica Dobermanns. This wasn't that hard to do by way of a - pay the rent if you don't buy, don't pay the rent if you do buy one of the pairs - system. This is a very interesting question. So A for me. But I am usually a 2 to 3 week a year skier, ski indoor as well, ski weekly on a skiplex type carpet, for about 18 years (since I was 3). I would imagine that people with more days out on the mountain, more experience / professionalism in skiing maybe not always have skied that exact type of ski before but still know perfectly what they're getting.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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a and then looked for f
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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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| Jonpim wrote: |
@cameronphillips2000, Option a.
I tried out my skis for two days before buying. Tried some others as well.
Definitely wouldn't buy unless could try out beforehand. And try in all conditions. |
This - most decent shops knock off the price of the demo if you buy, and the ones I've used allow you up to three demo's off a pair of skis.
This makes it so easy to try them back to back, in similar conditions.
Usually take a couple of pairs for a day, once its narrowed down - ski one in the morning and the other afternoon on the same slopes in conditions you'll enjoy, if possible. Gives you a pretty good comparison and have had some surprises over the years.
Of course you need to factor in f, when choosing when and where to buy  .
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From the time I've spent answering the common: "I'm a beginner, what type of ski/board should I buy?" question with "rent until you know what you like", it's clear that many people don't want to look at your (a) and (b) options. That seems a shame.
Personally I would not want to spend my riding hours riding something not quite right - I find the best tool for the job, because it's more fun that way. So that's (a).
I regularly watch heliskiers run through pretty much every powder ski in the shop until they find one which is "just right" for them. They rent those boards. If they had been daft enough to buy the first pair they tried, they would obviously not have as much fun as once they find the right ski. With people who are less than expert, getting the right ski/ board at the right size is the difference between not fun and fun. That makes me wonder how many of the long-time skiers who still can't ski have failed to learn because they don't buy the right gear.
Of course if you do just buy one thing, you don't know what you're missing, so perhaps there's bliss in that ignorance.
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You know it makes sense.
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My first two pairs of skis Dynastar Visa and then Dynastar Course SL ( the gold one with the red button ) where bought from shop recommendation ( Paul Braithwaite ) based on their knowledge of my skiing standard and style plus rate of progression.
I had a few other pairs after them can't fully remember if I skied them before hand ie leant them by friends or just from knowing what I needed and the way each manufacturers ski differed in say an SL ski.
My next pair were the Salomon 3s Pr7's I had skied them along with the 2s durring the test stage before production and then bought the pre launch skis.
My next pair were the Volkl P9 RS Super I had skied a few Volkls such as the Rentiger and the P9 SL but wanted a much stiffer faster ski ( they were fantastic ).
Now as I have just got back into skiing just done as much research as I can and bought some secondhand to get me going. My latest pair though are Volkl Racetiger GS brand new on sale bought because i did not have a fast GS ski and because I trust Volkl skis.
If I can afford to buy some new skis then I would buy either the Kneissl Redstar RC after trying the skis at the CFe demo or better still the Whitestar SL.
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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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I raised this question as online shopping means that many things from cars to clothes are being bought without being tried first.
I've found my choice of ski has changed as I've got older/slower/wiser etc. I'm now on Salomon Aero GTs which are a great all rounder but I sometimes find myself hankering after something a little 'sportier'. I don't know if others find the same but my technique, competence, attitude and enthusiasm vary greatly throughout the day, based on hydration level , sugar level, alcohol level, tiredness, weather, the list goes on. I sometimes feel I need a different pair of skis depending on in my first hour or post lunch run..... There are few other sports where you would do the activity from maybe 7 hours in a day, with the odd break. Are there skis out there yet where you can change the rigidity by twisting a knob? or add or take off weights throughout the day?
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Poster: A snowHead
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f
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@cameronphillips2000,
Thats why many people have more than one pair of skis. I used to take at least 3 pairs with me but I was in the car those days. Flying out in April I will take 2 pairs of skis with me hopefully both will be more piste orientated but one SL the other GS. If I feel like a change part way through the day I will change them over.
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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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I started skiing on a pair of B2's, but I had demo'd a pair free for two days from the Rossi test centre in La Grave. Then went out and bought a pair in the sales. After a few years I broke them and as they were falling apart I demo'd a few pairs before heading to SZK's old shop for a pair of new boots. I was also after skis so after some conversation I had three days on Mantra's, the Black Crow Navis (a close second) and the ones I bought, Nordica Enforcers. Two years ago I hired a pair of Atomic double decker slalom skis in Schladming and loved them, soooooo turny after 6 years on 98mm underfoot. So when I saw a pair of their older SL 12 skis second hand I snapped them up.
I have just bought a pair un-demo'd for the first time... the 2015 Bent Chetlers. I have skied a fat rocketed ski before and didn't quite gel with it, but after reading a great deal I figured that they would be perfect for what I wanted and found a pair in a sale. I stuck a review up in the equipment section, God... I love those fat boys  Even on pistes they are just so much fun.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Scarpa,
You need to try the Movement Flyswatter. But don't blame me when everyone gives you funny looks for giggling like a girl all the way down 
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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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How I choose my skis:-
1. are they last year's model on a 50% off sale
2. are they less than 300 euros?
3. can I get a discount for cash?
4. will the shop mount my bindings for free?
5. will they match the price I saw at sport conrad?
6. do they have bomber edges and base (preferably uniform black) which will survive skiing down a slag heap in june?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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For sure it might be worth trying a ski before you buy, but how often do you get to demo the ski of choice on the right snow pack?
The chances of getting superb powder and you just happening to demo a fat ski don't come round that often.
I sort of had the reverse of the above yesterday!
As a way of sort of stirring up the Snow Gods I'd been down to my local shop to suggest to them an exchange for my Blizzard Bonafides (which I'd had for sale on here) with Duke touring bindings as I guessed they might like them to use in their rental stock of touring / off piste skis.
After the dire off piste conditions so far this season I was after a piste orientated ski. The guys agreed to it and suggested I might like to test a couple to see what I'd like so I said I'd pop down the next day (yesterday) to pick some up.
When I arrived in the shop which is a test center for this particular brand the owner / chief designer of the company who I sort of know was in there and we had a good nag about what I should try, so I left with some 171 skis and went up the hill thinking this was going to be interesting.
It was raining in resort so I thought would be a good test of the ski on the piste(s) dropping back down into resort which were a mixture of slush on ice as temps were +4.
However up top the rain was snow, and there must have been about 15cm of fresh, so was a very good test which I found interesting as to how this piste ski could handle the powder.
They managed the powder well though legs were soon very tired, though not too sure if it was the ski or the skier managing to ski the powder as I suspect I can probably ski powder better than most who this ski is targeted at 
On the pistes lower down it was so good to have a ski that could keep and edge and was really enjoyable - so a positive test result.
Back in the shop we joked about the irony of taking the skis out in those conditions, although there is another model to try today I was back on my fat TwinTips.
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Tried Xwings, ended up getting the Xwing 10's .. Love em, tried a pair of rockers last year but not for me,
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Tried Xwings, ended up getting the Xwing 10's .. Love em, tried a pair of rockers last year but not for me,
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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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a) I skied on them then bought at a discount. They weren't the first skis/bindings that I tried that week. So I would always recommend people go for an arrangement where you can try before buying and get a discount off the purchase price. It's good business for the shop as well, I would have thought. It jest seems more reliable a way of acquiring them. It obviously doesn't mean they fully-tested on all terrains in all conditions, but surely it's less risky than buying, say, from Snow and Rock in London Bridge; carting them to the Alps; and then finding you need adjustments or that they don't suit only when you're in the resort.
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didn't ski on my skis before buying.
was looking for all mountain ski's with approx. 83 waist basically cause I read that was a good idea.
had a look through ebay among other places and bought some of ebay.
got delivered and off to Austria the week after.
they were fine
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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One of the nice things about buying a really different ski without trying it is learning how to ski it to it's potential.
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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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| meh wrote: |
| One of the nice things about buying a really different ski without trying it is learning how to ski it to it's potential. |
or in my case making a right hash of it and getting by none the less
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Or h, your well meaning and generous but utterly clueless boarder boyfriend bought you skis for Christmas 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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| Quote: |
Are there skis out there yet where you can change the rigidity by twisting a knob?
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Already been done 6 or 7 years ago, not sure if they are still out there 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Volkl Tigershark? one of those anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Over the years, I probably tried half my skies before buying, the remainder based on reputation and recommendation. I don't remember ever being disappointed. I would test more often, but even in the 3 Valleys, opportunities for this are limited
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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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| yorkshirelad wrote: |
| Tried Xwings, ended up getting the Xwing 10's .. Love em, tried a pair of rockers last year but not for me, |
Same here. Tried half a dozen from my friendly hire shop then settled on the Xwings.
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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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A, b and c for me. After demoing, I also got more feeling to the reviews and what the words actually meen.
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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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b, c and f although have demoed and rented quite a few skis over the years as well, just usually seen a better deal on something very close to what I liked after a demo.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Who decides to call skis dobermans? Imagine the meeting!
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None of the above really, a mate hired the same skis and looking at how well he skied on them I went home, did some research and bought them off a fellow snowhead the next season. Love 'em!
The previous 2 pairs of skis were bought second hand after reading tons of reviews, loved the B1s, nonplussed over the sc80s.
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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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Anyone chosen their skis after a few beers? I've made that mistake in the past with choosing girlfriends
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FAQ
