 Poster: A snowHead
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Moving on from the thread I posted about 2 minutes ago lol, can I ask a question about skis?
This year for example I went for 2 weeks and am going for at least 2 weeks in 15/16. For 2 of us, that's ALOT of rental money.
What type of ski do I need to look for to buy a second hand pair, and where should I buy from?
I am a "solid all mountain" skier (quote Steve Angus  ), nothing fancy but I I don't really know what type of skis to buy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Philip1972, As Steve has seen you ski; best bet would be to ask him!
Something like the Head Titan or Magnum might fit the bill; but without seeing you ski; it is difficult to give solid advice.
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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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Good idea, I will send him a PM.
Thanks
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Philip1972, 2 weeks a year for two persons is a lot of money? 60-70 pounds a week pp? Most would spend more on a beer a week. In return you get a servised ski, boots, poles... Even if you get a second hand skis, you would need to service them, transport it and pay for repair if something goes wrong with it. With rentals, you just go back and ask it to be fixed or replaced. How is it lots of money? I made this calculation for myself too, but unless I ski a minimum 4 weeks a season, I would see no reason of buying my own skis. And then again, if snow conditions changes, with rentals just go and change skis as you 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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I do hear what you are saying.
Its a bout 150 each for rental....no its not vast amounts....but actually if I am being honest....I HATE the ski hire shops 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
I HATE the ski hire shops
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why? You'd need to use them to get the skis serviced unless you go in for all that too.
But sure, if you want to buy second hand skis, why not? If you drive to ski it makes good sense provided you don't feel the need to buy new ones all the time (which is also fine, but no good telling yourself it's for financial reasons!). If you fly it makes a lot less sense. As I asked on the other thread, have you got your own boots?
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Yea we have our own boots.
And I couldn't agree more regarding flying with skis, but we always drive.
Thanks for the advice so far.
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Morning @Philip1972, I too was in your situation.
I too bought a pair of 2nd hand skis off ebay for my wife and I.
Her a set of Solomon 140 twin tips (bought because she likes shorts skis, not so she can go backwards) I got a set of Salomon 160 twin tips (bought because the bloke selling my wife's skis, said "do you want to buy these as well".......... So I did).
Best thing I ever did.......... Both pairs cost me less than £100 (bought out of season)
Servicing costs..... 10 euros per ski to get them waxed when we get to resort (we are blue,red, easy black type skiers and so the edges so far are quite keen)
BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT.
Do YOU need the best?
If when you hire skis you go for the cheapest set of sticks you can, then go for it.
At the end of the day. If you don't like them after 1 week just leave them
But if you want the latest technology, stick with hiring.
(Now I'm waiting for people to slag me off for not spending £100 day servicing my skis) 
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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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Thanks Mr Kiteman!
Wife usually goes for the standard cheap hire set, while I go for maybe 1 step up, but not the best !
Interestingly, she always seems to end up with a brand new pair that are a good brand, while mine look old and knackered lol
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@Philip1972, you said 150 each for renting and your wife goes for the cheapest offer? In Fr resourts I get my rentals (top range always) from EUR 55 to EUR 110 (skis only as I have my own boots) depending on the resort.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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For 2 weeks that seems to be what I end up paying (although because I drive, I tend to have sn extra day at the start and end end, so it can be 16 days rental.
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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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Be careful with eBay. We often hear people boasting about how much somebody paid for their knackered old skis.
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Possibly @pam w, but I did give them a once over before parting with my cash.
I certainly wouldn't buy a pair and get them posted to me.
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You know it makes sense.
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Buy the same type you usually ski when you rent if in doubt. Do you pay attention which skis you ski on your holidays?
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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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| never summer wrote: |
| Buy the same type you usually ski when you rent if in doubt. Do you pay attention which skis you ski on your holidays? |
Not really, always trying too hard to stay upright
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Poster: A snowHead
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| kiteman69 wrote: |
(Now I'm waiting for people to slag me off for not spending £100 day servicing my skis) |
No that'd be crazy for skis you've sunk so little into but assuming you're a remotely normal adult male your skis are too short for you if you're skiing advanced pistes.
As to the OP it's pretty much a no brainer if you always drive. Don't go too cheap on the skis - second hand can be really good value anyway and the real advantage in having you own skis is being used to consistent feel and learning to use their performance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Hi, I have had my own skis for nearly twenty years, I wouldn't rent again. I bought some Salomon 1080's in 2002 & have had well over 30 weeks skiing on them. They have been great value & now live at my friends villa in Spain to use on day trips to Sierra Nevada. Skis can be bought for not much more than a weeks rental. When flying we put 2 sets in one bag & have never been charged double. Ski servicing in resort tends to be good value.
Quick word of warning, I wouldn't buy from Ebay unless they are new. I bought some, the bindings had been refitted, but hiding the previous fitting holes. When I tried to fit my boot, the space was too large! The minimum boot size for these skis was about a 12! Going up to a 16! This was never mentioned in the listing. Luckily I got a full refund from Ebay & they paid the return postage to the seller.
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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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| Quote: |
When I tried to fit my boot, the space was too large! The minimum boot size for these skis was about a 12! Going up to a 16! This was never mentioned in the listing.
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TBH - the real issue here is to make sure you ask what boot length the bindings are mounted for and to ask if they have previously been drilled. I certainly wouldn't know how much to pay for SH skis without that information.
I wouldn't have a problem with buying SH skis on ebay. I have bought and sold skis there before.
Another decent option is to buy from hire shops at the end of the season. Generally they want some turnover in their stock and will sell you anything they have at a decent price, not just the knackered stuff. Of course it means you are buying heavier rental bindings but we quite like this for kids - means it is easier to pass them on.
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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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I agree about the boot length & it was a mistake on my part, but when the boot length is so much out of the ordinary (size 7 to 10) it should have been mentioned in the listing.
Buy your own skis, you won't go back.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Of course if you have your own skis there's fewer things to organise for that impulse trip to Scotland 
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Just to add re boot length.
This is a VERY good point.
But easily rectified by buying a set with adjustable bindings on.
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@Philip1972, if you drive and have an aversion to ski hire shops buying is a no brainer. All you need to do is get some DIY servicing kit and a bit of knowledge and you are sorted.
I've bought second hand from internet classified ads and ebay - kids and adult, snowboard and ski stuff. Like anything else you have to read between the lines on the sellers description. Having a good set of pictures so you can see the condition is paramount - unless it says something like used for a one/two weeks. It's hard to trash anything with low usage. Make sure the seller has a decent amount of trade and rating. You need to have a reasonable idea what you want. There are plenty of all mountain skis around so should be options. Just read old reviews. Worse case scenario, you ski it a week, don't like it and have to buy something else and sell the ones you bought. As you are buying second hand it's no big loss.
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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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Get a sense of the sort of skis you like by going to a ski test.
People often assume that they "wont be able to tell the difference because we're not experts." Nothing could be further from the truth. A more advanced skier will compensate quite easily to adapt to different skis' characteristics. It's the intermediate skier who finds one ski a joy to ride and another a nightmare. We've had people with no more than 2 or 3 weeks under their belts getting a huge benefit out of testing.
The next scheduled snowHeads test is the OktoberTest at Hemel on 10th October. Hopefully we'll do something further north too.
Once you know the sort of thing you like, it's easier to a) part wityh your cash confident you're getting something you like or b) turn up something suitable 2nd hand. The Buy/Sell forum here is very active - I just shifted 3 pairs of skis over the weekend!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Thanks for all the help guys, just need to find some now.
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@Philip1972, Ebay is a good place to source used skis. AND.... for selling your skis once you've used them. You may just find that a couple of weeks skiing will be a net cost of less than £40-£50 even when ebay fees and couriers are factored in. At the moment there are some quite tempting skis on offer at ridiculously cheap prices. Best choose a decent ski from Salomon, Atomic, Scott, Head, for a good resale value, or from Nordica, Movement, Line, Volkl, for a better initial cost but with a lesser resale return. Don't go too long with the ski length as most piste based skis for "solid all mountain skiers" are defo under 180cms and prolly nearer to 170 for most "short ski thinkers". That said you may just find that the real bargains are the slightly longer skis as these have less all round appeal. Just do some research on the skis that look close to your best type, there are many ski review sites to help you.
An example of ebay gear ... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SKIS-ALL-MOUNTAIN-CARVING-ROSSIGNOL-ALIAS-A74-176cm-NICE-SKIS-2013-/301687090940?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item463df3aefc
The Ebay seller has some very decent skis for sale in half decent condition. (Please not I'm NOT pimping this seller, just using as an example).
Please note Admin that this is an example of the type of half decent ski on offer at the moment and NOT a pair of skis that I'm selling!
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You know it makes sense.
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@skimastaaah, Thanks for that post, very useful.
I had seen those skis, and they are very tempting.
The only thing holding me back is people on forums tell me never to buy ex rental, and when I googled these are likely to be ex Austrian rental.
I am not adverse to ex rental purchases as a rule (cars etc), but when I read from "experts" not to get used skis, I do have asecond think.
Any opinions?
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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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@Philip1972, I chose those particular skis as an example of what you can get for not a lot of money. Also they have been professionally serviced, have decent binding (TP12) that are adjustable, the skis look as though they have had little usage, they are a bargain at that price, and I bet that you would easily recoup your most of the outlay after a couple of weeks skiing.
Think of things this way .... these sort of skis could be your way into reducing ski holiday costs, a little buying and selling of ski kit reduces the overall net costs. Build up a little experience and know how to help you buy better and to buy with greater insight. Realise you may make mistakes, but put the gear back on ebay to recoup costs.
At the moment I own 4 pairs of skis, that's a couple too many I know, and I'll be selling two pairs that I've skied on when the 2015 ski season starts. Over the past 5 or 6 years I've bought and sold skis regularly to reduce ski holiday costs and buy decent new/used ski gear that would normally cost a lot more from a ski shop. I tend not to lose money as I buy cannily. For example this seasons piste ski were brand new Nordica Spitfire Dobermann with Vist bindings, (£131 plus £10 delivery - Ebay), the 2014 version length 178, in the shops original price of £450. I'll ski another week on them, put them on ebay mid season for £99 buy-it-now - that works out to be less than £15 per ski week! I do that each season for the past number of years. Mrs Skimastaaah's skis (3 days demo-skis -2014 Salomon W-Karts) cost no more than her previous skis sold for after 5 weeks usage.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@skimastaaah, You talk alot of sense!
So you think those skis would suit me as an average on piste skier?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Philip1972, Another very decent Rossignol ski is the "Pursuit 16", Ebay has a few on sale at over £200. More money than you may want to spend, but these skis may last a season or two longer than some cheaper skis. Use them for 4 weeks, sell them for half what you paid, costs average out at £25 per ski week. As an all mountain ski the Pursuit 16 is the real deal. I know 'cos I demoed a pair this season as a ski test in Austria. A very cruisey capable ski that is great in medium radius turns at medium pace, but comes into its own at fast cruising on carve set edges. I think Skibartlett has a pair on Ebay at the mo.
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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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@skimastaaah, Hmmm, Skibartletts look nice. Is he a member on here? I cant find him!
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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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| Philip1972 wrote: |
| So you think those skis would suit me as an average on piste skier? |
With respect, how is he (or anyone) going to know what skis would suit you?
Every skier skis differently (intermediates all the moreso) and each model of ski has a different character to it. You may well find a brand you tend to get on with but even then, the next model they bring out may not suit youfor example: The Rossignol B2 and B3 were 2 of the most successful ski models in recent years - I hated them: just didn't get on with them at all. The B3 was so suited to my theoretical profile/needs that even though I didn't like it, I skied it for 3 days to see if I just needed to get used to it; I didn't, I needed a different ski! at all. No one, not the lad in Ellis Brigham, not the manager of Snow + Rock, not even some random bloke on the internet can tell you, with any authority, what suits you until you have some meaningful data as a baseline.
If you can answer this question: "What skis have you got on well with in the past and which do you particularly dislike?" - From there, a rough comparison to other skis which might suit you can be drawn but even then, the only way to really know whether you personally get on with any ski, is to try it. This is why we organise the ski tests and it's why so many snowHeads and indeed the brands bother to turn up to them.
Of course, you can just buy a random pair off ebay that you've never heard of and hope you like them and indeed you might, but do just be aware that whatever the description says, you might just hate them. On the upside, as skimastaaah suggests, you can just sell them on and try again.
Would you buy a car without a test drive or get married without dating first? If so, I know a car...and perhaps a wife too that would suit you perfectly sir 
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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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| Philip1972 wrote: |
| @skimastaaah, Hmmm, Skibartletts look nice. Is he a member on here? I cant find him! |
Yes, various of their staff are regulars here. They are generally considered 'snowHeads friendly' 
gsb for example, is ski tech there.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Just wanted to send a PM, but could find him on the PM search box?
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Just send it to gsb, that's his username.
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Great, thanks
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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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@Philip1972, admin is right in that you just never know and nobody can really tell you what would suit. That said you can take a punt just based on description reviews, other peoples info. And ultimately if you are buying used gear the hit of making a mistake isn't a financial killer. For me having the time and opportunity to try many different skis on isn't really there. So I have taken a couple of punts, built up some knowledge.... Last hols my binding packed up so I had to go rental, had a chat about my needs, which based on my prior knowledge, managed to hit something good straight off. I then purchased a new pair (slight variant) of the same when I got home.
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Evolution of the ski buying hominid
Don't know anything about skis - skis whatever hire shop monkey (HSM) gives him with variable results
Knows a little bit - enough to keep HSM honest and sort of get what he likes
Here it can branch
Branch one
Buys anything cos it's a deal - may or may not be brilliant
Branch two
Researches to death
Demos where he can
Settles on the perfect ski - buys at whatever cost
Somewhere between the two is the edumacation route where you take opportunities to demo but also might take a punt on something that is probably ok if the deal is good, knowing you'll be able to flip them on if they don't quite feel right.
Be warned though that this route is also the path to infinite quiver tinkering and fabricated justifactions for the n+1 pair of skis.
Great deals can include rarely skied demo fleet stock (helps if you're an unpopular size or in an esoteric ski). Bad deals can include flogged to death heavy bog standard rental fleet models. Stuff like fitted tip bumpers is always a big AVOID red flag.
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FAQ
