Looking for some advice on purchasing my first set of skis. I have asked for advice from family and friends, and there are two camps. 1) dont waste your money, just rent. 2) Sure, get some
So what am I looking for? Well, I am 6ft / 182cm, 185Lbs and a beginner. Now, I say beginner, as I have only been skiing once last, however I had private lessons, and by day 3 I was on my own doing parrallel turns on blues and reds quiet happily, with controlled turns and controlled speed. My family who I was with and the instructor were both shocked how quickly I picked it up. That said, I would still say I am a beginner. At the time I rented some Salomon X drive's.
My "ambition" is not to go fast or become a word great freerider, but I am looking to progress this year, and enjoy piste skiing. I am going again in late Jan and am looking at booking again for March. In Jan, I have booked another set of lessons from the same instructor as last year.
With the xmas sales on in the UK, there seems to be some GREAT deals around, and considering that renting costs around 80-100 EURO, i've been weighing up buying my own skis for this year.
I have seen the Rossignol Persuit 300 (170cm) 2016 for around 180Euro new, with bindings. Add a bag and poles, its about 220Euro delivered to my house in the UK.
In my head, I could buy these skis, use them this season, and in theory throw them away at the end of the year, and I wouldn't be any worse off. In truth, from what I have read, they seem to be a good enough ski that at my level, I should be able to get 2 seasons out of them at least, and are a good ski for me to progress on.
The logic of buying your own skis for 1 or 2 weeks a year is fairly weak....it's even weaker for a near beginner.
FWIW. Wait till you become more advanced and then reassess the situation...the deals will still be there. At this stage, you probably don't really know what type of ski you will need in a few years.
If you don't have your own boots....then look to get these first (properly fitted)
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 29-12-16 16:39; edited 1 time in total
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?
Hi - Thanks for the input. I have indeed got my own boots. Bought them a couple of weeks ago.
Remember to add the cost of ski carriage to your outlay (if flying...) ; between £40 and £60 depending of airline
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I can't give any specific ski advice but one thing to bear in mind when calculating the comparative costs of owning versus hiring - if you own your own skis, you need to consider how to get them to the slope.
If you're flying, look at the tiny print of the airlines you'll likely travel with most. No, not the small print, the really tiny print that when you read it probably doesn't make sense initially. You may find that the ski carriage charge on squeezyjet and others like that could end up being more expensive than ski hire charges. With others such as BA, with economy, you can check in one piece of luggage normally weighing normally 23kg max I think. A lot of people therefore put all their clothes into the ski bag so they just have one piece of checked luggage.
If you do buy skis, don't forget to buy a good padded ski bag by the way. It will need to stand up to the untender hands of baggage handlers.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Thu 29-12-16 16:47; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@skidipity,
After all it is free
After all it is free
Two things have put me off in the past.
1. Cost of ski carriage, occasional maintenance etc all adds up.
2. You could find yourself in 10 year's time, skiing on 10 year old technology that has only been used for 10 weeks.
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.
Thanks guys
@albob and @skidipity - At the moment, my holidays are planned for Val D'issere. We go on chartered flight, so taking equipment doesn't cost any extra (have checked the small print)
@Matt1959 - my intention would not be to keep them for that long - my hope is that by then I'll be a better skiier with better skis. My thoughts are more focused to getting a good ski I can progress on for 2 seasons or so. And with the cost of rentingvs some of the sales atm, it seems i can at least break even on cost.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I've been running my own skis for donkey's years, year on year the financial rationale becomes weaker and weaker.
I buy good ex-demo skis at the right price and offload them on Ebay after 2/3 seasons, the depreciation is the minimal. Even then, carriage and servicing barely make ownership stack-up.
All I'm left with is the comforting familiarity of stepping into your own gear at the beginning of each trip and the 'look at me, I'm so good that I have my own kit' bollox in airports.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Mollerski - you are kinda in the place where I am. Not ex demo, but 2016 year / sale stock. I'm looking at £170 for skii's that seem to be on par with what I am looking to do (beginner progressing intermediate). If I use them twice, I break even on the rental / buy scale. My hope is that I should get 2 seasons out of them, then sell them on for £50 - £100.
Can't be bad right? - or am I being a total noob / plonker?
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.
@knw101,
You're OK there, but it's the £60 carriage and £20 service which kills it. If you're driving and skip a few services (as you're a newb and prob wouldn't notice the difference. ), it gets better.
A weeks hire of decent gear can be had in some resorts for £60-80.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:
All I'm left with is the comforting familiarity of stepping into your own gear at the beginning of each trip and the 'look at me, I'm so good that I have my own kit' bollox in airports.
@Mollerski, no no, the important thing about owning your own skis is that you can then have a matching outfit. So many people commented on my co-ordinating ski clothes, helmet and skis. Such jealousy (cough, cough).
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
knw101 wrote:
We go on chartered flight, so taking equipment doesn't cost any extra (have checked the small print)
Who is that with, as there are very few airlines that will take them for free?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@skidipity, Oddly enough, my outfit has become worryingly coordinated.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Old Fartbag wrote:
knw101 wrote:
We go on chartered flight, so taking equipment doesn't cost any extra (have checked the small print)
Who is that with, as there are very few airlines that will take them for free?
YSE - they charter a whole plane twice a week with Thomson.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Old Fartbag wrote:
knw101 wrote:
We go on chartered flight, so taking equipment doesn't cost any extra (have checked the small print)
Who is that with, as there are very few airlines that will take them for free?
Yeah, sports equipment is the standard 'crank up' for most charter companies.
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?
Quote:
Oddly enough, my outfit has become worryingly coordinated.
@Mollerski, I'm betting you probably haven't hit my level of co-ordination. Someone last month pointed out that the tint on my goggles goes with my skis and salopettes. Oops...
Makes little sense to have your own skis as an early developing skier unless you are going to be skiing at least 3 weeks a year and/or you are going to be skiing in Scotland from time to time and do not want to spend ski time in the equipment hire queues. That of course is the sensible and logical response, but I'm assuming the OP is a bloke and we blokes like to have our toys and the logic of the situation has little significance in this case, it never stopped me - he who dies with the most toys wins!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quite so, i tried resisting starting my own ski collection initially but then won a pair at the end of my first week, seemed like a sign 👍
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
), it gets better.
