 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone, although I started skiing at 10 years old and have skied a lot in my life its been probably 10 years since I bought a pair pf skis and probably 6 years since I skied abroad, I have noticed that more people seem to wear helmets nowadays and the design of skis seems to have changed a bit. I am taking my 2 x 7 year old boys to La Plagne in February and just wanted to catch up really, I am thinking of getting them into ski school although one of my boys has hypermobile joints so I am concerned about him, also he hasn't shown much intertest in skiing whereas my other boy loves to stand on the back of my skis when we get snow here in Blighty so I have high hopes for him.
I am really after a catch up, what's new? and any recommendations for getting the kids going both here in the UK (I have avoided taking them to SD at Tamworth or the other place at MK, mainly because they are a waste of time and money I think) and in La Plagne?
How are the new skis? last set of skis I bought were Volkl unlimited AC3 skis, really like to hear what the new designs are like. I always tend to struggle when buying skis as a lot of places don't do a try before buy, sport 2000 in Bourg Saint Maurice used to which was cool but most hire shops just used to seem to have a very small range of skis, and normally cheapies as they trash them (although I did hire a pair of awesome Atomic skis in Austria once).
Thanks for your time, sorry to be a pain...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If your kids have never skied then a snowdome would be an ideal place to take them in advance. Will mean they don't need the absolute beginners class on holiday. Can't really see a downside. Many of the domes have retail shops attached that will let you trial skis as well. That will kill two birds with one stone. I would not dismiss using a dome pre trip , in fact I would consider it a huge benefit.
Plenty ski reviews on the net to let you know what type of ski to be looking at for your type of skiing. I've just added a second pair to my quiver and will be heading to a fridge with them tomorrow.
Then we can start talking about boots.......
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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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noticed that more people seem to wear helmets
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Yeah. It's a thing. Some ski schools insist on for kids.
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design of skis seems to have changed
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So the Marketing Department would have you believe. On piste, in reality, not so much.
Some people like snowdomes. Obviously.
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a lot of places don't do a try before buy
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I am surprised. Any shop I've used does so. That's admittedly not much help to you! I don't know La Plagne but I sure there would be a number of shops with good broad ranges who'd let you test a few pairs. MInd you, if you aren't using them several weeks a year, rental is probably the way forward.
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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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Skis have become (and I generalise a bit), lighter, more shaped, have greater more torsional stiffness...With Freeride Skis becoming much wider with designs that make Off Piste easier. All Mountain Skis have become more versatile.
Re Ski Schools for the kids: The likes of New Gen would be be the best, but more expensive. Personally, I would avoid the ESF.
EVO 2 are a good compromise.
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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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@Old Fartbag, Nothing I've skied has become lighter ... but what does that matter anyway as they're usually on the ground, no? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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MInd you, if you aren't using them several weeks a year, rental is probably the way forward.
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This. Rental shops will have skis which can ski better than you can, unless you're a ski god! My son is a terrific skier and spent one season on old skis which had been left behind - deliberately - by a guest who had stayed in the chalet where he was the chef. One of them fell apart one day when he was skiing on the Grande Motte in Tignes (binding parted company from the ski, leading to an enormous crash). He had to ski back to the bottom of Val d'Isere on one ski - though he did have to swap legs, and said he found the mogulled stretches challenging.
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@Old Fartbag, My 1997 Rossi 7SKs (203) are way lighter than my Bonafides (173)... and funkier colours.
Graphene and Titanal have been buzzwords since I could read.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, My 1997 Rossi 7SKs (203) are way lighter than my Bonafides (173)... and funkier colours.
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Which have the greater surface area?
A better comparison would be following the trends of modern skis. The trend is for lighter, yet stronger.
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@Old Fartbag, Hmmm, calculator time,
roughly
7SKs 0.14m2
Bons 0.17m2
I remain unconvinced about your ski weight argument - manufacturers would be all over it if it was a thing. Just as they actually are about boots. Which are most definitely lighter.
@pika1971, that's a point, boot tech has changed a lot and for the better. If you are upgrading, that might well be something to look at.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, Hmmm, calculator time,
roughly
7SKs 0.14m2
Bons 0.17m2
I remain unconvinced about your ski weight argument - manufacturers would be all over it if it was a thing. Just as they actually are about boots. Which are most definitely lighter.
@pika1971, that's a point, boot tech has changed a lot and for the better. If you are upgrading, that might well be something to look at. |
Blizzard Bonafides were made lighter in 2016 with the introduction of Carbon Tips and Tails to reduce the swing weight. IIRC The same was done to the Brahma the year before.
Head have introduced the Kore range, using Graphene.
"Graphene, a ‘super’ material discovered at Manchester University, is a one atom thick layer of carbon atoms. Doesn’t sound like something one atom thick can make that much difference to a ski? Head have been using this material to great success in their women’s Joy range of skis for a while now. They also use it in their Worldcup Rebel, Monster, Instinct and their superb new Kore range of skis; it is not a fad."
Ps. Graphene was only discovered in 2004, so that means you haven't been reading very long! 
https://www.outsideonline.com/1929991/graphene-material-future
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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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@under a new name, Another example of what I'm talking about:
Volkl: More performance AND less weight? Impossible. Right? No, it‘s not! And the exclusive V.WERKS High Tech line delivers the best proof to the contrary. It demonstrates in impressive fashion just what technology can achieve right now.
This custom series focuses on revolutionary designs that trim every possible gram, which means exclusive use of expensive materials like carbon, aramids and Titanal. Trailblazing engineering and cutting-edge production methods together result in an extremely lightweight ski brimming with world-class performance capabilities without sacrificing even a hint of stability or durability. The construction and ultra-flat design translates into a fantastic edge grip and lightning-fast responsiveness, so there are absolutely no limits placed on highly athletic, varied skiing.
V.WERKS technology and the revolutionary 3D.Ridge construction are features unique to VÖLKL and found nowhere else in series production – with Made in Germany quality! It makes all V.WERKS models into lightweight high-performance skis that catapult dedicated skiers to the next level.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Old Fartbag, aimed at the "all mountain" skier. I think we will just have to cordially disagree on this one.
P.S.
Current M5 Mantra 2,060g
V.Werks Mantra 1,680g
Not a startling difference...
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, aimed at the "all mountain" skier. I think we will just have to cordially disagree on this one.
P.S.
Current M5 Mantra 2,060g
V.Werks Mantra 1,680g
Not a startling difference... |
I said skis were getting lighter - Not "Startlingly lighter". 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks everyone for the advice, I might consider a lesson for the kids in the UK then, when I was their age we used to get taken to Gloucester dry slope a few times before we went abroad each year, I remember thinking how much easier skiing on real snow on a mountain was when we got abroad compared to the dry slope.
I take in board the buying new kit stuff, the last pair of skis I bought were for a full season in the Alps so I got to try a few pairs before I decided what I wanted. I have always used Tecnica race boots as I’m a big guy with wide feet but fancy updating maybe to the Atomic Hawk Magna [url=] https://shop.atomic.com/en-gb/products/hawx-magna-130-s-ae0001176.html[/url] they sound like a good place to start, and maybe see what happens with the skis.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@pika1971, if there's a dry slope that's more conveniant to you than a dome, don't discount it. Private lessons on a dry slope can often be very little more than group lessons in a dome, especially if it's a private for 2 as opposed to 2 lots of the group lesson price. They will learn more in a private than a group.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Paragraphs- overrated 
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FAQ
, skiing is one of my outdoor addictions including canoeing, kayaking ,climbing etc and I’m lucky to work outdoors as an instructor and run my own company 