 Poster: A snowHead
|
Sorry if this is a common question i couldn't find anything too specific and was hoping for some help.
Myself and girlfirend are heading to BlB / Meribel next week and found what appears to be a really good ski rental deal at the intersport next to our hotel.
The categories of the skis confuses me a little and was hoping for some advice.
The "red" category has the following info regarding the type of ski - SALOMON S/FORCE X6 + L10 GW OR EQUIVALENT / ROSSIGNOL EXPERIENCE 76 LTD + X-PRESS 10 OR EQUIVALENT
The "black" category has this - ATOMIC REDSTER XT + FT 10 GW OR EQUIVALENT / SALOMON S/MAX X7 TI + Z11 GW OR EQUIVALENT
We are both fairly tame but OK / intermediate skiers enjoying most red slopes, but like to venture onto some smoother / groomed blacks as well. I am pretty heavy at around 100kg my partner is around 80kg I believe. I will admit iv'e never noticed much difference between the rental skis i have had previously other than some awful ones with edges that were clearly damaged and i returned them after 1 day.
Do you think the "black" skis they list would be too advanced / stiff for us or would we be ok getting the higher performance skis? The last thing we want is to be chattering our way down the mountain every time the snow gets a bit hard because we don't ski well enough for the the skis to work properly!
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
It's been a while since I've hired skis, but when I did the categories seemed more a case of what's newer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
The more you pay generally the higher the margin and so the more money the hire shop makes. The flip side of this is the happier the hire shop will be to let you swap skis during the week, so (depending on conditions) start by asking for say a pair of dedicated piste skis, then swap them for something all mountain if it snows later in the week or just for a different pair of piste skis to see which you prefer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Ski rental categories generally relate to the newness rather than high performance. Bear in mind that most serious advanced skiers have their own so unless you are taking high end demos you'll generally not find a ski that is too much for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Until last month I would have agreed with the various comments above, but...
I went on a ski trip with some beginner / low intermediate friends recently. They hired from a French Intersport. The men decided to hire ‚Black Skis‘ and the women ‚Red Skis‘. The ‚Red Skis‘ looked no older than the ‚Black Skis‘ but they were a bit wider and a bit softer. The ‚Black Skis’ were more suited to skiers who could get their skis gripping early on in the turn. I was left thinking that the men would have got on better if they had hired the ‚Red Skis‘.
Edit: The Red Skis also had a tiny bit of tip rocker, where as the Black Skiswere definitely full camber.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@Oceanic, My experience of France (which is somewhat limited) is similar. The progression of Economy/Evolution/Performance/Excellence/Premium....was to do with how advanced the skier is.
The Premium category is exactly that and is the current year's skis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Similar question (sorry for tagging on to the thread), going to Châtel next week for 5 days. Can’t decide between red or black category. Will be my 9th week skiing (over 15 years). Describe myself as confident intermediate, normally okay on all but harder Blacks I’d say. Do struggle with bumps. I’m 5’10 weight low about 65kg. Any advice much appreciated.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After some further digging on their website it states "black " skis have a life of 2 seasons where as "red" have a life of 3. I guess after 2 years they just downgrade the older skis to the next category. I decided to go for the higher category skis as it was only another 12 quid for the week. I read somewhere you can change to any other types in that category (can't find it any more though) so I assume they will let us downgrade if we need to.
Thanks to everyone that helped out 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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’ve also gone for black category, will post update when back or had chance to try out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For me that has always been a big mystery, and to my shame, having tried different categories, I could not tell the difference because they all just 'felt different', and subconsciously the cheaper ones were making me to fall 
I resigned to the thought that the overall price difference for ski rental categories (unless you go Switzerland) is so small compared to flights/accommodation, that I always book a more expensive categories - exactly for the reason mentioned above - you can come and swap skis dependent on the snow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
