Ladies’ skis for snow centre

A snowHead

As it looks like I might be doing most of my skiing at Mont Hemel this year I am thinking about investing in a cheap-ish and cheerful ski to improve the experience there as theirs are pretty knackered and I think I’ll go enough to make it worth it. Usually I visit a few times in the off season anyway for a lesson or some drills.
I’m a solid intermediate, happy on most pistes on the mountain on a good day but technique could definitely improve. I’m short (162).
I am usually happy with what I hire in resort and have plenty of other stuff to take along with the family so these skis are not likely to see a mountain anytime soon.
I’m hoping to ask for suggestions or advice. I spied a good price for a pair of Dynastar Intense 8 on snowleader and also Wedze skis look pretty good value but are they actually ok? I’ve enjoyed a few things in resort but I’m not super fussy, just want something good for intermediates.
I asked in the Snow & Rock at Hemel and they said no testing right now because of covid, and everything was quite a bit pricier anyway.
Any advice would be gratefully received. Very Happy

A snowHead

Snowcentre's Faceache page says new boots and helmets have arrived and skis are on the way.

Nothing better than your own skis though!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@anarchicsaltire, thanks, that’s a good tip! About time... was a bit alarmed that someone down the page asked if the old stuff was for sale Confused

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Wedze skis (Decathlon own brand) seem fine in matching your request.

They're not a manufacturer as far as I understand, so made in one of the other makers production facilities.

I was looking at them last season as a friend asked opinion, seemed quite impressive for the price.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Head Pure Joy skis in size short. They are light and turny. Otherwise just use the ones from over the counter, they aren't too bad. If they feel slippy, change feet. If they still don't edge, swap them!

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Thanks @Klamm Franzer, I skied the Absolut Joy 153 for a week on my last trip and they were good skis. I hadn’t considered Pure Joy because they are labelled beginners but I don’t really understand whether that would make a difference to how I use them, or not!

Interesting on switching around the hire skis; I had questioned myself whether I’m blaming the skis for my rusty skills!

Thanks @ski3, good to know as decathlon offer such good basics for everything else it would make sense the ski to be fairly reliable too and they are very keenly priced.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

A good ski for Hemel is unlikely to be your favourite ski for blasting around the Alps. There's not a lot of room to work with, so something a bit flappy with the turning circle of a weasel is likely to be more fun than a rock solid GS number where you will struggle to get one proper turn in before the netting!

I prefer the hire skis to my own when I go. At the Oktobertest event a couple of weeks ago, a lot of people enjoyed the Dynastar SL skis, but I suspect they wouldn't be so keen after a morning of 12M radius leg punishment on their winter hols.

After all it is free

Bought Mrs Endo some Head Pure Joy from Glisshop, they will do her fine for Cas, and if we get to go to France, we have a dummy run none sking trip to Scotland in December in case we can't travel to France

Thanks all good points and have definitely given me something to think about.... much appreciated

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@Skimum1, do you have your own boots? Much more important.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@under a new name, yes I do, thanks, agree that is more important. Need to face up to getting some for the eldest daughter this year, been putting that off!

snow reports

@Skimum1, has she stopped growing? Bro in law went through three pairs one season $$$

@under a new name, yes I think so, hasn’t changed shoe size in a couple of years so decided time to invest for her at last

You know it makes sense.

@skimum;

Once upon a time, I too thought I'd use my own skis at Hemel.

Then I thought: why am I bothering?
So I did a session with both the hire skis and my own, alternating between them to see what the differences were.
After that I chose to use theirs and I still do.
From time to time they do service them in bulk and replace them and the first couple of weeks they remind you of skis.
Otherwise you get what you get.

For me, the factors at Hemel that I find bigger than the skis are:
- what you can and can't do: under the limitations due to the pitch and size of the slope, and the other users;
- the snow quality: which does at random seem variously sticky, inconsistent, a bit like rain has fallen on it, abrasive and poor, and sometimes with those harder scrapey bits.

So when I use their hire skis on that, if they happen to be at the tired dirty unwaxed blunt stage, I find technique is a bit more challenged but not much in context.
That's why I prefer the wear and tear on their skis rather than that plus maintenance on my own.

And when I go to the Alps, the very first run on my own skis makes me smile!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Fat George, thank you. Your remarks (and some of the similar comments above) have definitely given food for thought. While I know something feels bad underfoot that I don’t feel on the mountain (as you describe) maybe I’m just wrong in that my own skis won’t completely fix that anyway and I’ll have spent £200+ plus a bunch of servicing costs to come. Different if I was going to take them with me I guess. Perhaps I should wait and try the new skis they are trailing before deciding to see if things improve.

A snowHead

@skimum;

You put it very well: "something feels bad underfoot that I don’t feel on the mountain". Yup. That's Hemel snow talking to you all right.

Perhaps you could either trial pairs from S&R, or borrow some for the day/swap with a friend, to see how that feels? Do your own test?

At the end of that, you'd have a much better idea on what to choose.

Or:
Q: How many skis should be in my quiver?
A: N+1! Hemel skis for Hemel conditions, my own for the Alps. Very Happy

A snowHead

As something of a balance

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353231939245?ul_ref=https%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-53481-19255-0%252F1%253Fff3%253D2%2526pub%253D5575376664%2526toolid%253D10044%2526campid%253D5338268676%2526customid%253DEAIaIQobChMIn6i1uq_N7AIVkobACh3AqQgWEAQYBiABEgJcY_D_BwE%2526lgeo%253D1%2526item%253D353231939245%2526srcrot%253D710-53481-19255-0%2526rvr_id%253D2655871445784%2526rvr_ts%253D5adf3af41750a9c46333c551ffc854e4&ul_noapp=true

Being sold as serviced and ready to go, it would seem.

Small risk but low cost so not much to loose in finding out. Edges will generally see much less use than the in situ hire fleet for personal schedule. Likely you'll get a UK indoor "season" out of them, then service and go again next if suitable.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Skimum1, I am a similar size to you and I find that it is difficult to get hire skis in the right specification - I usually have to compromise something and so I always take my own skis - even to a fridge. It is less distracting that way. I have a variety of skis, but my 'I don't want to think about anything and just relax on piste skis' are Rossignol Famous 6. They are very co-operative, forgiving skis. If you lived nearer (they skis are in Yorksire) I'd let you try mine, but if you see any for hire give them a go. They are last year's model so there are a few of them around in stock clearance if you look. I have the 153's but I think they come in 148 as well.

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Indoors I use slightly shorter skis (Castleford/Chilfactore) as rentals are unisex and find them heavier than my Head Total Joy Ladies ski. If you can get a test ski from one of the onsite shops it is always a good option. Also shorter skis are good for doing drills. Very Happy

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Skimum1, how about some 149cm kids (well, teens) slalom skis? I know a few ladies about your height who use them indoors (my wife happily uses them in the alps as well). You can probably pick up the Dynastars for about £200 at present, I get the impression that there’s less demand this year from the club deals that are available.

On a small slope they are a lot of fun and great for technique work. You could also expand into gate training if that takes your fancy, it makes uk slopes a lot more interesting in my view!

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Thanks so much all for the further comments - I have read them all carefully and now googling and thinking over the recommendations therein. I do find those rental skis heavy and sticky, but guess I won’t know until I try if that’s partly due to indoor snow conditions. As many have suggested maybe wait for the trials to start again, disappointed I missed the chance to do just this last weekend!
Thanks also @ski3 for the eBay links. I did have a good look around on eBay but being a complete novice at choosing skis I’m worried about needing adjustments to binding etc and even the ski workshop at Hemel is shut I was told as well as the testing. Hopefully soon it will start up again.
Thanks again all for taking the time to reply, it has all been very insightful and I’m grateful!

Help!!

Ladies’ skis for snow centre

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