 Poster: A snowHead
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My 9 year old neices have shown a interest in racing in the UK and have joined the schools ski race team, they train once a week on a local dry slope in stoke and travel to race in fridges. Up to now they have had there own gear (skis and boots) but usually just bought cheeply that should fit you, on you go then flip the gear on fleebay when they outgrow them.
Where to start with gear for racing? Do they need to go to a proper boot fitter ( through personal experience would only use CEM or Rivington alpine) or is this over kill would be outgrown them in 6 months? Would they be better with there own 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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@WASHOUT, Are they just skiing with the school? Stoke used to have a good race club that would have been my suggestion on the next step up, race clubs can be a good way to pass around equipment as kids grow out of it
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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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@WASHOUT, This may be somethng to discuss with the club coaches and other parents at training nights.
@rjs, Midland Ski club have now expanded to start training at Stoke on Monday nights as well as Swadlincote and the Ackers in Birmingham.
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Stoke race team have a facebook group to sell their gear on, plus other facebook groups like Skibay, Skibay UK and racers skibay are all useful.
At 9, they will only be skiing stubbies, so no need for hand guards yet. Some body protection might be worthwhile, and a race/race inspired SL ski would help also.
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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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Boots - I bought Atomic Redster JR 50 boots for my son at that age, they are 4 buckle with a booster strap and they cost about £80 from Europe in the summer sales. I just bought him the size he needed and the next few sizes up and he changed up to the bigger size when the current ones felt too tight. That way he always had a boot that fitted, not too big to grow in to and he tended to change over each summer. Once he finished with a boot it was kept for his sister and then sold off on ebay.
Skis - Sometimes bought new at one of the big Eu sites in the summer, but generally 2nd hand from older kids at the club. By 9 he was definitely on slalom specific skis. Generally the decent skis were kept for indoors and then when they became too short, they were used on the dry slope.
Protection - Decent helmet and back protector are essential, especially on dry slope. Both last for a number of seasons. Also hand guards and shin protectors are needed, although they can be picked up 2nd hand. Hand guards are needed for stubbie and shin protectors can be cut down to fit if they are smaller.
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A lot of good info here.
Midland or the local stoke ski club could be a good call if they continue to enjoy the school club.
Decent sized boots and skis will help no need to get boots professionally fitted just yet.
Never thought of back protector but will sort that out ASAP May even treat myself to one. Was looking at the POC ones.
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Midland Ski Club will be at this years Snow Show. Very friendly and approachable bunch I recall from last year (unlike SCGB who just seems to want to talk amongst themselves)
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A quick thoughy about gloves.. I see a lot of children in the summer trying to force their way into very sweaty, expensive Hestra and similar ski gloves. They are way too hot for the UK. Something unlined and reasonably protective (MTB gloves for example) will do the job and are a lot cheaper. When they get onto full size gates something with knuckle guards will help...
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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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Or get gloves that are too small and remove/unstitch the insulation, then they fit as summer gloves.
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@ski funny you mention hestra's they lost a pair at hemel on Monday at a school race comp.
What about goggles, I presume clear lenses?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| WASHOUT wrote: |
| What about goggles, I presume clear lenses? |
On dry slopes from what i've seen, nobody wears goggles.
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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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@WASHOUT, keep doing what you are doing for the time being, once they get to teenage years and still want to race or earlier IF they are getting really good then you can start to invest in new fitted gear, on the boots they are going to be using right now (the 50-65 flex boots) there are limitations to what you can do in terms of fitting mostly due to the plastics, best thing you could do right now is get a pair of superfeet trim to fit or similar insoles in the boots to give them a better contact
when they get to 70 flex and above you are moving into youth race boots which are made mostly of proper plastic and can be worked on
in terms of skis, keep an eye on skibay and racers ski bay groups on facebook, especially this summer there has been a l;oad of stuff on there where it has been bought used lightly due to covid and has been grown out of
good luck and if they get really good panic as ski racing will seriously limit your available budget to go *skiing /drinking/on holiday (delete or add more activitiesd as appropriate)
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@doddsie,
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Or get gloves that are too small and remove/unstitch the insulation, then they fit as summer gloves.
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Nice idea!
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You know it makes sense.
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Who would have the best selection of kids boots in the UK just now? Would it be worth going to the snow show in a couple of weeks time for boots?
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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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@WASHOUT, when you say kids boots what sort of size/flex are you talking?
as there is one maybe two retailers selling boots at the show i would suggest not worth it for big selection of kids boots
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Poster: A snowHead
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@WASHOUT, Are you currently training with a club? Usually there are a ton of hand-me-downs available. Unless they are nearing adult weight and height you aren't going to need the precise fit that comes from a boot fitter. You do need the right size, but that should be enough.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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There a UK size 4 but very light approx 35kg @ 1.4m. So don't want to strong a flex.
Would prefer a new pair rather than 2nd hand just now but would be keeping a eye open on used market for skis. I am aware of ski bartlett would be a good start any other retailers?
There last boots are dalbello they seam to be fine but they don't have experience to say either way.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Sat 1-10-22 23:11; edited 1 time in total
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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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Oh and there twins so hand me downs don't really work.
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You really don’t need a boot fitting, just get any kids race pair in a 50/60 flex, all the manufacturers make them, just get the cheapest deal online. Once they progress you can get them fitted, but that doesn’t need to happen until the boots are holding them back and a coach will make you aware of that fact.
My son who is the same weight with slightly smaller feet has recently gotten to that stage and got fitted into a Lange 90 with a short cuff, at Bartlett.
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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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Edit 29 & 32 kg @ 1.42m. So really looking for 50 flex max?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| WASHOUT wrote: |
There a UK size 4 but very light approx 35kg @ 1.4m. So don't want to strong a flex.
Would prefer a new pair rather than 2nd hand just now but would be keeping a eye open on used market for skis. I am aware of ski bartlett would be a good start any other retailers?
There last boots are dalbello they seam to be fine but they don't have experience to say either way. |
Bartletts are probably your best bet for a selection of stuff at that sort of flex, most other places might have one or maybe two options at best
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Much appreciated Colin. Was going to give you a ring about zipfits at some point.
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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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No its for the atomic hawx prime. Will phone to discuss at some point.
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@WASHOUT, if you want a softer flex and haven't had complaints about pain with boots before go for the Lange rsj 50, younger daughter has them and likes them. They have more progressive flex than the recreational boots which tend to go from soft to rock solid. Elder daughter has the Fischer RC 4 60 flex, she has complained about boots before so went for these as they are thermoformable. Haven't needed to do anything to them, skied all day in chill factore multiple times with no complaints. Better liner than the Lange boots.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Much appreciated on 1st hand feedback. The fischer rc4 60 did come up on the radar but was starting to keep coming back to the head raptor 60. Will have a butchers at the lange aswell.
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