Help me decide on beginner-friendly alpine skis for my GF!

A snowHead

Two cheap local deals I’ve come across so far: Nordica Sportmachine 70 152cm with N Sport XCT demo bindings for $100, or Rossi Bandit B1 Women’s in 150cm with fixed bindings for $75.

Hi all and thanks in advance for the help! I’m still a relative beginner myself with only around 15 days on the slopes hence the question.

I’m looking for used skis on a budget of around $100 that would work for my total beginner girlfriend who is around 5’8 125lb. Would either of the above be decent options, and between the two which do you feel would be better? She’d be skiing these in Ashland/Shasta, Oregon/NorCal.

A snowHead

Welcome to snowHead

IMV. As a total beginner, you are better hiring. This is because:

- The ski shop will have something suitable
- If the skis are somehow not suitable, they can be changed for something else
- It your GF gets on well, they will grow out of beginner skis quite quickly
- If your GF hates it, she won't have skis she doesn't want
- Cheap 2nd hand skis are probably clapped out, with bindings that are no longer indemnified (and ski shops may not service them).

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

Thanks for your reply! I understand renting is probably the ideal option when money isn’t a factor but I hate the idea of throwing away money given I’m on a budget. My idea is that when you buy second-hand skis at a good price, at least you can sell them in the case things don’t work out and recoup most of the original cost. Renting equipment twice already runs you up close to $100 and you can’t recoup any of that.

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If you want to go second hand - of the two skis you have listed, I "think" the Nordica is younger and more beginner oriented.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You should ensure the bindings work correctly, supports a low din setting, and are still indemnified by the manufacturer should something go wrong.

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I think also check that the bindings are ether adjustable (rails) or can be moved...check to see if they've been moved already. You don't want to be screwing them into filler. If she's renting boots they'll need to be on rails to allow for the unknown sole length so the demo bindings are the winner

She'll need poles as well

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

Some great points made above.

I "think" the Nordicas being newer, may be mounted on a plate, possibly making it easier to adjust*. IIRC The Bandits are a flat ski, which if the case, means the binding will be screwed directly to the ski.

Being the age they are, they will likely have a Traditional camber, making them slightly less forgiving than more modern Piste skis, that have a Piste Rocker.

Skis/Bindings of this age are a bit of a minefield - so you need to know what you are doing and thus what to look for.

* Demo Binding will be movable.

After all it is free

What are her thoughts on this?

What is her weight and height and how sporty/fit is she? Is she timid or more of a "Go for it" type. These factors will determine suitable ski length.

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Are you also looking to save money on lessons?

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You know it makes sense.

Oh dear...Best of luck then

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

The Nordica if you've inspected them to verify they are in decent condition. Set, or get someone to set the bindings, appropriately (they'll probably need to be in Din range of 3~5 as starting point, check with relevant charts for weight etc) to make they will release at relatively low level.

They are what you'd likely get fro rental in performance envelope, so condition and setup will give you starting point to assess from there.

A snowHead

A snowHead

This doesn't sound like a very sensible proposition.

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

While I think the OP is unlikely to stick around to read more "not a good idea" comments, just in case he's still reading, this is all a really bad idea.

Trying to learn skiing with no lessons, or even worse with 'instruction' from someone who themselves doesn't have a clue, will most likely put the person off completely. I've heard some people claim they learnt without any instruction, but I've never known a good skier who says that.

Buying skis before they've even tried their first steps on snow is a complete waste of money. There's a very good chance that they (particularly the antique Rossis) will be shagged out anyway, and you'll have no way of knowing. In the unlikely event that she does continue to ski you'd probably be wanting to replace them after a couple of weeks skiing anyway.

You don't mention boots, but if your other comments are anything to go on I'm guessing that you've also sourced some second hand ones. This, even more that the skis, is a recipe for disaster unless you have an experienced, preferably professional, adviser to help.

Do let us know how she gets on.

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@keng92, those 15 days were without instruction?

If she has had some decent instruction in those 15 days I wouldn't be as down as others on continuing without at this stage. Some miles under the skis just as important. But if she has had no instruction at all...

Bandit B1's must be pretty old (had B2's a good few years back that I got second hand - binding plate broke on both skis). Sportmachine a big younger but still 10 years. Described as a beginner ski. If you can negotiate the price down a bit it's almost throwaway money. Do they come serviced. A good service would cost a few bucks so if they've already been serviced that would be another winner (but I suspect not and would need to build that into the cost).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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@keng92, Please understand that the replies you have received are in no way meant to be mean; or put you off your idea without good reason.

By in large, what you will get on here is well meaning advice, based on years of experience. If people think you are mistaken, they will say so....and (especially) where you see a big consensus, the chances are that the advice is correct.

I know that you are not getting the advice you want to hear - but strongly suggest that you take it on board eg. A Beginner needs lessons; Old skis are unlikely to be a good solution for learning on eg. It's possible that your GF might be better on a 145; and old bindings that are no longer indemnified can be dangerous.

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

If the B1s are from around 2002 (white ones) they're possibly older than the girlfriend. I wouldn't pay 75 cents for them and certainly wouldn't ski on them. Even the later version with the maroon flame graphic are from 2005-07 and are likely to be completely wrecked or rusty.

After all it is free

Hi all, I appreciate the concerns. I haven’t had any paid instruction myself, but I’m quite a cautious person who didn’t throw myself down a mountain without mentoring by ski vet friends or many hours researching skis and boots for myself. She has cross-country skied many times; and although I know it’s completely different, balancing and stopping on slippery snow sticks is not foreign to her. I believe I know enough of the basics to not throw her down anything but a bunny slope after finding proper fitting boots, safe skis, and the most basic of handling instruction. The Nordica skis I’m considering were being sold by a long-running annual ski swap that inspects the skis they sell.

We unfortunately don’t have hundreds to spend on lessons or brand new skis and boots, but I know enough about what to look for in used equipment, and I’d rather own assets I can sell when necessary than to rack up a couple hundred dollars on rental equipment that you can’t recoup to any extent. If I can snag a set of skis for $100, even if we move on from them after a few outings on the bunny slopes, they practically buy themselves in rental savings. If I’m totally off base still here I welcome further opinions!

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@keng92, It is not my intention to be argumentative - but I fail to see why you have come on here and asked for advice, while having little intention of actually taking it, unless it happens to tell you what you want to hear.

I too wish you the best and hope it all works for you, despite all the misgivings that I and others share.

You know it makes sense.

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

@keng92, I know @Cacciatore mentioned it earlier, but can I ask if you've got insurance? This isn't just for you, it covers others too.

A snowHead

@keng92

A snowHead

I think a little perspective would be good here - not everyone is lucky enough to be able to pay for everything they'd ideally want. Yes, lessons are a very good way to start, and probably how most Brits learn to ski. But elsewhere, far fewer people (as a proportion of those skiing) have lessons. Very few of my Swedish friends have ever had a lesson, and most of them would make most of us look fairly inept. They learn from family, primarily, and friends. So it's not impossible to learn to ski (well) without formal lessons. There's a wealth of good information available on the internet, and if the OP (and his girlfriend) combine this with sensible advice from more experienced friends, they'll probably have a great time and not be a danger to everyone else on the slopes.

As for not listening to the advice, to be fair there haven't been very many pieces of advice that actually address the question asked (whether either ski might be suitable). Those that have seem to suggest the nordica is a better bet. I can't really comment on that specifically (the Rossi is def ancient though). But I'd say 152 is at the upper end lengthwise, and may be a touch long. It would probably work out fine though.

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

@mgrolf, I was the one who said that advice wasn't being listened to, but I also addressed the question asked as best I could.

I certainly stick by what I said re Old Skis, Bindings that are no longer indemnified and somebody with very limited experience, who has never had a lesson, guiding a total beginner.

Without knowing for sure, I would say that the percentage of skiers on the mountain who have never ever had a lesson, would be pretty small....which is different to those who stop taking lessons after reaching a certain stage.

Re Your Swedish Friends - I take it those doing the teaching are already very competent. Have they skied from a very young age (and maybe multiple times per year)?

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@Old Fartbag, yep, you're one of the few who did try to answer Very Happy

rather than getting into classic snowHeads drift.

Most of my Swedish friends do have the advantage of growing up in a culture where the February school break is called the sport holiday and the predominant sports involve sliding. And yes, the parents tend to be pretty good so it's not a perfect comparison. The point is that whilst lessons, hiring until competent enough to feel the difference between skis etc is a good way to go, there are other ways too. Most SHs I've met are lucky enough to be able to afford lessons etc, but that's not the case for everyone and I don't think that skiing should be restricted to those that can afford the gold-plated experience.

To provide a bit of balance, I'm also friends with a family where the parents are both decent (if old school) skiers but the kids are frankly lethal rockets on the slopes, having not had any lessons - and it's not a case of not being able to afford any. So there are cases to prove any point.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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@Chaletbeauroc, all good points, especially about the different learning styles of kids vs adults. But would you say that it's better to not try at all, than to give it a go, bearing in mind that the OP is in the US (where lessons are likely more expensive than Europe) and his GF can ski cross- country? My guess is that there's a decent chance she's going to pick up downhill skiing more quickly than most adults.
If they go into it with open minds about the challenges, knowing it's not ideal and the outcomes probably won't be perfect, then they'll probably have a lot of fun.

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

After all it is free

I confess that I'd missed the x-country experience bit, which should obviously help - some people take a good half hour or more just to be able to walk around on skis, so I'd hope that would be avoided. And the sliding around feeling also. But there's a lot she'd have to unlearn too.

If it's really an either/or then sure, I guess, give it a go, but honestly I'd advise at least trying to find a good and experienced skier to take her through the snowplough turn phase, which is really quite different, with edges and ski shape playing a big part. Even if it's just an hour or two it would be better than nothing.

But if they can dig deep and get a two-hour one-on-one lesson it would be even better. All else apart, with (presumed) second-hand boots and skis an instructor is going to be able much more easily to spot if they're not right for her.

@mgrolf, thanks for the slight redirect haha; I felt like I was being a bit judged as something I’m truly not. I fully trusted my ability to get her some proper instruction through what’s kept me injury-free and steadily improving and through more experienced friends.

By athletic risk-taker I didn’t mean we’d recklessly throw ourselves down a crowded run, just that we’re used to bumps and bruises and twisting weird ways and picked up a lot of activities through trial and error.

I totally understand and appreciate the advice to get lessons, and luckily I think I just got myself a job at the local resort that has some perks including free lessons and rentals!

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If your GF is an experienced XC skier, @keng92, she will have excellent balance and will not commit the classic beginner's mistake of leaning on the back of her ski boots and relying on the equipment to hold her up. I think proper XC skiing is much harder to learn than downhill (unless you just mean shuffling round on some flat circuit in a valley). I found it harder than snowboarding too. Aspiring young racers in France, already excellent downhill skiers, are often made to train on XC skis.

Help!!

Help me decide on beginner-friendly alpine skis for my GF!

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