 Poster: A snowHead
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I’ve hired skis in Bourg Saint Maurice and chose the ‘black’ expert option as the ‘red’ skis they had weren’t what I wanted.
Looking at the skis they gave me they were Head ‘Easy Joy’ and the word easy made me suspicious but I just wanted to get skiing and the funicular to Les Arcs was broken so I was more worried about getting up the mountain. The skis were okay but did feel as though I couldn’t really carve that easily or get the stability I wanted.
A quick Google when I got back to the hotel confirmed that they had given me beginner skis for an expert price.
I do wonder if being a 5’1 woman means with very small ski boots means there weren’t as many options but even so I hate being ripped off and treated like a fool. Trouble is I also hate conflict and confrontation as well. As a minimum I’m going to ask for different skis but I’m also considering asking if I can get a discount for yesterday as they not gave me beginner level 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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@Raven, it doesn't need to be conflict or confrontation. Just tell them the issue...they made a mistake.... and ask for a refund on the difference between the prices
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @Raven, it doesn't need to be conflict or confrontation. Just tell them the issue...they made a mistake.... and ask for a refund on the difference between the prices |
Thanks. I can do it and I’m sure it will be fine 
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@Raven, I ended up buying my own skis after issues like you've had. I'm 5'4 with small feet. The last couple of times I hired skis, the shops didn't have any suitable skis where the bindings would adjust small enough. Really frustrating.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I do have my own skis but as a small woman it’s a bit of a slog to transport them when you’re doing a multi location European trip from Australia.
It also seems to change according to country. Austria seems to always have excellent, quality skis and great facilities like free overnight storage (or maybe I just hit lucky with the place I hired from in St Anton) while France is very big and miss.
Anyway, I have a different pair of skis now. When I told the hire shop they were beginner skis they said ‘no, no they are for a good skier’. I was insistent and the next pair they gave me weighed a tonne so I asked to yet another pair which I accepted. I’ll see how they go today!
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If you did not hire directly with the shop & instead through somewhere like snowbrain or alpineresort then the shop are giving you equivalent to price.
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| Gored wrote: |
| If you did not hire directly with the shop & instead through somewhere like snowbrain or alpineresort then the shop are giving you equivalent to price. |
How does that matter? If you are sold skis for “Experts” then thats what you should get, the price offered and accepted is neither here nor there.
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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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This really grinds my gears and happens all the time with my 2 younger teenagers (advanced and near-expert); so I invariably have to go with them to the shop and make a fuss. The problem is that the boys aren't as obsessed as me about kit (despite being technically better at actual skiing) and just want to spend as little time in the shop as possible, but then complain when the skis don't perform as expected.  Obvs being limited to school holidays means that the shops are (a) rammed, (b) with once-a-year types, but I've seen at least as shameless behaviour from shops as the OP on the regular.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Raven, The shops I know/use (for friends) in France have free overnight storage and let you just choose the skis you want.
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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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@sugarmoma666, I’ve had the same issues with bindings. At one shop the only adult skis with suitable bindings in the ‘normal’ price range were well and truly ready for the bin. They had suitable skis in their ‘performance’ model but they expected me to pay the extra. I managed to successfully argue with the manager that they should rent the performance skis to me for the normal hire price as they couldn’t provide me with the advertised item for the price. That was in an English speaking country though so no language issues to contend with.
Maybe it was cheeky of me to google the ski model. I’m hardly a ski expert. The Head website does say fairly clearly it’s a beginner ski though. It wasn’t as though I was expecting a premium ski gif a beginner price.
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I think the issue is that a lot of hire places confuse 'expert' with top of the range/newest.
When you are hiring gear from a shop the more you pay the newer/nicer the gear, not necisssarily gear that is more agressive or suitable for expert skiers.
The beginner skis they gave you may have been brand new and so went in the top price bracket, which they label 'expert'.
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You know it makes sense.
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I have had a very mixed experience with ski hire. sometimes they would tell that black/gold are 'newer' skis, and the cheaper categories would mean old and worn skis. Which of course is not what the idea should be.
I ended up just playing their game in booking the cheapest category and then just nicely asking for something better - but more often than not they would just give whatever they had without looking at what I booked.
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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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| turboblackbeard wrote: |
I think the issue is that a lot of hire places confuse 'expert' with top of the range/newest.
When you are hiring gear from a shop the more you pay the newer/nicer the gear, not necisssarily gear that is more agressive or suitable for expert skiers.
The beginner skis they gave you may have been brand new and so went in the top price bracket, which they label 'expert'. |
sorry didn't read your post before posting almost identical observation
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Poster: A snowHead
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It depends on the shop what you will get so pay close attention to their pricing structure.
Also, using a discount portal like Skiset, Skimium or Simply to Ski is usually a disaster. If you think you are getting a bargain you usually aren't!
I always book direct with shops and make it clear what I want before arrival.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| alexsas wrote: |
I have had a very mixed experience with ski hire. sometimes they would tell that black/gold are 'newer' skis, and the cheaper categories would mean old and worn skis. Which of course is not what the idea should be.
I ended up just playing their game in booking the cheapest category and then just nicely asking for something better - but more often than not they would just give whatever they had without looking at what I booked. |
That may have been the case here. The more beginner skis certainly looked lovely but just didn’t suit my skiing at all.
I do also wonder if most ski hire places employing men that they might not have much of an idea about women’s skis. Especially for shorter women.
Next stop is Zermatt so I might try explaining what skis I own (Salomon all mountain, intermediate to advanced) and see if that works. Not that expect identical skis but it should narrow it down.
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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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So more success with hiring now I’m in Zermatt. Think part of the problem is I need to talk myself up more. If I just say casually ‘I’m an intermediate’ they probably think I’m actually a beginner and advanced means intermediate.
Hired Head Joy skis again but these are Absolut Joy skis which are a more intermediate ski.
My other issue was the ski hire workers trying to insist I won’t cope with a ski over 150cm. I’m 155cm tall (5’1) and the skis I own are 153cm. I asked for the 153cm hire skis and the length is perfect for me.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Raven wrote: |
Hired Head Joy skis again but these are Absolut Joy skis which are a more intermediate ski.
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Deep Joy are their powder ski
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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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Ive had a few issues in the past with not getting what i've paid for. ( nearly Always book via Alpineresorts )
So now I just order the cheapest ski they have and upgrade in the shop if they have them or quite often you get a free upgrade as the out of the stock of the cheapest ski's .
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@wasley, even better, pre-book fuck all and just go into a privately owned shop and negotiate for cash
most people seem to timid to do this but you get best skis at the best price
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