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Buying first set of skis

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I’m considering buying my first set of skis. I know very little about skis except for the recent research I have done. I’ve done about 15 weeks skiing in the last eight years and with two children who love skiing we are aiming to go two to three weeks every year from now on.
I’ve had private lessons every ski holiday. In the last few years I usually have three two hour lessons at the beginning of the holiday. I usually hire the better skis available in resort and go for a fairly stiff, on piste carving ski with a small to medium turn radius. I’ve hired slightly shorter slalom skis in the past but prefer a faster, longer, carving ski.I think I’m skiing most slopes on piste with reasonable technique and control. I mostly ski the Dolomites and Cervinia so not sure how challenging these slopes are compared to elsewhere.
Firstly I’m not sure how much advantage to buying over renting. Will it make a big difference to my enjoyment or technique using the same skis each holiday?
I’ve thought about going to a ski shop in the U.K. but when I’ve researched skis they might just have one suitable (or suitable according to my limited knowledge) available.

I’m looking for a piste ski as I’ve never skied off piste. I’ve done a fair bit of research but don’t really know what is most suitable.
I’m 169cm tall.
I weigh 84kg.
I’m 53 and have fairly strong legs. I don’t have any trouble bending a stiff ski to edge when carving.
I’m not sure of ski length. According to my research the skis should be about 162cm but I’ve hired fast carving skis previously which were 168cm and were lovely and stable.
I think I want a waist between 70-76cm
Rocker for easier turning in soft snow?
Camber for easier turning?
Rigidity to match ability - out of 10 with 1 being beginner and 10 being expert I think I’m around 6. I can confidently ski red and black although I do slow down and do shorter turns on black.
Turning radius 10-15m
Sintered or hybrid sintered construction?
Track mounted bindings?
No idea what brand.
No idea what bindings. My research has only got as far as skis so far. Do they make a big difference?
Budget not an issue. Happy to spend £1000+ but want to get the best suitable.

If I go to a shop will I get sold what they have in stock? If I find what I think is best am I better buying online?

Any help appreciated.
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Buying vs. renting
The advantage of buying, and assuming you buy well, is know exactly what your skis should do any feel like and you should have faith that they will do it. That's not always the case with hire kit, even paying top dollar, where you might get handed a brand new pair of skis or something with 5 or 6 seasons under its belt and not having seen the servicing machine for 3 weeks.
The disadvantages are the cost and hastle of getting them there and the cost of servicing.

As for what ski to buy I'd say treat them like a pair of shoes. You can go online and read loads of ski reviews online - but would you spend £500 on a pair of shoes (with no returns) because you'd read somsone say how comfortable they were on a website? I'd guess not so why do it with skis? Next time you're in a resort hire for a couple of days while the weekend rush clears and you check out the different shops in town then pop in to a few tell them you're looking to buy/what you're looking for. You'll usually find someone who'll let you trial different skis, usually charging you a daily hire fee that they'll knock off the price if you decide to buy a pair at the end of the week. Alternatively you'll find a hire shop with a good selection of current skis and can just hire by the day to try out different skis. In generally some you'll make 2 turns and head straight back to the shop because you hate them, some you'll think are "quite nice", but hopefully you'll put one pair on and never want to take them off.

As for bindings I'd recommend rail bindings, not because they are 'better' than fixed bindings but because as your children grow you'll be able to hand them down and buy a new pair at some point!


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 15-04-24 15:02; 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?
Go into a shop in the resort, preferably at the end of the season* and ask what they advise, then take a pair out for a test ski. Most shops allow you a day to try the skis, even a variety of skis free of charge if you subsequently buy from them.

You don't say where you are based but ordering internationally from the Internet can incure some very high import taxes.

* The skis are often discounted then and you can pick up some amazing bargins from their ex hire stock.
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@IainMcT, you need …

Boots

Where are you in England? Central? CEM
East?
Ski Exchange…

Then …

You need a ski test day.

Such as:

https://skifocus.co.uk/courses/ski-focus-ski-fest-2023/
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@IainMcT, I would say yes but them, it is not going to be any cheaper than renting but you will get to know them & skiing is a confidence past time.

in my experience ( we are same shape Happy ) I would push width out to 80 min & your length out to 173.

if you can get to try them in resort magic but if not then I don't think in the reputable UK suppliers they will just sell you what they have, they will give you honest advice.

And looking at a shinny new pair of skis in your garage always encourages you to book the next trip.
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IainMcT wrote:
I know very little about skis except for the recent research I have done. I’ve done about 15 weeks skiing in the last eight years

It's unfortunate that many people go skiing for many weeks and take no interest in what they clicking into each day. Not meant to be a dig particularly, just an observation.

IainMcT wrote:
Firstly I’m not sure how much advantage to buying over renting. Will it make a big difference to my enjoyment or technique using the same skis each holiday?

If you rent you have no service costs, no transport costs, no big initial outlay. If you hire you have flexibility, if you have a problem you can take them back and get another pair. However, if you own, yeah, you can something you like and you will have to consistency. You also don't have the faff of going to the hire shop.

IainMcT wrote:
I’ve thought about going to a ski shop in the U.K. but when I’ve researched skis they might just have one suitable (or suitable according to my limited knowledge) available.

Many will advise you to try before you buy. You can do this by renting something that you think will be suitable. If you like it, you can buy. If not, try the next possibility, and so on. It sounds simple, it's a little less so. A shop isn't guarantee'd to have the skis they rent for sale, in the size you want. So you may have to go elsewhere or get them online. The shop will have a limited rental range. If you want value for money, you will often be wanting to be old stock online - with the restrictions that implies. Like finding a partner, there are plenty of fish in the sea, plenty of ways of finding them and inevitably you are looking for decent chemistry rather than getting over obsessive about a particular profile.

My last pair I bought because my binding broke in resort. I went in a hire shop told them all about myself and they gave me some skis to rent. I quite liked them, read some reviews when I got home, plumped for a wider model and bought them online. No regrets.
Missus, had an edge come off in resort, did the same regarding hiring but she didn't like what she got - not stiff enough. We did an online trawl, found a few good priced options, read the reviews and plumped for one. No regrets.
My son, also had an edge come off in resort. He was probably due a new pair anyhow. We only one day left in resort so he hired something that he liked but I can't remember why but it wasn't a candidate for some reason. Again, did research, online search for prices and plumped for one. Now done 2 weeks and loves them.
Bear in mind, that we have more experience and have owned other skis and have a good idea in terms of the characteristic of a ski we want,

IainMcT wrote:
I’m looking for a piste ski as I’ve never skied off piste. I’ve done a fair bit of research but don’t really know what is most suitable.
I’m 169cm tall.
I weigh 84kg.
I’m 53 and have fairly strong legs. I don’t have any trouble bending a stiff ski to edge when carving.
I’m not sure of ski length. According to my research the skis should be about 162cm but I’ve hired fast carving skis previously which were 168cm and were lovely and stable.
I think I want a waist between 70-76cm
Rocker for easier turning in soft snow?
Camber for easier turning?
Rigidity to match ability - out of 10 with 1 being beginner and 10 being expert I think I’m around 6. I can confidently ski red and black although I do slow down and do shorter turns on black.
Turning radius 10-15m
Sintered or hybrid sintered construction?

IMO you are overthinking a lot of this. That is to say having been skiing for 30+ years and been heavily involved in the purchasing of skis for me, the wife and kids, I don't know off the top of my head all this stuff.

Some of it is a bit of a process of elimination. For instance I once had a week on some Movement skis which although I am a big lad and a decent skier I found too stiff and essentially difficult to manoeuvre. I seem to recall reading Movement skis are generally stiff. So I just discounted them. My son's recent purchase are Enforcer 100's. Most of the reviews are very positive and I think it's quite a popular ski. It doesn't mean it would be perfect for my son but there is a certain reassurance in knowing a ski is well regarded, has sold well. Sometimes mainstream isn't so bad.

IainMcT wrote:

Track mounted bindings?
No idea what brand.
No idea what bindings. My research has only got as far as skis so far. Do they make a big difference?

Whenever I bought kids skis I would make sure they were track bindings so they could easily be handed down/sold. For adults to some degree it helps if selling on. But if you are likely to have sole use for many seasons that doesn't hold. My skis for example are not track.

Bindings you generally just get what you pay for - in terms of durability. All will be safe and work.
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Two big online retailers to browse are ekosport and glisshop.
snow conditions
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@IainMcT, different people like different things. As a result, it's quite difficult to purchase a pair of skis “blind” and be completely happy with the outcome, especially if you have no idea what you want. As others have suggested, try and test some skis yourself, either from a shop, or at one of the many test events (including SnowHeads OktoberTest events in the UK) that take place every season.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@IainMcT,
Try attending a Snowheads October ski test in the UK, and try a few different skis.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@IainMcT, ...that
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Kenzie wrote:
@IainMcT,
Try attending a Snowheads October ski test in the UK, and try a few different skis.


Though annoyingly most manufacturers will bring their widest, pure powder skis...for you to test with 3 or 4 turns down the 150m slope. And none of them seem to have worked out that while they have loads of wide skis just sat there they also have a queue of people waiting to try the couple of pairs of piste skis they brought with them so, you know, maybe bring more piste focused skis next time?
snow report
 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.
johnE wrote:
You don't say where you are based but ordering internationally from the Internet can incure some very high import taxes.


As the OP's planning on multiple trips/year in the future also worth doing the ground work of ski testing on the first trip, then buying online - for collection in Europe on your next trip. I almost did this the other year and found I think it was Ekosport let you order online for collection in store and have stores in and around the French Alps that would be easy detours on the hire car drive from the airport to resort.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Mjit, Useful information. Thank you. It does pay to be aware of the post brexit rules for importing goods from the EU where import duty and administration fees are added, then VAT added to it all. (But I think you can claim the VAT back on the original purchase).

Personaly, I am always in favour of supporting the local shops who offer the guidance and advice in the first place. When my wife bought her latest pair of skis she spent 30 minutes in the shop discussing what was the best skis for her (Blizzard Black Pearl) then took a pair out for the day before purchasing them. When she tore the edge out a few years later the same shop were very helpful in trying to chase up a warrenty claim with Blizzard. It failed, but they happily sold her a replacement pair at a significant discount and transfered the bindings free of charge. The origninal skis had done a fair bit of skiing - more than the 100 days I normally reccon on as the life of a pair of skis.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Mjit wrote:
johnE wrote:
You don't say where you are based but ordering internationally from the Internet can incure some very high import taxes.


As the OP's planning on multiple trips/year in the future also worth doing the ground work of ski testing on the first trip, then buying online - for collection in Europe on your next trip. I almost did this the other year and found I think it was Ekosport let you order online for collection in store and have stores in and around the French Alps that would be easy detours on the hire car drive from the airport to resort.

When I purchased my sons skis Ekosport had discounted from £744 to £412.20 (any import duties included). It was £25 to ship. We wouldn't have been going skiing until Christmas so not sure they would have stored them until then. It's a fair shout/point though. As anybody done this?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@johnE, I'd kind of like to do that but when we go skiing we don't want to spend much time buying stuff - ski, eat/drink, sleep is very much the order of the day!

That said if you go late season there is some good priced stuff around from the small amount of casual browsing we've done. Did buy our daughters Hestra gloves in resort.
ski holidays
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Layne, We bought our son's Black Diamond off piste skis from Christiana Sports in Les Arcs during the summer. They were ex hire, in excellent condition and cost less than 200€, which is close to a single day's hire in Neisko.

The shop was 100m from our apartment. It was no hasle to call in one eveneing.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@johnE, Personally I wouldn't buy ex-hire - I would just be suspicious of how much life would be left in them.

100m or a km doesn't really matter, generally speaking I don't leave the apartment of an evening without very good reason Toofy Grin
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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?
Snowleader and Snowinn (Tradeinn group) have some great deals, plus they include UK customs and tax in their prices. It's like Brexit never happened!
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Layne wrote:
@johnE, Personally I wouldn't buy ex-hire - I would just be suspicious of how much life would be left in them.

D


Got to disagree with that statement sadly, most of my friends who have come to visit me have ended up buying their hire skis and just leave them in my cave for their next visit.
They also say if anyone else is visiting, feel free to use them.
I now have my own “hire” shop in my cave with about 16 pairs of various sizes, all on rental adjustable bindings
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Just go to an independent shop and tell them what your looking for. If they're a professional shop someone will have tested the skis that they sell, yes they want to sell you something but not at the risk of selling you something completely unsuitable, it's just bad business as you won't go back.
If you have a local shop Google their reviews then go see them, they might not offer rock bottom prices but may throw in some extras...free servicing, bag etc
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@Jonny996, not sure what you are disagreeing with - I was just saying my opinion of them and why I personally don't buy. Wasn't suggesting others should have the same view/do the same.

But just to elaborate. Let's say a pair of 150 days use in them before they start to lose form/life/responsiveness. Hire skis by their nature will have a fair bit of use. 10 weeks of a season will be 60 days. But it's going to be hard to know and they could be well through their life. Buying privately owned skis where someone skis one or two weeks a year makes more sense to me. Of course, it depends on the price. If they hire skis are £50 it's throwaway money. Of course, it also depends on the skier. If, no disrespect, someone is pootling around and easy pistes all day the skis may not matter so much.

Also hire shops are more likely to machine service their skis which also reduces life.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Layne, Some hire shops know EXACTLY how many days a particular ski has been used. And have a discount for sale card based on that. A lot of Stockli skis are sold that way...

Also - a man of your experience should have no problem making a pretty accurate estimation of the amount of use an ex-hire ski has seen. I certainly do not.

I have bought new, private second hand and ex-hire. All worked out fine. But I did get the ex-hires from shops I know well.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@IainMcT,
An alternative/addition to the ski tests:- go on the Snowheads preseason bash. Shops in resort also do start of season sales to get rid of last seasons stock that didn't go in the previous end of season sale - they may even have the relevant demo skis, allowing you to 'try before you buy'.
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Have a good look at the skis. Look for any scratches, check the edges, look for delamination etc and ask the hire shop how much use they have had. They will know from the bar codes they have on them. Yes, a pair of beginner skis will have seen a lot of life but off piste skis will have had only a few days a year.

@Layne, We wander out quite often: visit the shop for some food, the bar for a drink, or a restaurant for a meal. It's quite nice to have a walk and chat to some locals.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@zikomo, @johnE, yeah, I've got a reasonable eye although I'd estimate I've only bought a dozen second hand pairs of skis and boards and sold a similar number. In recent years and going forward I'm only buying new. I'm fortunate to have the budget and know we will get plenty of use from the skis.

And yes with bar coding I am sure hire shops have a good idea of the use of the ski but do they really sell off 100+ day skis? And do they have skis in store they only hire out a few days a year. Maybe they do I don't know. I just think that whole game ex-rentals, even general second is fraught with danger and/or time consuming. Not ruling it out though.

Depends aswell what you are trying to achieve. If I lived in resort and wanted some rock skis or had young kids and wanted something to knock about with them in....
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Second hand for me has generally been rock-hoppers for me and kids. No way would I want to take high end new skis out in Scotland for example! An additional benefit of ex-hire are the rental bindings so the same skis can be swapped/passed down across the four kids and leant out to others.

I did buy a set of nearly new ex-hire Elan skis for my wife. She wanted to try some different skis and was looking for something more mellow for spring/ski to lunch days. She tried them and really liked them, so a quick discussion at the shop where they told us how many days they had been used and the resultant discount for sale. Unusually they did not have rental bindings which was a bonus in that case.

Quite a few hire places in Switzerland seem to have good stock of Stockli skis for hire and actively promote the option to buy with discount based on usage.

The last set of Stockli skis I bought for myself came this way. I told my wife I was just hiring for the day to try them out, so no need to worry about how expensive they were. Neglected to say that they had to take the wrappers off for the day I "hired" them. The shop was happy to give me a brand new pair for the day to try on the basis that they would put them in their hire range if I decided not to purchase. BUT I am good friends with that shop, they know me well enough to know I am a complete tackle tart and there was almost zero chance of me not buying! And as always happens Mrs Z saw right through the ruse anyway....
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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.
What @valais2 said. Boots first. Then ski test.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Are we not over thinking this.
https://www.glisshop.co.uk/ski/pack-ski-bindings/men/intermediate-advanced/?facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B166%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B167%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B168%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B169%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B170%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B171%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B172%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_488466%5D%5BGLIS_CHAR_SKI_CATEGORY_7129%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_488466%5D%5BGLIS_CHAR_SKI_CATEGORY_7131%5D=1&sortBy-15=discount.desc

Buy the first set on the list, try them & if you don't like them sell them for £200, you lose £100 & move on to the next set on the list, repeat until you are happy.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Jonny996 wrote:
Are we not over thinking this.
https://www.glisshop.co.uk/ski/pack-ski-bindings/men/intermediate-advanced/?facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B166%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B167%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B168%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B169%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B170%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B171%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B172%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_488466%5D%5BGLIS_CHAR_SKI_CATEGORY_7129%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_488466%5D%5BGLIS_CHAR_SKI_CATEGORY_7131%5D=1&sortBy-15=discount.desc

Buy the first set on the list, try them & if you don't like them sell them for £200, you lose £100 & move on to the next set on the list, repeat until you are happy.


Umm, because if it's the last pair of skis on the list you like you'll have spent ~£2,200 to buy a £680 pair of skis?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thomasski wrote:
Snowleader and Snowinn (Tradeinn group) have some great deals, plus they include UK customs and tax in their prices. It's like Brexit never happened!


...until you compare those UK prices to the EU ones.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mjit wrote:
Jonny996 wrote:
Are we not over thinking this.
https://www.glisshop.co.uk/ski/pack-ski-bindings/men/intermediate-advanced/?facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B166%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B167%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B168%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B169%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B170%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B171%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_482827%5D%5B172%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_488466%5D%5BGLIS_CHAR_SKI_CATEGORY_7129%5D=1&facetFilters%5Bf_488466%5D%5BGLIS_CHAR_SKI_CATEGORY_7131%5D=1&sortBy-15=discount.desc

Buy the first set on the list, try them & if you don't like them sell them for £200, you lose £100 & move on to the next set on the list, repeat until you are happy.


Umm, because if it's the last pair of skis on the list you like you'll have spent ~£2,200 to buy a £680 pair of skis?


Do you honestly think your skiing is at a level where it would take that?

8 years ago when I was re-learning I bought rossignol experience 80's because they were cheap & aimed at beginners, 4 years ago I got better so I thought I better get a better set, I simply moved up to the Experience 88's & sought advice from the shop on what length to go for.

I dont think it was luck that I liked them, more I got to know them.

Unless you are at the fringes of skiing ability or weight, then a run of the mill ski aimed at intermediate will do you fine.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well thank you for taking the time to give advice everyone. It’s very much appreciated. I started the week with a pair of short turn radius, fairly soft, too short slalom skis. Yesterday I went back to the rental shop and swapped them for some longer, much stiffer, wider waisted, larger turning radius, more of an all mountain ski. I started off in a blue run with my nine year old daughter and I really didn’t like the new skis. I was going really slowly behind my daughter who was struggling a bit today. They felt like unresponsive planks of wood. Then I abandoned the wife and children and have been skiing three chair lifts above Plan Maison in Cervinia in snow ranging from light powder covering sheet ice near the top to complete slushy crud at the bottom of the resort. I’ve had one of the best skiing days ever. Very cold, poor visibility, chossy pistes. The skis absorbed the bumps with ease where I would have had to slow right down with the other skis. When encountering ice I had to make an effort to push my knees uphill and bend the skis to carve through it. I think a stiffer ski I would have been skittering a bit without a great deal of effort. These felt about the right stiffness. I haven’t been going particularly fast due to visibility and the pistes at times have been a bit busy but comfortably carving at an average of about 35kph with higher speeds of 60kph when conditions allowed. At all times the skis were stable and I felt in full control. They are still not perfect. I think I want a ski that is slightly longer. The bindings on the other skis were far better. But I’m certainly far closer to knowing what I like and what suits my ability. I’m not sure three turns on an indoor slope is going to give me enough to know what suits but I may well come to Hemel in October. So thank you everyone. The search continues but I have a very good base now to make comparisons.
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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?
@IainMcT, well done - I think you are going about things in the right way.

It is certainly tricky (been there, done that) switching between pootling with young kids and then skiing normally.

In an ideal world I would have had two pairs but it's not an ideal world Laughing
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Sounds about right to me.

You daughters' skis will be much shorter and inherently tight turning, and if she was having a bad day probably going very slowly. Meanwhile you've swapped to wider radius skis that just don't want to ski that slowly/tightly and as a result you're having to force them to do it, so fighting the skis. As soon as you were free to ski them at the speed and radius the ski wanted to be at they came alive. I have the same issue following my friend's children's turns with my back country skis on if things get a bit steeper and the slow down/don't with my SL skis.

Also it's lighter/softer skis that skitter and heavier/stiffer ones that don't. In very simplistic terms heavy, race style skis are designed to try and just plow through and soft stuff on the surface and cut into the harder stuff below while a soft, powder style ski's trying to do the opposite and bend up and over the soft stuff - which on harder pistes can mean they get into cycles of being bent up by a little bump, springing back down, hitting the piste and bouncing back up, and repeat.

IainMcT wrote:
I’m not sure three turns on an indoor slope is going to give me enough to know what suits but I may well come to Hemel in October.


Actually you'll be suprised. Certainly I was the first time I did an Okobertest, doing it for the snow as much as anything and thinking my skiing wasn't good enough to tell the difference - but at least one pair I knew weren't for me before I'd reached the top of the drag lift while another I only reluctantly returned to let someone else try.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Mjit wrote:
at least one pair I knew weren't for me before I'd reached the top of the drag lift

Wrong colour Laughing Laughing
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@IainMcT, Sounds like trying out hire pairs is working for you. My view is that it's only worth buying skis when you are sure of what you want. While you are unsure keep renting and build up your knowledge. Eventually you'll narrow it down to something pretty specific and can get some really good advice on here to make a final decision.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
if you are flying, rather than driving, own skis have very little financial sense after paying for transport and maintenance. Plus when renting you get the ultimate flexibility in choice and much much less hassle with lugging the skis around... just my 2p
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Layne wrote:
Mjit wrote:
at least one pair I knew weren't for me before I'd reached the top of the drag lift

Wrong colour Laughing Laughing


Nope. Almost made that call on a pair of Elan Ripstick 96's, back when they were REALLY green - but actually quite liked them, giving them a 8/10 score. Looking back at the scores was probably the Faction Prodigy 2.0s that I only gave 4/10. Not saying it's a bad ski, just not for me - and looks like it was a bit of a Marmite ski, two of us giving it 4s and 5a while three others gave them 8s and 9s.
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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.
@IainMcT, my advice would be to not over think it. You sound like an advanced intermediate, and can probably drive an advanced intermediate ski. Around 80-85 underfoot, 14-16m radius (any less that that will be extremely twitchy in a straight line). They will come with bindings so no need to worry about that. Every manufacturer will have something that fits that bill, so then it's down to cost and if you like the colour (seriously, you have to live with them so you might as well like the way they look). Go to a ski shop and tell them that, they should have something they recommend, then you do your own googling to see if the general reviews are favourable. Personal advice - If budget not an option, look at the Stockli Stormrider 88 as an all-rounder, or Nordica Spitfire range as a more dedicated piste basher.

@Layne, what on earth are you doing to warrant one broken bindings and two edges in 3 pairs of skis? might just be exceptionally bad luck on your part, but I think it's worth stating that complete failures like that happen very rarely. Never in my several seasons and struggling to think of friends it's happened to either. Even rentals shops see very few if these issues in a season. Modern skis are generally very well built (the big names that is, boutique/shed made trendy brands not so much).
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Dr John wrote:
@Layne, what on earth are you doing to warrant one broken bindings and two edges in 3 pairs of skis? might just be exceptionally bad luck on your part, but I think it's worth stating that complete failures like that happen very rarely. Never in my several seasons and struggling to think of friends it's happened to either. Even rentals shops see very few if these issues in a season. Modern skis are generally very well built (the big names that is, boutique/shed made trendy brands not so much).

The bindings broke on a second hand pair that I bought and ski for a few weeks (not sure how many). There was a metal plate sitting underneath that sheared in half (one day on one and the next day on the other). I am 196cm tall and weigh 100kgs. I suspect a combination of the age of the binding, my lard arse and my poor technique was all to much for what I suspect was a budget level binding.

The edges coming away was discussed is a different question. One was my wife's skis and one was my son's. Different manufacturers. No idea why. Could have been snagged though neither party was aware of it happening.


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Fri 19-04-24 10:57; edited 1 time in total
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