 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok here's the facts...
Nearly 40, 92 kg, 178cm tall, pretty fit. I snowboard well but to be honest don't find it as enjoyable now and find myself a bit jealous of my wife and son on skis, so this year in Val Thorens I'm ditching the board entirely and plan to ski (beginner).
I have a month of dry slope lessons planned before hand and I'll be going to lessons the whole week while there. When we come back though, being reasonably close to Scottish slopes I'd like to have my own kit that I won't outgrow and will last a good while.
I've read the guides on glisshop etc and this was the info I picked up.. 5-15cm shorter than my height for piste skiing and 5-10cm shorter for all mountain beginner.
Would something like this be a good choice (in 172cm?) https://www.glisshop.co.uk/ski-set-bindings/elan/alpine-ski-set-ripstick-88-bindings39078006 or am I way off the mark?
Winter's a while off so if anyone has some recommended reading to get my head round these things it'd be appreciated!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@damanpunk, Do you board off piste, do your wife and son ski off piste? As the first question is piste or all mountain ski.
Length thing is about right but can vary slightly with the design, etc.
I believe there are a couple of SH's ski tests arranged in the autumn at the fridges - could be useful for you. Ultimately, though not always possible, the best way to choose a ski is to try them. At the very least get an idea what you like - stiffness wise, etc.
Are you getting custom fitted boots at a good boot fitter?
What is your budget?
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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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Thanks for the info
Not off piste abroad properly, just the odd side quest if there's some fresh snow off to the side of runs. My son is 12 now and getting very good, the last ski's I bought him were K2 all mountain and a few days on our last holiday we sent him off with an instructor who took him to do some off piste and he raved about it.
What attracted me more to an all mountain ski is with Scotlands winters being so unpredictable now, it's going to be a case of seeking out snow wherever I can find it. What I wasn't sure of though if it makes sense to get a piste ski then if I did go that direction pick up a second set of wider skis?! I'm probably overthinking it.
Yep once new season stock starts coming in locally I'm going to find some recommendations for boot fitters.
Budget £800-£1k for boots/skis and bindings.
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My advice would be:
1. Consider hiring skis until you get to at least Intermediate level and thus be able to get an understanding of what you like. You will likely grow out of Beginner skis - which are best to start with - too quickly.
2. When learning to ski, it is IMV best done with a Piste Ski (70 - 75mm underfoot).
3. As you improve, then get skis (if still wanting your own), designed for where you spend most of your time.
4. I am not a fan of choosing skis by height; I much prefer using weight (which has more impact on your ability to bend the ski). So, in your case:
Basic ski size for weight: 176
Beginner: less 3
If Aggressive: +3
All Mountain: +3
Freeride +6
Nb. It is OK to go 3cm longer or shorter than "ideal" length, due to personal preference
So my advice is look for a Piste ski between 170 and 174 - preferably hired. Take lessons and after you have a few weeks under your belt, you will be better able to decide on what type of ski suits your needs (more easily done if hiring). Usually, it is best to get the type of ski designed for where you actually ski, rather than where you theoretically would like to be skiing.
5. Sort Boots first from an experienced Bootfitter (ask on here for recommendation based on where you live/which resort you will be going to).
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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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Get boots. Don't portray yourself as a never ever to the bootfitter as you risk being given a soft/easy boot whereas as a boarder you are likely to progress pretty quickly once you can get some basics down. Having 4 edges makes things a piece of wee wee compared to having 2 and your balance and "feel" will be better than most beginner skiers.
Skis - no harm to rent initially especially as the intermediatey piste skis are bread and butter for rental shops and you can swap for bigger lengths during the week as you progress. In time you'll likely want something a bit more "something" but until you've got a bit of mileage under your belt it's hard for you to know what that "something" is. That's when something like that Ripstick 88 might come in as a piste focused ski with a bit of wider application. But I wouldn't sweat it- heaps of lightly used skis available second-hand.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@damanpunk,
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I've seen what the dryslope has done to my sons boots
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I don't know what your son has done to his boots, but I was a dry slope instructor for several years, as well doing several coached sessions each week to improve my techniques, and it did no damage whatsoever to my boots other than normal wear and tear ( and with Zipfit liners I was getting up to 700 days out of a pair of boots). Use your own boots at the dry slope - it's the most important bit of kit for improvement.
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Just aesthetically they have always got rough looking pretty quick, to be fair though that could just be young kids being careless.
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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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@damanpunk, They do need cleaning and drying after each session, but apart from that they will be fine - they are for function not looking at after all.
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Just aesthetically they have always got rough looking pretty quick, to be fair though that could just be young kids being careless.
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Kids boots are most probably, almost certainly Polypropylene, hopefully yours will be made of a harder more robust plastic. PP will chew up pretty bad on brushes.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well I bought boots and bought the ripsticks (with marker griffons). Lessons on the dry slope for 8 weeks (only using my own boots) before holiday where I'll try them for the first time... Hope it works out but if not they were a good enough price I won't shed a tear  Got the bug big time though, 3 weeks of lessons in and look forward to it every week!
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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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Please tell me you’re not using your new Ripsticks on a dry slope 
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FAQ
