 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
I'm going to Japan for an instructor training course followed by a season of working as an instructor this year, but I need to get a pair of skis. I'm looking for recommendations on what skis to get and advice on where and when to get them.
For what skis I'm looking for, I'd like a single pair of skis that will handle well on-piste as well as on the famous Japanese powder, but as I'll also be using these skis in the future for other trips where I'll be skiing predominantly on-piste I'd like them to perform well as carvers. I'd consider myself a very good on-piste skier but only decent off-piste. The skis I have in mind at the moment are something like the Nordica enforcer 94s but feel free to tell me if that's a dumb choice.
Regarding when and where to get skis, I'm going to get a pair of boots fitted sometime in mid September, so should I try and get skis while I'm there and hopefully negotiate a better price as a bundle with boots and poles? (also if anyone has boot fitter recommendations in London or north-west greater London then I'd be very grateful). Should get the skis now while shops are trying to shift last seasons stuff at a lower price? Should I get some from a couple of seasons ago second hand? Any guidance on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your advice,
Sacha
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to 
Some extra info might help with the answers that you are looking for:
- What weight are you?
- How much skiing experience and past lessons have you had?
- How much Off Piste have you done?
- Will some wide AM skis be suitable for doing your instructor course and then teaching?
- Have you asked the company running the course what skis you should be on?
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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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@SchnellSchnell, personally i'd look at getting 2 pairs if you can, one for on piste/exams/teaching, one for off piste powder skiing. Perhaps buy a brand new pair for piste skiing, and pick up a 2nd hand pair for off piste?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
What weight are you?
- How much skiing experience and past lessons have you had?
- How much Off Piste have you done?
- Will some wide AM skis be suitable for doing your instructor course and then teaching?
- Have you asked the company running the course what skis you should be on?
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- 70kg but pretty concentrated in my lower body
- about 18 weeks or so, no private lessons, only ski school but plenty of videos watched and I'm constantly reviewing my own skiing to improve it
- I usually rent race carvers so not a whole lot but I've done quite a lot of ungroomed runs with varying success due to the skis sinking in powder and not being very agile in moguls.
- I considered it but I'd preferably like to have more suitable skis for carving
- No, I'll definitely ask them
hope this helps
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 1-09-24 13:55; edited 2 times in total
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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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@swskier, That's definitely the ideal setup, but unfortunately unless I get a really good deal on them I doubt I can shell out the cash for two pairs. Perhaps If I re-sell the rockers directly after the season ends, but I don't know how of the original cost I'd get back.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@SchnellSchnell, Thanks.
I'm not sure it's sensible to get anything until you speak to the people running the course.
The instructors on here will be able to advise better....but I suspect Piste skis will be recommended for learning and teaching. If this is the case, you might get away with a wider body piste ski, say around 80 under foot eg. Head Titan
Once you are there, keep an eye out for some Freeride skis at an affordable price....eg on sale or ex rental.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
The instructors on here will be able to advise better....but I suspect Piste skis will be recommended for learning and teaching. If this is the case, you might get away with a wider body piste ski, say around 80 under foot eg. Head Titan |
I did my L1 on a pair of iRally's, Titan's would be fine also.
I'd advise against a wider ski for exams, you're making your life difficult when it comes to shorts and carving.
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| swskier wrote: |
| Old Fartbag wrote: |
The instructors on here will be able to advise better....but I suspect Piste skis will be recommended for learning and teaching. If this is the case, you might get away with a wider body piste ski, say around 80 under foot eg. Head Titan |
I did my L1 on a pair of iRally's, Titan's would be fine also.
I'd advise against a wider ski for exams, you're making your life difficult when it comes to shorts and carving. |
The priority is presumably passing exams and teaching....so the skis should be carefully chosen to achieve that goal. "Fun" skis can come later.
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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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I don't know about the 94s, but my enforcer 110s are excellent piste carvers and fairly quick through the slalom gates.
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| Quote: |
The priority is presumably passing exams and teaching....so the skis should be carefully chosen to achieve that goal
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I don't want to sound arrogant, but I'm not overly concerned about passing the course. From what I've heard from the company, I should be well above the required level to pass the exam so I don't really want to compromise on my choice of skis just to make passing the exam easier
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@tangowaggon, cheers, good to hear
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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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@SchnellSchnell, in fairness, 18 weeks skiing and "instructing" ?? you won't be instructing anything terribly technical ...
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Well, in that case, look at skis from 88 - 96. Brands like Nordica (Enforcer), Volkl (Mantra), Head (Kore), Scott (Pure Free 90Ti) and Blizzard (Brahma/Rustler 9)
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You know it makes sense.
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@under a new name, yeah, i doubt i'll be doing much above beginner classes
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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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Get a piste ski and a pow/offpiste ski. Trying to do both in one is a fool's errand. Buy secondhand if you like. You could easily put a 2 ski quiver together for £3-400.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Is the whole season to be spent in Japan? You say the course is, but the rest of the season? That maybe the biggest factor. As you mention the famous Japan Powder, it is abundant generally, and very light however generally speaking the terrain is fairly shallow. If you we're in Europe, Cham for example, the terrain is fairly steep by most standards. Speed can be gained quickly and therefore a less wide ski can be used as the gradient adds speed and gives the ski more float. For this reason a circa 95mm ski is often used here by instructors for their all mountain abilities. I fear in Japan, the argument for 2 pairs of skis, one for the piste and a much wider one for off piste is most relevant. Off piste in Japan on a sub 110mm ski will simply sink, you'll have no gradient and all the powder upto your thighs holding back your speed and float. While sub 110mm is possible, there are some on here that would argue that, i don't think it would be too many days before you invested over there, in something super fat, 110+, so maybe you'd have been better with a sub 80mm ski for piste and instructing. 1 pair can work fine in Europe and some parts of the USA and Canada, but Japan is pretty unique.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@CH2O, Thanks for the advice, i'm looking into 2 pairs of second handers now
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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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@SchnellSchnell, sweet, consider touring bindings too a la "Shift" for your Pow skis, the laps are short, most tour. A nice Mid 80mm freestyle ski is nice to work on ever day.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| SchnellSchnell wrote: |
| @CH2O, Thanks for the advice, i'm looking into 2 pairs of second handers now |
IMV. That is a wise course of action.
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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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@SchnellSchnell, Get your boot fitted over there too, why anyone would buy boots in London is beyond me.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@CH2O, surely with summer sales and all, getting them fitted now and close to home will be cheaper than in the resort in winter time?
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@SchnellSchnell, dude, no, you'll be miles away before you use them, and if there are any issues what you gonna do? First thing to do when you get there, find out who is the master swordsman locally, and get your katanas done properly. Anything else is retarded
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@SchnellSchnell, A properly fitted boot will not be cheaper, that is a fact, no proper bootfitter would sell their work cheaply, if it's cheap you'll know it's not being done right.
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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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@SchnellSchnell, buying boots and looking at the price ticket is a bad move,
I know, I've made this mistake more than once.
It makes a lot more sense to get them in the resort.
Having said that, my favourite boot lab is Ski Exchange near Cambridge.
Nothing is more important than comfy boots.
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@SchnellSchnell, on the boot front, @CH2O knows what he's talking about, given his reputation  that said, i'd also put a shout out to Colin/Solutions4feet for a decent fitting, but they're not a cheap shop, but you'll likely get a very well fitted boot, I did certainly.
2 pairs of 2nd skis is a good idea, there's loads and loads and loads on facebook.
Like you, I was comfortably at the L1 standard going in to my exam, that said, I wouldn't have wanted to make my life difficult using a pair of skis not suited to the type of skiing we were doing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@swskier, anyone doing a season should be buying where they're based, and that base should be CHX!!!! 
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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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