 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi folks
In the interests of self improvement, I read lots of the threads about the ski's themselves. Now, I'm def. not about to go and buy skis - got to find that self confidence and technique first (and in that order!). However, I am intrigued by all the comments about choice of skis, how you all decide which you need and the fact that loads of you seem to have more than set of these (somewhat pricey) items: sets for off piste, sets for on, wide sets for virgin deep powder, old sets for runs that include obstacles that could scratch them.
Lots of you suggest to folks that you should try before you buy - I'm amazed that ski shops let you do this - or do they keep 'demonstrators' like car dealers.
Sometimes you suggest that you can use a hire shop for your 'quiver' - this implies that hire shops have ski's of different types so that you can ask for those you want - is this the case? I assumed that hire shops just had a basic range of skis.
How do you even know what you want?  You can tell why I'm still with the hire shop can't you - I let them tell me what I need.
Anyone fancy explaining a bit of ski phsycology to me?
Oh, yes and while you're doing so when I pick up my hire ones will I need to take my ski boots with me into the shop? Its only about 2 minutes from where we put the skis in the apartment and with all the kids stuff to sort out I won't take my big boots if I don't have to.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Megamum, When trying out skis discuss with the hire shop what type of skier you are. i.e. you will need a nice forgiving introductory level ski for your next weeks skiing.
Re the boots into the shop. You will need to take 1 boot so they can fit it to your ski's bindings (presuming both feet are the same size  )
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Megamum,
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got to find that self confidence and technique first (and in that order!).
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Through developing your technique, your Confidence will grow. The order will be the other way round.
Ski shops stock the standard hire skis, plus demo pairs for which you'll pay a premium to hire. Different types, dependent on your ability, type of terrain & turns you like to make, plus snow conditions. The choice is endless. Try some, you can always take them back.
Yes, you will need 1 boot for the first binding adjustment, after that the shop will probably keep on record your binding settings.
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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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| Megamum wrote: |
| I always worried that if there were a load of hire skis outside the bar of a certain type that I might pick up the wrong set - of course I now realise that if I did so they would likely not fit my boots making the error difficult to make. |
Don't worry, I thought exactly the same thing, but there are so many different makes, models, graphics and of course lengths - add to that the particular colour of poles draped over, and it's nigh on impossible to get the wrong set, even with one too many genepi 
Last year as a second-weeker I didn't think it would be worth trying different skis out, that I wouldn't be able to tell the difference - but I could. So definitely take the time to talk to the assistant when he starts sizing you up...
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Megamum,
Ski rental bindings differ from retail ones, in that both the toe and heel binding slide on a plate on a rental binding, so that the centre of the boot can still be aligned to the mark on the ski. the downside of this is weight, they are much heavier. Where as retail bindings are set up on a jig using your boot for size, the toe piece is fixed and only the heel piece slides.
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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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Spyderman, So it should be better for skis to be lighter in weight then?
justacey, So how on earth had your boots fitted in each others bindings? There's a big difference in length even in standard shoes - it must be even worse with ski boots.
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Megamum,
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So it should be better for skis to be lighter in weight then?
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Firstly you've got to carry them. Secondly, if they are heavy they are a bit more of a handful to move around, especially in bumps & powder.
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So how on earth had your boots fitted in each others bindings? There's a big difference in length even in standard shoes - it must be even worse with ski boots.
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Different manufacturers will use a different length DIN sole size from one another, for example the sole of a size 7 Salomon boot maybe longer than a size 7 Head boot. It'd all in the design of the boot, like how much padding there is, how thick the shell is, etc. plus bindings have a degree of tolerance, plus an amount of forward pressure on the boot which allows for the ski to flex under the boot. For sure even if the boot fit the binding the DIN release setting would have been way different. Lucky She did'nt fall, they might not have released.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Megamum, a lighter ski is easier to carry around when it's not on your foot, and is slightly easier on the legs if you're not carving parallel turns. The downside being that if the snow is heavy they're more easily knocked off line by a lump of snow.
I officially only have one pair of skis, that are good for all conditions. I have another unofficial pair of skis in my attic that are looking for a good home, as I can't see myself using them again. Strictly speaking I didn't really need to buy another pair this season, but I did want them, and this new pair suit my level and choice of skiing better than the old pair did.
Frankly I think that the people who don't live in the mountain who have more than one pair of skis for different conditions are a little nuts, but that doesn't stop me being friends with them.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| ......Frankly I think that the people who don't live in the mountain who have more than one pair of skis for different conditions are a little nuts...... |
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Oh dear, I've got 4 pairs & a big top box.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Megamum,
OK, easy bit first, top box is mahusive Thule one, full width of car & 8' long. Had 9 pairs in it plus boots.
The quiver:
All Dynastar, because I've got an account.
Legend 8800 188cm, big mountain offpiste skis 27m radius, lots of floatation in powder and go like stink.
Intuitive 74 182cm 50/50 on/off piste, 21m radius, general go anywhere skis. getting old now but still good.
Omeglass 64 157cm race slalom skis 11m radius, will hold an edge on anything, fun when conditions are hard & icy. hard work though, very unforgiving, soft snow forget it.
Troublemakers, 178cm twin tips, makes skiing backwards with beginners much easier, plus they'll go anywhere, and they only cost me £40
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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spyderjon, yourself, WTFH, and Spyderman could start a support group.
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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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Technical term 'radius'
Must be something to do with with the arc that they can carve in snow? Folks on here have described how the carving ski is shaped to bend around the mountain - anything to do with the shape they make? maybe something to do with the radius length if you joined that arc to the centre of a circle and made a wedge - the length of the wedge sides maybe? I guess you need a smaller radius for tighter turns?
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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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Megamum,
Radius, the sidecut of the ski, i.e. wide tip, narrow under foot, wide tail, creates a curved edge. when the ski is tilted onto it's edge, the ski will track along the edge and make an arc. The size of the arc that the ski will naturally track, without being pressured (which alters the size of the arc) is determined by the sidecut, this is given as a radius measurement, so you know what size arc the ski will naturally make.
As a guide: extreme carving skis about 11m radius
Slalom Race about 13m
General Piste Skis about 15/18m
Giant Slalom Race skis 21m radius
Big mountain off piste 22/30m
Downhill Race 40m
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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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Spyderman, With such an impressive selection to say nothing of the size of your box
How do you make the choice of which ski to use each day, if factors change do you come back 'home' and change ski, or do you think I won't go that way or do that slope 'cos I've got the wrong ski's on?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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boredsurfin,
I look out of the window.
If it's snowed/soft snow/off piste- 8800
Rock hard & icy - Omeglass
Easy day, go anywhere - Intuitive 74
Troublemaker - day at the terrian park.
Ther're all on demo bindings, so anyone I'm skiing with, also has a choice of skis to play with.
No, I'm not some saddo who has to come back home if conditions change. I skied the Omeglass in fresh snow last year, did'nt see them all day, they are like submarines.
I bought them all trade, as ex Pila demo sets, so did'nt cost much and as I normally drive to the slopes, taking them and having the luxury of the choice is great.
If I only had the choice of one, or was flying, it would have to be the 8800's. Will do piste ok, allbeit very quick, but get them in the soft stuff and oh boy.
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Ideally I think I'd have 3 sets of skis:-
Big powder ski
All mountain ski
Piste specific carver
But I fly to ski, so I only own 1 pair of "All mountain" skis, which are pretty good in most situations. I've often rented skis too, they usually have all types available.
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Spyderman, Great explanation thanks  Is that sort of information just available in the specs displayed in a shop, or do they actually print a little table of performance/radius/specs onto the skis for future reference?
N.B. Assuming I ever get to the stage where I gain some confidence, I might one day (not this year) get some ski's. I think when I'm ready to do so I'm going to come back here and let folks suggest what I might like to consider just to narrow down the field a little.
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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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Megamum, Brilliant post and fab answers. I had no idea what anyone was talking about before and am probably a tad more confused now but at least more knowledgeable . . . Thanks guys.
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Megamum, often it's written on the topsheet somewhere, if not it'll be in the brochures, or on the website.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Leis, Glad you've found it useful - I think this lot must get fed up with my somewhat basic questions, but they're very good and always indulge me without moaning - I've had a weeks serious skiing and just reasoned that if I wanted to get more out the sport I might as well understand the theory as well as do the practical stuff. At least if I know how the ski's as supposed to behave I might be more inclined to try and get them to do so, i.e. turning the edges into the mountain etc./
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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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Megamum,
Try some different one's in the rental shop as a comparison, just tell them you're considering buying some. See what sort of radius you like best. The best place to look for the sidecut, which will normally be 3 sets of numbers, i.e. 110 - 80 - 100 which is the tip width in mm, underfoot and tail width, and a single figure which is the radius i.e. 21m. Not every ski has this info on it though, but website, brochure, shop will tell you.
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FAQ
