 Poster: A snowHead
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Yes, really! I have been sent a booking form for my hire skis and have to choose green, blue, red or black skis! I rang and asked advice and was told probably the blue or red ones. THey say green's for beginners, for nursery slope use. Blue is for the next stage up, skiing blues/greens. Red as you would guess is for skiing parallel turns on blues/reds and black is for the experts!
For those lwho don't know my skiing - everyone says I look stable/in control. However I am nervous of going at any speed - I HAVE to feel I can stop easily. I am not yet turning properly - still using a plough to assist the turn, tho the skis are coming together to then end of the turn. When the slope gets too steep for me (and that is easily achieved - the upper bit of Xscape still scares me) I end up feeling NOT in control because I tend to weight the uipper ski far too much - KNowing that isn't enough to yet stop me doing it though!
Ok, the advice I got. First they said bliue. Then I said, I am not a small lady, do I need a stiffer ski? THey said the reds are less forgiving of mistakes. THen I got an email saying after discussing it with a techie, maybe a red would be better.
HELP! Which colour do I say I want???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dividing rental skis into four levels of 'expertness' seems way OTT to me. I doubt that you would notice much difference between their blue skis and their red skis (I know I wouldn't). Is there much of a price differential between each grade of ski? Just so long as the ski is about the right length for you I wouldn't get too stressed about the difference between a 'blue' or a 'red'. Any rental shop worth it's salt would let you change skis midweek if the pair you were given at the start aren't really suitable.
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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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Go for the colour that best matches your ski jacket 
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| I doubt that you would notice much difference between their blue skis and their red skis . |
Says the man who has a different ski for every snow condition!
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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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Elizabeth B, My jacket's blue and red - aarrggghhhh!!
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So long as they are not orange you'll be fine
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Rent from somewhere which allows you to change/swop about. Otherwise go for the blues but make sure these are reasonably modern skis not some 10 year old back of the shop relic.
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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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You should ask what skis (brand/name) they'll give for each colour... That might just trigger more serious advise from the fellow 
With this rather silly naming scheme i'd say red; ski the ski for the level you could realistically get to/want to get to by the end of the holiday... Saw my sisters skiing change overnight (struggle on red to decently gracious on something very very black) when she went from flubby rulers to quite high level skis. Don't ski a ski below your level, pick one a little above.
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NewSkier, go for ther prettiest colour!!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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stoatsbrother, I did ask that and was reassured that swapping would be no problem.
Ronald, Sounds like good advice - to aim for where I want to be - interested in that the choice of ski made so much diff to your sister - I assume that I'll be equally as bad whatever I strap to my feet!
feefee,  maybe I should get the best match for the lippie!
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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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NewSkier, GO FOR IT!
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Just had unexpected cancellation at work - so went for a walk to TK Maxx to source a jacket to match the skis and the lippie! Found nice lime green, dayglo pink or maybe orange? It's the 'in' colour!
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You know it makes sense.
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NewSkier, Lime green - nice colour for jacket, don't think much of it as lippie though
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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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NewSkier, as rob@rar, said I doubt there is much difference between the blue and red skis judging from what you've said I'd go red.
Though contrary to what Ronald, said I've watched guys I ski with going all over the place because they've gone for a better ski that they couldn't control
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Poster: A snowHead
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NewSkier, whatever you decide, don't have them any higher than your chin. Longer skis will be more difficult to control, especially at low speeds. Why don't you start with blue, then swap up when you've improved?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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5stitches, you say "better ski which they could not control" - what is it that is different about the 'better ski' that makes it harder to control? - maybe if I understood the features of skis it would help me. I understand there are differences in the natural turning circle - but why would that make it harder/easier unless I was hurtling down at rapid speed? I also understand there is difference in flexibility - and that stiffer skis need more force, exerted by either speedy turns or more body weight to bend them and that they then will obviously rebound a bit to help you along - but again, at slow speed how relevant is that?
pam w, you say "longer skis will be more difficult, esp at low speed"
That's interesting esp as low speed is my favourite speed! According to the charts, I ought to be on 180cm long skis as they seem to go on weight more than height - but the hire shops have given me 150-155-160. I'm about 166cm tall in bare feet so a bit more in boots. Weight - yes well hmm! Let's just say I could do with being about 3st less in an ideal world!
Why is it so blooming hard to choose a ski! Thank heavens I am not trying to decide on a purchase!
Incidentally we are going to Vallandry & the op is SkiAmis - anyone got any knowledge related to them? They have been really helpful so far.
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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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Everybody knows that red ones are faster....
or is that just with cars?
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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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NewSkier, not being any kind of expert, but having kitted out a lot of people who come to stay with us, many of them fairly nervous skiers, and most of them overweight, I'd say you'd be absolutely mad to go for a ski anything like 180cms. The hire shops have given you 150/160 - that makes much more sense, though 160 are probably too long. You only need longer skis once you start going seriously fast down the fall line! Have you seen the kind of skis that the top slalom skiers are on, these days? Short, is the word. Some very hesitant skiers who have come to stay with us have enjoyed the new short skis (not to be confused with blades) which are around 120cms. My brother in law, a good skier (ice skated his childhood away, in Birmingham), rather overweight, quite tall, had a blast on them last year.
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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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My daughter had some bright yellow 1080s. They were easy to find buried in powder. I would highly recommend that color. Unfortunately they were stolen so she replaced them with the same ski but it was white. Talk about impossible to find buried in powder. Definitely stay away from white.
Of the choices you have I would go with blue. Red means speed and the ski patrol will hone in on you making sure you're not skiing to fast. Black is the choice of new schoolers so stay way from it unless you intend on buying ski clothes two sizes too big. Green has gaper written all over it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Shorter skis = easier to turn, which is probably good for you.
Longer skis = good when going faster or skiing powder.
If I were you I'd go for the more advanced skis but as others have mentioned you probably won't be able to tell the difference anyway.
You ask about high end skis... yeah in general they'll be stiffer, among other things. Looking at Magfires for example, as you go up the range they basically get wider and stiffer, with two sheets of titanium added to the Magfire 14. For various reasons due to construction, sidewalls etc they'll also be much less forgiving of mistakes...
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Thanks all. I am still not sure! I will prb start off with the blue ones, especially as the first day I shall not have a lesson and I will probably be teetering about like a raw beginner so what I have won't be that significant and I won't want to risk anything that could be unforgiving! Then on the Mon I will check with the instructor and if they think an upgrade would be advisable I am sure they'll tell me! The blues are a little cheaper too - 57 euros whereas the reds are 68 so there really isn't a lot in it.
I wonder what how these various categories of hire skis compare with the bog-standard ones you get in the indoor snowslopes here where the choice is take'em or leave'em. Anyone know what they are and how they might be 'graded'?
Have just noticed in SOME resorts SkiAmis offer GOLD prestige skis too at 102 euros! Not seen a gold run yet, must be super scary 
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is gold on a piste map not the "off-piste" runs? contradictory i know - but on the glen nevis range map there are mustardy/goldy coloured runs marked as "off-piste"!
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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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gold coloured snow should be avoided at all costs.
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| 5stitches wrote: |
NewSkier, as rob@rar, said I doubt there is much difference between the blue and red skis judging from what you've said I'd go red.
Though contrary to what Ronald, said I've watched guys I ski with going all over the place because they've gone for a better ski that they couldn't control |
There is still a difference between a ski thats much 'better' then the skiiers ability to control, and what I meant (and actuallywrote): 'a little better'.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kiwi1, will remember that!!
Have decided to book the blue as they are a bit cheaper and I have been told I can change if I wish to - I will ask the instructor on the Monday and change if they reckon I should.
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