 Poster: A snowHead
|
I have just bought a pair of ski's and want to get some practice in before I go away on holiday. Since I am from the UK there is loads of dry slopes near me.
Is it ok to use my ski's on the dry slope (will it damage them?) then take them with me when I go away on my ski trip next year????
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
14N-FR, welcome to snowHeads 
I wouldn't use my own skis on a dry slope, as the surface isn't very good for your ski bases.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
14N-FR, welcome to
My advice would be to avoid taking your nice new skis onto plastic matting. If you want to try them out, go to one of the indoor snow slopes located around the country.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Thankyou both for the advice. Does the plastic matting really wreck the base of them even if they are waxed well?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
14N-FR, by the time you're making your second turn, most of the wax will be off them, I'd suspect.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| 14N-FR wrote: |
| the plastic matting really does wreck the base of them |
Indeed it does. Wait until you've trashed your new shiny skis on snow before recycling them on plastic. If you can't wait to test them out do it in a snowdome.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Put some really hard wax on them, e.g. CH4 or similar and they should be fine if the slope is wet, has a good sprinkler system or it is cold. I find that they last a good six months of 4 hours per week race training with sharpening and waxing every week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I'd agree with iblair but do make sure it's very hard wax you put on them, Data do some excellent dry slope waxes IMHO.
The thing to watch out for though is bits of the metal hooks (or whatever they are) that bind the mats together sticking up and stones in the matting, that'll do more damage than anything else in my experience.
Best of luck 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My three words would be don't do it... unless you are happy (and able) to do plenty of maintainence on them (to protect them as much as keep the performance up).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| ski wrote: |
| ( . As it goes, I'm not taking my 'good' plastic skis away to avoid damaging them on snow.. you'll do far more damage in a week on December than in an hour on plastic. |
I suspect ski means the rocks hiding under the snow, rather than the snow!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Actually, my true advice is just don't go anywhere near a dry-slope at all... but then again, some people do like them (for some un-earthly reason that I have still yeat to fathom).
Of the two I have tried:
-Never, ever, ever, waste your money at Plymouth's dry-slope. I would rather spend fifteen quid on a bag of natural fertilizer and then sit down to eat it...
-Gloucester's a lot better, but quite slow. roga, will however have more up-to-date info on the state of it as I haven't been there for about three years or so.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowball, Good point
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
I use mine regularly at the Norwich slope, which is very well misted, and at this damp time of the year there is no problem. They do need sharpening and waxing after every 4/5 hours at least though to protect them, and the wax needs to be something like the Datawax Polar X. If you want best performance wax them before every session, you can really tell the difference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
14N-FR, I agree with ski - I have skis for plastic and skis for snow and never the twain. The damage patterns are quite different for the two - plastic polishes off base structure that your snow skis will need, and burning will "channel" the edges, but PTEX will NOT stay in on a dry slope so rock strikes are a bit of a death knell for "plastic" skis.
If you want to get general skiing practice I'd suggest going along to the dry slope and using their skis - they'll be fairly rubbish but still give you practice time. The feel of plastic and real snow is sufficiently different that, while plastic's great for technique development and refresher practice, I doubt any specific "feel" experience on your own skis would be particularly transferable anyway.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| skisimon wrote: |
Actually, my true advice is just don't go anywhere near a dry-slope at all... but then again, some people do like them (for some un-earthly reason that I have still yeat to fathom).
Of the two I have tried:
-Never, ever, ever, waste your money at Plymouth's dry-slope. I would rather spend fifteen quid on a bag of natural fertilizer and then sit down to eat it...
-Gloucester's a lot better, but quite slow. roga, will however have more up-to-date info on the state of it as I haven't been there for about three years or so.
|
Just out of interest what is particularly bad about Plymouth's slope compared to others? I ask that because Plymouth is the only dry slope I have been down properly other than High Wycombe a very long time ago which I can't really remember. Is it because they don't seem to water it and that there are occasional patches where the surface is coming up? Or is it because the rental skis don't have much performance?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
skisimon, What's wrong with the Plymouth dry slope? I've never been to it, but it is my nearest one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
One raised mat or hook will take a massive chunk out of your skis! Any wax will be of your skis after about 10 seconds! Just wait till you get to the snow! Happy skiing
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
. As it goes, I'm not taking my 'good' plastic skis away to avoid damaging them on snow.. you'll do far more damage in a week on December than in an hour on plastic.
