 Poster: A snowHead
|
So..... I've got my first boarding holiday booked for 2 weeks in Whistler mid March.
I've had a few group lessons indoors (passed levels 1 to 4 at Xscape), and been on the recreational slope once. Hopefully I will be going a couple more times before my holiday to get some more practice in.
SO questions:
Would you recommend having some lessons\ski school when I go?
What gear should I buy? What gear should I rent? What protective clothing would most people go with?
Cheers in advance!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
hi there. I am not a boarder but being the only skiier in a group of boarders I have a clue about what you need - for protection buy impact shorts, wrist guards and a helmet. You can hire helmets but I don't doubt this is the first trip of many so worth buying if you can. You can get gloves with wrist protection within them - if you do go that route don't buy them on the web as the wrong fitting ones would be horrible. Definately get all of the above protection if it's your first holiday as it will make hitting the deck far less painful and dangerous! You will use them no matter what skill level you are. I would hire the board/bindings and boots as they're so expensive you want to make sure you're definately hooked - plus if you hire hopefully the shop will let you swap equipment once or twice so you can try different types of boards out and get to know what's comfortable for you.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Impact shorts, helmet, and a three hour one to one lesson if you can afford it
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
bongomark,
If you are going to buy some of the big stuff i.e. boots/board/bindings..always start with boots..Good fitting boots is a must and better than the hired stuff!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Yea, I was thinking of buying boots, and hiring board and bindings.
No need for a back protector then as some posts on here recommend?
Any idea how much I'd be looking at for a 3 hour one to one lesson?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Knee pads are nice to have too (and cheap).
If you don't buy safety gear (espec. knee pads and impact shorts) you may feel for a while that you've made the right decision to skimp on it ("this isn't so bad, I'm a bit sore but nothing to worry about"), right up until the instant you get slammed by an edge catch or other calamity and hurt yourself quite badly/painfully. I say this from experience 
IMHO, safety gear makes the regular bumps softer, but it really earns its keep when you take a big hit that would otherwise spoil your day, holiday, or worse (obviously not 100% protection, but it certainly helps).
Regarding back-protectors: they're a good thing in case you get crashed into by other people. But I'd buy it after getting a helmet, wrist-guards, impact-shorts, and knee-pads.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After my last trip and had a couple of painful slips I've now bought impact shorts and wrist protectors. Only going quite slow (although it felt like I was belting along) and I landed on my coccyx, most painful, and also twisted my wrist!! So, better equipped this time for my next visit 23rd Feb 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
£100 maybe for lessons, £125 for boots, £100 various safety gear etc should get you going
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Great, really helpful from everyone guys.
A mate suggested joining a ski school for a week which they thought would be about £100, I wasn't sure whether individual or ski school would be better.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Quote: |
and no-one wears them bloody gloves with inserts in
|
I do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Lessons are expensive in Whistler, especially with tips, maybe group lessons are a better bet. My mate did 3 hour long 'one to one' lessons on three mornings and with a 'tip' I think it cost him £300
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rayscoops, eeeek. I hope he was doing 580 grabs off a helicopter for that price
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Swirly, I wear separate Dainese wrist guards, and big enough gloves to go over the top. I know that opinion on wrist guards varies, but I feel happier with mine. I wear impact shorts too, and a helmet, but don't bother any longer with knee and elbow pads, which I found helpful when I still fell a lot. Now, a few more days down the line, I fall less often, but sometimes very hard. But I've not felt a need for a back protector - they seem to be worn more by expert boarders, off piste, or in the park. I found that impact shorts don't protect your coccyx unless you fall properly - if you just plop down into a sitting position, you still hit your coccyx, which doesn't hurt much the first X times. But by day 2 or 3.... I found I quickly learnt to fling myself onto a hip - or right over onto my back, anything to avoid another landing on the coccyx.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Bongo mark.. may see you on the slopes - paddy's day in Whistler, should be entertaining.
My humble opinion is that the amount of padding = how often you fall, question is do you
(a) listen carefully to advice given, carefully check you funds available and purchase the best available safety equipment that you can
(b) head down to the ski shop in the morning and shop according to which bits of you are sore?
i did (b) - although did get impact shorts (which i think are the pc term for bum protector) and wrist guards from day one. Have not broken anything, which may be coincidence but if i had to do it again would buy the same gear. Now have the flexmeter guards - bit awkward but excellent.
would rent board bindings and boots on first trip.. at least would give you the flexibility to try different boards / bindings.
As far as lessons go, depends on how you get on at Xscape - they might be better positioned to give you advice?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
rayscoops, sounds like he spent too much time ogling and not enough on his boarding
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I'd go for an all day "supergroup" lesson. I had my first lesson in years last week and got loads out of it. Its a group of 3 plus instructor.
As it was one of their "discover whistler" days we got 40% off, I think the normal price is around $250.
Will confess to not tipping the instructor but he gave out discount cards useable at some of shops in the resort where you got 5 - 15% off and they rack up points (or something like that). I used mine in the westbeach shop to get money off some new bindings.
Enjoy yourself anyway, its a fantastic resort and the snow is excellent at the moment.
You can demo boards for free up the mountain, worth doing if you feel like riding £400+ worth of board around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Thanks again for all the advice, much appreciated.
I hadn't even realised it was Paddy's Day while I was out there! Brilliant.
Anyone have any recommendations on best insurance, or things that some companies leave out??
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
So I've pretty much decided what I'm going to buy in terms of gear......I think.......
Hire Board and Bindings
Buy Boots and Protection gear.
Buy Goggles and clothing - gloves and sallopettes. (already have jacket).
Only question now is, should I buy before I go, or wait until I get to Whistler?
I'm still umming and ahhing about lessons. I'm leaning towards a 3hr 1-1 lesson, but wondering if that will be enough? Alternative to that is something like a 3-day super-group lesson I guess?
If anyone can help with these further/continued dilemnas much appreciated!! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
I'm not sure that a 3 hr 1-1 lesson is the best way to do it. My experience of being a beginner boarder is that 1 hours instruction would be plenty.....at a time. You'd probably benefit more from 3x 1 hour lessons with practice time inbetween.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agree with Elizabeth - if you have never boarded 3 hours of (in my experience) picking yourself up can be very tiring but hour to get the basics - day to practice them, rinse and repeat until you are happy would be much more productive.
Regard to equipment - i would suggest waiting until Whistler, cheaper there anyway and there should be some end of season sales on and a better selection. Also thinking getting boots professionally fitted / sized would be a great help - you could try all the gear, if there was a problem on the slope at least it would be easy to sort it while you are there? (I am currently trying to figure out will i buy new boots or go cat-skiing for a few days...)
Insurance - i just use justcover.ie - have never had to use them or have any direct / indirect experience of insurance companies so cannot really help you there (i just bring my own nurse  ). I would recommend stocking up on things like paracetamol, ibuprofen gel arnica all that sort of stuff for the standard everyday strains and bruises
(20 days to go!! )
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bongomark, head to TK Maxx and get your cheap sallopetts and bits and pieces there, they are having a clearance sale at the moment. BTW they had some sallopetts with in-built knee and @rse protection (you can take them out though if you wish) which seemed a great idea.
The sales service is Whistler is great, but they seem duty bound to give the entire sales pitch to you, so if you think you will just pop in, grab some goggles and helmet and pop out again before getting on the gondola forget it.
Get your helmet and goggles at the same time so that the goggles fit over the helmet ok, and do not have a gap between the top of your goggles and your helmet.
Lessons - my mate had never been on a board before and did 3 no. 3 hour lessons. he found that he would learn the basics and then practice them under the guidance of the instructor, and if he was doing well they would step it up to the next level becasue the instructor could see him developing. When I saw him with the instructor he looked to be doing well, but he said the minute he was on his own after the instructor had left him he sort of forgot what he should be doing. It is up to you really but the time you can take on lifts etc. can quickly eat in to one hour and just when you think you are getting the hang of it the instructor disappears and you are left on your own, crying lost like a newly born lamb to the slaughter 
Take all the advice on here, mix it with some beer and burgers, and enjoy
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| rayscoops wrote: |
Take all the advice on here, mix it with some beer and burgers, and enjoy |
Well said...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
All the friendly helpful advice on here is great. I'm getting excited already!
Just been searching about for some Impact shorts, Dainese and Red Impact shorts both look pretty good? Which are the best? I may have to wait until I get to Whistler to get them anyway as everywhere seems to be fairly short on stock!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
