 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all!
I've been skiing for 20 years now since I was 2. Nothing too intense - just 2-3 weeks a year for recreation. The sports or the extreme side of things never interested me that much, so I've never dug that deep into the equipment. However, renting each year had dug deep into my wallet and it just occurred to me that I should probably get some of my own gear asap.
I want to get both boots and skis as don't see any reason to stagger the purchases. Boots - the consensus here is simply to hit a store and get a professional to try me a few, which is fine. I know how important a good boot is!
The debate is with the skis. I've almost always skied, with a couple of weeks' blading more recently. I've never felt a marked difference in the different types of skis - long or short, fat or thin, cheap or expensive; they all feel identical (or at least as best I can tell with a 9 month pause between each use!). I am a big fan of blades, which I consider more fun. I imagine I'll get some flak for this, but since I don't much care about performance, this makes me think I should perhaps go for some blades instead. This is especially useful as they're easy to transport and I can carry them when hiking through mountains (so I don't have to hike down  ). The only real downside I see (ignoring the style factor for a moment) is that I'd sink as soon as I hit powder unless I was going properly fast.
So, considerations! I thought the best thing to go for would be a compromise of sorts - perhaps a largish (100cm+) blade pair. Get a bit of the best of both worlds - transportable, light and manoeuvrable yet not too sluggish (although I don't race, I do like going fast ) and perhaps apt at powder.
Or is this a bad mix - should I stick firmly to one of the other?
Is there a significant price difference between the two types? I imagine maintenance effort will be similar for each, unless I can get away with those (lighter and smaller) blade bindings, which look much simpler.
Thanks guys!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My friend has always bladed (embarrassing, but there it is) and has just bought a pair of Decathlon's mini-skis (currently 120€ on sale) - took her a couple of runs to get used to the extra length, but she loves them. More stable, just as much fun, is her verdict.
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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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Welcome to Snowheads.
Get some proper skis, blades are a learning tool at best, a toy at worst!
Seriously skis are a lot more versatile and more fun in the long run, although require a bit more effort. If you like short skis, go for short skis.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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skis... I have not yet seen anyone on blades/skiboards whose style made be want to swap. Mono yes, Snowboard yes, blade no. You can get some really great ski deals if you don't mind last years model.
I am sure Graeme will be along soon to give the pro-blade point of view.
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And you won't be popular at the lift queues on blades... 
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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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Woah thanks for all the replies chaps!
Don't get me wrong - I use very different technique between the blades and the skis. It's the different types of skis that all blend into one. Since I don't really push them, I've not felt the edge offered by longer/wider/shaped skis. To be honest, if you only go down on one trip a year, I imagine it's very hard to remember the last type of skis you used to compare with the one you're currently using. To get a good comparison, you'd need to try the different styles on the same trip!
Nah, the reason I like blades is because, from the "fun" perspective that I prioritise, blades and skis are very similar. It's just that blades are more transportable, are lighter and cheaper. Their novelty hasn't worn off yet!
Lizzard: Mini-skis you say? Sounds good! Any idea what their model name is - I couldn't find them in a brief search...
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The decathlon "mini-skis" are called wedze and come in lengths such as 120 and 130. THey seem to be fairly popular amongst the "younger" generation
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| alexandicity wrote: |
| Don't get me wrong - I use very different technique between the blades and the skis. |
I've not skied on blades for several years but can't remember using them in different ways to skiing. In what way is the technique different?
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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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alexandicity, If transporting issues are the main problem and you don't really ski that often, then perhaps sticking with rental skis is the right answer, then you can take your pick depending on your mood and the conditions - get some carvers for piste cruising days, fat skis if it dumps, and skiboards/blades for err... well... 
Buy some boots though.
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Pick up both.
You can pick up blades for about £40 in the sales.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
Get some proper skis, blades are a learning tool at best, a toy at worst!
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I think the point of a toy is to have "fun". So if one is enojoying ones-self and having fun does it really matter to anyone but themselves what is strapped on their feet?
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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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I use both blades and ski's. I use my salomon sb pro blades when just going for a couple of days as I can fit them in my bag allowing me to only take one bag. On longer trips I take both my twin tips and blades. I can ski off piste in my salomon pros and hit the park as they are a lot wider than most blades. I can actually go nearly as fast on them as well. Only down side is they are not too good on ice or really hard snow. Hard to get a good edge.
The ski's are more forgiving and less tiring than the blades and yes a wee bit faster.
As long as you are having a good time whilst skiing I don't really think it matters whatt you use.
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Poster: A snowHead
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alexandicity, Wedze midget skis here: http://short-ski.wedze.com/
My friend bought the Pure Wedze with rental binding, tastefully decorated with the profile of a rather blingy cat.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Atomic do a short ski too. We have a pair of Wedze skis, which lots of people can use, from beginner to expert, light to heavy. They feel like skis - not like blades. Highly recommended, especially at 120 euros. But my ski shop man says the Atomics are better! Also, some of the Snowheads off-piste experts have said you can do well off piste on Wedze skis, which you certainly can't on blades. My kids used blades on little bits of off piste for years (they also went pretty fast on them) but the off piste style required a sort of leaning back yomp; not pretty. And they're hopeless in cruddy snow. Good on moguls though. I can do moguls on blades..... But I agree they are more tiring. You can't just stand there and rest your muscles as you cruise, as you can on skis. I suspect that many of the people who get excited about how terrible blades are, and how they are for people who don't know how to ski, etc etc etc, have never actually tried them. I can't for the life of me imagine why blades should make you unpopular in lift queues. There are some peculiar ideas out there.
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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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alexandicity, Ok, the concensus here on Ski boots is not ' just hit a store and let a professional try you a few'. It is take the services of a renowned bootfitter and have a clear understanding of what you want to use the boot for. I think generally you are looking at a couple of places between London & Brum, a place in London, a couple of places in Chamonix a place in Davos and possibly a place in Tignes still. Apart from this there are lots of other boot shops but heh if your asking for the concensus round here that is it!
In terms of skis, it seems you answer your own questions .... you are not really into pushing the mountain to the limit so just stick having fun aroudn the pistes with the blades.
If you want to ski serious back country I doubt a guide would take you with blades and you certainly can't tour with blades. In serious steep territory I do not think you would have the stability at speed and I think control on ice would be very limited. In the park I am sure you can have fun with the blades but to push what you can do there you need longer more suitable gear.
So, it is kinda a simple question really if you are happy mucking about and that brings the smile to your face then stick with the blades, personally though I think there is much more to the mountain than what blades can offer. I have skiied 3 yrs with a friend on blades and he always smiled and so that is a very important consideration!
I would also question the benefit of spending money on high end boots if you are going to use blades, just find a decent pair that keep you comfortable. The fit of the boots though is still worth paying for!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Oh yah and K2 do some super fat blades, better in powder I guess
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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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get some proper skiboards, not blades. i will be selling some boards very soon if anyone is interested.
plectrum, just to correct a few things,
a guide will take you backcountry on skiboards
you can tour on skiboards
skiboards are very stable,
just bacjk from winterpark, skiboarded in bottomless powder, through trees, moguls, steeps and anything on piste, had a guided back country tour with skins on my boards...... guess what, no problems at all. if you still say skiboards are crap, maybe its time to face it........ your poo-poo
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| graeme wrote: |
| get some proper skiboards, not blades. i will be selling some boards very soon if anyone is interested. |
are you getting some skis instead?
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stuarth, nope never, been there done that. lol
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Thanks for the input chaps. Those Wed'zes and Atomics look like the way to go but they don't seem to be abundant here in the UK. Are there any particularly good retailers anyone can recommend? I'm particularly interested in this €120 deal - that looks like a winner, but I can't find any mention of it :/
stuarth, whereas usually I'd agree, it's still a good idea to buy even if I went only one week a year. Three weeks a year... well the rental savings pays off pretty much any purchase cost in a single season, so I'm pretty anxious to do this asap.
I'm not looking to do backcountry or anything here. If I go off-piste, it's not generally going to be very far off piste. In any case, if I find that even the mini-skis are poor on powder, I'll probably just move to piste skiing more - plenty of fun to be had there!
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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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Does anyone know if you can take snowblades as hand luggage?
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officially, no. Even the smallest ones would be too big for the "test box".
That said, you could probably get away with in on most airlines, not being the bulkiest of items. I regularly take my guitar and once even a full keyboard on various European flights. Guess it depends on the carrier and how much they want to make you cry/pay.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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alexandicity, pm me if you are still looking for blades/skiboards, can offer you a very good deal if your interested.
graeme
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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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If you don't mind spending a bit more, you could consider Icelantic AT Boards, I have a pair of Nomads which are a short fat ski, amazing bit of kit, essentially an all-mountain ski but shorter than the traditional ski.
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hmm, blades vs skis, interesting... the icelantics are sweet looking ski, the scout is a 143 fat twin, (just like a ski board) but will offer more in the off piste dept. i think my own personal views on blades/skiboards should stay silent for fear of offending anyone, suffice to say you generally look like a gorrilla taking a dump. well, if i were you id take out a loan, buy some nice skis and enroll on some ski courses and free the inner freerider!!
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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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Yup
I know what I like but not what I need.
But now that's behind. I went for a pair of Wed'zes in the end as they were cheap and about right.
Thanks for all your helps!
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Poster: A snowHead
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alexandicity,
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I want to get both boots and skis as don't see any reason to stagger the purchases
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You could stagger it a little, to offset expense, by getting one ski and boot this year and the others next year.
Seriously though, buy some blades. You have seen how much fun and how transportable they are. They are also pretty cheap (not a lot of "feel" to them, so in my experience cheap no-name blades are just fine). You will then have your own kit that you can get on a Ryanair flight without upsetting the luggage nazis. If you fancy a change you could always hire realskis (and have choice of shiniest and best new stuff?) for the odd day. I have done something a little like this for a long time and it all makes for reasonable economy and lots of fun.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Blades are awesome. I've taken a lot of flak for saying that, but they just are! I have a pair of cheap no-name blades myself, with non-release bindings and they rock. I've converted back to being a skier primarily, but blades do have their benefits. Sure, they're a 'learning tool' but for the same reasons they're a learning tool they can also be a refreshing break from normal skis; being so easy to operate, they make speeding (yeah, speeding. on blades. believe it  ) down the mountain more fun again if I'm ever having a frustrating time on skis, and feel like I want a break from thinking about technique. It's also a hell of a lot easier to skate over to a chair if you find you've gone back to the ski-racks and everyone else has gone straight across to get another run in.
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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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Alicecat are you saying if I bought some 99cm snow blades plus bag I could get them on as normal check in luggage, that's if I opted to pay the extra £24 for 2nd item of check in luggage for return flight with Ryanair? And they wouldn't see they were sports euipment and charge me the standard £50 for return carriage?
I'm a bit confused with what I can/can't take extra prices etc please let me know the deal with it all?
Thanks a lot
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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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blades, blades, blades....dear jesus..........why oh why oh why! 
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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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the_doc, they're all skis, even "blades".
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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the_doc, The Horror... The Horror...
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I havn't been on blades for a couple years but i did find them fun! you can 360 off tiny bumps, just dont go off piste. skis are the way to go though...you will lose your technique on blades not much skill envolved!
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Blades are gay. End of.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| Blades are gay. End of. |
If so, then the tele ones are the Shad Smith version.
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aye to that!
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FAQ
{My Dad has bladed a couple of times (much to my embarrassment) and swears how fun they are, but I doubt he'd completely convert. }
