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 Poster: A snowHead
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cjwdiofnwo


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Mon 15-12-08 12:43; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Welcome to snowHeads! snowHead

You could try a taster session at one of the snowdomes (I think Milton Keynes would be closest for you). We did this before we went skiing for the very first time, and also did a snowboarding taster session. As you imply - padding for your ar$e is pretty close to essential - I thought I'd wait until I'd decided whether I was going to continue and regretted the bruising to my coccyx for a couple of months!

As far as clothing is concerned, I found waterproof trousers were the only thing I didn't already have, although I've subsequently bought a fair amount of stuff.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Snowy Bird, A good set of wristguards are a MUST. As above, try for some lessons at a snowdome.
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Snowy Bird, Welcome to Snowheads snowHead Lots of people have bought stuff in TKMaxx and Decathlon which is at Lakeside and one at Surrey Quays

TKMaxx for branded stuff, a bit hit and miss some stores have lots of skiing stuff and others don't.

Decathlon have there own brand "Quechua" that seems good value.

I would say for Snowboarding, Impact shorts and Knee pads will enhance your experience and give you more confidence to get up and try again. Very Happy

Good Waterproof gloves as you hands will be in the snow most of the time wink wink

Big Tip when you get back to where your staying get the stuff on a radiator, or ask the owners if you can put the stuff in the boiler room , nothing worse then putting on damp
ski gear in the morning Sad Sad
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Snowy Bird, welcome to snowHeads snowHead
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Snowy Bird, Welcome again!
Lidl and Aldi have really cheap stuff if you time it right. Don't take really hot gear on the slopes on your first days as you'll spend most of it sweating (getting up after falling over generates a surprising amount of heat!)
DON'T do a dry-slope taster unless you enjoy carpet burns and the biggest bruises you've ever had!
DO take lessons when you get there.
You'll have the best time ever!!!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Snowy Bird, welcome to snowHead snowHead

As said above don't learn on a dry slope if you can get to a snowdome, that said a taster session before you go is a good idea as it means you're not completely clueless for the first few hours. I learnt to board on a dry slope after skiing for years and as a result found it much much easier on snow.

Padding for the back bottom and knees is pretty much essential you will keep falling over on these parts and some of these falls will be unexpected and violent. Opinion on wrist guards is very divided, I wear them but they are very flexible, stiff ones can cause you to break your arm instead. It's more important to learn not to stick arms out when you fall forwards: hug yourself instead.

There's a thread somewhere (probably in equipment) on cheap gear. TK Maxx is your best bet around the start of the season, you'll want goggles and nice thick (but not tube) socks, I'd suggest getting two pairs of gloves although this isn't essential if you have somewhere you can dry out a pair e.g. radiator.

Remember to keep getting up, learning to board can feel like you're getting nowhere (and painfully at that) and all of a sudden it just clicks (normally a couple of days), from this point it's easy. Enjoy and welcome to the DarkSlide. Cool
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
njnkjbnk


Last edited by After all it is free Go on u know u want to! on Mon 15-12-08 12:44; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Get breathable kit. It's all waterproof, and you will sweat.
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Snowy Bird, Welcome to snowHeads. Have a read of this:

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=22621

Very useful stuff!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Snowy Bird, great birthday present! When you say your hol will be "all inclusive" does that include ski pass, hire, lessons etc? If not, then thinking about what lessons to take will be very important. If you do "learn to board in a day" at Milton Keynes you'll be very well placed to join in beginner snowboarding lessons. Not that you'll be absolute beginners but chances are other beginners in a group will be 15 year olds and they learn FAST. You can buy bum armour but it's expensive. Skateboarding stuff for kids would be OK for knees - and elbows if you want. I don't think T K Maxx and the like have any bum armour. Mine cost around £80 in Snow and Rock. Makes a big difference, but only if you fall right - if you sit down on your coccyx it'll still hurt after you've done it a a few times. They'll teach you how to fall because you will, make no mistake about that. Lots of times. Snowboarding (unlike skiing) bears little or no relationship to skating. Much more like skateboarding - good skateboarders pick up snowboarding in a flash.

Private lessons would be excellent, but expensive. If you're fast learners with a high pain threshold three private lessons will get you going well - it's quicker to learn than skiing, and after a few hours of lessons you can potter around and do your own thing, which is not such a good idea with skiing. I don't know that resort to suggest what ski pass, or ski school, you might find best - others will know that, though.

Just to echo advice above, do not on any account have a taster session on a dry slope. You need snow, even if it's artificial stuff! In our ignorance we got our teenage lads snowboarding lessons on a dry slope, many years ago - one of them was very athletic and with a high pain threshold and he persevered, painfully, but the other gave up very quickly and it's just not enjoyable. The Milton Keynes sessions are very expensive though - if you can't afford that, just go to Kirchdorf and start as absolute beginners there.

Have you skied in the past?
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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.
Dont eat Yellow Snow

Tk Makk is your friend (Some of them even sell snowboards and body armour)

Dont book your hire through the TO tends to be more expensive then booking your own rentals in resort using small local shops

Austria was a great Choice.

Lessons before you go will make your holdiay so much better Dry slopes are nothing like the real think but if you can ski/board on that it will make the snow much easier when you get there. But as above snowdomes are the way to practice.

Drink Beer

Get good Goggles / Shades for the trip

Wear to many layers it is easier to take it off then have to put it on!


Enjoy the holiday
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Remember when you fall.....your ar5e is softer than your face Toofy Grin
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Snowy Bird, As others have said, a session on snow will be much better than a dryslope, particularly for boarding as opposed to skiing. It hrts a lot more when you fall on the dry slope than on a snow slope (although the artifical ski slopes have a much thinner cover than the real thing, so still hurt more than that will).

If you think it likely you will enjoy it, then you almost certainly will. The only people I know of who have tried it and NOT enjoyed skiing or boarding are those who have gone along because somebody else has pushed them nto it, rater than because thye wanted to themselves.

As for gear, Lidl or Aldi are a good choice for your first set of gear, but will only have it in for a week at a time, usually twice per season. It is cheap and cheerful, does the job, but is not particularly durable - I bougt the ski set (Jacket & Salopettes for £40 combined) from Aldi a few years ago, and the Jacket only lasted 4 trips before the zip was completely knackered (the salopettes will do at least another couple of trips yet). Another place worth looking is in the outlet centres. I just bought a new jacket in April from the Tog24 shop at my local outlet centre for £39 which looks like it should be much more durable, and is the sort of thing that could be worn as a general purpose winter jacket if I wanted.

What is included in your "all inclusive"? Does this include lift pass, equipment hire and lessons?, because if not, you will have to budget for all three.

If they are included, you will use whatever you have paid for now, but if not, then it would be a good idea to ask for recommendations here for the lessons - open a separate thread titled "Kirchdorf snowboard school recommendations" or something similar, as people who have been to that resort may not be reading this thread.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
A day at Milton Keynes may be expensive but it is cheap compared to a day in the Alps (including plane fare, hotel etc) so a bit of time in a snowdome will be really worth it in getting you up the mountain early rather than spending most of the holiday down on the nursery slopes.
As far as I know you cannot hire clothing in resorts (but you can hire everything except gloves at the snowdomes). I would advise a cheap pair of spare gloves for when yours get soggy. You will quickly get them wet trying to stand up again after falls.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
You can hire clothing from Edge2Edge and pick it up at Gatwick (if you're passing through) or have it sent to home. http://www.edge2edge.co.uk/

Worth keeping an eye on Tchibo, they have some pretty good kit available at very reasonable prices just before the start of most seasons. They've usually got the basics available so you can fully kit yourself out at fairly low cost.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:

A day at Milton Keynes may be expensive but it is cheap compared to a day in the Alps

Well my "snowboard in a day" course, including a fair bit of petrol to get me there, cost around £150, which is as much as I expect to pay for a day in the Alps!

For snowboarding you really do need strong and waterproof gloves. Most waterproof gloves, of course, aren't remotely waterproof when you've spent half the morning swimming round in the snow, so advice about spare pairs is good. With luck it won't be too cold in March. But gear for your body - no problem. I have a £50 Trespass jacket from T K Maxx which has done the equivalent of 4 months of solid skiing over 3 seasons and is still waterproof and doesn't look bad at all (bought a new one because I was bored with it wink )
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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?
snowball wrote:
A day at Milton Keynes may be expensive but it is cheap compared to a day in the Alps (including plane fare, hotel etc)


Actually, it is way expensive compared to anywhere reasonably cheap in the Alps IME.

Last year my total trip price for a week was £358, then €170 (about £115 at the time) for the lift pass, in Zell am Ziller.

You can normally expect about 36 hours skiing in a week (minimum), so that is about 475/36 = £13.20 per hour total cost. And that included breakfast & good evening meals, plus use of the "wellness area".

That is quite a bit less than the per hour cost at MK, even when you get the second hour for half price, although it would have been a bit more for me if I had to hire equipment.

OK, I could pay a lot more than that, but I rarely have paid very much more. And that is traveling as a single.
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homphomp wrote:
You can hire clothing from Edge2Edge and pick it up at Gatwick (if you're passing through) or have it sent to home. http://www.edge2edge.co.uk/



But the cost is only a few pounds less than buying from Aldi/Lidl.
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hjnibi


Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 15-12-08 12:44; edited 1 time in total
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Yes to a snowdome for lessons... BIG NO to wrist guards. Heard to many stories of broken wrists with these. Bin riding for yrs and (touch wood) never had a need for these things. I would recommend a helmet above wrist guards....

regardless. Enjoy your holiday and I am sure your Boyfriend will love you forever Smile
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
njnb hb


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 15-12-08 12:44; edited 1 time in total
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
You can buy goggles for £10 at Tchibo when it comes to their ski week & jacket & pants for not much more than the hire cost. I think they even did bum padded pants last year.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
First day? Simple. Drop your bags at the hotel and go out for a couple of beers. Randomly wander around the town until you find a likely spot. After a couple of beers, you notice the clear liquid the locals are drinking and think "hmmm, I wonder what that tastes like?". You wake up next morning still in your clothes, thinking "how did I get back, I don't know where the pub was?". Make it down to breakfast, only for the waitress to say "you were very drunk last night I think...".
Finally, notice that all the other guests are actively avoiding eye contact.

Embarassed
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AlpineAddict wrote:
Yes to a snowdome for lessons... BIG NO to wrist guards. Heard to many stories of broken wrists with these. Bin riding for yrs and (touch wood) never had a need for these things. I would recommend a helmet above wrist guards....

regardless. Enjoy your holiday and I am sure your Boyfriend will love you forever Smile


Not sure this is sound advice - heard of wrist guards transferring force to radius or ulna thus creating a broken arm rather than wrist but as this is a less complex area a sacrifice which may be worth making.

And Dr Mike knows the area pretty well

http://www.ski-injury.com/wrist.htm
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Snowy Bird,
Welcome to snowHead
We went to Kirchdorf last year for our first ski holiday.
You'll love it!
Which hotel are you staying in?
First thing to do when you get there on sat afternoon - go straight to the shop to get your board/skis whatever - It's opposite the 'Mountain high' hotel in the centre of the village, not more than 10-15mins walk from any of the hotels. Just tell them your name, they'll be expecting you.
You get measured up and your kit will be waiting for you in the rental hut behind the Alphof (right on the nursery slopes) the following morning.
Don't rent gear, it's as cheap to buy. Go to TKMax or Decathlon. Don't worry too much about the 'layering' thing for Kirchdorf, it's low down at 800m and you aren't going to be flogging yourselves to death on your 1st week. A tee shirt and a thin jumper under your jacket should be fine.
We spent a fortune buying all the gear last year, and halfway through the first morning there was a pile of discarded clothing on the side of the slope Very Happy
Do buy decent goggles - double glazed. If you need them, you'll wish you had them!
Don't miss the Ski show on the Tuesday night!
If you have a half day, go to St Johann on the free ski bus, bigger town with some nice shops, better still, nip in to Kitzbuhl on the train from St Johann - it's a beautiful town, but ohhh...the prices Shocked . If you're staying at the Marliesenhof, Marlies will probably take you in one evening anyway Very Happy
You'll have a great time, the instructors are fantastic.
Day at the snowdome before you go? money well spent, IMO.
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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.
Snowy Bird wrote:
So all I need then is thermals, fleeces, gloves, socks and hats...

I read somewhere I can wear my leather motorbike gloves.. anyone else know if this is correct?


You're going in March so you would be unlucky to need thermals and fleeces - it's hard work learning to ski/board and as others have said, you will very quickly find you are just too hot! I too, had my first ski holiday in March, and have never been so hot or sweated as much as that first couple of days Very Happy As you have Christmas before you go, ask for ski socks, gloves, gift vouchers for sports shops (or, better, TK MAXX) as gifts.

Not sure the leather motorbike gloves would do - I can imagine them getting very wet, or being a bit too inflexible but others may know better Puzzled

Have a fab time and - be prepared - you are likely to be bitten by the bug that has all of US enslaved forever! wink
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Gloves, missed this on my last post.
Very important, get a good pair because they'll get wet and you'll need them to dry out - not expensive though.
Jacket - as many pockets as possible. Chances are you won't need to wear glasses/goggles/hat while you are learning, but you'll want them with you just in case. Also, you'll want a pocket for your camera etc.
With the cheaper stuff, you can leave it in a bag behind the barrier by the bottom of the rope-lift with no worries but you'll want your expensive gear with you at all times.
Lunch at the Alphof is great, reasonable prices - and the Stiegle(?) beer Very Happy
If you go to Steinplatte and stop for lunch, try the wurstle, big plate of fried sausage and tatties with a fried egg on top, served with a side salad. It's quite filling, but you can always leave the salad Very Happy Very Happy
Very good pizza place in St Johann, can't remember the name of it but it's halfway down the non-pedestrianised bit, on the left.
I'm getting all envious now..........
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

Chances are you won't need to wear glasses/goggles/hat while you are learning, but you'll want them with you just in case. Also, you'll want a pocket for your camera etc.

When I was learning to snowboard there was no way I wanted goggles or a camera in my pockets! Too much danger that either you will break them, or they will break you. On the wrist guards question, I am personally "pro" but I agree helmet is most important piece of armour. Whanging down on your bum just hurts. whanging down on your head, in the way you do when you catch a back edge, can do a lot more damage. Whiplash to neck is exacerbated with a helmet - but neck rather than skull, I'd say (similar arguments to wrist/arm fracture).

If you have boarding mates who know the area, that's ideal; let them carry the camera and take pictures of you!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:

I read somewhere I can wear my leather motorbike gloves.. anyone else know if this is correct?

Sorry if this has already been covered but don't try leather gloves! That might be ok for skiing but if you're boarding you'll spend a fair amount of time with them on the snow for one reason or another. They'll just get soaking wet. It'll ruin the gloves and you'll have cold, wet hands. A decent pair of breathable waterproof gloves will be a good investment. Again, TK Maxx is your friend in this department!
Personally I don't see a huge benefit in wrist guards but that might be because I'm an old man and learnt before they were even thought about. They just taught us how to fall more safely (never outstretched hands etc). If the snow's not too packed you shouldn't need them.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Relax, enjoy and persevere.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
njikl


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 15-12-08 12:45; edited 1 time in total
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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?
Snowy Bird,

Run your mouse over to the right hand side of the post you want to quote... and find the tooltip which says "reply with quote"

It is under the time and date stamp. and then click to activate
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Quote:

Run your mouse over to the right hand side of the post you want to quote... and find the tooltip which says "reply with quote"

Or highlight the bit you want to quote with the mouse (left click, drag across the text) and then press the "Quote selected" button (underneath the smileys).
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Snowy Bird,
The Siewald is right beside the nursery slope, so ideal.
Leave the hotel, turn right and cross the road. Take the first left and follow this road into the village, passing over the river. You'll see the hire shop on your left after you go over the bridge.
The village is very quiet, with only a couple of bars, so if you want nightlife you'll have to go into St Johann, but it's only a 5 minute taxi ride.
I thoroughly recommend a visit to Kitzbuhl one evening. it's very pretty at night with all the lights and an added bonus - the shops are shut so you can't spend a fortune!
The race on the friday is good, and the presentation party is great fun on the friday night. Buy the dvd, it's very good, I love the music that they play during the flag parade during the ski show, but I've not been able to find out what it is - you could maybe ask for me Very Happy
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Quote:

We have some great knee, elbow and wrist armour from pro-jumping so will take that I think.



Twisted Evil Would that be the sort of "pro-jumping" practised in places like Amsterdam?! If so, body armour seems a strange type of "protection".....
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
alex_heney wrote:
snowball wrote:
A day at Milton Keynes may be expensive but it is cheap compared to a day in the Alps (including plane fare, hotel etc)


Actually, it is way expensive compared to anywhere reasonably cheap in the Alps IME.

Last year my total trip price for a week was £358, then €170 (about £115 at the time) for the lift pass, in Zell am Ziller.

You can normally expect about 36 hours skiing in a week (minimum), so that is about 475/36 = £13.20 per hour total cost. And that included breakfast & good evening meals, plus use of the "wellness area".

That is quite a bit less than the per hour cost at MK, even when you get the second hour for half price, although it would have been a bit more for me if I had to hire equipment.

OK, I could pay a lot more than that, but I rarely have paid very much more. And that is traveling as a single.


I do 8 ski-day holidays and can't do it for less than £1,000 these days, plus lunches and drinks - including a guide for 6 days between 6 of us. Say £150 per day.
Not sure how much a day at the snowdome costs. £20 gets me 2 hours without lessons.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
"Learn to ski in a day" in a Snowdome costs almost £200, plus petrol.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
snowball wrote:
alex_heney wrote:
snowball wrote:
A day at Milton Keynes may be expensive but it is cheap compared to a day in the Alps (including plane fare, hotel etc)


Actually, it is way expensive compared to anywhere reasonably cheap in the Alps IME.

Last year my total trip price for a week was £358, then €170 (about £115 at the time) for the lift pass, in Zell am Ziller.

You can normally expect about 36 hours skiing in a week (minimum), so that is about 475/36 = £13.20 per hour total cost. And that included breakfast & good evening meals, plus use of the "wellness area".

That is quite a bit less than the per hour cost at MK, even when you get the second hour for half price, although it would have been a bit more for me if I had to hire equipment.

OK, I could pay a lot more than that, but I rarely have paid very much more. And that is traveling as a single.


I do 8 ski-day holidays and can't do it for less than £1,000 these days, plus lunches and drinks - including a guide for 6 days between 6 of us. Say £150 per day.
Not sure how much a day at the snowdome costs. £20 gets me 2 hours without lessons.


POK, so your "day in the alps" is rather expensive.

I'm looking at less han half of that, although without your guide, whihc probably makes a significant difference.

But you shouldn't be comparing MK with a trip where you would need a guide, since it is all on-piste, and most UK skiers will be pretty well entirely looking for an on-piste holiday in teh mountains.
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Quote:

Not sure this is sound advice - heard of wrist guards transferring force to radius or ulna thus creating a broken arm

It's dire advice. If you land with such force that you break your arm, you were going to trash your wrist anyway. Every school group I've seen boarding has gone home with at least two broken wrists, and while party leaders tend to go way OTT with helmet requirements, not one of them has stipulated that pupils have wrist guards. Silly.

Board-specific guards are probably better than the usual skate ones though. These ones are also a lot more comfortable: http://www.skimeter.com/ang/flex/eng_flexmeter.php The gloves that go with them are exceeding warm and waterproof as well.
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