Poster: A snowHead
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I am in the market for some skis for the first time. I currently work with a ski school in Switzerland that is attached to a Ski hire shop, so get free ski hire. As such, I've never actually bought a pair of skis, preferring to pick out a pair, keep them for a week or two, or until conditions changed, and then switch them for a new pair. This means that confining myself to one pair is going to prove difficult...
Next season I am hoping to move to the USA to a different skischool, and will need my own skis. So enough of the life story, I have questions...
1) Do skis go on sale at the end of the season? If so, how much are they reduced by? Is it worth buying skis for next winter in, say, May?
2) Where is cheapest? I know not Switzerland, but the UK or the USA?
3) Does anyone want to recommend a ski? I know this is very much personal, so I will try to include a bit more information:
-I'm 5ft 2, and about 8 stone.
-I will be using the ski for teaching kids alot of the time, but would like something I can use for fun as well.
-I'm not a huge freestyle person, but I will hit the odd jump off piste or on the edge of a piste.
Skis I have tried (that I can remember)...
Rossignol B2- Keep going back to these season after season, but on ice they aren't the best.
Rossignol VAS - Had these a few times, not amazing, but not bad either. Consistant ski.
K2 Miss Demeanor - Liked this, it was fun, but never used it with the kids, not sure how practical it would be to work with?
Salomon X Wing- Not a huge fan, felt very vibrating when I went fast.
Volkl Cielo - Loved this on piste, haven't tried it in powder though and the reviews I've read haven't been great.
Anyone want to suggest anything? Advice?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You will know more about which ski you want than I do, but sales start in April (sometimes March) and continue to September (and October). Cheapest month with a good range of choice is June IMV, but even October can be good.
US is generally cheaper than the UK, but the exchange rate may affect this. US sites have lots of cheap previous years' skis which can be terrific value.
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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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Prices are inconsistent. Sometimes you can get a better deal in the UK, other times the US is cheaper. Just depends on the ski model and individual shop deals. You can get some great deals at end of season, 50%+ discount is not uncommon. You just have to hope they have stocks left of the ski you want and in the right length.
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brian
brian
Guest
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swisssnowbunny, you don't say whereabouts you are in Switzerland but if you get a chance try some Stoecklis. Superbly made skis. They have test centres at:
Soerenberg, Melchsee-Frutt, Hoch-Ybrig and Engelberg
Plus stockists here: http://fr.stoeckli.ch/main/partenaires_ch/
... and they're cheaper in CH than elsewhere.
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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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brian, thanks for that, I'm in Davos/Klosters, have checked the map out and may have a wander down to the stockists and see if I can try them out. Thanks for the tip, will let you know if I find anything decent!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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My wife is a similar build to you and just bought some Rossignol Attraxion 6 skis, partly due to excellent feedback on here and partly due to some good web reviews.
They were just under £400 incl Rossignol 110 bindings.
You should get a good deal in the sales if you don't need them just yet.
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In your circumstance I'd get a fun/fat pair for personal use (sounds like the Misdemeanor for you) & then pick up a cheap pair of second hand piste skis for teaching once in the US. You've got to have a quiver surely?
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brian wrote: |
swisssnowbunny, you don't say whereabouts you are in Switzerland but if you get a chance try some Stoecklis. |
Would second that idea - Easiski just tried a pair of VXLs and loved them. If you can get to one of the actual Stöckli shops after the season (Wädenswil would be closest to Davos, and only one change on the train at Landquart, in fact en route to Zurich airport) they usually have decent discounts on last year's stock. Might also be worth looking at Movements?
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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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swisssnowbunny, Apart from a gender difference, I'm also different in height & weight ( & am probably of lower ability ) but skied a pair of Stockli Rotor 76 in hasliberg the other week & thought them the best skiis I've been on in some while.
If you do end up hitting the stockli sales & see some let me know please - perhaps we could swing a good deal by buying a couple of pairs !!
Good Hunting !
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