 Poster: A snowHead
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I've just returned from a week in Sölden where I parted with some hard earned for an ex rental pair of Head XRC 1100 SI (http://www.head.com/ski/ski.php?region=eu&tag=all_mountain - mine have the black top sheet like the 600s). The skis were brand new at the start of the 08/09 season and were rented out under Intersport's Premuim range.
Intersport had a whole bunch of them and I managed to pick though to find the pair with the least scratches and bumps on the top sheets and had been rented out 25 days less than the others - some pairs where worse than others. The bases were excellent and the edges super also.
Complete with Tyrolia bindings.......200 euro (£180 ish). I was quite chuffed with myself as I also managed to get them to refund the one day's hire after I gave them a test drive 
There was a whole host of others ex-rental skis they were prepared to part with, so there's lots of offers to be had if you are in the right place at the right time. The young lad in the shop said that if I was interested in buying some skis it is better to act fast as often they have a truck arrive from Romania or Hungary and clear them out lock, stock and barrel - skis, poles, boots
One question I have is for Spyderjon and the others that are knowledgable of bindings. The skis come with Tyrolia rental bindings (can't recall the model and can't check as the skis are still in Austria). I asked about the quality of the bindings are was told (by 3 seperate people, including my ex Austrian WC racer friend) that invariably rental bindings have to be far better (more robust) than traditional bindings and the quality is higher. The lad in Intersport also told me that it is a requirement that the bindings are checked/tested every 2 months to ensure everything is working as it should
My question is, should I be worried about the rental bindings, or like the advice I received, should I be happy that I've bindings that are possibly better than the 'norm'
Any thoughts?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sleipnir, I don't know those bindings but I would expect the only real thing to consider is that rental bindings will usually be heavier. Of course, it could make your skis more nickable as those bindings will fit a range of boots...but that is assumed the low-life know about such things...
Otherwise, if that doesn't matter to you, then I wouldn't change them at all....
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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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When I looked at some of the ex rental skis towards the end of the season they all looked rather pricey to me. A second hand pair from an enthusiast who buys the latest thing every year might be a better bet. I've got some ex-demo Line skis with rental bindings though, and I like them a lot - so easy to adjust, and they feel really solid.
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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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Thanks for the replies JT, and pam w
I forgot to say that when I enquired about the new RRP they said it was 600 Euro. Ok there were lots of 25% off sale offers (the Heads I bought were not on sale) but I thought a third of the price was an ok deal.....that's what I keep telling myself anyway
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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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Is iot ever a good time to buy ex-rental skis that have been tarted up by a ski tech to look good and have probably had 20 weeks+ of use?
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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 ones I looked at didn't look remotely "tarted up", they looked a mess.
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| pam w wrote: |
| The ones I looked at didn't look remotely "tarted up", they looked a mess. |
Same here. The 6 or 7 pairs I looked at (and chose the best of) were of varying quality - one had a piece of binding missing, another a part of the top sheet peeling off and others that look like they have been kicked along the road. I also had the luxury of taking them to my friend to take a look and she said that all the important bits - bindings, edges, bases were excellent. I'm one of Spyderjon's students so I had a good idea what was what, but valued her opinion as she knows a thing or two after 11 years of racing in the Austrian team 
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I was up the road from Solden, in Obergurgl a couple of weeks ago. I had my own skis but wanted to hire some off-piste skis and maybe buy them if I liked them. I tried some Rossi B3s for a couple of days but didn't really like them, I found them heavy and seemed to struggle with them, especially when going slowly, maybe the 176cm length was a bit too much for my weight of 150Ibs. Then the guy in the shop (Scheiber Sport) suggested I try some brand new 181cm Head Monster IM 95 touring skis (http://www.head.com/ski/ski.php?region=eu&tag=freeride&id=1461) fitted with Tyrolia alpine bindings. Although longer than the B3s, they're lighter and after trying them for half a day, decided I liked them and was offered them for 150 Euros. Then it got better when the guy in the shop also offered to deduct the the 50 Euros charge for hiring the B3s for two days. My lucky day, I thought and also managed to get them back through Innsbruck airport without any excess baggage charge. Still feeling smugly chuffed about this
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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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I was in Austria in the middle of March and enquired about buying Salomon Tornado I had rented - 400 Euro was the price. I decided I could buy a new pair for not much more in the UK.
Has anyone been to the Edge 2 Edge ex-rental sale that started yesterday (www.edge2edge.co.uk)? Looked like they had some good bargains to be had. I did think about buying a pair of their Tornado's or Neo's but decided to go for a new pair instead. 
Cheers
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we bought the better half's skis in the edge to edge online sale last year. they've been great, and only had a few scratches on the top - bases were perfect. delivered in a ski bag FOC too
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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hannah_jayne & bobblehat, what were the bindings like on the skis you bought?
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Hi Kersh
The bindings seem ok on mine - they are HEAD ... One RF 9 - a little scuffed around the back but was expecting that as some peeps probably aren't that caeful when releasing themselves LOL
Got the shop to set them up for my standard and height / weight etc... but will know for sure when I take them for an outing at hemel 
Hired the skis this season for a week and loved them ... only thing that wasn't so good was that when you tried to carry the little blighters they kept coming apart ..... a velcro strap did the trick and certainly didn't put me off buying a pair LOL
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