 Poster: A snowHead
|
Yes, I know this question has been done before several times but I'm finding lots of conflicting advice.
I have had my own skis in the past but have always bought second hand and not really found them to be of any difference in quality to hire skis. I sold the last pair as they were too long and fast for me and have been hiring ever since. However, after trying demo skis at Hemel Hempstead at the weekend, I noticed lots of considerable differences and I'm starting to question whether the huge cost implications of having my own skis are worth it. I knew trying the demo skis was going to be a dangerous game.
Cost is the main factor. I'm guessing new skis with bindings are in the region of £300 whereas hiring skis costs around £70 for 6 days. Then there's the fact that it costs £30-ish for airline carriage for your own skis, not to mention annual servicing, so it would take over 8 years for new skis to pay for themselves. Would they be obsolete by this time?
However, I can now clearly see the benefit to having one's own skis in terms of getting to know them and having better performance in a range of snow conditions. I quite liked the hire skis I had in Kitz 2008 although they were a bit tatty (Rossi Attraction 4) but I wasn't so keen on the hire skis in Courmayeur last season (Salomon Streetracer 6). There generally isn't much choice in hire skis unless you're willing to pay a fair bit more, which starts to negate the cost benefit of hiring.
I'm finding myself wanting my own skis and I need sensible people to tell me it really isn't necessary. After all I'm a one trip per season 'punter' skier who really doesn't have much of an idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Cost is the main factor. I'm guessing new skis with bindings are in the region of £300 |
I'd say that's a generous estimate, you can maybe pick up last season's clearance skis at that price but this season's skis will be quite a bit more. Interested to see how this pans out though as I'm considering going to renting high quality, given the rising cost of shipping skis and the cost of servicing them
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
queen bodecia, I am a great fan of having my own skis, and maintaining them myself.a MrsS and myself have had our own since our second year skiing - but we have several trips each winter, ski on plastic all year, and crucially when we go to the alps we drive so ski transport is not a problem. With one trip of six days skiing each year I would rent - but pay more and get good skis! If you pay to transport them, pay to service them, you can rent really good skis for less than it would cost to have your own.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Yes, I know this question has been done before several times |
It sure has - and very recently. I cannot see that things have changed much since this thread.
| Quote: |
| but I'm finding lots of conflicting advice. |
That won't change.
One major thing that isn't covered much - when you own your own skis, you own the bindings as well - so you know (or should) just how well they are working.
One other thing: if you have a particular ski and size in mind, finding it for hire at resort can be quite difficult - unless you want the current popular ski - for example Bandits in recent times.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
queen bodecia, don't forget some airlines don't charge for ski carriage. And also don't forget that you can sell the skis - we've got really good prices on skis we've sold on ebay. My first pair I used for about 3 years and sold them for £10 less than they cost me to buy! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
queen bodecia, I think you should buy, as you say consistency of having your own gear, hire shops can be variable, I have my own , buy used to rent for my wife and daughter, recently at the silver level. We are lucky to get two trips a year in, on the first my wife got brand new ones and loved them on the second trip it was a small shop with limited choice and she hated them. last summer she took the plunge and thinks its the best thing, my daughter can't make up her mind, last December it cost me £100 to higher just ski's for the week, I am desperate to get her to choose some skis this summer before the prices go up, rumour has it that for the coming season we will see a 20% increase in kit costs.
We drive and fly, tend to fly with Swiss who don't charge or go with Sliverski, who used not to charge for ski's, though they have started this season 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
radar, not sure if the increase will be 20% across the board, some brands have gone up very little, in boot terms we have found (dependant on brand and model) increases from £0.00 to £50 in fac tthere are a couple of models came down in price... one thing i think you may find is there is not a lot of sale skis around at the end of the coming season, manufacturers are cutting back on production, retailers are cutting back on what they buy in....so if the consumers buy at the levels which are expected the shelves wiill be lookig very bare by feb half term
as to do you buy skis or not, depends what you want, if you are not fussed by what you get to use and you go one trip a year then rent, anything else ...buy
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| nbt wrote: |
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Cost is the main factor. I'm guessing new skis with bindings are in the region of £300 |
I'd say that's a generous estimate, you can maybe pick up last season's clearance skis at that price but this season's skis will be quite a bit more..... |
That's a fair point about the cost, but if you're going to keep them for four or five years, getting 'last year's' gear, for me, wouldn't be an issue. Have a look around eBay - there's another thread here where schneeflocke has found some of last years Atomic GS11s for €249. I got my Atomic GS9s a couple of years ago for about €300 in the same way - though they were current season. But it's definitely a way of getting something reasonable.
As far as servicing goes, I have no idea what a 'good' service (and I mean edge tuning, base clean, re-waxing - and by hand not a machine) but maybe £50+? For a layout of around £150 (it doesn't sound much if you say it quickly) you can get a good basic tuning kit from a bloke in Nottingham whose name escapes me  and you can then service your own skis - I'm sure others on here wil agree the benefits of that!
In purely financial terms, only skiing once a year means hiring would work out cheaper (just?) but it is far outweighed by 'knowing' the skis as well as the knowledge that the equipment you're on is correctly set up and tuned for YOU.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
re cost, I have found good success in selling your skis on again via ebay or snowheads, th
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rule of thumb - don't buy if you only do 1 week a year and are predominantly a piste skier.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
For one pair of skis doing one week a year the "bloke in Nottinghams" pre and post season service should suffice and will be a cost effective way to keep a pair of skis in top condition on and off the snow for £25 a year.
Its the air transport that would put me off buying but I now drive to most trips so not an issue for me.
Having your own skis is great. You get what you want, have better bindings and they will be (should be if you are going to invest) set up to suit you.
The alternative is to hire the premium skis and book them well in advance to get best discount www.snowrental.com gets good prices in most resorts and is the most cost effective way I have found to hire esp in expensive resorts like 3V. If you don't like what you get bring em back and try another pair.
Skiset allow you to book specific models as do ski republic (but you need to hire 2 pairs to get the best value from ski republic)
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
If you're thinking of getting your own skis then have a look around now whilst shops are selling off last years - you may be restricted in choice but you never know they may have the ones for you. The suggestion is that next year's skis are going to be significantly more expensive when they come in due to compensation for the drop in the pound.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lots of great advice here thanks.
You've all hit the nail on the head with why I'm even thinking about it. I've had sub-standard hire equipment in the past and after discovering the difference with the demo skis at Hemel last weekend, it's got me thinking.
But when all is said and done I am a one week per season piste only skier. I always pretty much only travel by air via a TO so I'd always have to pay ski carriage (not to mention carrying skis, boots & holdall by myself). Next season I have a ski trip booked and if I manage to save enough leave (and money) I'm considering either a long weekend in Scotland or maybe even the EOSB. But this is probably wishful thinking.
Buying second hand on ebay or last season's bargains sounds like a good idea in principle, but I really don't know what I'd be looking for. I had no idea different skis felt so different until trying some at Hemel last weekend. I bought my last pair of skis second hand and they definitely weren't the right skis for me (however, I did sell them on fleabay and got my money back).
RPF, thanks for that link. It looks better value to hire premium skis through that than standard skis via the TO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
CEM, the 20% was a rough feel from our friends in Hillingdon on ski's, when I dropped in there, probably missed the from and only registered the higher end.
Not fussed! you should be with me in the higher shop choosing which ski's are the right ones form my little cherub.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
fatbob's got it right, and this endorsement is coming from someone who owns 4 pairs of skis (ok, 5, but one of them has a blown edge). With one week of piste skiing per year, you'll have to look long and hard to find good skis at a price which will make owning comparable in value over a 5-6 year period (at least once you take into account maintenance and ski carriage). And then you've got to carry them, too, and in 5 years they won't be so top-of-the-range anymore.
Better to spend some time looking for a good deal on hiring.
Now if you have spare cash, then by all means get skis, it's fun. But from your other posts I get the impression that an extra £300 could be better used for a second ski holiday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
VIP skis may well cost you £100 pw depending on the exchange rate and where you ski... the bigger resorts might be even more expensive.
But you should then have a very good choice of skis with no carry or service charges...
If you want a quality piste ski, then you have the most choice...it is when you want/need something specific that you begin to struggle.
Budget for £125 per week for premium hire skis and if you can live with that,,,, then don't buy...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Buy - you get to choose a colour that matches your Coat/Salopettes/Boots then 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
queen bodecia, Congrats on 2K posts
Skis: I drive to the alps so transport and plane costs aren't an issue.
I bought mine on a deal brand new through Snowheads and paid £160 inc. bindings. At that time hire skis were working out £80 per week. I have a sking BF who can service them for me and have now had 4 weeks use out of them over two years, though normally I would be a 1 week per year skier. At the moment I am quids in. Also, even if I was to go back to one week per year only I would still replace them if I ever needed to. However, driving the alps is the answer when it comes to transporting them. I hope this helps.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
queen bodecia, or pick your hire shop...e.g. Francois Baud Sports in Morzine, Ski-Max in Chamonix, etc. These folks will give you as-new skis of your preferred type, guide you in selection and let you try as many pairs as you like in a week as you fancy. Massively better than buying your own.
I spent a good 10 years hiring as skis were changing so fast that I didn't want to get stuck (again) with a redundant technology. (Rossignol 7SK circa 1994 anyone, used about 2 weeks? good price to a good home)...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
queen bodecia, if you click the right link on J2ski you get a good discount when you hire from some places  Might be ski set, don't really remember.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
La la la, I can't hear anything sensible.: when my hands aren't stroking my lovely new skis, they're over my ears.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
queen bodecia, If you demo a ski and lke it then it can be worth emailing all the prospective hire shops and ask if they have that model and size in stock. Then reserve it and hope that they remember 
It might even be worth while making a little list of your fav skis as a reminder.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| .....I'm finding myself wanting my own skis..... |
Nuff said 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
queen bodecia, one trip per season - for one week - in Europe. Don't bother.
Service Costs, Carriage costs, effort, depreciation etc etc. Just doesn't stack up.
For more skiing than that - or if you are going to the US - that's a different matter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Cheers people, going to stick with hiring for now but making note of all these good suggestions regarding getting some decent hire kit. Yes it would be lovely to be in a similar position to Hurtle and be able to sit at home stroking (!) some lovely new skis but if I ever feel such an urge I can always go and stroke my lovely motorcycle instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
queen bodecia, How's it going with getting the blade back on the road... any luck?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Scarpa, it's been out a handful of times this year. I got the service and MOT done but can't afford the tyres yet so keeping the mileage down until I can.
You been out much?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
A few shortish rides... nothing too much. Got the big trip to Eastern Europe in 4 weeks so putting a pro-oiler on it to save on chain wear. Yeah... I'm going to have to get a new rear tyre mid trip, if I keep all the throttle for when it's leaning it'll keep them round
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Scarpa, if I don't catch ya before have a great trip. Don't think I'll be going far on mine this summer, but the occasional local weekend bimble might be nice if it ever stops raining.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
RPF,
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Can't seem to get a price from the Skiset website. I get to the bit where you enter a date and it won't let me. I guess it will start working again nearer the time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
I guess it will start working again nearer the time.
|
yes, I don't think any of those kinds of sites have 2009/10 info up yet.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
queen bodecia, The point of owning your own skis is that you can give them a cuddle before bedtime all thru the summer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
RPF, not sure this is the forum to be discussing your pre-release problems on 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CEM,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
