Dry skiing

A snowHead

This topic may be in the wrong area of the forums if so sorry mod please move.

I hope i'm not forcefully booted out of snowheads and forever banned for mentioning plastic skiing and maybe being a bit bonkers

but I was wondering.........

Does anyone do this anymore? last time I was on a dry slope I was about eight years old and have been on real snow and indoor snow since.

All I can recall from the distant past is the agony of snowplough and falling and wondered as I now have a dry slope within driving distance if it would be worth a visit as I am sure it will be a cheaper way for me to ski every weekend.

Are there any regular dry skiers out there and is plastic any good for learning advanced techniques?

A snowHead

ledge, there are loads and loads of regular dry slope skiers, most of them in race clubs, some of whom will I'm sure come and comment here.

What level of skier are you? If advanced intermediate then joining your local plastic race club would really help with your technique. If you don't feel you're at that level yet, then maybe a few lessons with a recommended instructor. Personally I wouldn't just go and free ski on plastic, I'd get bored pretty quickly unless I was working on something specific.

Where are you based?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

ledge, one of snowHeads founding members is not only a cracking skier but also a dry-slope instructor - our very own Yoda - soon to be registered with Cadw as a national treasure. Wise he is.

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ledge, There's loads of us still, but I expect we will die out soon with the spread of the domes..... which is a bit of a shame. It's much much nicer spending a summer weekend outdoors than in rolling eyes

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

ledge,

At times it can almost be like the real thing Laughing

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Yes, there are loads of us and I doubt dry slopes will die out with the spread of the domes. With a £30 annual discount card I can ski for 1 1/2 hours each week at my local dry slope for less than £11. I couldn't do that in a dome. You will also find various groups and clubs associated with your dry slope and often you will be able to find someone to ski with. I ski with one of the clubs at my slope and it adds a little to the cost, but then we have one or more coaches to help us develop our skills. After a while you generally don't notice much difference between Dendix and snow - snow is faster and a bit more grippy. On the other hand, Dendix will find your faults so that you can correct them. If you can ski on Dendix you can ski pretty much anywhere.

Tell us where you are and you will probably get better feedback.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

If you've got snowflex at your local dryslope then it is good for learning freestyle on

After all it is free

I've always wondered what it is like carving on dry slopes. On snow your skis cuts into the snow so the ski scribes and arc – how does this work on dry slope matting? I guess you must be able to since lots of the good racers still train/race on dry slopes.

narc, I don't know if you've ever skied on Dendix (or even seen it 'in the flesh') but it's essentially made up of very hard bristles. These bristles are usually around 25-30mm long and fixed into a steel 'mesh'. This is what gives it the diamond pattern you'll see on the slopes. When you put your skis on edge, they effectively 'cut' into (or between) these bristles and carve the turn. Due to the friction involved, Dendix tends to be slower than snow and also much more wearing on the edges and bases of your skis, hence the almost constant need for tuning and waxing that has been mentioned in other threads.

Bl00dy hurts if you fall on it as well......

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Pedantic I know but please can we get our technical jargon right here.
They are not ‘dry’ slopes but artificial! The slopes I teach at go so far as to spray them to make sure that they are not ‘dry’. In fact when they are wet and it’s a cold winters evening they are great! – Well apart form the ‘real’ thing of course. Sorry.

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Bracknell is very dry (unless it's raining) and, in Summer, the friction can cause the bases to melt. So, don't take your best skis.

snow reports

beequin, Does that mean that it's only called a dry ski slope when it is not raining? What is it called when it is raining? Puzzled

I am based in the North East. I lived in Sunderland for eight years and never visited the artificial slope there and now I'm kind of hankering after a shot, typical as we have moved to very south Co Durham.

I dont know of any other slopes in the area but i thought it may be nice to buy a pair of someones old rockhoppers and put in some hours before our next holiday in January

You know it makes sense.

I tried my local dry ( NehNeh

) slope which is dentdix (hillend)

Didnt find it that pleasant to be honest. Banged out a couple of turns, eventually went down from the top a couple of times, then went home.

Its cheaper than a fridge, its a longer slope, but Im not in a hurry to go back.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Skola, ah, unlucky for you - a lot of the surface at hillend is rubbish and it's so much steeper than most dryslopes that it's just a case of skidding down as best you can! Personally looking forward to my first trip up to the resurfaced Pendle at the weekend Very Happy

A snowHead

vivski, please tell me Pendle is still Dendix?

A snowHead

Sideshow_Bob, absolutely, just new dendix Very Happy

tho still hacked off it was out of commission for the whole summer race season while they were doing the work - usually start later Evil or Very Mad

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Not sure if it is up to date but there is a fair amount about the British dry slopes on http://www.ski.co.uk/dry-ski-slopes/

For example under Pendle there is a (rather dark) photo of the slope and it says:

Area Profile

Pendle Ski Club use a denndix 130m dry slope and offer a variety of courses and lessons as well as recreational sessions for skiers and boarders.
Technical Data:
130m mist lubricated Main Slope
Intermediate slope
Beginner slope
Alpine Bar
2 lifts
Skiing and Snowboard lessons

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ledge, make sure you can put an edge on them and ski about 10cm shorter than you usually would (no more than 160 cm, no more than 15m radius).
scootsman1, as GrahamN described it 'slow ice' (Bracknell is Permasnow so no sprinklers, unless someone volunteers to stand there with a hose!).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

vivski, Are you doing the Dave Ryding race, then? Junior's entered - just hope the weather holds out Confused

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I went yesterday with my uni, race training, and minibus transportation and equiptment hire, £2! Bit expensive i thought! NehNeh

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

whats the average price nowadays if you take your own stuff? is it significantly cheaper or would i be best to let hire equipment take the wear?

After all it is free

Pendle also has a snowflex beginners area probably about 30 metres long.

Club members have been working on the slope more or less every weekend over the summer. I only live a mile away but never go there it hurts like hell if you fall. Great club for anyone wanting to learn though.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

beequin any ski suggestions?

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Jon.L, should be - I've entered, only snag will be if the cats are still having "digestive issues" as the hubby is helping my brother move some furniture and won't be home before I have to leave!
And I'm sure the traditional Pendle monsoon is on order wink

snow reports

ledge, Don't use the hire skis - there is generally no edge on them. They are, however, free to use as the centres make no extra charge so if you can find a decent pair amongst the dross then fine.
On Dendix things are not so bad, so any pair of slalom racing skis from 08/09 or earlier will do (junior models may do if you are not particularly heavy or too agressive a skier). For Permansnow (Bracknell and the other John Nike centres) find something even cheaper, ebay or a pair of Orion Space Carbon, etc.

Help!!

Dry skiing

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