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New skis - previous season models - advice needed please!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
This is my first post on here – so I’m hoping you’ll embrace me and help me out with some tips for buying skis!

I’ve worked in resort for a ski season before and I’m heading out to France again this year with my husband in tow this time. He needs kitting out with skis and boots. We’re going all out with the ski boots and will go to a shop and get them fitted properly. However on the ski front we are hoping to save a little and go for previous years models (say 1/2 years old). This is where we could do with some pointers.

Skiing ability
He’s a confident parallel skier, doing good powerful carves that loves reds and has started attacking the odd black and a little bit of off piste. When I say attacking that’s exactly what he is doing, he’s quite fearless and tends to go at a fair old pace and is not afraid of falling. This means that sometimes his technique is quite ‘forceful’ to say the least!
We will mainly be on the piste but when the snow is right we will be venturing off to some off piste. Having watched how quickly he’s progressed I’ve no doubt by the end of the season he’ll be a really good standard so he’s after some skis that he can grow into over the season.

Build
He’s quite short and stocky as against fat (apart from a bit of mid-rif!) 5”7 and weighs 13.5 stone (190 IIbs)

Any pointers on makes & models will be gratefully received, also what size ski should he be aiming for?
Thanks in advance
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Buy fall-line magazine - look in the on-piste and all- mountain categories then try to extrapolate back against what's still on sale from prior years. Optimal length will depend on the sub -category of ski chosen e.g. a twin tip should be a bit longer than a flat tail etc., a slalom ski will be shorter than a GS.

Lots of people will name individual skis in this thread but the fact is a good skier can have fun on anything in the market.

Oh and lessons > kit of course.
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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?
carey77, welcome

He missed the Missions that were on here a few weeks ago..
Look for a 178 or thereabouts in a Scott Mission or a Punisher.

Sounds like he wants an easy ski but one with a bit of range to allow for progression.

The above suggestion re Falline is good although do not take the sizes/dimensions as gospel until you check elsewhere, IMV.
It is a good ready-reckoner of what sort of thing the ski is good for though.

Watea 84mm, possibly, at around 177. All mountain ski so even a K2 Recon in good condition would be alright.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
I don't think you should necessarily jump straight to 84, 75-80 should be enough, but http://edge2edgeshop.co.uk/product/3648/ExHire_Head_Monster_iM_82_wTyrolia_0809 as a 172 looks perfect.
No, just saw them when I was looking for myself.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
If he is progressing quickly I would rent instead.

My immediate thought if he gets off the groomed more in the future is the dynastar mythic rider (or others in the range), it would fit his style well they are burly skis and rip pretty hard.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
narc wrote:
If he is progressing quickly I would rent instead.


x2

What sort of season are you going to do? ie working for someone?

Just get there buy a really cheap pair of skis for the first few weeks, demo some newer skis then buy some ex-hire / demo skis...
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Well I would just buy pre owned instead of new.

I was at xscape braehead the other day and Blues ski shop had a ski test day (PS why were they so grumpy with everyone, except Rob and the Ski racer guy).

They were charging a tenner to test their skis (weird in today market and a marketing faux pas. However, one thing I did learn was that. the Fisher environ are not as good as my skis. The Atomic skis I tried were the same and the Salomon Storm/tornado had a slightly better dig with keeping the speed up.
They are £400-500 but mine were £51.

So just because they are new and shiney (sp?) don't be surprised that a great pair of one year old skis at 1/2 the price are actually better. After all, they were probably 3-4x the price last year.

Cheers
Bob
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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!
If he is working but will get many many days skiing, then what suits now will not likely be the type of ski he'll want at the end of the season..
so agree that a decent ski with some mileage in it will be the ski to start off on..

Get a deal with your local friendly hire shop to use a ski with a view to buy something later.. or just get talking to the shop and see what they come up with...
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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.
Didn't really compute last night that this was your first post, welcome to the mad house. snowHead

carey77 wrote:
I’ve worked in resort for a ski season before


You should know you can find dirt cheap deals in resort. Get a local paper, raid the hire shops etc etc.

Failing that PM & then call Kiwi1 (a guy on here), he can probably still get you a stonking deal on some Vist skis - have a look on the buy / sell pages, just pick an all mountain ski and be done with it...
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
He doesn't want ex-rental skis though as we'll be skiing at least 4 days a week (as only working 20hrs pw doing airport transfers). So don't want something that is already well worn. Was thinking more along the lines of left over new stock from a previous year.

I shall take a look at the suggestions though.

Many thanks for all the pointers Smile
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Dynastar legend 8000 (replaced this year so should be cheap), Fischer Watea 84, Stockli rotor 76 (also replaced this year), Movement Spark - all great allround skis that he will not outgrow in a season. But if at all possible make sure he tests before buying as ski preference is very personal.
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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.
carey77 wrote:
(190 IIbs)



sorry no help....but saw this and most of what I post on here is BS.... snowHead
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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
Blizzard Magnum 8.7
Elan 888
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

He doesn't want ex-rental skis though as we'll be skiing at least 4 days a week


Four weeks wear is hardly well-worn.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
beequin wrote:
Quote:

He doesn't want ex-rental skis though as we'll be skiing at least 4 days a week


Four weeks wear is hardly well-worn.


4 days a week for 4/5 months is !

Plus he's a nutter, I know

Smile
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