 Poster: A snowHead
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Until the end of April, newcomers to the Ski Club can enjoy 6 months of their first year's membership for FREE!
To take advantage of this offer, available for new members joining the Club for the first time, join online at skiclub.co.uk/join quoting the promotional code HALFAPR10. |
Includes access to the SCGB chatroom, which does need some new blood 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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which does need some new blood
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up the walls?
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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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reminds me, must cancel mine before they take the money this year.
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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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achilles, Perhaps we could get back to the plot, is the ski club worth half it's price?
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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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Boredsurfing, I suspect your question is probably rhetorical, but here's an answer anyway. As usual, it depends what you are going to use it for. These are the main reasons, as far as I can see.
1) Sometimes the discounts work out - generally if you have to buy stuff at fullish price, or want to make normal TO bookings. There also seem to be quite a lot of ski school discounts (and some guiding), but the only one I've got one with is Snoworks (and I don't think they do that any longer). This year my skis died near the beginning of a two week trip, I saved about CHF100 on the skis I bought in resort. Had I had the luxury of being able to buy over the internet at end of season I would have got a much better deal, but in this case the discount worked out. In past years I've also saved at high st stores - being able to try on stuff before buying and then buying with a discount does have an upside over cheaper internet purchase if you're not sure of fit of clothes etc.. I'm assuming here that you wouldn't be so venal as to go into a store just to try stuff on then buy it mail-order elsewhere  . If you know what you want and can shop cannily then discounts are probablynot a big deal - I've probably only saved my membership in 2 of the 7 years I've been a member.
2) If you go on solo ski trips, the repping service can give you someone to ski with. Also seems to be used a fair bit by family members where one or two are of greatly different standard to the rest - giving a good day out for a bit of a blast/mini-adventure. I've had several good trips like this in the last couple of years. There is of couse a growing  network, but that's not generally quite as reliable.
3) If you want the Freshtracks holidays - a week in a group of similar standard to you. I find the off-piste holidays (with UIAGM guides) pretty good value - not cheap but good value. Yes you can get something similar from other outfits (snoworks, Mountain tracks etc.) but these are worthwhile, and the main reason up until now that I've been a member.
A half price deal is probably good (provided it runs a full 12 months). The other way is to join in resort, where you get two years for the price of one.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Wed 21-04-10 13:27; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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GrahamN, ah. Thank you, I was rather concerned that others had lost the plot.
To me the guiding service last season in Les Arcs was worth the money.
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| To me the repping service last season in Les Arcs was worth the money. |
Fixed it for you
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Boredsurfing, not for me - which is why I am not a member. Age discrimination for the SCGB holidays does not appeal - the snowheads' bashes do. And if I want to go off-piste in a party, or meet up in a club, the DHO at Wengen (a favourite spot for me) meets my needs. The SCGB was right for me for many years, though. However, if I were joining, I would wait til next season and join in the Alps - but I would miss out on discounts and the early magazine issues. And, of course, the forum.
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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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GrahamN, Thanks, just a typo, you understand
achilles, Talking of forums are you providing some new wood by joining the moderating team on smowHeads?
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| achilles, Perhaps we could get back to the plot, is the ski club worth half it's price? |
Not much of an offer is it? 50% off in the 50% of the year when you don't need their services. Where is DG when you need him most? What would he have to say about such a loose use of club resources and the plight of long-term members who don't get the same benefit as a new one? Utterly shocking. Never mind elections and volcanic ash, this is important.
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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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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
| [achilles, Talking of forums are you providing some new wood by joining the moderating team on smowHeads? |
Can you imagine it? Are you sure there would be no the threads in The Pisteur's Hut that would have to archived so I couldn't see them? 
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Boredsurfing, Thankfully achilles is on the side of the Immoderators
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You know it makes sense.
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Can I talk about the OP please or am I intruding?
I keep thinking about jacking in membership every year but then every year I save enough in discounts to cover the cost. My favourite at the moment is 10% off Interhome which I have used 3 times in just over a year for accommodation in Zermatt, Laax and in France this summer. Only used the repping service once and found it excellent.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Colin B, I'll also vouch for the discounts covering the membership fee. The repping service is also very handy for a variety of reasons. I also agree that the holidays represent excellent value for money. Not sure there's any age discrimination because, as far as I know, anyone who is fit enough and of the correct standard (and can prove it with references) can go on any holiday they like regardless of age.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| PJSki wrote: |
| Colin B, I'll also vouch for the discounts covering the membership fee. The repping service is also very handy for a variety of reasons. I also agree that the holidays represent excellent value for money. Not sure there's any age discrimination because, as far as I know, anyone who is fit enough and of the correct standard (and can prove it with references) can go on any holiday they like regardless of age. |
one of those reasons being that it helps keep kitten-lovers on the slopes...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I've tidied this thread up a bit so it may not make complete sense if read from top to bottom.
Any other comments on Ski Club Membership?
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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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Ray Zorro, a thankless task. Anyway, 50% off the thread... a great deal.
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| Any other comments on Ski Club Membership? |
some will consider that an anthropological question? Could be a long debate.
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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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Bode Swiller, don't think your beef (post at 13:33) holds water there. Membership is for a full 12 month period, so there will be months where you may make use of it and months where you may not, those being the same whenever you start. Membership during the summer/autumn may be useful if you're receiving discounts from TOs while booking holidays - and some members have reported savings of over a grand doing that. The only ways you'd benefit from delaying membership till the end of the year would be by:
1) having the that membership sub in some high interest account for another 6-months - but that's not going to do a lot for you in the current climate - or
2) if you plan on remaining a member for life and arrange to die sometime during a summer, so avoiding a membership renewal you would no longer be around to 'enjoy'. 
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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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Ray Zorro, thanks for that. Masterful moderation
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So the discounts are real then? I assumed they'd be the sort that didn't apply if there was any other kind of discount involved, only off top whack prices - so generally you'd find a better discount making them worthless.
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Butterfly, as I said above, if you have the opportunity of shopping around then you'll probably be able to beat the discounted price, but sometimes you don't have that opportunity. When my skis died, my options were 1) buy new skis there and then and have them mounted with my bindings (for free) or 2) rent for the remaining 8 days then try and find some skis cheaper on the net to be delivered in time to get them mounted (at extra cost) ready for the next trip. For the skis I got, the rental would have been at least £150, and probably £250, so finding skis that much cheaper than in resort at Xmas was not going to be easy. The discount probably saved me £80 on the skis (+skins). I also did save about £100 on a shopping spree at EB one year - maybe I could have got it cheaper by a bit of forward planning at the end of the previous season, but it wasn't obvious I needed replacement gear at that time (like some major bits only fell apart or got lost during the autumn).
Similarly, a family of 4 having to go on holiday at half term is probably going to struggle to find a discounted trip with a TO - if that's the kind of trip they want to do - so the discount may well work for them. DIY may well work out cheaper in many cases, but then there's a bit more risk involved (as seen this last week), and they may not fancy that. TO discounts are something I've rarely found useful myself though - as I mostly go DIY or with very specialised outfits that don't tend to offer such discounts.
Some people find the discounts work for them and find them a major benefit - I generally don't, but they're not the main reason I'm a member.
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Butterfly, some shops don't always have a sale on. You can get money of Cotswold (15% except for ski hardware) and Fat Face in non-sale times, even millets if you are desperate and cannot wait the 5 minutes to the next sale. 10% off Ellis Brigham at non-sale times, 15% off safety gear at Lockwoods etc etc etc.
There have been many years when my membership has been paid for by discounts.
I dont often use TOs so cannot speak for their discounts.
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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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All those who have posted here are honourable people who make, in some cases considerable, financial contribution towards the running of Snowheads. That will probably be at least equal to half a Ski Club membership fee, so being a Ski Club Member and not bothering with supporting Snowheads is like getting The Club at half price anyway.
I like it for the ease, and respectability of getting a discount (£23 on boots this year ) , for the ability-level holidays thro which I have progressed reliably over the years, and for the super people I have met and who form the basis of my ski life. Not less valuable is the ability to roll alone into a resort and find good ski company.
This reminds me that to remain honourable I must chip in a bit more to this site. Thanks folks.
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Fair point about the timings. I am giving membership some thought - not sure it is the right time for me.
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FAQ
