 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been skiing for a couple of years now, had three weeks away and also live in Glasgow so can make it up north for the odd day on the mountains pretty easily. I am confident on blues (mostly parallel) and am venturing onto reds. I can get down reds fine, but am far more cautious than on blues. I currently ski a set of Salomon X Wing Junior ex rental skis that are 150cm long. I am looking to buy new, female specific skis, and have demoed the Dynastar Exlcusive Legend Idylls in 158cm in my local dome. I loved the skis, and though I was a little concerned as they quite a bit longer than what I usually ski, found them fine. My dilemma is this. The guy in the store suggested that if I found the longer ski fine, I should probably go with that one, particularly as I'm looking for a ski that will develop with me. However, it may not be possible to get the 158cm ski due to lack of stock (though I could possibly buy the demo if noone else has already reserved it). The 152cm is, however. in stock in a variety of stores. So I should I hold out for the 158cm or consider the 152cm? I weight around 10 stone, am just under 5 ft 8, and would classify myself as an early intermediate, probably. What do people with more knowledge than me think?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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This is not meant to be a glib answer.
I wouldn't bother getting any skis yet. If you have, as you say, skied for only a few weeks you will on the way up the learning curve and so the skis you'll want to be using will change with almost each trip.
I would wait until you at least feel comfortable on something steeper and have a good feel for the sport.
PS. Anyone in a shop wanting to sell you some skis will disagree with this.
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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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If you don't already have them, get your own boots first. These will make much more of a difference to the progress/enjoyment of your skiing than skis do.
I bought my skis after 3 years' skiing, and have had them a couple of years now. I'm a fairly slow learner (generally comfortable on reds now) and expect my skis to do me for a few more years before I need to upgrade.
I agree with the answer above to some extent, but it does depend on the balance between these factors:
Finances
I paid about £130 for my skis, and if I estimate they will get about 10 weeks' use before I trade up, this has certainly cost me less than hiring would have. It does help that some of our trips have been in a car or with airlines which don't charge for carriage. I'll probably be able to get £30-50 on ebay for them at the end too. So financially, buying has made sense to me. If you are buying more expensive skis the sums are obviously different. Would you consider buying second hand?
How fast do you expect to improve?
Are you taking lessons? How many weeks a year do you expect to ski? Do you ski to challenge yourself, or take it easy and look at the view? The faster you expect to improve, the less point there is buying your own skis, as Wayne as said above. I think the consistency of using the same pair has helped me though, being a more nervous skier.
Pretty kit
How much do you just want your own pair of pretty skis? I admit this was a big factor for me. It also helps me find them quickly outside a bar!
If you do buy I'd go for the 158cm. I'm a couple of inches taller than you and have 163cm skis now, which many other people consider a bit short for me. I considered going up to 170, but do find the slightly shorter ones easier to turn.
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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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Aargh, wrote a reply and it wouldn't post. I already have my own boots do that's not an issue. As for skis, I already own my own ones which I'm looking to upgrade, mostly just because I can. I take the point totally that I've got a lot of improving to do, but as I don't rent skis anyway, I'm looking for a ski, and length, that won't impede progress but will last me a fair while. What holds me back, according to my last instructor, is definitely confidence rather than technique. I do have lessons, but not at the snow domes anymore as I've gone through all my local one's group classes and I won't pay what they want for private lessons!
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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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Should probably point out that my current skis were bought for virtually no money being ex rental ones from aviemore. I've already made back my purchase costs on them!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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it depends how much the new skis cost and if you feel you've outgrown your current skis, definitely go with the longer ones though, no point buying skis which are the wrong size just because they're cheap
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Yep, I'm with janeed on this.
It also depend on how you get to your resort (and which country it's in).
Not joking about this - in our resort (if you fly with KLM) it is now cheaper to buy a pair of ex-rental skis and throw them away at the end of the week, than it is to pay the ski carriage on KLM. Someone at KLM has decided they don't want to caryr skis - they are (by far) the most cazy prices to Italy.
It is cheaper to hire a pair of Gold level skis (basically you get this year's top sets) than it is to pay the carriage with BA, Easyjet, Lufthansa, etc, etc.
It's cheaper to buy a new chalet in Italy, buy a helicopter and have your new ski brought to you in your helicopter than it is to rent a pair of ski in France.
OK, maybe not  , but check out the true cost of owning your own skis before you buy em, coz they are cheap.
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Eleanor if you loved skiing the 158 Dynastars then buy them. Did you ski a range of skis? Also consider that as you progress, in order to improve the performance level of your skiing you should also go for a stiffer ski.
Keep a hold of the Salomons though to use when cover is thin on cairn gorm 
paul
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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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Wayne, if you have a silver gold or platinum flying blue card your skis go free 
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Hiya Eleanor,
The Idyll's have a rocker on them and a slightly raised tail. What this means for you is that when the ski is flat on the snow, you're actually skiing a shorter ski (the tip and the tail are off the ground). The rocker makes them feel like longer skis when you're on your edges (and in the soft stuff) but initiate turns like slightly shorter skis... grippy but still easy (or that's the theory anyway!) As you start progressing a longer ski gives you more stability in the turns at speed and also a bit more float if you decide to venture off-piste.
5'8 is roughly 172cm ? I work as a ski tech during my winter seasons and I'd be looking to give you a ski around about 160cm, slightly shorter maybe as you're at the lower end of intermediate. I would definitely hold out for the 158s, maybe try a different store if your local one can't supply them.
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Verbiaire
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for all the advice guys. I didn't demo loads, but did try one other set Atomic Storms I think, which I really didn't like. I think the 158s would be best, particularly given the explanation on rocker which I'd researched and come to the same conclusion with, but didn't trust my own conclusion due to some conflicting info, and also the advice on height that 158s are the way forward but I'm now thinking I might wait and demo more pairs next season. I hadn't wanted new skis previously but got a lot of skiing in this season and felt I improved loads. Will probably end up with next season's version of the dynastar I guess, but that's not a bad thing. Still have an option on this season's demo pair but I'm not impressed with the bindings on offer and they're also working out the same price as the new sale ones... Never happy I guess! I ski in France and Scotland. At the moment ski carriage is cheaper than renting, especially as I'm taking boots anyway, and I drive to the Scottish Slopes. Though as pointed out, might want to keep the salomons for those... Thanks again.
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