 Poster: A snowHead
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On a scale of, one to ten. (Ski Instuctor (6))? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, we had a thread on the subject of ski ability scales. It was a very long thread.
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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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is ski instructor 6 a benchmark for the rest of us to work it out or are you a ski instructor who rates a 6?
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It's more a point of provocation, when i ask my clients, it's always 'Intermediate/advanced' tells me nothing, if then asked, 'OK, on a scale of 1-10?' the answer is always, 6-7. Makes no sense.
No nead to relpy, just think about it.
1, Beginner, never skied.
2, Beginner, skied a few times, not confident with the alltitude/danger.
3, Beginner/intermediate, linking turns, skiing on holiday without instruction.
4, Intermediate, growing in confidence. Likes to think can ski well on a good day, hates the bad days.
5, Intermediate/Advanced, fewer bad days, skis like a god on good days. Starting to stray further off piste.
6, Advanced/Instructor level, consistant skier all conditions.
7, Instructor/Competitor, pushes the boundries, trains and lives to ski. Pays the bills.
8, Competitor/Pro Rider, can ski as good as anyone on their day. Skiing new lines. Factory Sponsorship pending.
9, Pro Skier, early days but will be up there with the best, conditions/injuries/results pending.
10, World Champion/W/C winner, all of us, in our dreams. Changing the way we all ski!
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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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like the idea - bit of large jump for 5 to 6 though!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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waitingforwinter, I would say there are equally large jumps from 6 to 7, from 7 to 8, from 8 to 9 and from 9 to 10.
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Not really, the learing curve through 5-6 is just a matter of ski time and consistancy. I ski occasionally with instuctors who don't often stray off piste due to work commitments. This is always a little subjective, it fits well with skier profiles here and drives improvement in almost everyone.
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I agree with you SMALLZOOKEEPER, not so long ago on here i was shot down in flames when someone who said they where an expert skier was asking advice on the most basic issue, and my response was "if you are an expert skier surely you wouldn't need to ask this question". Well i can say my response didn't go down too well 
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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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Myself I'd rate as a 4.5 on your scale though I don't do much off piste as I'd like due to my weight
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D G Orf, With you on that one!!!!!! 4.5 for me too
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Great, it's getting you thinking, just trying to add a little perspective. We can open it up from 1-20 to try and bridge the gaps. Just want you all to be aware of what a 9-10 is. It will help you get better advice in shops if we can nail it.
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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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SMALLZOOKEEPER, for me advice doesn't matter so much as I have years of experience buying/using equipment in my case my weight is my biggest problem, if I could loose a reasonable amount of the excess blubber arround my middle I'd definately go to a 5 or even just over a 6 on your scale, mind you I have a wierd setup with Rossi Soft1 boots combined with Head iGS RD skis  great comfort and control from the boots with superb on piste performance from the skis, I just have to work my legs a bit more due to the large amount of flex in the boots
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You know it makes sense.
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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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I've been discussing with my other half recently about how everyone I know tends to say 'I like to ski reds and sometime blacks', just like you say that everyone you speak to rates themselves as a level 6/7.
Having just skied a season I can safely say that saying you are a consistent skier on a particular colour of slope means nothing. We experienced some horrendous conditions of snow where no one (and I mean no one!) was able to ski smoothly and consistently on the Saddle one afternoon at Whistler mid-february). That includes a CSIA level 4 instructor who was skiing with us.
So if we're talking about beautiful 'to die for' snow on a blue run which has just been groomed I'd rate myself much higher than if we're talking about narrow chutes of blue bumpy ice with the potential hazard of a rock wall to ski into.
In conclusion, I would say I am a level 2/3/4/5/6 skier. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, interested to know how much of an effect it would have on equipment choice levels 6-10 have. Yes, the jumps in ability are quite marked but I would say that once you are level 6 you would be able to get the benefit out of most high end kit and it's more a case of finding something you like than finding something you are physically capable of using?
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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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Now my skiing is like my golf  FOUR
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What consitutes "something you like?". Last winter we ski tested, perfect conditions, well rested, no hang-overs. Not a bad ski to speak of. Year before, we ski tested, awful conditions, tired, hung-over. Not a good ski amongst them, or very few. This is so subjective. The best ski ever, is a mind trick.
Conclusion: In todays age, there are 'NO' bad skis, only bad experiences on certain skis. Skiing is a pleasure in its own right. Skis will do as there told, eventually. Are you telling them to do the right thing? Read; Get your boots fitted correctly, then, when you are correctly attached, we can try and find the bad ones.
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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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I have never skied on a 'bad pair' of skis. I have skied on skis more suitable for some conditions than others, skis that were too long in that style, required more ability than I have, but never 'bad skis'. I pretty much like all skis, at the moment I love powder (can't see that changing) and fatties make that more enjoyable, and steep couloirs, which often involve powder or unprepared snow, hence fatties. My old Crossmax 8's I got for £40 in Canada were shite off piste, but great on it. Not bad skis though
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, I think my point what is the scale trying to achieve? it's probably OK for ranking skiers in terms of absolute ability (or at least we can have an argument about that). But you seem to be putting it forward as something to use when judging what equipment to recommend to people who come into your shop.
If this is the case, isn't it a bit of a waste of time for one third of the categories to be taken up by people who probably get their kit given to them (categories 8-10 at least) and one half of the categories (6-10) to be taken up by people who "can" ski pretty much any ski?
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4.5 for me too. 
I think one of the major problems on ski slope grading is there is no consistancy. Case in point- Breckenridge where some blacks are fantastic when nicely groomed and some slopes of the same grading made me fear for my life!
On golf courses they have a stroke index grading the holes from 1-18. 1 being the hardest 18 being the easiest. I reckon they should implement that in ski resorts. Then you'll know what to go for and what to avoid. slope 82 of 82 being the easiest and 1 of 82 being brown sallopettes time...
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Yeah, 100% true. I struggle with the customers whom, rightly or not, register a 7-8 therefore struggle with equipment in this category.
Once i asked a guy how well he skied, he replied,
"How old are you?"
I replied.
"Well,"he said, "I've been skiing longer than you have been alive. I've never skied with or seen a better skier than me."
This guy was a Merchant Banker, in both senses.
"OK" i said, " What are your aspirations this week?"
He replied," Fly around a bit, warm up, then at the end of the week,we're going to attack the Vallee Blanche, Off-Piste, mate."
His line of discort didn't change, he was asked to leave as he was offending both; customer and staff.
It was a shame because, i didn't get to sell him anything or help him. I want to advoid these instances at all costs, if we can.
This i feel is only possible if we can, cut through the marketing and be a little more honest. This will stop the factorys having to revise kit so often due to negative feedback based on bad advice or misunderstanding of clients needs.
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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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Civilserpent, Slope grading (IMHO) is never an exact science. Snow conditions can change how a slope skis dramatically. So (for example), the Leisse above Tignes is graded black - but some days skis like a blue, and on other days is unskiable.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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the Leisse above Tignes is graded black - but some days skis like a blue, and on other days is unskiable.
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I saw an ESF instructor fall on it last December 
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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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At times I would rate myself a 10.
Then the alarm goes off and another day begins ...
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Ideally, the stage you want to get to - if you have this desire, of course, otherwise stick to what you enjoy - is to be able to go basically anywhere and be able to cope because you have a turn and the confidence to do just that. This is why I am not so keen on talking about this turn and that turn. You need one that works anywhere. If I was to ski with some very good skiers my concern would not be could I ski it, it would be at what speed would I have to ski it.! If you are on a route which takes quite a deal of commitment the first thing you want to be is safe and controlled and being out of your depth, speed-wise doesn't help. But hopefully you have sorted that out before you even set off..!!
On good day I'm happy with what I can do, sometimes I need a little help but I don't fall on difficult stuff much. I'm probably more pi$$ed I haven't got any style going...!!
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm a solid 1.
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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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I had a solid 2 once. sic, sorry.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm not doing this again!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry, no need to reply. Just interested to see what kind of response there is. Humbling hey?
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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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D G Orf, ginger winger, I'm about a 4.5 too, although possibly more of a 4.25
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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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There are always plenty better...!!
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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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Charlatanefc, That means I may have to prove that one day then if we were ever to meet up on the slopes..... I may have to review my claim now
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'd say I'm a solid 4, except I'm not too sure about the 'likes to think can ski well on good day' - don't think I do ski well, I get by and I get down....
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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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ginger winger, that could be a good laugh You going the ski show in Manchester the weekend after next?
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I really think that (especially as we all like to imagine ourselves as skiing something - when all we do is to get down it in one piece) we should inject a large amount of self regulation regarding our skiing ability descriptions. I've skied for 3 weeks in total, done blacks, moguls, off piste, jumps etc but really cream my ski pants on steep gully stuff that I should by rights not attempt. My technique is cr@p but this is just the terrain that just does it for me. My point - according to the ratings charts I am an advanced skier. Bull!!! I still need to work at carving tech' on blues, attempt jump turns that progress more than a 20 degree rotation and to land hucks without incorporating a forward roll. I've seen a 1st week skier launch off a 15 foot 75 degree edge, crash and come up smiling. They also got down a red the same day. Others have stayed on greens but have developed a smooth turning ability which will bode them well for the future. Descriptions are so rough a guide as to become almost meaningless IMHO.
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FAQ
