Winter 2012/13

Dude, I had the same. I've got Salomon Ghost CS 120s and I have a nightmare as they're a proper "tight" fitting boot. Get the boot heated and moulded when you're in the mountains, it makes so much difference. Makes no difference if you do it in the UK, I've been there!

Guest, you should try some more "fun" skis like the K2 public enemies, or something like that if you like a bit of off piste as well. A bit more underfoot helps float and yet they're really playful on the piste still if you want to smash some carving.
 
Thanks Quick

I love my boots and even leave them on and done up for lunch and apre ski when everyone else is in pain taking them off. One night i had 'a few' and didnt realise i still had them one at 1am! Haha

Moulds make all the difference with boots. I hated hiring boots at sheffield dry slopes, could only wear them for an hour or so before being in a lot of pain
 
QuickLink said:
My old set are K2 Public Enemies :P latest are Salomon 2012s, this year I'm going for some Line Bacons, I think...
Click to expand...

The Bacons are so so sick. If I was buying a new set this year that's what I'd be getting. Just so much fun everywhere on the mountain. I'm at work now so won't type out a huge reply until I get home.

There's pros and cons to buying skis. If you need some help choosing something let me know in here or via PM.
 
If you are only skiing 1 week a year then you are doing something very wrong, i highly recommend you change that so you can ski 50+ day a year ... :-D

If you are only skiing for 1 week and flying out there I wouldn't bother TBH. Financially it wont make sense once you consider airline costs, maintence and risk. Although you can buy ski insurance it is next to useless for privately owned skis- if you leave your skis at a mountain restaurant they wont be covered for theft, if you leave your skis in the hotel ski locker and they get stolen they wont be covered, if you have skis on a rental car roof-rac and they are stolen they wont be covered, if you are skiing with your skis and you damage them they wont be covered (as I found out on a brand new pair of skis on their 3rd day of use). However, the insurance you can buy form the rental companies for a few euoros covers all of this typically.


But this biggest reason why owning a pair of skis is useless is because you need to own a quiver. I own 4-5 pairs right now and hope to buy another couple this winter if I get an xmas bonus. I have rock skis, mid-fat super stiff, super-fats for knee deep powder and above, detuned-slaloms, and a all mountain/GS skis. That excludes my touring gear, super light Trab mid-fat with dynafit speeds.

On one of the blower face-shot days you wont see me on anything less than my 198 Black crows with a 115mm waist. Early and pre season the rock skis help protect my investment. Early season often includes right up through January where rocks are just waiting to rip your edges out. If there is less than a foot of fresh, especially older chalky snow then it is all about the mid-fats and hitting the steeps with the stable snow condiitons. If conditions are really getting crap then throwing on the slalom skis can add a load of fun on the ice or following he bob-sleigh tracks through the trees. All-mountains skis often come out in he spring for tearing down from top to bottom, anywhere, anyhow.

If you rent then you can just swap skis over each morning depending on conditions., 30cm fresh overnight, just grab some powder boards, re-frozen crud, get some stiffies.

Even if money was no object if you only go on package holidays then it still wouldn't help to own a quiver because you will only travel with 1 or 2 skis.


the big exception is if you live in scotland or the alps, rockies etc., then it really makes sense to own an old rock skis, preferably a slalom ski, and some mid-fat all mountain setup. If you ski every weekend, and try and do the odd night mission, then owning a quiver of skis makes sense.
 
I don't really Ski, as I Snowboard, but I'd reiterate what others say and get your own boots. You will have far more comfy feet if you have your own boots that fit and also haven't had hundreds of other feet in them.

I often find that when I go away with people renting skis, they tend to always have to take them back to the shop because something isn't setup right. So that's one reason I'd personally say its worth getting a pair. But then you do have to weigh up the fact that you of course need to travel with them and either maintain them yourself or pay somebody to do it. At 1 week a year, a decent all mountain pair would probably last you a long time. Also, I don't think travel is too much of a chore given that most winter destinations and airlines are geared up for them.
 
Nexus said:
I don't really Ski, as I Snowboard, but I'd reiterate what others say and get your own boots. You will have far more comfy feet if you have your own boots that fit and also haven't had hundreds of other feet in them.

I often find that when I go away with people renting skis, they tend to always have to take them back to the shop because something isn't setup right. So that's one reason I'd personally say its worth getting a pair. But then you do have to weigh up the fact that you of course need to travel with them and either maintain them yourself or pay somebody to do it. At 1 week a year, a decent all mountain pair would probably last you a long time. Also, I don't think travel is too much of a chore given that most winter destinations and airlines are geared up for them.
Click to expand...



Sometimes a rental shop wont setup gear correctly, this tends to be for boarders who all prefer different angles/positions/directions etc. For skis the setup is fairly standard. It is also very easy to make adjustments yourself and you just need a screw driver. In fact, if you do any reasonable amount of skiing you should always learn how to adjust your bindings for safety reasons. this is just as true if you own your own skis, the first weeks I always spend fine tuning the release settings on bindings to find the sweet spot between avoiding per-releases and breaking your leg.....
 
I really hate threads like these.... always makes me want to buy more stuff!!

I'm a boarder, and have more stuff than I actually need, yet still want more!!

I also learnt to ski last season (shhh, don't tell the other boarders) and now feel the need to buy ski stuff as well!! I'm sure this will bankrupt me.

I thought rental snowboard boots were bad, but wow, what a shock I got with rental ski boots. Truly awful. I really need my own!
 
The other thing is avoid 2md hand skis. Cheaper skis have a lot of fiber glass and composite materials that weaken with age (for that matter some more expensive skis do as well, but you get a lot more wood in high end skis). Skis do have a limited life span, sure they may not be damaged and wil still get you down the mountain but they might be floppy as a wet noodle and loose all their edge control.

Also small areas of delimitation are often fatal in the long run, as is any edge damage. If the edge has pulled out from the ski a little here is basically no repair, most shops wont even look at it because they will not be able to guarantee their work.

Similar with binding, parts can wear and they will need to be examined and serviced. If you know what you are looking for you can get some bargains but if you don't know then I would stick with new gear only.
 
Guest2 said:
Should have probably given more detail initially -

I have been skiing since I was 15 (~13 years) so reasonably good. I can do (in a fashion!) any black and have done some double black runs. I usually venture off piste but not properly into the wilderness, one occasion I have climbed with skis so reach a peak for some fresh snow

I have owned my own Salomon boots, with custom liners for about 10 years. Still in great condition along with a helmet I have had for a couple of years. Hestra gloves (2 years), Oakley O frames since I have been 16 too.

Id say I am a good but not fantastic skiier - I like to push myself and a few times have pushed a bit too hard.

Ski shops used are the usual ones - Ski republic and Skiset. Cant remember which we used in Canada. Usually get Rossingnol and was thinking about buying some second hand Rossingnol Experience 83s for ~£250. I think I usually have 165s, maybe 170s (5' 9")
Click to expand...

If I'd had a pair of boots that were 10 years old I'd definitely be buying a new pair, regardless of how comfortable they are. Get a custom footbed as well, as there's no reason people shouldn't be buying one with the boots these days.

In terms of skis if you're only skiing once a year then there's probably no point in buying your own skis. The only reason you may want to is if you try out some and find a pair you absolutely love. Then buying them you know you're going to have a blast every time you go. Most resorts now though have shops with a good selection though, so it's handy to be able to change as you go.
 
D.P. said:
Sometimes a rental shop wont setup gear correctly, this tends to be for boarders who all prefer different angles/positions/directions etc. For skis the setup is fairly standard. It is also very easy to make adjustments yourself and you just need a screw driver. In fact, if you do any reasonable amount of skiing you should always learn how to adjust your bindings for safety reasons. this is just as true if you own your own skis, the first weeks I always spend fine tuning the release settings on bindings to find the sweet spot between avoiding per-releases and breaking your leg.....
Click to expand...

I'd say only adjust your binding yourself if you are an expert skier who knows what they're doing. The DIN charts from the manufacturers are there for a reason and are a very accurate scale to work from. DO NOT adjust the DIN on rental skis. If you have an accident, it's a massive ball ache for the shop involved and no doubt will get someone in trouble. If you find you're releasing too easily, go back to the shop and let them deal with it.
 
D.P. said:
Sometimes a rental shop wont setup gear correctly, this tends to be for boarders who all prefer different angles/positions/directions etc. For skis the setup is fairly standard. It is also very easy to make adjustments yourself and you just need a screw driver. In fact, if you do any reasonable amount of skiing you should always learn how to adjust your bindings for safety reasons. this is just as true if you own your own skis, the first weeks I always spend fine tuning the release settings on bindings to find the sweet spot between avoiding per-releases and breaking your leg.....
Click to expand...

While Snowboarders also require plenty of adjustment, my point still stands, last few times I've been away, Skiers have had to return their Skis because they weren't correctly setup. While anyone with experience can easily adjust their gear and are likely carrying a tool, they also more than likely have their own kit anyway, so more than likely wont be renting. The majority of people who rent don't have that knowledge and are paying a rental shop to setup correctly or adjust when required.
 
QuickLink said:
My old set are K2 Public Enemies :P latest are Salomon 2012s, this year I'm going for some Line Bacons, I think...
Click to expand...

I bought some bacons last year, they are absolutely fantastic! I highly recommend them. :)

OP, as others have said, if you are only going for 1 week a year then I would definitely not buy skis. The cost of transporting them will mean that it just won't be worth it. You can get very decent gear by renting as long as you select the right shops.
 
Keep renting. I still have a set of skis but don't bring them as they're a bit out dated, I've improved and rentals are much better these days. Also you can change them according to the conditions. I couldn't even imagine skiing in 2 feet of powder with my skinny salomons. I'm only managing a week a year at the moment so it's just not worth buying a set of skis that I really want to own!

If you do one thing buy the rental shop's own insurance. Even pretty good travel insurance won't pay out if they're anything but locked in the hotel. If you're forking out for the best rentals (as I leaned earlier this year) people will want to nick them. Insurance didn't want to know even though every care was taken with the skis including splitting them with another pair. Either that or buy a ski lock. A €500 mistake that I won't be repeating!
 
timebomb26 said:
I'd say only adjust your binding yourself if you are an expert skier who knows what they're doing. The DIN charts from the manufacturers are there for a reason and are a very accurate scale to work from. DO NOT adjust the DIN on rental skis. If you have an accident, it's a massive ball ache for the shop involved and no doubt will get someone in trouble. If you find you're releasing too easily, go back to the shop and let them deal with it.
Click to expand...

The manufacturer DIN settings are no where near as accurate as you make out because they don't take into account skier ability or exact boot sizes so are only an appropriate guide. Even an intermediate skier should understand enough about the mechanisms of a ski binding and the consequences of an incorrect setting. Understanding how and what needs to be adjusted is very simple. In is simply not practical to go back to a rental shop to change binding after every fall ore pre-release.
 
tom_nieto said:
Keep renting. I still have a set of skis but don't bring them as they're a bit out dated, I've improved and rentals are much better these days. Also you can change them according to the conditions. I couldn't even imagine skiing in 2 feet of powder with my skinny salomons. I'm only managing a week a year at the moment so it's just not worth buying a set of skis that I really want to own!

If you do one thing buy the rental shop's own insurance. Even pretty good travel insurance won't pay out if they're anything but locked in the hotel. If you're forking out for the best rentals (as I leaned earlier this year) people will want to nick them. Insurance didn't want to know even though every care was taken with the skis including splitting them with another pair. Either that or buy a ski lock. A €500 mistake that I won't be repeating!
Click to expand...

I mentioned this earlier and I just wanted to reiterate the point. It is basically impossible to insure your own skis unless you leave them in a bank vault with an armed security guard, the moment they are in a car, on the mount, on your feet etc. you are not covered.

However, renters insurance from the shop does cover these. Rental shops also get upset if you rip a hole in the base etc which is pretty common early season, with the rental shop insurance they can't complain.

For most things I am against the idea of insurance as typically only the insurance companies win, as is the case with personal ski insurance. But the rental ski insurance appears to be a genuine benefits., I have not heard of anyone wrecking their skis and getting grief form the rental shop if they took out the insurance.
 
Nexus said:
While Snowboarders also require plenty of adjustment, my point still stands, last few times I've been away, Skiers have had to return their Skis because they weren't correctly setup. While anyone with experience can easily adjust their gear and are likely carrying a tool, they also more than likely have their own kit anyway, so more than likely wont be renting. The majority of people who rent don't have that knowledge and are paying a rental shop to setup correctly or adjust when required.
Click to expand...

If you own your own skis then you still do lots of adjustments so i am not really sure I fully follow the logic. For sure the shop should take care of things and a beginner should never mess about with the binding but beyond that it is a moot point.
Buying skis doesn't resolve that responsibility, actually it only increases the work. You have to learn to maintain your equipment, including assessing the condition of the bindings. Rental equipment should give you a much simpler carefree time.
 
D.P. said:
The manufacturer DIN settings are no where near as accurate as you make out because they don't take into account skier ability or exact boot sizes so are only an appropriate guide. Even an intermediate skier should understand enough about the mechanisms of a ski binding and the consequences of an incorrect setting. Understanding how and what needs to be adjusted is very simple. In is simply not practical to go back to a rental shop to change binding after every fall ore pre-release.
Click to expand...

You're right, but the fact is most intermediate skiers have no idea how an actual ski binding works and only have a very basic idea of how the DIN works. Encouraging people to play around themselves is dangerous as you give most people too much credit.
 
D.P. said:
If you own your own skis then you still do lots of adjustments so i am not really sure I fully follow the logic. For sure the shop should take care of things and a beginner should never mess about with the binding but beyond that it is a moot point.
Buying skis doesn't resolve that responsibility, actually it only increases the work. You have to learn to maintain your equipment, including assessing the condition of the bindings. Rental equipment should give you a much simpler carefree time.
Click to expand...

While admittedly I'm not really up on Skiing, I thought there wasn't much to mess with really other than DIN settings and getting your boots locked in. In part also due to how Ski bindings are mounted so that they can't be adjusted... (aside from those which aren't, I know a friend had some Line Skis some years back that used snowboard like bolt mounts).

My point was really that for somebody going Skiing once a year, who is likely just cruising groomers, once they've got their Skis setup, they probably don't really need to do too much messing.
 
Nexus said:
While admittedly I'm not really up on Skiing, I thought there wasn't much to mess with really other than DIN settings and getting your boots locked in. In part also due to how Ski bindings are mounted so that they can't be adjusted
Click to expand...

Not to be horrible, but this has just proven my point.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom