Sking/Snowboarding 09/10

[Naf]

RED HIFI would be my choice. However I choose not to ride with music on, find it too distracting. Got took out by a guy riding with music in his ears last year too, on the approach to a jump, landed on my head from about 8 foot up - concussion and out for 2 weeks, lucky!

I only tried it last year, only had one headphone in most of the time except when I was in the park on my own as everyone else went off and I wanted to learn 360s. I had it quieter than I would normally have my music on, just made the lifts/10 minutes waiting for n00bs to catch our group up a lot more pleasant lol

I currently have a HiFi helmet, but it's that old none of the shops round here can get the audio earpads for it Nothing else wrong with the helmet though so if I can't find anything else I like I'll no doubt get the newer version and the Audio Pads too.

Yeah prices are crazy up the mountains. In Val T in january one of the guys from our uni trip paid 23 euros for a salad (That was when we went over to courchevel tho).

I try not to spend much on food. Make pasta every day and buy a fresh baguette every morning to stuff in my bag for lunch. Past 3 years i've gone with 500 euros and end up spending about 400 of it on alcohol

That was in the actual town of Val D! Didn't dare even contemplate eating on the mountain there lol.

I enjoyed doing all the 3 valleys a few times last time we were in Val T so am looking forward to that again this year

I usually live on cheese & ham baguettes, cereal and lucozade. Though there was a nice Pizza place next to our hotel in Val T so I'll be there most nights again I'd imagine lol.

 

[Volcs]

Tocade Burger in val saved our lives - I think it's 6 euro for a burger the size of your head.

 

[bam0]

I'm off to Mayrhofen at the end of January (snowboarding), missed out on a deal in Courchevel I wanted so thought I'd try somewhere I've never been.

 

[Mr.Stu]

Got fitted up on some new boots (Burton Ruler 2010) yesterday, much better fit than my 09 Anthems. Actually went down 1.5 sizes, looking forward to riding without heel lift....

26 degrees and sunny here in Whistler today, won't be getting any early gifts from nature at this rate!

 

[Sandmaster500]

Going ski-ing with Uni to Tignes early in the season, first time there. What’s the off-piste like? Expensive food?

Then i'll hopefully be making another trip with friends start of Jan! Not sure where yet, or if i'll ski or learn to board with my girlfriend!

I've always hired gear, is it worth buying for (usually) 1 week a year?

Also thinking about what clothes to take this time around. Need new proper gloves - recommendations?
Also considering a ski jacket, usually just use a walking one, £200 is a bit steep. How to you layer?

Can't wait!

 

[chrisxuk]

I'm heading off to Colorado again this year.

Always wanted to go skiing in Colorado

Anyway, hopefully off to Avoriaz in the Alps like usual for a weeks skiing.

Does anybody else ever ski with the Ski Club of Great Britain reps? Went for a few days with one last year and it wasn't bad. Had a nice picnic overlooking Lake Geneva

 

[touch]

What’s the off-piste like?

Dont know about tignes for off-piste but if you are doing it be careful!
Your insurance wont cover you if you're off-piste.
(And dont go losing a rental ski in the power and having to pay for it like somebody on our trip managed to last season )

 

[Shamikebab]

Thinking about Courcheval this year, never been there before but I've definitely narrowed it down to either France or Italy. Would love to go back to Canada (went to Whistler a few years back) but it's just too expensive

 

[Naf]

Going ski-ing with Uni to Tignes early in the season, first time there. What’s the off-piste like? Expensive food?

Then i'll hopefully be making another trip with friends start of Jan! Not sure where yet, or if i'll ski or learn to board with my girlfriend!

I've always hired gear, is it worth buying for (usually) 1 week a year?

Also thinking about what clothes to take this time around. Need new proper gloves - recommendations?
Also considering a ski jacket, usually just use a walking one, £200 is a bit steep. How to you layer?

Can't wait!

Can't comment on the off piste as I went 3 years ago before I dared venture more than 20ft off the slopes lol.

It depends on what you want the gear for - normal skiing I'd be tempted to just hire each year, where as if you want to go in the park more/off piste more then it would be worth buying specific skis for that purpose.

How early are you going? We go with uni in the 2nd/3rd week of December and I just wear a LS T-Shirt under my jacket - sometimes a Short Sleeve T-Shirt under/over the LS one if it's chilly or snowing a fair bit.

Always wanted to go skiing in Canada

Anyway, hopefully off to Avoriaz in the Alps like usual for a weeks skiing.

Colorado is in Canada?!

Avoriaz is incredible isn't it? Went with my ex last year as some of her family has a place out there, the Stash was fun Really want to go back to PDS at some point.

 

[Giddy]

Thinking about Courcheval this year, never been there before but I've definitely narrowed it down to either France or Italy. Would love to go back to Canada (went to Whistler a few years back) but it's just too expensive

Courchevel aint cheap either, it was about 10 euros a pint and one place I paid over 20! Oh and the prices on the slopes were ridiculous, 120 euros for chicken and chips!

With the pound as it is, Canada is probably cheaper

 

[Sandmaster500]

Thinking about Courcheval this year, never been there before but I've definitely narrowed it down to either France or Italy. Would love to go back to Canada (went to Whistler a few years back) but it's just too expensive

Courchevel is nice but expensive. Another option is "bride les bains", it's a 20 or so min gondala up to meribel where you can easily ski over to courchevel and it's very cheap to stay there.

Dont know about tignes for off-piste but if you are doing it be careful!
Your insurance wont cover you if you're off-piste.
(And dont go losing a rental ski in the power and having to pay for it like somebody on our trip managed to last season )

I don't do crazy stuff, and always in a group. I don't know why but i don't really seem to ever fall over in the last few years
At least last year i got insurance from the ski hire in case of loss.

It depends on what you want the gear for - normal skiing I'd be tempted to just hire each year, where as if you want to go in the park more/off piste more then it would be worth buying specific skis for that purpose.

How early are you going? We go with uni in the 2nd/3rd week of December and I just wear a LS T-Shirt under my jacket - sometimes a Short Sleeve T-Shirt under/over the LS one if it's chilly or snowing a fair bit.

was in Val T last two years, the ski hire there had a "gold" option where you could choose to get park/powder skis which were really nice, think about £80. So on that i think it would take like 6 or more weeks to pay back having my own skis. SO i think i'll still hire.

It's the first week in Dec, in VT it was pretty cold when ski-ing in the blizzard and in the wind on lifts.
Thinking of wearing: wicking shirt (maybe underarmor?), fleese Tshirt, microfleese (x2 if cold) then a shell.
Need to choose some decent gloves too.

 

[Volcs]

Dont know about tignes for off-piste but if you are doing it be careful!
Your insurance wont cover you if you're off-piste.
(And dont go losing a rental ski in the power and having to pay for it like somebody on our trip managed to last season )

Some insurers cover off piste as standard (in Europe). I'm with Direct Travel and they do - I only found out after I got back from my trip last year and read the whole policy afer I had to claim for a damaged board.

If your insurance doesn't cover you then you can get a carte blanc from most european resorts for about 35 euro that covers you off piste.

 

[chrisxuk]

Colorado is in Canada?!

Avoriaz is incredible isn't it? Went with my ex last year as some of her family has a place out there, the Stash was fun Really want to go back to PDS at some point.

Woops!

Yes, i love Avoriaz. Been there so many times as my dads got a timeshare for two weeks in the multivances apartments. Although this year was the first time i'd been down the Stash, and yes it was great fun Some of the stuff the boarders were doing was mad!

 

[Naf]

was in Val T last two years, the ski hire there had a "gold" option where you could choose to get park/powder skis which were really nice, think about £80. So on that i think it would take like 6 or more weeks to pay back having my own skis. SO i think i'll still hire.

That makes sense to just hire then - plus that way when you scratch/chip them you don't feel so down about it

Woops!

Yes, i love Avoriaz. Been there so many times as my dads got a timeshare for two weeks in the multivances apartments. Although this year was the first time i'd been down the Stash, and yes it was great fun Some of the stuff the boarders were doing was mad!

I'd love to go to Canada or Colorado myself - in fact anywhere in the US would be fantastic. My dad went a couple of times years ago and said it was much better than the conditions I describe from my trips (but then he would say that..)

I only went to Avoriaz for a couple of days last year, stayed in Chatel and the snow was melting as you were going over it so it was very quiet on the slopes I think it was actually the last few days of the season where the lifts were open that we went.

The Stash was always packed though - always by flipping boarders who stare you down without even meaning to lol. Felt quite proud that I managed an alley oop 270 over a hip - never tried it before, about 15 boarders watching, landed it pretty much spot on, winner I can only imagine how busy it'll get in peak season!

 

[Mr.Stu]

 

[Shamikebab]

Changed my mind and decided on La Plagne now!

 

[touch]

OUCH! Somebody spec me some kneepads please

Been at a dryslope today and my knees have taken a fair bashing. Cant keep myself up on that stuff
Im also looking for a cheap freestyle board (about 153-157) for using at the dryslope - condition not too important because its going to get a fair bit of abuse anyway. Does anyone know of anything going?

 

[Volcs]

Took my damaged custom into Snow and Rock today to see if they could do anything but they refused to touch it - shame really as although all the layers are split it's only the tail so still rideable as a backup.Was hoping they'd just do an epoxy job on it.

 

[touch]

OUCH! Somebody spec me some kneepads please

Never mind. Just bought myself some 661 "kyle strait" pads. Still on the lookout for a cheap park board tho.

 

[Jono]

Anyone going in a group at all that has a space place? I don't really want to go on my own, and I can't find anyone to go with at the mo... The past few years I've gone on some group thing with my uncle's gym, which he's now left and I don't think they're doing it anymore anyway.