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-   -   Help! Need advice on best fit skis for me - first time skier but quick learner (http://www.skibanter.com/showthread.php?t=10792)

GeckoDisciple September 12th 05 04:33 AM

Help! Need advice on best fit skis for me - first time skier but quick learner
 
I'm in the market for some new skis never having skied before. I've
done a lot of reading up on skiing and ski equipment so that I will be
ready when the time comes this winter. I'm in the West.

I desire to eventually go fast but may also want an all-mountain ski.
Are the Salomon Pocket Rockets too freestyle blah blah for me? Not good
for piste? or is it only for those advanced in the soft stuff? K2?
Atomic? etc.

I will probably get to intermediate in a few weeks of skiing. I want to
grow into any skis I purchase and not to grow out of them in one year.

Also, what about Randonee? I don't want to fall off a cliff never to be
found so Telemark or Randonee may not be my in my best interests.

I want to grow in to sort of an all purpose speed or race ski. Don't
think I'll go too much off-piste, especially starting out. Stiff and
responsive but not too stiff or expert. What should I buy? Thanks.


Walt September 12th 05 01:21 PM

GeckoDisciple wrote:

I'm in the market for some new skis never having skied before. I've
done a lot of reading up on skiing and ski equipment so that I will be
ready when the time comes this winter. I'm in the West.


STANDARD ADVICE:

Rent the gear the first couple of times. Since you've never been
skiing, you don't even know whether you're going to like it. Why spend
$1200 on gear for (potentially) one day of use?

Once you've decided you're going to stick with it, buy boots first.
Don't skimp. Buy from a real ski shop with a good boot fitter. Take
your time.

Then, demo demo demo. Don't buy skis without trying them first. You
can use magazines, usenet, the web, word of mouth etc. to narrow down
the list of candidate skis, but try before you buy.

ANOTHER APPROACH:

Go to a ski swap and buy a cheap set of used gear. Plan on replacing it
in a year. Then use steps 2 and 3 above.


//Walt

lal_truckee September 12th 05 03:33 PM

Walt wrote:
GeckoDisciple wrote:

I'm in the market for some new skis never having skied before. I've
done a lot of reading up on skiing and ski equipment so that I will be
ready when the time comes this winter. I'm in the West.



STANDARD ADVICE:

Rent the gear the first couple of times. Since you've never been
skiing, you don't even know whether you're going to like it. Why spend
$1200 on gear for (potentially) one day of use?

Once you've decided you're going to stick with it, buy boots first.
Don't skimp. Buy from a real ski shop with a good boot fitter. Take
your time.

Then, demo demo demo. Don't buy skis without trying them first. You
can use magazines, usenet, the web, word of mouth etc. to narrow down
the list of candidate skis, but try before you buy.

ANOTHER APPROACH:

Go to a ski swap and buy a cheap set of used gear. Plan on replacing it
in a year. Then use steps 2 and 3 above.


He's a snow troll IMO. I think he needs the latest 260cm jumping skis -
the most versatile skis on the planet. And none of this silly sidecut at
all.

GeckoDisciple September 13th 05 02:03 AM

was thinking about salomon performa boots, but I know I'll like the
sport..who doesn't? besides I need outdoor activities to do during the
winter. Randonee?? Come'on people help me! I'm 6'2" 190. I'm a road
warrior race cyclist, mountain biker, fisherman, hiker, rafter, and
golfer in the summer and a ????? in winter. I want to grow into an easy
to ride but technical pair of skis. The Salomon 10s hot or pocket
rockets are what I am leaning towards atm. Thanks.


bdubya September 13th 05 03:05 AM

On 12 Sep 2005 19:03:55 -0700, "GeckoDisciple"
wrote:

was thinking about salomon performa boots, but I know I'll like the
sport..who doesn't? besides I need outdoor activities to do during the
winter. Randonee?? Come'on people help me! I'm 6'2" 190. I'm a road
warrior race cyclist, mountain biker, fisherman, hiker, rafter, and
golfer in the summer and a ????? in winter. I want to grow into an easy
to ride but technical pair of skis. The Salomon 10s hot or pocket
rockets are what I am leaning towards atm. Thanks.


Will you prefer something that's got a wider waist for better
floatation, or narrower? A deep sidecut, or a shallower one? Wide
shovel and tail, or wide shovel and narrow tail? Do you like short
turns, or long? Groomers or bumps? Do you prefer a well-damped ski,
or a lively one? Maybe just a full-on fat powder ski?

If you're not sure how to answer these questions, then don't sweat the
skis for the first year. Work on getting boots that fit;
well-fitting boots will make more of a difference than the ski will
anyway, so focus on the boots if you really want to make a lot of
early progress. Rent "demo" skis (aka "performance rentals") once
you have a few days on the snow behind you, and take notes. If you
happen to catch a fresh dump, rent a mid-fat (or wider) for the day;
if not, rent something else. Learn how a narrower tail feels v. a
wider one, how a fat waist feels a skinny one, how a 165cm ski
feels v. a 180 (if you can find anybody to rent you one that long
these days). Then when the end-of-season sales roll around, you'll
have a much better idea how you would answer all of those questions
above, and can make up your own mind instead of trusting to some
magazine reviews and some loons on usenet.

bw

GeckoDisciple September 13th 05 04:48 AM

and it'll be cheaper then too. Thanks man. Just can't see myself
spending $40/day renting skis is all. Would rather buy a really good
pair for $3-400 and own them. Anyhow, no big deal, family is more
important. Thanks.

Will you prefer something that's got a wider waist for better
floatation, or narrower? not sure. I want speed not tricks.

A deep sidecut, or a shallower one? don't know.
Wide shovel and tail, or wide shovel and narrow tail? Probably wide.

Do you like short turns, or long? probably both but in the beginning
long.

Groomers or bumps? Groomers probably.

Do you prefer a well-damped ski, or a lively one? In the middle, with
more towards lively.

Maybe just a full-on fat powder ski? This would be the pocket rockets,
I presume. Well, not really. I want to take on moderate powder and stay
on piste. I do not want to die first day.


ant September 13th 05 10:48 AM

GeckoDisciple wrote:
was thinking about salomon performa boots, but I know I'll like the
sport..who doesn't? besides I need outdoor activities to do during the
winter. Randonee?? Come'on people help me! I'm 6'2" 190. I'm a road
warrior race cyclist, mountain biker, fisherman, hiker, rafter, and
golfer in the summer and a ????? in winter. I want to grow into an
easy to ride but technical pair of skis. The Salomon 10s hot or pocket
rockets are what I am leaning towards atm. Thanks.


What colour are they? That is key.

--
ant



ant September 13th 05 10:49 AM

GeckoDisciple wrote:
and it'll be cheaper then too. Thanks man. Just can't see myself
spending $40/day renting skis is all. Would rather buy a really good
pair for $3-400 and own them.


I bet a lot of people would rather buy a really good pair for $400, too.

--
ant



peter.creagh September 13th 05 11:19 AM

If you want to stay on groomed runs and go fast I would recommend a GS race
ski. When I looked
for skis as a 33 year old beginner these would have been
the last skis in the world I would have bought but after
demoing them I was hooked. They let you know if you
are not skiing them right so you will never need a ski lesson again. First
gain confidence to be able to ski to pole plant turn level and buy the best
fitting boots you
can find "FIRST"

"ant" wrote in message
...
GeckoDisciple wrote:
was thinking about salomon performa boots, but I know I'll like the
sport..who doesn't? besides I need outdoor activities to do during the
winter. Randonee?? Come'on people help me! I'm 6'2" 190. I'm a road
warrior race cyclist, mountain biker, fisherman, hiker, rafter, and
golfer in the summer and a ????? in winter. I want to grow into an
easy to ride but technical pair of skis. The Salomon 10s hot or pocket
rockets are what I am leaning towards atm. Thanks.


What colour are they? That is key.

--
ant





dizzy September 13th 05 01:00 PM

"ant" wrote in message
...
The Salomon 10s hot or pocket
rockets are what I am leaning towards atm. Thanks.


What colour are they? That is key.


:)
Nice skis, though.




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