Sorry to hear that your previous ski buying experiences haven't been
that great. I hope it goes better for you this year. I think you've
gotten some good suggestions from the group.

Demos area great way to test skis, and all companies love an
opportunity to demo their skis. West Yellowstone is the best place that
I'm aware of to demo skis because the companies all put a lot of
resources in to being there. And it's early enough so that you've got
decent shot at finding some good skis after figuring out what you like.

Regardless of whether you've been on demos, you've still got to get
some help finding an appropriate pair. You want to find somebody who
understands ski construction, what the various companies are ding with
their current models, and what will best complement your
characteristics as a skier. I've just posted a skate ski flex sheet
(PDF) on my website that outlines most of the qualities that are
relatively easy to measure in skate skis, and how they relate to
performance. You can find that at http://www.engineeredtuning.net/ .
There should be a link from the front page - otherwise go to the Flex
Evaluation page.

The good news is that most companies have struck a really good balance
in their ski design, and it is certainly possible to find skis that
handle a broad range of track and snow conditions. It would be nice to
start with a goal of finding three pairs of skis to cover the whole
range, but you can get ninety percent of the way there with a single
pair.

Best of luck!

Zach