help please for first timer

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:40:19 GMT, "Norm"
wrote:

f *I* was skiing like a beginner, I could get along without them. Throw a
little bad weather (snow falling IS bad weather for a beginner) into the
equation and what do you have for a first impression?



We've grudgingly left for skiing when the kids couldn't find
their goggles and always regretted it. Any amount of snow
coming down is enough to make them miserable.

Sounds like a good object lesson in keeping track of their gear. Let 'em
be miserable and maybe they'll be able to find them in the future.

Anyway, I'll bet your kids aren't total novice beginners.

Well, no. But not particularily agressive, not then anyway. We regretted it
mostly because once we got out there we took pity on them and gave them our
goggles.
I've pulled away from an accident scene with a tobogan and had to stop to
pull down my goggles because it was uncomfortable, and I don't pull a loaded
rig all that fast.

Bottom line - yeah, you could get along without them, but I think you would
prefer not to.


True, but plowing down a bunny run for the first time isn't exactly
the same as an introductory scuba course.

The original poster is balking at ponying a few bucks for ski socks.
I think we can assume that money is an issue. I can say with absolute
certainty that I skied my first time without goggles. What if this
family hates the sport?

They'll be on the bunny hill. I see hundreds of never evers on the
bunny hill each time I go skiing on a weekend that don't have goggles.
I side with Prof. Walt this time.

nate



No goggles. Polypropelyne socks are available at work stores cheap.

Walt wrote:
Norm wrote:

"Walt" wrote

BTW, goggles are optional for beginners - you need them if you're
going fast, but you shouldn't be going that fast yet.


I'm gonna respectfully disagree. I would rather see them in goggles.


Well, I skied for almost a full year before I felt the need for goggles.
Others' experiences may differ. I don't think it's a necessary
requisite for a first timer - there are enough barriers to entry as it
is without trumpeting unnecessary ones. Like many ski accoutremants,
you don't need them to get started, but if you keep it up you'll acquire
them in due time.

We've grudgingly left for skiing when the kids couldn't find
their goggles and always regretted it. Any amount of snow
coming down is enough to make them miserable.

Sounds like a good object lesson in keeping track of their gear. Let
'em be miserable and maybe they'll be able to find them in the future.

Anyway, I'll bet your kids aren't total novice beginners.

//Walt

Couldn't agree more. First timers don't need goggles. I skied for
probably 2 years without them. The thing that finally convinced me to
but a pair however was not skiing, but riding the quad in Bretton Woods.
It got real cold and windy on that lift and I wished I'd had a pair.
When they went on sale later that year I finally bought them.

Was glad I had them Saturday at Bear Creek too. Every snow gun on the
mountain was running... all day long.

uglymoney wrote:

On Mon, 09 Jan 2006 17:40:19 GMT, "Norm"
wrote:
[snip]
Well, no. But not particularily agressive, not then anyway. We regretted it
mostly because once we got out there we took pity on them and gave them our
goggles.
I've pulled away from an accident scene with a tobogan and had to stop to
pull down my goggles because it was uncomfortable, and I don't pull a loaded
rig all that fast.

Bottom line - yeah, you could get along without them, but I think you would
prefer not to.



True, but plowing down a bunny run for the first time isn't exactly
the same as an introductory scuba course.

I'll toss in a data point. I teach young kids, mostly on a bunny hill,
and when the flakes start blowing or a cold wind starts blowing, they
want their goggles on.

The original poster is balking at ponying a few bucks for ski socks.
I think we can assume that money is an issue. I can say with absolute
certainty that I skied my first time without goggles. What if this
family hates the sport?

Then you sell the gear to someone who likes it. Or, better yet, you
_borrow_ gear for your first time out.

In article Tmvwf.1762$JT3.1188@trndny06, Mary Malmros
wrote:


The socks are real, real important to get right, because the wrong ones
will result in more discomfort than you can imagine. Wool socks are
fine if they're the right kind, designed for skiing, but you do NOT want
the sort of bulky socks that are for other activities. And, by the way,
as far as "expensive" and "special" go, I don't find that ski socks are
so dramatically different from decent socks for any other activity. Buy
proper running socks, they cost. Buy proper tennis socks, they cost.
Buy proper hiking socks, they cost Fail to buy proper socks, for
running or tennis or skiing or a lot of other activities, and you'll pay
the difference in blood and blisters.

As for kids' ski socks, it's too bad your local shops don't carry them
retail, but they're easy to find online. Just do a websearch for
"children's ski socks" -- I did that and found
http://www.activesportswearoutlet.co...kids_socks.htm which has
several options. Don't buy snowboard socks instead. If time is short,
give the kids some money and tell them to buy them at the mountain,
which should have them.


Thanks for the advice. When I talked of "expensive", the link you
referred price them around $10, local stores are pricing adult ones at
around $40, I must say I used the word "expensive" correctly!

Anyway, I am going to buy them some thin socks and order some from the
site you referred, you are right about the time constraint, otherwise I
won't be that desperate. Let them buy their own is a good idea, only
that we have never let the kids tried buying anything before, may be
that's our fault, but as it is, too late to change that now.

Thanks again.

Didn't know my questions would invite different opinions, any way,
thank you all for your great advices, and Norm, the water leak is a
great point I've never thought of.

With all your advices, I now know much better what my kids will
probably be facing and am feeling much more comfortable to let them go
on their skiing class.

Thanks to all again. You are great.

Zonta wrote:


Anyway, I am going to buy them some thin socks and order some from the
site you referred, you are right about the time constraint, otherwise I
won't be that desperate. Let them buy their own is a good idea, only
that we have never let the kids tried buying anything before, may be
that's our fault, but as it is, too late to change that now.

Well, what's the deal -- are they going all by themselves, with no
adults? Is that a good idea?

In article C4Gwf.1868$JT3.489@trndny06, Mary Malmros
wrote:

Well, what's the deal -- are they going all by themselves, with no
adults? Is that a good idea?

No, not at all a good idea, but I leaned about it only after
registering them in, I was told that they will be attended full time by
instructor so adult supervison is not needed and not prepared for, we
are only to drop them off at pickup point and return to pick them up
when they are finished. I hated it much when they reminded me that
there is a no-refund no-transfer policy. Should have asked more
questions before putting them in!

Zonta wrote:

In article C4Gwf.1868$JT3.489@trndny06, Mary Malmros
wrote:


Well, what's the deal -- are they going all by themselves, with no
adults? Is that a good idea?


No, not at all a good idea, but I leaned about it only after
registering them in, I was told that they will be attended full time by
instructor so adult supervison is not needed and not prepared for, we
are only to drop them off at pickup point and return to pick them up
when they are finished.

Jeez, that's no big deal -- that's how ski schools are run. Instructors
_are_ adults, you know, and have much more experience than the average
parent, teacher, or adult field-trip ride-along at keeping kids safe on
a ski slope. I work in a school that runs like this, and believe me,
the kids are always under "adult supervision". And with beginners,
parental presence usually does more harm than good.

"Chuck" wrote in message
newswzwf.2703$Xo5.595@trnddc02...


Couldn't agree more. First timers don't need goggles.

Actually, mine do Chuck. I have them going 20 or
25 mph before they can even turn.




I skied for
probably 2 years without them. The thing that finally convinced me to
but a pair however was not skiing, but riding the quad in Bretton Woods.
It got real cold and windy on that lift and I wished I'd had a pair.
When they went on sale later that year I finally bought them.

Was glad I had them Saturday at Bear Creek too. Every snow gun on the
mountain was running... all day long.

foot2foot wrote:
"Chuck" wrote

Couldn't agree more. First timers don't need goggles.

Actually, mine do Chuck. I have them going 20 or
25 mph before they can even turn.

Goggles, or the lack thereof, is probably the least of your never-ever
students' problem.

//Walt