Buying downhill skis! Please help me out...?

Question

I need any advice I can get, about anything! I have never bought skis before. I am a fairly petite/skinny person at about 5' 4'' and 105-110 pounds. I have skied all my life but I don't go that often. I would call myself a beginner/ intermediate skier. I usually spend my time on intermediate (blue) slopes. I have done black diamonds and even a double black but I consider myself a cautious person, and would rather take it easy on the blues. I almost always ski on piste, but that's not to say I won't do a little skiing off the trail in some snow for a little fun :)

I would like ski's that give me lots of control (but some speed, sometimes I like to take risks), that are for on-piste, that will last me a long time, that are versatile, and that require little maintenance. Most of all I want to BE COMFORTABLE and HAVE FUN. And please, nothing outrageously expensive at all! The design DOESN'T MATTER, but I would rather have something that isn't too ugly or dates quickly if you know what I mean.

I know that I need to buy boots, bindings, and skis. Which should I get the highest quality of. I heard that the bindings matter more than the skis, is that true?? Also, which do you buy first? Which last? Also, what are some of your favorite brands?

I would love to hear from anyone who has ever bought skis before. Please help me out!! THANK YOU SO MUCH

Answer 1

Well if you are a beginner , Buying the right ski's and bindings is crucial . I would start with a shorter Ski maybe as tall as you are and the bindings are set to your weight so be specific about your weight when having your bidings set up on your ski's. The reason for this is if you fall "You want your Ski's to come off" They have little brakes on the side that will stop them from just going in any direction after they come off. This is so you dont get injured. My favorite Ski's are by " K2" and then there are "Rossignal" They are really nice too.My favorite Bindings are by Solomon" .Go to a nice ski shop and someone there will help you out with a nice pair of Ski's Poles and Bindings and of course boots. My favorite boots are by Nordica or Solomon. They are nice looking warm and do the job. I hope this helps and HAPPY SKIING

Answer 2

Buy the best pair of boots you can that fit your foot properly, have custom foot beds installed, get checked for cant and ramp. Then you can consider a pair of skis and bindings. Since you do not ski every weekend for 2-3 days, you might consider a season rental package. This enables you to get a pair for use this season and try them out. The ski design is changing very fast and new styles come out every year.  K2 has a women's line that is highly respected. It is designed for women, with a better balance point and flex pattern for a woman's body structure.  Go to a ski shop this week.  Many big sales are starting this week. You are basically asking for the perfect ski & binding package.  Good luck. Buy the boots first.

Answer 3

Bindings are definitely not as important as the ski itself, unless MAYBE if you are a racer or freestyle skiier. I understand some people who think that boots are more important than the ski, because a boot fit is absolutely critical for several reasons, including safety, control, balance, and the list goes on and on. It is definitely a good idea to get the boots fit by someone in person. Buying boots over the internet almost guarantees that you won't get the right fit, and that can ruin everything. Once you've chosen a boot, made sure it fits, go on to choose a ski

As for an intermediate ski, I would recommend looking at a few different brands. Blizzard makes great skis, and they're usually cheaper as a smaller company. Most of their skis are pretty high level, even their intermediate ones, so you might go for a more all round company like Atomic, Rossignol, or Elan. Atomic has a fabulous line of supercross skis which balance the control and speed of a race ski with the versatility of an off piste ski. This would be their SX line, and you'd want a lower number like SX7 or maybe SX5. Other companies have similar supercross skis, if you wanted to check those out too.

http://www.atomicsnow.com/int/products/a...

Answer 4

Go into a ski shop. Act like you want to buy, but tell them your saving up for everything and will be back soon. So they think. Most of the stuff they sell is marked up and over priced. So once they tell you what you are sized up ( ski boot mondo size, flex index/ ski length and pole size. Then take a look at ebay or something and buy them for 1/2 the price. That is what I did and saved alot of money and I had good quality equipment and look good on the slopes as well. good luck

Also ski shops and online store are getting rid of last years stuff. they mark it down  and make room for 2009

www.ebay.com

search for women skis, poles and boots.

Answer 5

Marker Bindings(http://www.markerusa.com/)- Cheap, reliable, easily changed when you get better.

Poles- The cheapest thing at your local store. Don't go with the bendy ones 'cus it's really hard to get up. If it's cheap enough, you might like some lightweight ones.  K2 and Scott have a practical monopoly on poles.

Nordica Boots(http://www.nordica.com/site/)- By far the most comfortable, and often with the best latches. I can't say about price, because every brand has expensive and cheap. BOOTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT. When trying them on, it should not be comfortable. Look into getting some Surefoot inserts to add comfort and support.

Atomic Skis(http://www.atomicsnow.com/index.php?id=2... My Favorite brand. Top of the line in every category. Look for an all mountain ski. As you get better and do powder, moguls, etc., you want a little fatter ski, but still with a shape. You will float on the sugar and will simply make wider turns on the groomers. Twin Tips are nice too for powder as well as Park.