I'm really big into skiing and I think it's about time for me to buy my own... questions about them...?

Question

i know how to ski, but i don't know much about what to do with the skiis. if i buy my own, what do i buy them based on? what are "shaped skiis"? what are "ski boards"? what kind of care do i need to give my skiis to keep them in good shape? i go skiing 5-10 times a year, is it worth buying my own pair? what about boots and bindings? any information you can provide would be good :] thanks.

Answer 1

If you are ready to start buying your own equipment, my recommendation is to buy your boots first. You can always rent decent skis from a ski shop, but if you are serious about skiing, you need your own boots.

With out a doubt, ski boots are by far the most important ski equipment purchase you are going to make.  Owning a good pair ski boots is a must if you want to advance in skiing.  Since the ski boot is the transmitter of your skiing movements to the ski, the right boot will help you improve as a skier. Now because you do not know exactly the type of boot you want and need, use the internet and magazine reviews for research only.

Since there are so many ski boots which come in all types and sizes for all types of skiers, the only real way to know which boot is right for your skiing ability and foot shape is to try them on. I am talking about multiple pairs of boots from different makers. In order to do this, you need to get yourself to a ski shop. Now you wouldn't buy your surf board in Nebraska before going to surf in Hawaii, so get your ski gear in a ski town. The better shops carry multiple brands of boots to accommodate all levels and types of skiers.

I suggest you look for a ski shop affiliated with America’s Best Boot Fitters, http://www.bootfitters.com/. The boot fitters at these shops have attended seminars taught by the best of the best in the industry and have the best knowledge to deal with all kinds of foot issues (bone spurs, hammer toes, nerve damage, etc). They can also help determine what else you may need in terms of canting and foot beds. Any expert skier will tell you to spend the extra money for the custom foot bed, they all use them.

Now be prepared to stay for a while. Unless you have the perfect foot, a good boot fitting will take a couple of hours, along with maybe a couple of return visits for tune ups. You must go in with the mind set that boot fitting is a process. It takes time to identify a problem and work it out. Often times fixing one thing identifies another which needs to be fixed. So go in prepared.

Lastly and this is important. Mentally get it into your head that you will not be put into a ski boot which is BIGGER than your street shoe size. Your foot will just be swimming inside of it and it will not help you get any better. Upper level skiers all have boots which are the same as their street shoe or smaller. It is a question of control and performance.

Going in mentally prepared for the process and the time it will take, will make the experience more enjoyable. The pay off will be happy feet in a ski boot which can help take your skiing to the next level.

After you get boots, then look into skis.  Odds are the same shop you buy your boots from will have rental skis.  A lot of higher end shops rent what are called "demo" skis.  These are rental skis which are the same as the retail skis the shop sells.  Often times a ski shop will offer to take the cost of the rental off the purchase price of the ski if you choose to buy.  This affords you the opportunity to try out a different pair of skis each day to see which one you like the best before committing to buy one.

However right now save your money and buy your boots first.

Cheers.

Answer 2

You will have to maintain your equipment well to recoup the cost of skis over renting. with you only skiing 7/8 times a year you will need to get atleast three or four seasons out of your skis to warrent the extra cost of buying vs. renting and that doesn't take into consideration cost of maintainance and hassle of transporting skis with you.

Personally I hate renting skis. I like knowing how my equipment performs and what they are capable of doing before I tackle a run so I don't care about the costs

One of the best ways to get started is to just buy boots. They are your most important piece of equipment and have virtually no maintenance issues aswell as being easy to transport around...no luggage rack required. Boots will last alot longer than a pair of skis. The added bonus of owning your own boots(besides the icky "how many feet have been in these?" feeling) is you get an accurate impressing of the skis you are renting so you can decide later, when you're ready to purchase, which skis you liked using. It's really hard to get an impression of ski preformance when you are using different boots. The money you save by not renting boots can also be used to upgrade from the standard rental ski to a high performance demo ski.

If I were in your position, skiing as rarely as you do, I would purchase a really good fitting boot(expect to pay atleast $450) and a pair of poles(about $20) both of which fit easily in the trunk of your car and don't require any maintenance. Rent skis when you get to the hill. It'll only take a minute for them to size up a pair of skis to your boots unlike the 1/2hr it takes to find a pair of rental boots that halfway sortof fit.

Answer 3

Okay you have a couple questions there.  Lets see what I can tell you.  

Ski boards are miniature skis that allow you to do skating type moves.  They feel like skates and are supposed to be pretty easy to use.  No poles needed either.  People that have them swear they are a lot of fun.  They aren't too stable at high speed though.  DO NOT GET THE ONES WITH NON RELEASABLE BINDINGS!!  I work ski patrol and have seen a couple people break their lower leg and destroy their knees from using skiboards with fixed bindings.  They make ones now with releasable bindings.  

Skis now are made with a sidecut or kind of an hourglass shape instead of having straight sides.  That is why they are called shaped.  They are much easier to learn on.  

If you go 5-10 times then it will probably be worth it to get your  own skis.  Having your own gear will allow you to become a better skier as you will know how good your edges are and know how your equipment performs.   You will need boots and poles of course.  

A good place to get equipment is a local ski shop or one near a ski area.  You can get demos from the previous year usually for a good price.  They may be a little beat up but as long as the edges and bases are in good shape you are fine.  

You probably want to get skis about the same size as the rentals that you are using.  

Make sure the edges are in good shape and the bases are in good shape.  Take them to the shop before each season for a tune and hot wax.  If you have the desire you can learn how to tune and wax your skis yourself.  Here is a link with DIY info:

http://www.harbskisystems.com/tuninginde...

Boots can be expensive but good ones are key to enjoying skiing and maintaining control.  New ones will fill a little extra tight but will pack out after a couple uses.  Make sure that your bindings and boots are compatible and that the boots fit into the bindings.  

A good shop can help you find some decent gear.  Ask other people you ski with or that you know who ski by you for advice on places near you that are reputable.

Answer 4

It is worth buying your own if you ski that often. Another question may be how much growing do you have left to do?

If you can buy used, then go for it. It's based on your height and skiing ability. You'll probably want skis that are as tall as your forehead.

Do they have a ski sale where you live?  Sometimes high schools have used ski equipment sales or if you live near a mountain like I do. They have used ski equipment sales.

You can buy new but it's expensive. Plan on spending at least $500 if you go new.  You'll still pay at least $300 if you buy used.

Answer 5

Before you buy anything it's best you take a voyage to your local ski shop. Ask the sales folks to explain some of the differences. They will show you what a twin-tip is versus what a skiblade/skiboard. They can explain what a Freestyle ski is used for and what an All-Mountian ski is good for.

Pick up "Ski", "Skiing", "Freeskier", or "Backcountry" magazines. The annual ski review issues give excellent information about skis, boots, and bindings. Many of those magazines post their reviews on their website as well. Additionally there are many skiing web-forums where you can read reviews about skis.

BEFORE you buy anything. Demo some skis of different styles, sizes, shapes and find out what you like to ride on. I LOVE trying different stuff myself. Even though I own six pairs of skis, give me something new to try and I'm all about it.

You'll find the ski shops may charge you only as much to demo a good pair of skis as the ski hill rental shop will charge you to rent a cheap pair of crappy skis. Plus, a lot of places will put your demo fees towards a new pair of skis. They will also most likely work with you on a package plan and give you some discounts. This is standard operating procedure. Ski equipment is intentionally marked high so the shops can give you a discount and still make money.

Go to a real bootfitter for your boots. Most high end ski shops have a certified bootfitter. The boot fit is so important and paying a little more for the correct fit will make all of the difference. They will ask you a lot of questions and they will spend some time getting you into the correct boot.

Even if you only ski 5-10 times a year, a good ski package can last you many years if maintained correctly. A $30 annual tune-up and a $15 wax job every 5-8 trips may be all you need. Again, the ski shop can give you lots of info on how to keep your stuff in good condition both between ski days and when you store it for the off-season.