I am thinking about taking up skiing, what brand of skiis (and equipment) should I consider buying?

Question

I would love to ski (I've never skied before, however, I am an avid hockey player; I know how to skate very well)!

Any brands I should stay clear from? Any I should consider?

I don't need anything top of the line, yet I don't want anything that will only last me a few months.

Any advice regarding the topic of skiing would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time!

PS. I should mention, I am looking for downhill skis, not cross-country skis. If there is a difference?

Answer 1

rent  for the first year until you can see for yourself what feels good. your ski's will be determined by how fast you progress and how much you get to go. ski length and bindings are determined by your height, weight and skiing ability. poles are determined by your height. the piece of equipment you should get first (other than a warm outer layer of clothing) is boots and only you can feel what fits your foot. a bad pair of boots can make the difference between a great day, progress as a skier or a black toe. what i am saying here will probably get thumbed down but this is very basic stuff. don't let anyone give you a bunch of high end bs, everyone has a favorite and a dislike. i ski K2 escapes with marker m82 bindings but, my boots are circa 1992 raichle rear entry (go ahead and laugh, they still meet din). why because that's what feels good, not because its what i can afford. last year i bought a pair of boots and i'm still trying to break them in (heated, streched and all).

Answer 2

There is a big difference between cross country and alpine skiis. Also telemark and alpine and terrain park equipment.

The most important piece of equipment is the boots. Your boots must fit TIGHT around your foot and ankle, they should support your foot without pain but allow for some discomfort. Spend at least 3-4 hours in the shop before you decide about the boots. Buckle them as tight as you can and take your time with this most important purchase.

Go to the ski area near you and take a series of lessons that will include at least 3 days of rentals and lift tickets and class lessons. A mid week lesson is usually less  crowded than the weekend. After you have taken the lessons, go to a "Demo Days" event near you. This will let you try several different brands and models on the same day and slope conditions. Note which ski you like best and the second best. Also consult with a good boot fitter about what you will need for canting in your boots and also the ramp angle of your bindings.  After all of this, you should be able to make a rational selection about the purchase of skiis.

  Also learn how you like your edges tuned and the boards waxed. A bad edge or the wrong or no wax will make the best ski seem like a slug and a good tune will make a intermediate ski seem like a race car.

Answer 3

As middle-of-the-road skis go, just about every brand has a quality All-Mountain ski. While I personally prefer K2 and Volant skis, I also like Head, Atomic, and Volkl. I used Dynastar skis for racing (years ago) and have used Rossignol skis many times as well. As far as brands go, I'm not overly inclined to say that any of them outright suck.

Before you even look at any skis you should ask yourself two questions:

#1: Do you want a ski that will perform well all over the mountain or do you want skis that will perform well in a terrain park?

#2: What snow conditions are you most likely to be skiing on?

If you plan to ski mostly in a terrain park and want to do tricks, then you should look at Twin Tip skis. There are lots of brands such as Armada, Line, 4Front, K2, and Head are some brands that most easily cross my mind. If you plan to ski all over the mountain and don't want to do tricks, then skis from just about any brand will fit the bill.

If you live in the East and will be skiing on snow that is mostly man made, then I suggest you look for skis that have a more narrow width. If you live somewhere out West where deeper snow is fairly common, then a wider ski would be the way I would go.

The folks at any ski shop will be able to help you start to choose the right skis once you know the answers to Questions #1 and #2.

I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but buying a ski package is a hefty investment, even if you get good deals. Since you haven't skied before, you would do yourself a favor to demo a few types of skis before you buy. At your ability level, you don't have sufficient understanding of the sport to determine the slight differences between skis. When you finally get on the snow, you will be too concerned with learning how to ski and won't be able to concentrate on how the skis are performing. That's not meant to be insulting, that's just the way it is. If you have never eaten a cheesecake before, how would you know if your first cheesecake was a good cheesecake? The same applies to skis, ski boots, bindings, and ski gear in general.

One way to learn more about the equipment is to read the various ski magazines' reviews. There are a lot of them. Ski Magazine and Skiing Magazine can usually be found at the supermarket. Freeskier, Backcountry, and some of the more specialized publications can usually be found at Bookstores and in gear stores. Likewise, magazines such as Outside, N'East, and National Geographic Adventure often focus on skiing in their fall and winter issues. There are lots of books you could buy or borrow and there are plenty of skiing related websites where you can get info on skis, skiing, ski tips, and ski reviews. Heck...if you can post a message here, you can certainly Google all of that info.

Go pay a visit to a ski shop...take a friend who knows about skiing with you. Ask the people who work there to show you the skis and explain the equipment. That really is the best thing I can tell you to do at your ability level.

Good Luck!

PS...Downhill skis are different than Cross-Country. You know that already...that's important!