Starting to ski again?

Question

I use to ski I did it for 6 years (5-11) and then I snowboarded for 3 (12-15) and Im gunna ski next season and I don't know what quality of equipment to purchase or how fast it will take to become good again

Answer 1

i was about 5-9 when i first started skiing then i started snowboarding at 11 for about 5 years and have recently just taken up skiing again and i was still as good as i was when i was 9 i was bombing down in no time...

although i must say first couple of runs were not the best haha

so i suggest going to a ski shop and asking to try them out for a week, don't rent you don't know what c**p they will give you, they gave me a c**p board once and i was having problems, so first time back on ski's i suggest going to a ski shop and asking for a demo

: )

Answer 2

I was in the same boat not long ago. I skied often as a kid (8-12ish), but never during high school. (I had no friends to go with!) However, when I got back into it recently, I purchased beginner skis, just because they were the cheapest available. I also under-rated my skills. I guess I must have assumed I had forgotten how to ski. Big mistake! As a result, I now go on double black diamonds with Rossignol Actys 100s, which are meant for "slow to medium speeds" (according to the Rossignol website). I also started skiing a bit on ungroomed surfaces, which these skis are definitely NOT made for! So my advice to you is: 1) Don't under-rate yourself. Skiing skills don't go away... and 2) Buy equipment that is good enough for your skill level.

Answer 3

How good where you? My mum took a twenty year break not skiing, she stopped when she moved from Toronto Canada to England. When she started again it took a few runs to warm up and she was good again, of course you will not be at you peek but if you keep trying to learn more better techniques you will surley get better.

Answer 4

Once you get back up on the slopes, it will all come back to you.  Try an easy hill first, and if you feel like that one is simple, you can progress to a harder hill. I personally like the Rossignol skis, because they glide nicely and are easy to maneuver. You can rent skis, and test them out. Once you have skied before, it is easy to get back on the slopes, especially the easy ones. Good luck!

Answer 5

1) Rent, don't buy skis - but DON'T go to the rental shop.  Go to the ski shop and demo a good pair of skis.  After 5-10 days on snow you'll know how good you are and what kind of skis to get.

2) If your feet have stopped growing buy a good pair of boots.  Not top of the line, but those designed for an advanced skier, but not racer.

3) Take a lesson.  A good instructor can bring you back in a lot less time than you can do on your own.  Technique continues to evolve along with the equipment.

This will cost you some money, but it will be all worth it.

I am an instructor and had a guy this year who hadn't skied in 20-yrs.  About half way down on the first run he just stopped and looked at me so excitedly and said. "d**n, I forgot how much FUN this is."  I'm sure you will have a similar experience.

Good luck.

Bob

Answer 6

Start shopping now all of the ski sales are going full bore on demo and in some cases rental equipment. At your age, buy a good pair of ski boots that fit your feet correctly. Since you are still growing, be ready to replace the boots every year for the next 4 years, so get stingy about the expense. Try different brands and models between now and next season, time your purchase just after your next growth spurt. This way your boots should last a full season. Do not buy too large "so you'll have room to grow," a ski boot must fit tight.  Choose your skiis according to your skill and use. Many instructors are selling the pair of skiis they used for teaching this last season at a good price. Most of these are used not abused. Shop around the ski areas, you may find a deal. The boots will be the major problem to get fit correctly and comfortable for your use next season.

If you are going to ski park, you'll want a different ski than if you are free riding the whole mountain.  Shop on line, do lots of research and talk to your friends.  Try a demo day at the local area.

Answer 7

Im pretty sure it will all come back to you. I learned how to ski when I was 4 and kept it up, then when I was about 10 I learned how to snowboard and I did it ever now and then, but then stopped.  I just tried it again this year and it all came back to me like a never stopped snowboarding!  

When looking for ski gear you should think about what kind of skiing you are going to be doing.  Do you want to hit up the park and do some jumps and rails, or do you just like flying down the hill?

I personally like twin tip skis, they seem to be able to do it all.

Answer 8

I just took my family up a month ago for the first time.  I grew up skiing and was away from for 15 years.  I rented since my old skis were antiques.  The newer parabolics made skiing a snap.  No more jump turn and fighting my old straight skis.  Getting back was easy.  I bought all four sets for my family used from rental warehouse online.  Just got them so don't know how they will work.  Just make sure if you buy used they aren't more then 3 or 4 years old or you may have difficulty finding a tech to adjust them.  There's a list of bindings called the indeminifed list that I didn't know about when I started buying.  I just hope my skis don't fall into the old binding catagory. Have fun!!  I didn't know how much I missed it until I got there.