Whats the new thing??

Love to Ski · Feb 8, 2009

Ok so as I have said before, I have been out of the skiing world for 4-5yrs... I have Alpina skis that about that old and the same with my solomon boots. I am just curious as to what is all your opinions on whats the new and better skis and boots? They are still in great condition but I think I want to see whats the update. Should I look online for new ones or go to my local ski joint? What do you all think?? I am probably getting new next season and work with what I have this season but I still would like to get back on to the up and up... thanx in advance.

o3jeff · Feb 8, 2009

Here's the standard answer everyone is going to tell you, go to a good boot fitter to get your boots and as far as skis, hit the demo days to try out as many skis as you can and then decide what YOU like.

Love to Ski · Feb 8, 2009

o3jeff said:
Here's the standard answer everyone is going to tell you, go to a good boot fitter to get your boots and as far as skis, hit the demo days to try out as many skis as you can and then decide what YOU like.

demo days??

o3jeff · Feb 8, 2009

It's where the ski manufacturer goes to a ski area so people can demo their skis. Or talk to Trekchick here on the forums, I think she has tried or owned most all skis that have come out in the past few years.

Love to Ski · Feb 8, 2009

how do i find out when the demo days are coming to my local slopes? Do they advertise it or what?

gmcunni · Feb 8, 2009

there is a forum here dedicated to gear, you might find some good info there reading through recent threads. there is also a sticky post listing upcoming demo days.

Love to Ski · Feb 8, 2009

Great, thanx... I didnt see that but ill look. I appreciate it.

Geoff · Feb 8, 2009

Things have not changed all that much with boots in many years. If you bought your boots from a good shop and a competent boot fitter, and if the flex pattern is appropriate, you should be counting ski days on them, not how many years they've been sitting in your closet. Unless you are a really strong and agressive skier, boots are usually good for at least 150 days. Boot heater technology has gotten better. If you get cold feet, consider Hotroncs aftermarket boot heaters. If you don't have custom footbeds, most people consider those essential. If you don't own one, a boot dryer is also a very good accessory.

The trend in skis is that people are going wider as ski technology has improved. A ski with an 80 mm waist still has pretty good edge grip and you also get great float in soft snow. That's the sweet spot in every product line for the eastern market and everybody makes an all mountain ski in that class. The K2 Apache Recon and K2 Lotta Luv woman's ski are examples of the breed where they're equally at home on groomed hardpack and ungroomed soft snow. I've tried quite a few models and didn't find any that performed poorly.

Demo days are days at ski resorts where the demo vans show up and you can try out a number of skis. They normally happen fairly early in the season when people are buying skis. Most ski shops have some kind of performance demo program where you can apply the rental price towards the purchase of a pair of skis. It's usually a better strategy to demo during the season and then buy skis on sale in the spring sales or over the internet. eBay is a very good source for skis at half price or better once you know exactly what you want to buy. It's worth paying somewhat more to buy boots from a good shop with a diverse product line and a competent boot fitter. You're paying for the service and the shop really isn't making much from you. There's no advantage to paying anything close to that for skis & bindings. Ditto clothing and accessories where ski shop markups are enormous.

RichH · Feb 8, 2009

Good advice above, especially for Geoff.

I'd add that I suggest skiing for a few days before you start demoing other skis. I've you've not hit the snow for 5 years, you'll need a few days to get back into the swing of things. You'll then be much better at comparing your current skis to the ones you demo.

ZYDECORICH · Feb 8, 2009

Geoff said:
Things have not changed all that much with boots in many years. If you bought your boots from a good shop and a competent boot fitter, and if the flex pattern is appropriate, you should be counting ski days on them, not how many years they've been sitting in your closet. Unless you are a really strong and agressive skier, boots are usually good for at least 150 days. Boot heater technology has gotten better. If you get cold feet, consider Hotroncs aftermarket boot heaters. If you don't have custom footbeds, most people consider those essential. If you don't own one, a boot dryer is also a very good accessory.

The trend in skis is that people are going wider as ski technology has improved. A ski with an 80 mm waist still has pretty good edge grip and you also get great float in soft snow. That's the sweet spot in every product line for the eastern market and everybody makes an all mountain ski in that class. The K2 Apache Recon and K2 Lotta Luv woman's ski are examples of the breed where they're equally at home on groomed hardpack and ungroomed soft snow. I've tried quite a few models and didn't find any that performed poorly.

Demo days are days at ski resorts where the demo vans show up and you can try out a number of skis. They normally happen fairly early in the season when people are buying skis. Most ski shops have some kind of performance demo program where you can apply the rental price towards the purchase of a pair of skis. It's usually a better strategy to demo during the season and then buy skis on sale in the spring sales or over the internet. eBay is a very good source for skis at half price or better once you know exactly what you want to buy. It's worth paying somewhat more to buy boots from a good shop with a diverse product line and a competent boot fitter. You're paying for the service and the shop really isn't making much from you. There's no advantage to paying anything close to that for skis & bindings. Ditto clothing and accessories where ski shop markups are enormous.

excellent advice! sums it all up. spring sales, even late spring early summer are the best times to buy stuff. get good mittens your hands will thank you later..

Geoff · Feb 8, 2009

Oh.... and most of the world has transitioned over to helmets. Helmets are like ski boots. You have to try on a number of brands and models to see what fits your head. I like the Giro Omen since it has separate front and rear vent controls. It's a $200 helmet but you see them on TramDock.com once in a while for around $88.00. Chances are that you'll find a different model that fits you better. You may luck out but most people end up having to buy different goggles that properly fit their helmet. ...again, find the goggle that works and then shop it on ebay, the various ski gear eTailers, and the spring sales that will be happening in a couple of months.

Mittens are a good suggestion. In the month of January, I think I used gloves maybe once or twice.

High fashion this year is the bandana Steeze look.

severine · Feb 9, 2009

Am I correct in assuming you're of the female persuasion? In addition to Trekchick, you may also want to check out the gear reviews on theskidiva.com ~ the women there are very knowledgeable and have a lot of experience that you'll find beneficial right now. Other than that, get thee to a reputable bootfitter first and foremost. Skis are worthless without boots that fit right.

Love to Ski · Feb 9, 2009

Yes I am a female. I have boots, skis, poles, and all other gear... I was just interested in the upgrades that have occured over the years with skis. I would like to get a new set (maybe) next season. I was curious to see what you all thought was some good sets. I'll check out those sites as well though.

severine · Feb 9, 2009

You have the basics covered, so that's great. What skier level were you at when you stopped skiing? You'll want to be sure to get something that allows advancement instead of cramping your growth. What kind of conditions are you planning on skiing mostly? Are you looking to get into the park? Moguls? Glades? Or mostly groomers? Racing or cruising? Do you like damp or lively skis? Forgiving or something that requires the driver to be in control at all times?

Definitely, everybody is touting the value of a mid-fat ski as the all-around, all-mountain ski. Twin-tips are also gaining interest as all-mountain skis; they're not just for the park. But you need to consider where you'll use them mostly to figure out which would suit your needs best. Once you've figured that out, definitely look for end of season sales or even eBay (with reputable sellers, of course). No need to spend a fortune, unless you want to.

riverc0il · Feb 9, 2009

Not a ton has changed in skis during the past 4-5 years. Over the last eight years there have been big changes and more than a dozen years ago skis were radically different. During the last four to five years, standard ski width for most skiers has increased which has given skiers better performance on natural snow without taking much away from the groomers. However, groomer only skiers still ski on somewhat skinny skis with hard pack performance skis still having a waist 70mm or less. The other thing I have noticed with carving oriented skis is that there is more ski to "load up on". In other words, the ski is a lot thicker under boot than at the tip and tail. And another development has been "system" skis on which you buy both the binding and the ski together and the binding sits on some sort of flexible system rather than being drilled into the ski.

If you have a ski made half a dozen years ago, not a ton has changed but skis have certainly progressed. Older than half a dozen years ago... you could probably benefit from the changes in technology and it may be time to look into something new. Last years models can often be found online for two or three bills. If anything, buying skis is a lot cheaper than it used to be. My most expensive ski purchase ever was in 1998!

Whats the new thing??

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