Chea, I wanna convert.

[Chris I]

I have been watching powder vids on youtube for a few minutes. I need to start skiing.

I wanna pick up a decent pair of ski's. I go in the woods, a lot. So I know i'll need some fat skis.

I'm 6'1, 230lbs. I I know that i'll be a good skiier, I've played hockey my whole life and pick up on things quickly. I don't wanna go out and buy a 'beginer' package and waste my money.

What are some suggestions for skis/bindings. And ballpark prices. Obviously I'd like to get a bang for my buck.

Should I just get AT bindings right off the rip?

I know nothing about skiing, so any help would be cool- because I'm lazy and don't really know where to look.

 

[bvibert]

If it were me I'd look for good deals on used stuff. If you find a good deal on something then look it up and see if it sounds like something that would work for you based on reviews. Being that you've never skied before you don't really know what your gear preferences are. By going used you keep the costs down in the event that you don't take to it.

If you know you're going to be touring right off the bat then I'd say getting AT bindings is probably a good idea. If not then I'd stick with regular alpine bindings for now.

 

[Greg]

No offense, but buying fat skis with the expectation of jumping into the woods and skiing powder early on is a bit unrealistic IMO. I've never snowboarded, but if I decided to try it it would be on a rental board on the bunny hill for sure. Rent skis and see if you like it on some mellow groomers first.

 

[cbcbd]

Wait, I'm confused... you're saying that you want to learn how to ski... but you go in the woods a lot... what do you do now, snowboard?

weird, I've always envied snowboarders in the deep powder...looks like a lot of fun.
ya know, you can still tour with a snowboard, or just buy a split board.

 

[BeanoNYC]

What type of rider are you? Are you a cruiser? Park rat?

 

[Chris I]

Yeah, ive been riding for like 9 years. I'm everything but a park rat. It hurts wayyy to much.

Don't get me wrong riding pow is sick, it just looks fun on skis too.

Skiing looks pretty easy.

Can somebody just give me a sweet set-up? I'm a good person, i deserve it.

I don't want to rent, i feel like renting is such a waste of money... how much does it cost to rent anyway?

 

[snowmonster]

Alright, I'll be nice to you. Renting should set you back about $30 to $40 per day for regular skis and boots. If you want a higher end ski, it'll set you back about $50+. The reason a lot of folks here are asking you to demo is that it's the best way to determine the type of ski you will actually enjoy. Some shops will let you demo their high performance skis then, if you decide that you want to buy a ski from them, they'll discount the rental price you already paid. They'll also allow you to switch different ski models throughout the ski day so you can compare before you commit.

Another advantage to renting at the start is that you get to learn on shorter skis. Longer skis are harder to turn as a beginner. If you invest in long skis from the start, you will probably spend your beginner days wrestling with them. If you invest in short or short-ish skis at the outset, you'll be giving them away someday because you've outgrown them.

If you really want to buy your own equipment, start with the boots. Go to a shop and try on as many boots as you can and get the right fit. Insist on shell-sizing the boot so the salesguy knows that you're serious. If you're committed to the sport and will be in it for the long haul, get a boot in the intermediate/advanced category or in the 90 to 110 flex range (the stiffer the boot, the higher the skill level to drive them). They may be stiff for a beginner but hopefully your skill level catches up with the equipment. Bootfitting is a very subjective thing so I won't go into brands and models here. The right boot is the one that fits. You can buy the boots first then rent skis until you find the right one. But, get the boot out of the way first.

As for skis, since you'll be skiing in the East but want to eventually venture into the woods, you may want to look for an intermediate or advanced mid-fat ski -- soft enough to be forgiving, narrow enough for the groomers (and ice) but wide enough to float you in the trees. Look for a ski with a 78 to 84 waist. You may want to get a ski with a system binding though so you don't have to worry about that. I think it's way to early to think of an AT set-up. Work yourself up to that as you go along. I'm partial to Rossis so I would recommend either their 78 to 80 waisted freeride skis. Depending on the year, this model was called either the B2 or B78. This year, it was reincarnated as the SC80. Though they are sold flat (no binding), the manufacturer usually recommends a binding with it which you should just go with.

 

[Chris I]

Snowmonster. you are by far the coolest one that has posted on here. Thanks for all the info. I'll deff do a demo day.. I think the local shop holds one at Gore early in the year. I'll go in and make them bring a pair of boots for me

Have a good vets. day sucka

 

[snowmonster]

Glad to help.

 

[mattchuck2]

If I were you, I'd buy these skis:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=150308668697

And these boots:

http://www.evogear.com/outlet/alpine-ski-boots/lange-freeride-110-2008.aspx


Even hardcore rippers would be impressed with that setup . . .

 

[o3jeff]

Here you go
http://forums.alpinezone.com/41176-rossignol-bandit-b78-respect-bindings.html

 

[BeanoNYC]

I would go with something wider but fun. Volkl Bridge or K2 Public enemy. At 230 pounds, but a beginner I'd go with something in the low 170's. If you decide to start spending some real money on ski equipment focus on your boots first.

 

[marcski]

Yeah, ive been riding for like 9 years. I'm everything but a park rat. It hurts wayyy to much.

Don't get me wrong riding pow is sick, it just looks fun on skis too.

Skiing looks pretty easy.

There is a t-shirt at Alta:

"If Skiing were easy, they'd call it Snowboarding"

 

[Chris I]

Nice piece of trolling .. almost believable ...

Obviously cooler than you!:flame:

Here you go
http://forums.alpinezone.com/41176-rossignol-bandit-b78-respect-bindings.html

If I were home I would have bought them. I assume that you bought them for me? I'll send you the money in the morning, and pick them up this weekend.

*Even if not, they have them on ebay for $460+30 shipping.. going to look into it