Is demoing overrated?

You read it all the time here when folks ask for recommendations: "you really need to demo." Makes a lot of sense; try before you buy, right? However, how often do you actually get a chance to ski the exact ski you are interested in and in all conditions you plan to use the ski in? Sometimes specialty skis like bump skis are almost impossible to find as a demo.

As a matter of fact, I've never owned a ski that I actually demoed beforehand. I've demoed predecessors and the demo did influence the decision a bit, but that's about it. At the end of the day, I've never really been disappointed with any of my skis.

I still would recommend demoing if possible, but I wouldn't discourage someone from buying a ski they had not demoed. I think reading reviews (particularly online from similar skiers) is equally, if not more important.

As you know, I haven't demoed any of the skis I own. Then again, none of the skis I own(ed) were anything special. I don't think Brian has demoed anything he owns(ed) either.

I would think that if you were looking for a higher end, performance-driven ski, then yes, demoing would be essential. You don't want to plunk down $800+++ for something that's not going to work out for you. But you have to consider your needs, your budget, and purely what you're looking to get out of your equipment. And remember that it's not all about the ski. Look at what Brian was able to accomplish with those cheap, beginner Rossi skis he had, after all.

severine said:

Look at all Brian was able to accomplish with those cheap, beginner Rossi skis he had, after all.

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Right, including managing to rip the binding right off the board... :lol: That had to be the tell tale sign that he needed something a little more rugged.

Seriously, Brian was among the most improved AZers last year. We should give out little certificates like in elementary school... :lol:

I would never buy without demoing. Tele gear (skis, boots, and bindings) are quite different and I found it essential to picking out what is right for me. But I've also had no problems finding demos for what I wanted.

Greg said:

Right, including managing to rip the binding right off the board... :lol: That had to be the tell tale sign that he needed something a little more rugged.

Seriously, Brian was among the most improved AZers last year. We should give out little certificates like in elementary school... :lol:

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Hey, he was on his 3rd season with those! I consider them to be a not bad investment, considering. :lol: He did improve vastly getting out with you guys!

i dont know but i have a feeling the answer would be no. I've never demoed but i've been stuck with some real clunkers over the years.

I've gone both ways over the years-purchased skis after demo and purchasing skis never having been on them. I've had good experiences with both. The only time I got snake-bit buying skis was a cold purchase at a ski sale of skis that were too long and too stiff for my ability at the time, many years ago. Even now, I still rent/demo skis occasionally just to try new skis out or to use skis that are more appropriate for a day's conditions that what I have.

I am on my 69th pair of skiis and I have never demoed any of them. Thats not to say i did not research the heck out of them before I purchased them. In all my years I have only bought 1 pair of skiis that I was not happy with. I bought the wrong size. They were to turny. they performed well just to much work you could never relax.

Those biased mags give me all the info I need to make an infored decision.

If I were new and had to start all over again when I bought a new pair of skiis I would go to the best sker I know and ask there advise and buy what they recommend. It to hard for a newbie to tell if the salesmen is blowing smoke or telling the truth.

After exhaustive research and having selected several Posssible choices based on reading /forums / ski shop vists etc --When i actually demoed my last 3 pairs i ended up buying skis that were NOT even on my radar screen . Their actual on snow performance knocked teh socks off my preconceived research

I got snake bit once without a demo, the skis were under expectations on the mtn .
One other demo-less pair turned out fine

Demoing isn't necessary to make a purchase. All you need is an understanding on how the ski actually works, what diff dimensions will do to the ski and what lenght you want. If you understand that then any ski you buy you'll have an idea of what to expect. If your new to the sport then ask someone who knows for advise.

I don't think it's overrated but I don't think it's absolutely necessary either. It depends on the person and their buying habits. If you're the type of person that doesn't like to spend a lot of money without trying something out first (or you have limited funds & don't want to make a costly mistake), then demoing is important. If you're easygoing about your purchases & can go with the flow, demoing is not essential.

I personally have found demoing to be very valuable. It gives me a good feel for the comparative benefits & drawbacks of particular skis when compared to others that I've demoed. For instance, I demoed some rather burly boards & concluded that they were too stiff for my liking. I was able to conclude this after demoing other skis on the same day in similar conditions. If I hadn't demoed them, I might have purchased them & not really understood their comparative stiffness. I have also purchased skis without ever trying them & generally had good luck.

Because I have to outfit ski equipment for me, my wife & children, I need to get the right ski model for myself or else I'm stuck with an unfavorable ski for several years. My wife would say "But you just bought new skis, why should you get another pair?" She wouldn't care that I chose the wrong model because I didn't demo them. I'd be stuck with them (and I don't blame her).

Also, doing a demo day is a hell of a lot of fun because you get to try out the latest models & see how they feel. It's very educational as to how different skis perform in different conditions. Plus, I'm somewhat of a gearhead so I get into trying all the various models for my own satisfaction.

For the beginner, it is absolutely not needed. For the intermediate, it is probably unnecessary. For advanced skiers, it would be helpful but not essential.

For expert skiers, I think it is absolutely essential to get the feel for a variety of boards and variety of brands. This can best be accomplished by going to a demo day in which you try a variety of boards and a variety of sizes. I did this at Cannon a few years back and found out I absolutely despised certain skis that many other people were raving about. The danger here is creating a prejudice against a certain brand or style of ski based on a limited encounter. But for expert level skiers that know what they are looking for and understand some of the dynamics involved with advanced techniques, I don't it is generally a case of prejudice but rather quickly identifying how a ski feels.

So I do not feel it essential to demo an exact ski prior to purchase but rather essential to try out the entire field so you have some background info. That way when you read reviews.... you can read "into" reviews, especially if you know and understand the person doing the review. I have found internet reviews are almost completely unreliable. Especially with so many reviews coming from folks out west on other forums where demands are completely different. Check out TGR... you are a complete wimp if your ski is not 100 at the waist and at least 185 long minimum. Never thought I would see the day where upper 190s was cool again.

Lots of specialty skis are not available for demo. That creates a major dilemma. I have skied enough skis that I hated and even bought a pair I thought I would like but had to sell at a loss to understand the narrow margin between loving a ski and hating it. I can understand buying a ski with no experience if demos are not available (I am tempted by some currently). But if skis are readily available, it is a $35 insurance policy against a $400-800 purchase. If you are able to multi ski demo, then it is an absolute no brainer and worth every penny.

If you don't demo and buy skis then you may never even know the difference..........................