Ski Recommendations
February 27, 2006
I know there are some gear junkies on this forum so maybe someone can give me some advice. My wife is in the market for a new pair of skis. She is a reasonably capable skier but pretty tenative. She probably only gets in 2-3 trips a year so we're not looking for real high end equipment either. The skiing will almost exclusively be on the east coast although we're particular enough when planning our trips that we avoid the worst of the ice as best possible.
Thanks for any help.
What is her skiing level / style? Does she make parallel turns and carve? There are some great-women's specific skis available nowadays, across the whole range of skill/price. The K2 "Luv" series covers a wide range. We got some Blizzard Esprit skis for my wife last year, and those have been great. Her sister got some Atomic Balanze 3.1 skis, with integrated bindings, and those have worked out well too. Both of those skis are beginner-intermediate, for people learning to carve. If your wife already carves, you can go higher up the model line.
Here are some women's skis, 40% off:
http://www.sierrasnowboard.com/browse.cfm/2,198.html(I have bought from this shop before, they are good)
Also check
www.ski-depot.com and
www.untracked.com.Women's specific skis tend to have a softer flex than men's/unisex skis of the same size, so they are more amenable to women's skiing styles.
Craig
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What is her skiing level / style? Does she make parallel turns and carve? There are some great-women's specific skis available nowadays, across the whole range of skill/price. The K2 "Luv" series covers a wide range. We got some Blizzard Esprit skis for my wife last year, and those have been great. Her sister got some Atomic Balanze 3.1 skis, with integrated bindings, and those have worked out well too. Both of those skis are beginner-intermediate, for people learning to carve. If your wife already carves, you can go higher up the model line.
Here are some women's skis, 40% off:
http://www.sierrasnowboard.com/browse.cfm/2,198.html
(I have bought from this shop before, they are good)
Also check www.ski-depot.com and www.untracked.com.
Women's specific skis tend to have a softer flex than men's/unisex skis of the same size, so they are more amenable to women's skiing styles.
Craig
I'm not a skier and never have been so I'm probably not the best judge of skill level. She does keep her skies parallel and reasonably close together through most turns. She probably has the skill to be an intermediate but lacks the confidence and recent experience.
She's more athletic than your average woman and could be a strong skier with some practice so a ski she could grow into would be good but without being too much ski for her right now.
As far as price, I'm thinking the $300 - $500 range. Thanks for the link. I was pleasantly surprised by most of the prices.
Sports Authority has started marking down their skis and bindings already.
I am not familiar with the specific models that they have as they are probably exclusive to their stores. They have a K2 First Impressions, I think, and some Atomic Lazer (?).
Fischer RX6 is a very good ski that she could easily grow with.
Good luck in your search as it could be overwhelming.
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I'm not a skier and never have been so I'm probably not the best judge of skill level. She does keep her skies parallel and reasonably close together through most turns. She probably has the skill to be an intermediate but lacks the confidence and recent experience.
She's more athletic than your average woman and could be a strong skier with some practice so a ski she could grow into would be good but without being too much ski for her right now.
As far as price, I'm thinking the $300 - $500 range. Thanks for the link. I was pleasantly surprised by most of the prices.
Take a look at the K2 One-Luv and True-Luv skis, sounds like they are right up her alley.
http://www.k2skis.com/product/skis/ski_card.asp?ProductID=12
http://www.k2skis.com/product/skis/ski_card.asp?ProductID=13
I am thinking One-Luv might be the best choice.
Craig
Please do not buy any ski gear at Sports Authority. Salesman are typically not knowledgeable on the procuts (one sold my beginner skier 180 length skis), they really don't have a ski shop to service the skis if you need them, and their selection is not the best.
At this point in the season, rent demos and have her try out different skis. Then buy the ones she likes after the season.
Thanks for all the advice. We're headed to Snowshoe right now and we're going to see if we can't demo something.
Craig,
I looked at the One Luv and it looks like it's intended for a bit more advanced skier. When demo-ing how would somebody know if a ski is really too much for them?
I should have said that you need to know something about the skis and bindings that the Sports Authority has for sale. This is probably too much for a beginner.
But if you know what you are buying you can have some great deals. For example, last year I picked up a pair of Dynastar SkiCross 9 and a set of Salomon 811 CP bindings for a total of $200. I ended up buying a set of Look P10 bindings for the Dynastar through Ebay. Total price for the Dynastar set up was less than $250. The Salomon bindings ($40) will go on another set of skis or Ebay.
The discounts get better later on the season so it pays to keep an eye out. Their fleece, ski jackets and pants are already deeply discounted if you can find it in your size.
You can always check out their skis and do some internet research, if possible, and find something about them. I realized that some of the ski models are unique to the Sports Authority but sometimes you can find a 'known model' at a great deal. They also carry Marker M1100 bindings and some lower models.
I do not let them install the bindings or do any kind of shop work. I take my stuff to my local shop. Some of the skis are already pre-drilled or setup for easy binding installation.
If you are going to be at Snowshoe, go to the MAC [Mountain Adventure Center, downstairs from Allegheny] and set her up with a demo package. You can demo any number of skis for a set price per day, so over the course fo several days I am sure you can find something she likes. Just let the guys [ask for Ryan] in the shop suggest length and ski brands and models .. they are fairly knowledgeable and if something isnt right they will let you swap out. Be honest in her ability and aspirations and they will fit you just fine. Take a lesson or two to get good advice on how to ride the new skis. Then, if you find something she likes, go to 4848 and talk to Melissa; I know they have some really good prices on skis about now toward the end of the season.
Important: keep in mind these are demo skis with icky demo bindings and some of them have been ridden hard and put away wet. Ask for a waxing before you take them out to get the best feel.
Good Luck!
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Thanks for all the advice. We're headed to Snowshoe right now and we're going to see if we can't demo something.
Craig,
I looked at the One Luv and it looks like it's intended for a bit more advanced skier. When demo-ing how would somebody know if a ski is really too much for them?
Maybe consider the True-Luv then -- what I call a turning point ski -- it could satisfy an intermediate or advanced woman skier, so if your wife is athletic and is a carver, she could move to the next level with this ski. I would not go lower in the model lineup than the True-Luv, based on your description, unless she is not carving yet.
If your wife can carve turns, then she will be able to pick out the ski that feels best to her. It's one thing I have noticed over and over again while doing demos on the east coast. Within a single run, I can usually form an opinion of a ski, especially if it's being skied back to back with others. It's really cool. You can get a feel for the ski's forgiveness, energy, speed limit, willingness to turn, etc... fairly easily.
If she's not a carver, then it will be hard or impossible to really feel out a ski's behavior (other than perhaps noticing that some skis are more forgiving of skid turns than others). My wife is not a carver yet, so we didn't demo, but went for a woman's specific ski lower down in the lineup, one that is forgiving, easy to put on edge, and soft enough to flex/carve at low speeds. Once she starts feeling her edges, those ski will hook up and reward her with a carving sensation. When she starts carving like a nut and having fun, I'd consider moving her up to a slightly better ski.
One HUGE factor in all of this is ski length. The wrong length could really give a bad impression of a ski, while the right length can make it perfect. So choose carefully in that regard. A good salesperson ought to be able to ballpark the right length. Length is even more critical for beginner/intermediate skiers like my wife, who still snowplow on occasion. Going longer can be frustrating for skiers who still snowplow, as they will cross tips a lot at first. If they can get through that phase, then they will progress quickly.
Good luck!
That was my next question...ski size? Murphy how tall is your wife..whats her weight(bad question?) Sounds like she is at the same level as my better half,so will be interested in you final choice. Is there a chart to reccomend ski sizes for hieght/weight/ability factors?
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That was my next question...ski size? Murphy how tall is your wife..whats her weight(bad question?) Sounds like she is at the same level as my better half,so will be interested in you final choice. Is there a chart to reccomend ski sizes for hieght/weight/ability factors?
This is a fairly good start:
http://www.sierrasnowboard.com/page.htm?pg=skiadvice#size
(scroll up for the description of skill levels). It also depends on the type of ski and ski construction, but the chart gives a good ballpark. Some of the ski companies have sizing selectors on their website as well, which are tailored for each ski type.
The new wide skiis are the best bet. I just outfitted my spousal unit with 154 Rossi Zenith z9's. She is a advanced/expert skier and LOVES this ski. It makes good short/medium turns and goes through crud, sugar, and corn like a hot knife through butter. It is probably an excellent powder ski too, but we have to wait to find out.
