SKIS

[Doc]

Okay, the old Doc is getting back into down hill skiing this winter. I have to. I'm such a bitch during the winter. I hate winter, and it drives my wife nuts.......so......what should I be looking at spending to get back into it?
I used to be a fair skier. Not double black diamond stuff, but I was a member of the CSPS and the CSIA....so I'm not a complete green horn.
Looking for an all round ski. I don't do moguls and I don't do powder (my loss, I know) but I do ski fairly fast. My budget for skis and boots is about 800$ HELP

[cdnpilot77]

Best bet is a ski swap and get the best skis/binding/boot combo for the bucks on last years models. We have one here in Kitchener every year with all the local retailers with new and used equipment as well as private sales on used equipment. Last year we got brand new 2009 model Rossignol skis, bindings and boots for my wife under $500. I got a brand new pair of 2009 Solomon boots (heat molded, 4 buckle micro-adjust etc etc) for $100. Some Retailers have up to 500% markup in a lot of ski equipment so keep that in mind when shopping. I know this from managing a sports store a few years back.

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Doc, I was quite impressed with the hydraulic skis we had on the DC3's, they were real tough and as long as you didn't let them get frozen in they were great.

Don't recall using them on steep hills though.

[justwork]

For $800 look on craigslist, kajiji, or even better a ski swap. I'd go into a store to get advice, try on some boots, then buy used. If you want to buy new you will be spending a lot more than $800.

You've been out of skiing for a while? Well wait until you try the newer parabolic ski!

[North Shore]

BOOTS! Shell out for a decent, well-fitted pair. Take the trip into the 'Peg, seek out an experienced boot fitter (NOT a $10/hr highschool dropout working in a ski store because McDonalds wasn't hiring that week) and spend some time to make sure the pair you purchase fit well and are comfortable. There's nothing that turns a good days' skiing bad faster than sore/cold feet.

Skis? I was always partial to Volkl myself, having skied on them for most of the last 25 years.

HAve Fun. Make a trip out west to see some real mountains!

[Shiny Side Up]

HAve Fun. Make a trip out west to see some real mountains!

This year looks like it will be a good one for skiing too, there's a lot of white stuff on them already for this time of year.

[iflyforpie]

Yeah I am hoping La Nina will rear its head again and give us another awesome ski season. Season's pass bought, now just waiting for the hills to open....

[North Shore]

Season's pass bought

ENVY!

[Wilbur]

If you're a reasonably stong skier you might be a little pressed to get by on an $800 budget. If you've been out of skiing for a few years, you'll be amazed at the improvement in boots. There is absolutely no reason to have sore feet or cold toes. Find a good shop with an experienced boot fitter and the right boots for you will identify themselves. Each maker seems to tailor theirs for a little differently proportioned foot. You can get a good deal if you get lucky and find the right fit in a boot that's two or three years out of date (the fashion concious don't want them), but don't sacrifice fit for price - they could end up being the most expensive boots you could buy when your lift ticket is costing almost $10 per hour for you to sit in the lodge with sore/cold feet. Don't buy used boots. Pretty much all the higher end boots are heat molded to your foot and can only be re-moulded a few times. If buying used ones, you don't know how many times they've been re-heated and moulded during the initial fitting, or subsequently.

Hit a swap for skiis if you don't need shiny new ones and you can save hundreds of dollars. I don't think skis change all that much over a few year developement period, as compared to boots, and unless you are a really strong skiier you probably won't notice much difference between different all-mountain/cruising skis that sold at the same original price point.

Spend most of your money on boots, you'll be glad you did.

[Just another canuck]

Switch to the board... once you get the hang of it, it's actually easier and a lot more fun.

[North Shore]

^ 'Cos you don't need the brainpower to run both feet independently! Just Joking - I love boarders - they're always on their knees waiting while I ski by..

[iflyforpie]

^ 'Cos you don't need the brainpower to run both feet independently!

Actually, while your feet stay in the same relative position, you do a lot more with your legs independently to Ollie up over obstacles and take advantage of 360 degrees of controllable travel. The fall line for a skier rarely goes past 90 degrees and in most cases is much less.

Just Joking - I love boarders - they're always on their knees waiting while I ski by..

I can do up my bindings without kneeling or sitting down. But if I do, it's good exercise. Boarders aren't the ones freezing on the chairlift up to their next run.

[YYZSaabGuy]

[quote="iflyforpie"I can do up my bindings without kneeling or sitting down. But if I do, it's good exercise. Boarders aren't the ones freezing on the chairlift up to their next run. [/quote]

So how do you guys get to the top of the hill for the next run, anyway: levitation? Magic carpet? Walk?

[iflyforpie]

So how do you guys get to the top of the hill for the next run, anyway: levitation? Magic carpet? Walk?

We actually do have a magic carpet at our hill...

No, just a chair lifts or platter lift (which suck with a snowboard).

My point was if you are a good skier, you don't expend very much energy if you don't fall after you get off the chair, so you aren't as warm getting back onto the chair. A boarder has to kneel down to undo the back binding to get on the chair, then stand up and push himself one-leggedly onto the chair, then sit down at the top and do the back binding back up, and then get up and go down the hill. It's a bit more of a workout--especially for a slightly higher than average BMI individual like me.

[Doc]

I thought of "rocker" only in terms of canoes!
Bought a pair of skis and boots. Salomon on both counts. Skis are mid range and so are the boots. Hey, I'm not 35 any more!
Now, I'm looking for recommends for intermediate slopes in the Banff or Fernie areas? Trying to get the best bang for my buck. I figure a five day week in Fernie would be a better buy than a season's pass here. The ski hill here is, shall we say, less than mountainish? Is that even a word? I'll plan a couple of Thunder Bay weekends, but it's pretty cold!

[cdnpilot77]

I have Solomon Skis and boots too...you will be happy with them! Kimberly ski resort is good (couple hours from Fernie other side of Cranbrook) as well, I love Panorama 2hrs west of Banff. Its been 11yrs since I was at Panorama but iflyforpie would be able to give you more insight on how it is there now. The drive up there was awesome too!! Golden has a big resort too (cant remember the name) but they were expanding when I left and only skiied there once prior to that. A good circle from YYC would be Fernie (huge powder), Kimberly, Panorama, Banff/Lake Louise, Kananaskis. Dont forget to stop and take a look at Frank Slide in Frank AB on the way to/from Fernie, amazing sight to see.

[TeePeeCreeper]

Kickinghorse, Red Mountain, and the best "gem" of them all Whitewater... A tad farther than Banff but well worth it me thinks!

[cdnpilot77]

Kickinghorse is the one I was thinking of in Golden...TeePee, there aren't many ski hills where you are eh?

[Doc]

Not looking for double black diamond runs here now, kids. The Doc likes to do high speed "cruising" on the groomed stuff. Kicking Horse is near Revelstoke isn't it? Or Golden?

[cdnpilot77]

Golden

[TeePeeCreeper]

Kickinghorse is the one I was thinking of in Golden...TeePee, there aren't many ski hills where you are eh?

Yep, there are lot's of mountains around here but global climate change has taken it's toll around these parts!

I do sorta miss stepping out of 47 C weather after playing an early 9 hole par 3 and into the indoor slope... Unfortunately that option is not available in this part of the world