Okay, so you’ve got all the clothing and accessories you could need for your forthcoming skiing holiday. All you need now are the skis that will provide that thin layer between you and the actual snow.
Not surprisingly, there is a lot more to skis than meets the untrained eye. And even if you are going to rent your skis when you arrive at your destination rather than buying a set of your own, it still pays to know what you need.
What is the purpose of wearing skis?
That is a basic and very obvious question, but there is more than one answer to it. Obviously they enable you to go skiing, but there are many different types of skis available. The main purpose is to enable you to get down the mountain as safely and easily as possible.
In short, if you choose a pair of skis that don’t match your knowledge or abilities, you won’t get the best enjoyment out of them.
Will any old pair of skis do?
No, it is very important that you select the right pair for your needs. The best bet is to go to a specialist shop and ask for help in choosing the ones that will have you skiing down that mountain with ease.
Are there different types of skis available to buy?
Yes there are, but there are some pairs that you won’t really need to worry about. For example, racing skis won’t be relevant unless you are already an expert skier – in which case you probably won’t be reading this page in the first place!
Similarly, freestyle skis are wonderful if you are experienced enough to have discovered a love of doing stunts and other freestyle moves. But if you are simply aiming on getting down the mountain in one piece, then you just need a basic pair of skis.
Look for all terrain skis that are good enough to cope with pretty much any kind of snow or conditions. These will give you the best deal for your money, and you will be able to handle them better as you start to learn the sport.
Things to think about when you are buying skis
The most important thing to remember is not to buy skis without any help whatsoever. Unless you know a lot about the subject there is a real danger you will buy a pair because of the colour or how good they look, rather than how responsive they will be when you are sliding down a hill wearing them.
With that in mind, read through the following tips to help you understand the buying process a little more – even though you will ask for help when you go shopping!
Do length and width matter?
In a word, yes. If you stand next to a set of skis and they are towering above your head, then they aren’t going to be the right set for you. Similarly, if they are somewhere around shoulder height (or in fact anywhere lower than your chin when you are looking directly in front of you), then they should also go back on the shelf.
This obviously gives you a range within which your ideal set of skis will stand. Generally speaking the longer they are the faster you will be able to go on them. If they are shorter they won’t be as fast but you can have more control over them. This means they would suit beginners far more than those who can happily go down a mountain with very little warm up.
Depending on the type of ski you are going to choose, you will find that they automatically fall into a certain length rating. For example, if you take a look at some freestyle skis you will see that they are much shorter than skis that are designed for all types of terrain. Speed isn’t the most vital thing when you are trying to perform awkward manoeuvres. This is why freestyle skis are naturally much shorter.
As for width, the ideal width for you depends more on the surface you will be skiing on than anything else. Skiing on powdery snow will be easier if your skis are quite wide, for example.
Where are you going to be skiing?
You might think that skiing is just skiing, but that isn’t always the case. And if you have been skiing a few times but you’ve only rented your skis up until now, then you need to let the salesperson know where you go.
Off piste conditions can be very different from the main ski runs in the same resort. And depending on where you want to go the skis you need to go there might be very different too.
Should you buy online or from a dedicated ski store?
There is no doubt that you will get the best advice from being face to face with a sales person in a shop. But that doesn’t mean you are bound to buy your skis from them.
There is nothing wrong with going in to get the advice and help you need in selecting a pair of skis, before checking out prices online. It’s in your best interests to look around at all the comparable prices before buying – after all, skis aren’t cheap.
Bear in mind that you’ll need to pay postage costs on top of paying for the skis themselves though. This can make a difference – but you can also often get better deals online that will offset this. The only problem comes if you need to return them for any reason, so make sure you check out the returns policy before you consider buying online.
As you can see, skis aren’t quite the basic piece of equipment you might think they are. Luckily there are plenty of expert sales people out there to help you; you just need to pay attention to what they are saying before you pay your money and make your choice.
Happy skiing!