What have you learnt from this year's skiing?

As I can't be bothered to walk to the computer I'm on my phone but wanted to reply to Tonys massive post. Number 1 in particular - I also improved my arm position this year, another tip from our hotelier/ski instructor trainer. Arms help massively in poor snow conditions, particularly if you hold them away from your body (for balance), and if you are going fast then keep them closer to your body.

I think i have read the thread....but I've drank far tooooo much red wine....whatever

Tony_H wrote:


Interesting. I have been getting totally conflicting advice on this. I spoke to someone out in Austria, first thing they said was get your canting looked at.
Over here, girl in 2 seasons said not to touch canting at all and go for custom insole - am I being sceptical seeing as that earns them money?
Yesterday another piece of advice was to have canting looked at whilst in my boots.
Today you tell me to avoid looking at canting.

For me its simple. My left foot rolls inside slightly, so that when I ski the left ski wants to edge when running flat. I was told my left arch is high and a footbed would address this, but last week nothing was any different. Boots felt fine, but no difference - ski still wanted to edge when running flat. My guess is its the alignment of my legs/knees in which case I need to look at the complete set up of my boots, and 50% of the advice is to look at the canting.

Confused now.

Out of curiosity, can you with equal weight on your feet swish/pivot the tails from side to side as you run straight (without lifting a ski tail to do it). In the go-pro vid it appears as if you have to lift your new inside ski to start a skidded turn. You may or not need canting (as opposed to boot cuff adjustment), but it may well be that some punching and grinding of the boots will solve the problem without canting.

As for custom footbeds, a good bootfitter is setting your foot in the mold in a particular way, as in his mind he sees your foot sitting in the particular boot with any modifications he will make to it.

I have been watching this thread since it started and wondering whether to, what to and how to reply.

My "what I have learnt" must cover the last two seasons from November 2010 to date.

I do hope this doesn't count as wibble and off thread :mrgreen:

As many of you will be aware I have been skiing for many, many years, including a whole bunch of seasons working in the Alps back in the 80's. But my skiing had become jaded, tired and a bit boring. Too many trips looking after children and novice skiers rather than my own skiing had taken it's toll as well as age creaping up on me, lack of fitness and even some arthritis.

"What I have learnt" - really started in November 2010 when, quite out of the blue, my wife said "let's go skiing for Xmas and avoid the hastle of being at home" - I was quite surprised as ....

1 - she doesn't ski !!
2 - I always thought the "family" xmas + trimmings was really important for her.

So we booked ....
And I found this place :thumbup:
My screen name reflects more on where I was in November 2010 than any geological age, I'm only 53!!

What has happened since then has been an epiphany with regards to my skiing;

1- there are two types of trip; skiing holidays and holidays where I ski (important when going with Wife, the non-skier), these are different but both highly enjoyable.

2- I'm a really good skier! I don't need to live in my head "remembering" those glory days of being young and fit and skiing the Courchevel couloirs, with the pisteurs, challenging the ski instructors (but not beating them!!) in a GS or slalom race etc etc etc but just enjoying skiing NOW. Skiing with a bunch of other people rather than kids, and feedback from an instructor have made a huge difference to my attitude.

3 - understanding modern kit makes a difference to my enjoyment. Skiing on narrow under the foot, wide under the foot, with rocker, without rocker ...... All different, all have something to give but having a better understanding (and thanks to contributors here on this) of the "physics" puts me in a better place to choose a ski for the conditions I find.

4 - similarly with boots. Taking the plunge (spontaneously) on new boots and then learning more about body posture and position (thread on here was truly helpful) and alignment. Fiddling around with a mirror, camera, plumb line (at home - not at the side of the piste!) and checking. Pretty much "in the middle" and no adjustments really needed, but nice to know and understand.

5 - Obsessing about skiing all year does not mean I am a sad old g*t! Just passionate about skiing :oops:

6 - Some people value my views, experience and advice. Really nice actually. I have a few people who ski in my circle of family and friends but none who are as passionate as I.

7 - My Wife supports my skiing obsession. :shock:
I never new this, I thought she just put up with a week in the mountains but her booking a family trip and then deciding on a Saturday morning that I was going skiing the next day suggests to me that she clearly understands that skiing is a very important part of my life. She has even got my next years trip in the diary of family and work commitments :D

8 - Your never too old to learn, improve, ski better, enjoy it more ............
Wonderful :thumbup:

9 - I wonder what the next 20 years of skiing will bring??

So .....
Quite a list. Mostly stuff about my own head rather than any particulars, even skis and boots is more about how I view the kit rather than anything specific.

Thanks for reading this.
My name's NotThatOldAndy and I'm a skier!
:thumbup:

Hi NotThatOldAndy :D

It sounds as though, for you, you've had a ski rebirth after 50! You're only a tiny bit older than me and I'm still really enjoying my ski-ing. And I'm one of those who appreciate your advice on this forum. Thanks a lot :D

Congratulations with making the effort to understand the new ski equipment and techniques. And it's nice your wife is so supportive even though she doesn't ski herself. I do think it's important to make time for yourself and really enjoy yourself especially after you've spent so long helping others with their ski-ing.

I like wibble so I'm no judge of whether your post was too wibbly or not - but I enjoyed reading it. Thank you :D

Ally

Trencher wrote:

Tony_H wrote:


Interesting. I have been getting totally conflicting advice on this. I spoke to someone out in Austria, first thing they said was get your canting looked at.
Over here, girl in 2 seasons said not to touch canting at all and go for custom insole - am I being sceptical seeing as that earns them money?
Yesterday another piece of advice was to have canting looked at whilst in my boots.
Today you tell me to avoid looking at canting.

For me its simple. My left foot rolls inside slightly, so that when I ski the left ski wants to edge when running flat. I was told my left arch is high and a footbed would address this, but last week nothing was any different. Boots felt fine, but no difference - ski still wanted to edge when running flat. My guess is its the alignment of my legs/knees in which case I need to look at the complete set up of my boots, and 50% of the advice is to look at the canting.

Confused now.

In the go-pro vid it appears as if you have to lift your new inside ski to start a skidded turn.

Incorrect. It was just the way I was messing about at the time.

I've learnt that I'm not the only strange, sad, snow obsessed weirdo in the world :twisted:

I also learnt that your mind can make a massive difference to your skiing. How is that simply having your own skis again after many years, can make such a difference to your skiing, especially as I never used to rent rubbish (well apart from Bulgaria, but there was no choice there).

Finally, I have learnt that I really do need to do something about getting fitter for the season and getting in more trips in future. Even if I start trying to get away for long weekends.

Tony - ask bandit about Andy McCann's alignment deal, it's definitely worth looking in to. Not sure if canting will really change a lot..

Ally - those Dynastars are cracking skis, if I was skiing nothing but pistes/bumps/cut up snow etc I'd have a pair.