Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

hi, we are completely new to this skiing malarky
booked a spur of the moment holiday with teenage son to Kaprun on 5th April, hotel Sonnblick....

as we are total newbies we would really appreciate a little advice/help...how much should we be paying for ski hire, should we book lessons,what basics should we be taking...will there be snow! Any advice or info would be greatly appreciated as to etiquette, prices, what to do, where to go etc etc....

Many thanks
Jane

Crikey! First and foremost, well done for deciding to go. Kaprun is a glacier resort, so good choice there, you will definitely get some skiing there. Not sure about where the ski school is in terms of altitude though, I dont know the resort, although I have been to Austria a number of times and have found it the best place to stay so far.

Hiring equipment is much of a muchness to be honest. If you havent pre-booked, I would spend your first afternoon/evening trying on boots and getting some advice on skis. Beware not to go when everyone arrives or at 5pm as you wont get as good a service, because it will be busiest. Take my advice and pay a little extra for intermediate skis, even though you are beginners, as you often find the cheapest band are older and not as well maintained. As for ski boots, try a number on until you are entirely happy that they are comfy, dont pinch even when done right up, and that when they are done up you still have plenty of adjustment left to go tighter, as your boots will adapt to your feet!

DONT FORGET TO TAKE PLENTY OF SKI SOCKS WITH YOU!!!

I would suggest some cheap thermals from Primark, £2.50 an item, and wear them under salopetes and whatever layers you wear on top. Personally, I wear a thermal vest, base layer (thinish sweatshirt will do), and ski jacket. If its particularly cold, put a fleece over the base layer. If its warm, lose the thermal vest. Layering is the key!

As for ski lengths, I would recommend going for something slightly shorter, as this will help you when learning to turn. You may be recommended skis which when stood on the ground come up to your eyebrows. However, I would suggest skis that come to your chin. I am 5 foot 8 and my ski length is 157cm as it suits the way I like to ski. 160cm is a popular length for regular height people, if there is such a thing!

You will have to feel your way around the resort, but I do suggest you try to arrive at least 30 mins before ski school meet time to avoid the rush and the queues. As for etiquette, your instructor should teach you that, but remember the basics and you wont go wrong:

Give the person in front of you plenty of room
The person behind should avoid you, but try to be aware of what/who is behind you
If you stop, make sure it is to the edge of the slope and not in the middle

and if you fall over, relax. You are bound to do a lot of that, but dont get frustrated, have as much fun as possible.

As for lessons, yes, definitely book some, either before you go or the night you arrive. You will need them for sure, and I would suggest trying to get your own teacher for a smaller group, ie your own family, as some ski schools can have very large groups and you will develop so much faster in a smaller group.
It would be worth checking out the kaprun tourist authority website as they may have info on ski schools etc.

I am sure other people on here will know more about the resort and be able to offer specific advice.

As for the evenings, dont over pack. You will only need casual wear, jeans, sweatshirt, t shirts, comfy shoes/boots. I always end up taking far too much that never gets worn, so 20kg allowance is MORE than enough! Make sure you have a selection of clothes however for either warmer or colder weather, ie a spare jumper or a couple of t shirts, and check the weather forecast on this site leading up to your trip.

Enjoy.

hi tony, thank you so much for your advice and for taking the time to reply. dont quite know what made us book the trip, but we wanted a holiday with something to do rather than lay on a beach for a change.

only problem i am having is finding a ski jacket and trousers to fit as i am lady with curves....why is that always the way....maybe curvier women are not allowed to go skiing..

anyway, thanks again for your advice.

Jane

you'll have a blast and never want to sit on a beach again!

Have you tried TK Max for ski wear you should get a bargain with the end of the season nearly upon us.
Kaprun is a fab resort i got married their,But as Tony H said get some thermals as it gets pretty cold.
-20 at lunch time when i was there so get a good wool hat.
Most of all RELAX and enjoy you`ll have a ball.



AJ Adele

lillie1967 wrote:

only problem i am having is finding a ski jacket and trousers to fit as i am lady with curves....why is that always the way....maybe curvier women are not allowed to go skiing..

Jane  

Have a look in TK Maxx, they have lots of past season colours, ski clothes, at very good prices. Also, some ski shops do clothing hire and I remember renting a jacket and trousers which were altered to fit.
Here's one such company, not used them personally, but they have been in business for many years.
http://www.edge2edge.co.uk/womens_clothing_hire.php

Word of warning - TK Maxx have just about cleareed ALL remaining ski wear from ALL of their stores. I was looking in a few recently, and they had absolutely nothing left in stock.

thanks for all the advice and links...sadly edge to edge have not one jacket in stock in any size. i've been looking on websites all over the place and cannot find one thing unless I cut off my hips and boobs and manage to shrink to a size 10 overnight....oh well - skiing - nice idea, think i will cancel and go for that beach holiday instead...


Jane