Basic Procedures to learn WITHOUT ski instructor !

Thanks Pavel for your very useful tips

I undo my boots in restaurants at lunch time, to give my feet a rest, and also I find it makes walking down the stairs to the toilet much easier (mountain restaurants always seem to have the toilet in the basement!).

I sometimes undo my boots at lunchtime but only for the ease of going down the steps to the loo, like many others.

Now my boots are comfy (cos they have moulded to my feet and I don't do my straps up too tight) I find I can leave them done up all day.

I have had conversations with skiiers who are complaining that their feet have gone numb/cold and I have tried to be helpful by suggesting it's probably because their boots are done up too tight. They often don't believe you when you say you can ski with them a bit looser or even undone!

I was taught the "ski with buckles undone" technique on a course at an indoor slope and it was quite an eye opener. I assumed I would fall over and my boots would fall off but instead it helped me to learn to centre myself better over the skis. Don't forget to do the top strap up though, or you will fall out!

Felthrope,

Wise skier and learning to , "feel the skis" working instead of forcing the ski to turn.

Skiers who over torque their boots are getting a false sense of safety and "suffering" at same time.

With modern skis and boots you do not need to over tighten boots,,like in a medieval torture mechanism. Skis are easy to turn once you learn (and have confidence) to allow them to turn.

I have noticed one aspect of new ski boots. The outer plastic is very much influenced by heat/cold changes. I have a new pair of Head ski boots that took me 3 weeks of tweeking ( change of buckle position, heat expansion, molded sole etc,,,) and found if I heat them up before skiing I slip in just like slippers. When they are cold,,,,,plastic seems to be much more rigid.

Others in my group have noted the same issue, so now we have a boot Salomon shop heater in the ski chalet just for us. There is a line up of candidates for the heating process.

Have you noticed also that in October when you put on boots for first time, they seem tight ? That is because the inner liner has expanded somewhat. That is why all skiers should wear their boots indoors before ski season.

You ask,,,why indoors? Well I wear mine in Fall while raking leaves and have now been "identified" as the "strange man on the corner who,,,,,"
I am now organizing on Facebook a world wide "spontaneous" ski boot leaf raking event on,,,,,,,.
Keep in touch or watch You Tube "

Thanks Pavel

Any excuse to put my ski boots on early

Some of those that did the snow dance at the start of the season wore theirs in the garden....

Iceman wrote:Some of those that did the snow dance at the start of the season wore theirs in the garden....

But not sweeping leaves

Old Andy,

The very best and award winning print ad related to above posts was "created" by a famous ski center.

Picture this.

A 5 year old girl fully dressed for skiing, on skis, hands crossed looking down on her father who is lying on the beach.

Caption says,,,, " Are your kids telling you something" ?

Bravo.

For many this is Summer time.

For the "fanatic" this is the time to practice all those procedures without instructor that will make you look like a "PRO" rather than a cluts.

Do not know what is a "cluts".

Cluts = a person who does all manner of behavior in the most difficult, dangerous way. An example, carrying skis across both arms, with one ski falling, poles dragging, boots dragging about. I think you get picture now.

The previous suggestions are to help you get out of the "cluts" stage.

Here is another procedure you should practice this summer so that this winter you perform this procedure with grace, elegance and efficiency.


Goal: Tucking powder cord/strap/ribbon into ski pants.

I know.......I know......you are wondering what is this all about? Let me explain.
As you get better and better, you will seek greater "challenges", greater ski variability, more thrills.

At the very top of all skier delights is powder skiing. That is +40 cm. of soft soft flaky powder.

You must have a powder ribbon ( yes good skiers do fall once in a while ). When this fall happens,,,,you want to locate you ski in the sea of flakes.

The bright red ribbon attached to ski is your "safety recovery item". It is light, bright and will rise to snow surface.

The issue is what to do with this ribbon ( mine is 2 M long ) while skiing ?

Mine is attached to my rear lever arm on the rear binding.


Here is the procedure to practice at home this summer.

Steps
1. Put on boots
2. click into skis which are on family's thickest carpet ( wife not home)
3. Assuming you have ski pants on,,,,,( go back and get pants on )
bend over to side , pick up ribbon and gather this ribbon into a ball.
4. With one hand create a space between elastic ( at bottom os ski pants).
Again I am assuming that by ski pants you understand that these are regular traditional ski pants and not; jeans, army surplus pants, hiking cross training pants.

5. With other hand tuck ribbon INTO upper part of elastic.

Voilà, Ribbon is safe. When you fall,,,,skis will separate from you and ribbon will slide out of you cuff and follow the ski.


If you are older that 50 years,,,,,please do some stretching at least for 5 minutes.

If you are as old as Dave Mac,,,,first get wife to do procedure for you. Then find skiing partner who can bend over for you at the ski hill.

Hope this helps some of you make the summer bearable.


Coming up,,,,, Learning how to drink from a shot glass ski.


What you do not know about this unique ski ritual?

Look up "shot glass ski"