Latest posts for the topic "Kaprun 5th April - total newbies...."

Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

lillie1967 — GMT

hi, we are completely new to this skiing malarky :D 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 :D

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Tony_H — GMT

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.

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

lillie1967 — GMT

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

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

caron-a — GMT

you'll have a blast and never want to sit on a beach again! 8)

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

AJ — GMT

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

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

bandit — GMT

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

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Tony_H — GMT

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.

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

lillie1967 — GMT

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

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

bellfi — GMT

You will have a fab time, not that I have been to Kaprun, but it is my friends favourite resort,and have seen so many photos heard so much about it, skiing beats a beach holiday any day, I'll be surprised if you do not agree by the time you come back.

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Admin — GMT

lillie1967 wrote:

think i will cancel and go for that beach holiday instead...

We won't have talk like that round here please... 8) Have you tried e-Bay? Failing that, you could come up trumps by waiting until you're out in resort - the ski shops all start sales right after Easter and you can often find great bargains as they clear out stock to make room for mountain bikes and hiking gear (or just to shut-up shop for the summer). This is where the fickleness of ski fashion works in your favour - the ski shops know there will be different models / colours / designs next year and the longer they hang on to their stock, the less it's worth. Combine that with all the snow that's falling... early April will be a great time to be on the slopes. Go for it. 8)

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

AJ — GMT

lillie1967 wrote:

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

Nooooooooooooo dont cancel, If your more on the curvy side have a look at snowboarding gear its more roomy. Also dont be put off trying mens gear,After all it did`nt stop Tony H buying his red salopettes :twisted: Sorry Tony but i could`nt resist :mrgreen: hee hee AJ Adele

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Tony_H — GMT

AJ wrote:

Also dont be put off trying mens gear,After all it did`nt stop Tony H buying his red salopettes :twisted: Sorry Tony but i could`nt resist :mrgreen: hee hee AJ Adele

No problem, nothing to apologise for. I wanted them, I searched for them, and I got them. And I like them a lot.

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

bandit — GMT

Tony_H wrote:

AJ wrote:

Also dont be put off trying mens gear,After all it did`nt stop Tony H buying his red salopettes :twisted: Sorry Tony but i could`nt resist :mrgreen: hee hee AJ Adele
No problem, nothing to apologise for. I wanted them, I searched for them, and I got them. And I like them a lot.

Adele, are you perhaps suggesting that Tony H bought womens' salopettes :twisted: A certain Monty Python song is in my head....not sure why. Something to do with lumberjacks, anyone?

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Tony_H — GMT

Always look on the bright side of life, de do, de do de do de do......

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

AJ — GMT

bandit, Tony isn`t taking the bait at the moment,Summat to do with skanking another holiday. Smug little bugger :lol: AJ Adele

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Tony_H — GMT

AJ wrote:

bandit, Tony isn`t taking the bait at the moment,Summat to do with skanking another holiday. Smug little bugger :lol: AJ Adele

:mrgreen:

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

bandit — GMT

Tony_H wrote:

AJ wrote:

bandit, Tony isn`t taking the bait at the moment,Summat to do with skanking another holiday. Smug little bugger :lol: AJ Adele
:mrgreen:

Well, of course he can feel smug right now, but I'm going to be in resort for ooh about 18 days. So much snow, so little time 8) Still, this is'nt getting the OP some wearable ski kit. I agree totally with your suggestion about looking out some snowboarding clobber, it's cut quite differently, and they like it baggy and generally low rise IMHO.

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

AJ — GMT

lillie 1967, i`ve trawled the web and rock and snow have still some stuff in the sale and ellis brigham. Also have a look at the snowboard asylum, It all depends on budget and taste but dont go for a jacket with a knitted rib on the bottom they`r less flattering if you have a big chest :oops:.I`ll pm you with some sizes. AJ Adele

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

lillie1967 — GMT

guys, guys, guys.....what a friendly bunch of people you all are and i thank you all very much for your help and replies... i went to a local ski shop today and they were reasonably helpful but sadly, even though they had a lot of gear, everything feminine (and anywhere near trendy) was not suitable (i found quite a lot of stuff not cut for generous hips) and the jackets for men (which i really didnt like much) were all massive, couldnt win really....the shop assistant said there was a nice jacket that she might be able to order in but i wont find out until tuesday and as its the end of the season i shouldnt hold my breath... What I DID manage to get was some nice goggles, some nice boots and some trousers and some thermals (not sure if i will need them) some socks, so really its just a jacket so we shall see.... Its very fustrating (AND MANUFACTURERS SHOULD TAKE NOTE) when a real woman with curves cannot join in and feel part of something good and fun and feels put off simply because of a lack of clothing...or maybe its just me! Anyway, thanks again folks, sorry about the rant! :mrgreen:

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

AJ — GMT

Have a look at bornforsports.co.uk they have a sale on as well. AJ Adele

Re:Kaprun 5th April - total newbies....

Tony_H — GMT

Serious advice -= check out the Nick ACG range, they are very wide at the bottom over the hips, so my Mrs tells me.