Rental vs Bought Skis

Hi,

Have been skiing a few years and can ski ok - black runs with average sized moguls. I have always rented skis, and value the convenience compared to owning, servicing, storing and transporting my own skis. But maybe I need my own??

This year on my rental skis I experienced a new problem; this was a reduced ease in being able to scrub out speed, and needing a greater distance to come to a stop. I varied everything I could, ie edge angle, weight distribution and exertion of pressure. I found the problem in loose powder on piste, and that icing sugar kind of snow you often get on well scrubbed steep slopes.

I would like to think this new problem was due to my rental skis having blunt edges, rather than a change in my technique. However, the edges felt sharp to me, in that if I were to run my finger down them with moderate pressure, they would probably cut my finger. So to me they felt sharp - but I'm no expert and I don't know what they should feel like.

Any ideas?

Lessons?

Did you ask the ski hire shop about it?

Did the skis have a rocker? Could just be the skis skiing shorter than you are used to.

The skis were the usual length - from my feet to my eyes. They did have a rocker.

The hire shop said they were fine and that it was the first time they had been used. It wasn't the first time they had been used as I could see they had been used when I took them from the shop. So I didn't trust what the shop said. The shop was Intersport. I would like to think that hire shops would only rent out skis in good condition. But I don't know to what degree that is true.

You didn't try changing them? In my (limited) experience they usually offer to change the skis if you have a problem with them.

AllyG wrote:You didn't try changing them? In my (limited) experience they usually offer to change the skis if you have a problem with them.

I didn't no. I only realised I had a problem towards the end of my trip.

Were you fit? Everything gets ragged if my legs ache.