ski hire packages....whats the difference

twoshortplanks Brilliant. The Zen of Ski in a single post. We can all go home now... 8)

You are not going home, the St. Anton page still does not work :roll:

Must we go home? it has to be snowy somewhere. Aberdeenshire looks like a possibility tonight - its baltic.

twoshortplanks wrote:Hi
I think we sometimes overestimate what we get or need for our money.
Many years ago I skiied several times wearing a very old pair of 2nd hand rear entry boots and straight skis which were about 30-40 cm longer than those currently in vogue.
Guess what? I loved it and enjoyed every moment.
Subsequently I bought my own boots and skis and used those for a few years and guess what? I loved it and enjoyed every moment.
Recently I decided my skis were getting a bit old and knackered (and so was I)and fed up carting a long ski bag everywhere when I went on holiday so I decided to keep my really comfortable boots which I have now had for many years and hire skis in the resort, the first year I went for the VIP skis and guess what? I loved it. Last year I decided that with the lower exchange rate that I would try my old boots and the bog standard hire skis, guess what? I loved it.
Thinking about it what I got for the VIP ski price as opposed to bog standard price was a set of skis that were going to be great for someone who skied on the edge all the time, I don't, I just cruise down pistes enjoying the scenery. If you have comfy feet and snow under them and you are just loving it, who cares what colour of medal you have?
If you are not loving it, work out why and change it. If you are loving it you can change it and see if it gets better....

That's a nice thought TSP, but might be a little misleading. It would be like renting a car with the only clue as to what you might end with being the price. The skis available for rent vary greatly. Much depends on when they were last replaced and with what. That is, if the cheap rental skis had just been replaced with easy carving, user friendly skis, they may well ski better than a top package ski that's a few years old. You may well have just lucked out.

Jan I Stenmark wrote:Trencher, I wonder if you could say a bit more about the importance of Sidecut Radius when selecting a ski for a Beginner? What would the difference in experience be to the beginner between a “straight” ski and a “radical sidecut” ski?

As you know I value your opinion on all things and your post left me wanting to know more!

Jan

It is that, just my opinion, but I think the average skier who may have only one or two weeks a year to ski, should look for every advantage they can get. In the US where the ski rentals often are part of the resort, it hasn't been lost on the resorts that if you make the learning experience as easy as possible, people will come back. For that reason, resort rentals for beginners are almost universally short carving skis.

So, this is how I would explain the difference... On a ski with a large sidecut radius (straight ski), changes in direction are achieved by flattening the ski on the snow and then forcefully and abruptly pivoting to point in a new direction. To stop the edges catching and to allow the pivot, a lot of unweighting (up/down) movement is needed. Although you may be pointed in a new direction, you will now be sliding sideways in the old direction. Eventually, your skis will start to move forward again and you then repeat the process to turn again. Few people manage to look graceful skiing like this (other than the odd expert). There are uses for straighter skis but the groomed runs are not the best place. Because the technique was so hard to master, people ended up making snowplough turns and parallel turns were for the more experienced.

On a ski with a smaller sidecut (10 to 15 metres to start with) turning is effected by tilting the skis onto their edges and allowing the sidecuts to do the work. Shifting weight a little is all that’s required to let the tails break loose and make a skidded turn. The ski does all the real work. The skier just needs to balance the forces and enjoy the ride. Most intermediate skiers report a much less tiring experience on carving skis. Unweighting movements are not required during initial learning. The whole experience is smoother and more relaxed.

So getting back to twoshortplanks' remarks. He is right in a way. It's not so much the price of the rental, but is it the right ski for you.

I’ve tried to keep it simple and remember I’m very biased to anything with a smaller sidecut.

Trencher

Skis. Go with the bronze. Change anything you want, when you want, you have paid for it. My experiences with the higher cost skis, are that you often get skis that are too stiff.

Without coughing, skiset are very good. Also, good value.

Note in your diary one week prior to departure "Cut toe nails"

Boots. Others know more about this than me, but:
When the boots are clipped, should hold the foot down, but not clamp it. A big cause of pain is when blood vessels on top of the foot are constricted.
Test for heel lift. When clipped, hold the back of the boot down with your hand, and try to lift. Max uplift should be about 1/4", 6mm.
When clipped, can your toes touch the front of your boot?, if so, they are too short. In use, the dynamics will impact your toes into the boot fronts.
So, foot is held, boot is not too short, boot is not too tight.
You can achieve this with rear entry boots as well as multi-clip.

Socks. It isn't neccesary to wear Everest climbing socks. Thin socks are OK, comfortable is most important.

Wee tip. On the first day, (before putting your socks on), rub a little vaseline between your toes, and around the back of your heels. If you don't care about the socks, rub a little on the outside of the sock toe area too.

Another wee tip. If your boot gets too loose in any particular place, and you prefer not to change, you can try a bit of packing, eg handkerchief, small piece of carpet...

I was in Hamilton this morning, and Livinsgton tonight. I havent seen the sun since Sunday, back home in the East MIdlands. Never thought I would regard the East Mids as tropical, but there you go.

Anyway, ski hire......my first experience was one of pain and no help from the rental company. My second was one of less pain and no help from the rental company. When you book a package and turn up in the hire shop on a Saturday night, they heave a long sigh and throw the crappest pair of boots at you, and give you a worn out and battered old pair of skis.....


My experience says dont waste your money on bronze, pay the £10 extra and go for silver. Whilst you may not be up to silver standard, you will find a larger choice available, and also a silghtly friendlier service fro the rental company.

As others have said, the most important thing is the boots. Do not leave the rental store until you are 100% happy that the boots fit you. Your skis can she rubbish, but it your boots fit well, it wont matter that much. For now......

You have paid good money for a holiday, do not let some dweeb in a rental store ruin it for you. Take your time and make them work hard to ensure you have what you need. Thats what they are there for.

Wait you are saying that because I arrive on a Saturday night they won't give me a decent pair of boots? Can i not get them on the following morning?

davidmpires wrote:Wait you are saying that because I arrive on a Saturday night they won't give me a decent pair of boots? Can i not get them on the following morning?

I would go on the saturday evening if I were you, as everyone hires the stuff on arrival. The next morning might leave you with less options. However, make sure you take your time when renting, especially the boots, as lots of these places tend to rush the people with the hire vouchers in and out. It is important that you make them help you.