J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Neiltoo

You won't go far wrong with any company whose core business is making ski socks. One would hope that any boot manufacturer that puts its brand on socks will insist on a quality product too. I swear by Falke socks, haven't used anything else for years, but there are quite a few good brands about.

All of the above although if you were thinking of Chamonix, you would want to stay in Les Houches, anywhere else in the valley and it will be very hard for the one learner to meet up with the rest of the group during the day.

I would agree that you should start in the intermediate class. As Bandit said if you are spending most of the time just 'surviving' then you wont learn a whole lot.
Your ski ability, anyones ski ability is not about what you do its about how you do it. If the basics are not right then there is nothing to build on. It's possible to get to a level where you can feel comfortable about skiing pretty much anything on the mountain but if you have got there without having the basic skills right then you will reach a plateau which is very dificult to move on from.
Move outside your comfort zone from time to time if that feels good but work at getting the basics right too, in the long run you will improve faster and be a much better skier and have more fun. :D

Hi,
Thats the sort of tough decision that I would like :D I did 9 seasons in Verbier, 1 in Val D and I've spent quite a few weeks in Tignes but I would still have a problem deciding if I had to chose one of them now.
I cant give you any advice on bars/nightlife etc cos its been a few years since I was in Val D or Verbier and things change - lots and quickly!
Verbier has in my opinion the best lift accesible off piste in the world. I was there 2 years ago and its changed a lot in terms of the village atmosphere. A lot less ski bums which has effected the vibe in the town imho.
Val D as a town is one of the most over rated ski towns in the alps, not the skiing, just the town, again imho.
Tignes is a very ugly place but your probably not going for the architecture!
If you're in the situaion where some days you just get a couple of hours to ski then Tignes is probably best for getting on and off the hill quickly. If it was me I think i'd choose Tignes, but ,and its a big but, I'm 45 and I'm probably not looking for the same things as you :mrgreen:
The more people you ask the more opinions you'll get and they will all be different! Probably not much help this but I'm sure you will have a ball which ever one you chose. Maybe you should just pick the best job!

The boots pictured in Bandits link are a junior rental boot. Assuming they are using Head boots for their adult sizes then its going to be a pretty big volume boot and your 'skinny' feet wont feel 'held' in them. There is also the problem of the liners packing out with use (as with any rental boot) Because there is a different shaped foot in the boot each time its used the liner packs out in an amorphous, sort of foot shaped way, after a fair bit of use the boot will have a much bigger volume than it had when it was new. So I guess what im saying is that the quality of the boots when new has little to do with how they will fit now, and each boot will be different!

Skiing with your feet in such a boot will be like driving a car with a very loose steering wheel. Is it worth the money that they charge for you then to compromise on the most important piece of equipmemt.

If you really dont want to buy your own boots now then try and go to Hemel when they are quiet, have a chat with the ski techs, explain your problem, you never know they might have a few other makes about or some newer boots. I find that being friendly and asking nicely can work wonders sometimes! and then sometimes it doesn't :evil:

bandit wrote:Neiltoo, never mind tackling "Face", Santons, (a blue) is usually full of moguls and bodies :lol:

Moguls...Slalom :twisted:

Good point :D and the 'rapid' gates dont quite bounce back up straight the way they're supposed too )

I can't comment on the quality of the chalet but the location, as has been said, is excellent. I stayed in a hotel about 50m up the hill twice last winter and it couldnt really be more central.
As for Tignes itself, I love it. An awsome range of skiing, great snow record and good lift infrastructure. Its not the prettiest resort [by a long long way :D ] but if Im looking to enjoy architecture I'll go to Paris (or Buenos Aires - the people are nicer!)
As for the piste marking, I havn't noticed a major difference between Val D and Tignes but I do marvel at that 'green' run (its called the 'Verte' just to add insult to injury!) that Bandit mentioned every time I'm there.
I did notice a big difference in the quality of piste preparation last winter, Tignes being much better. This was particularly noticable in April when the lower slopes were really slushy at the end of the day - each morning the Tignes slopes were smooth (if still frozen slush) the Val D slopes were half smooth and half piles of frozen slush. Obviously not so important when conditions are good.
I would agree with the comments about taking the lift down into Val from Belevarde, if you're not up for a challenge the Face is hard work - although if you could get all the people who aren't up for it out of your way it would be more fun )

Ian Wickham wrote:

But I am really interested to hear that there are quite a few others who have experienced the dreadful customer service from the dreaded airline, and who are also prepared to stick to their guns and not travel with them, so well done to all concerned, if more people did the same we would see change. 8)

I've never used them as I said but many friends and family members have and I know all I need to know to stay well clear. :evil: