J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Volf

emmwall wrote:Can anyone recommend some gloves which will be warm and waterproof but will not break the bank - max £50. I've bought my two teenage sons a pair each from mountain warehouse but now wondering if they'll be good enough.

I swear by the Pisteur venitex fleece leather gloves. You need to invest in a leather waterproofing from someone like Nikwax. Gloves around €15.

There's a big difference in the quality of the skis between the bargain basement and the better quality. If you book the cheapest online you will get a plank.

With more money you can pick and choose the type of ski (slalom, GS, powder, all-mountain), and change depending on the conditions.

Not all will suit you. It depends on your style, your height, weight, the terrain you want to ski. You may find that a nippier ski will allow you to maximise your time on the slopes with short swings and carving.

The tyre analogy is one, a car is another. You could just hire a rusty ol' Nissan Micra, but you might prefer a Mazda MX5 with the top down. You might find the Ferrari a bit scary.

If you've been skiing since 1988, I suggest you go 'Red' and get a good all-round pair of piste skis. You WILL notice the difference.

On another note, the constant price reductions in ski hire means that the shops are finding their margins slashed. This means they are finding it hard to hire decent ski techs. The skis are commoditised with the resulting loss in expertise and quality and safety.

Some good advice above. Winter tyres, prepping the car for -20c (screen wash etc.) motorway toll beeper, thermos, picnic and blankets. Plan your route with Maps, don't follow the sat-nav blindly. I had two families stuck overnight at the top of a closed, snow-bound Lautaret pass a few years back because they followed the Satnav and not the directions given. Some people drive 16 hours right through., but we stop-off overnight en-route, it's safer, we tend to stay around Troyes as well. We also download an audiobook to keep us sane. It doesn't distract whilst driving because it uses a different part of the brain.

On winter tyres: I just change the 4 tyres twice a year, not the whole wheel. Use them all winter in the UK.
Diesel cars: If you have a diesel, make sure you fill up with Polar Diesel at the bottom of the mountain before heading up to resort. Diesel waxes at low temperatures and the car won't start. You can also buy an additive in the same petrol stations. If it look like it's going to get really cold (colder than -15c), get the car into a garage. If not, park on the sunny side of the hill.
Get some decent jump leads.

You need nursery slopes that are close by to your accommodation. Chamonix is not a beginners resort. I can recommend Montgenevre as the nursery slopes come straight into the village which is at a decent altitude.

Wanted to post but realised I was 6 months too late, but no way of deleting a message already posted that I could find.

I'd like to add

Serre Chevalier 10 minutes from Briançon sleeper and
Montgenevre 20 minutes from Oulx TGV

Snow finally coming in from the East today, which means snow for Sestriere and Sauze.

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