J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Neiltoo

ise wrote:

Don't forget customer service, most people will consider paying a small amount extra for any article if it comes with a good after sales service. Mostly shops here are expensive but the after sales service is pretty good.

Good point.
I do assume though , perhaps wrongly, that those who shop at TK Max arent so concerned with customer service. )

Dave Mac wrote:
It not just a possibility, but frequently achieved, to pay between say two and three times more, (or even greater multiples) than the lowest price, for the same product or service.

I agree completely.
Once you have decided on the product you want you would be daft not to pay the cheapest price and to spend some time searching for it(services are different though cos you dont know if it will be the same service till after you have got it!)

Ruskins quote imo doesnt refer to the same product at different prices but to inferior versus superior products and why the superior, more expensive product might be better value :)

Trencher wrote:John Ruskin had never heard of steep and cheap :D

http://tram.gearattack.com/items/17297

Trencher

Interesting site, not come across it before. I assume its mostly bancrupt (insolvency) stock as the prices seem to be below trade price.
Perhaps the original retailer went bust because all of their customers started to buy at TK Max )

Tony_H wrote:This has all got very technical. I was hoping to find out whether, generally, people buy on price, if features are particularly important (I guessed they would be for the likes of Ise and Bandit etc) or whether people just renew something they had before because they were warm.

Just my opinion but there is a big difference between good value and cheapness. I've always liked this quote from John Ruskin 1819 - 1900

"There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper. And the people who always go for the cheapest are this man's lawful prey. It's unwise to pay to much... But it's worse to pay to little. When you pay to much, you lose a little money... that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.... It can't be done.If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run.And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better."

I agree with everything said above but if I was going in April I would choose Val T.
Meribels lower slopes are south facing and can suffer later in the season, for all the other reasons I would choose Meribel but I do like to finish the day on snow rather than slush and mud.
Having said that we could have a great season with loads of snow in April :)

If you want to book the flights yourself try contacting the tourist office in Morzine: http://www.morzine-avoriaz.com/?langue=1&saison=0
They should be able to book everything else for you. You dont say if you speak french or not ... it doesnt matter. If you phone them chances are the person who answers will speak english. Tourist offices offer a wide range of services that many people are unaware of, from acting as an agent for hotels/apartements, booking ski lessons , lift passes etc.If they cant actually book something for you, they will put you in touch with someone who can.
My brother booked a family holiday to Les Gets (neighboring resort to Morzine) a couple of years back. The tourist office booked everything for him (except flights).

Hi Noddy,
Its a long way to go not to try all three of the main areas and one or two others if you have time, as said above.
One word of caution about Jasper, driving there and back in a day is a non starter, and if the weather is bad it is a very serious trip.
I dont know if they still do it, but when I worked in Banff there were British tour operators recommending that people undertook this drive, from Calgary to Jasper, straight after a transatlantic flight, jet lagged, in the height of winter!!!

Norquay might be good for your first day if you are tired from the trip and dont want a full days skiing.

As to Sunshine and Lake Louise, I prefer L. Louise but ive had some great skiing at Sunshine too. People will tell you that Sunshine is closer.
Bus to Lake Louise is about 45mins, then straight onto your skis and then a chairlift.
Bus to Sunshine is about 20 mins followed by 20 min gondola ride.

So in terms of the time it takes to actually start skiing there is little difference.

You dont mention your ability, but a day trip to Panorama to heli-ski is worth thinking about. You dont need to be an expert.

bandit wrote:I'm quite astounded by some of the anti bootfitting sentiment on this thread.

I too am a little surprised, but there are some (lucky) people out there who just put a pair of boots on out of the box and they fit and they are comfortable. Comfort, like pain, is completely subjective and therefore cannot really be compared. Its probably not surprising that people have such differing opinions given that there is no common reference point.

The thing about expertise like Cems is that it is often not appreciated until it is needed; and to 'need' it requires an understanding of what is possible.