J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by AllyG

PaulBryanBill wrote:Hello,

I need to buy some new ski gloves and they need to brown; don't ask why - they just do. You think you would find brown ski gloves all over the place, but you don't. I have hunted high and low and even checked out all the stands at the Olympia ski show - to no avail. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks.

John Lewis have some, but I don't know what they're like - I just googled them:

http://www.johnlewis.com/31611/Style.aspx?source=63257

Ally

Thanks for that link Volf :D

I have been to Courchevel, and whilst Courchevel 1850 is outrageously expensive, 1550 where we were staying, is not. In fact, the prices were much the same as in the U.K. And 1550 is only a short gondola ride away from 1850.

That's what I meant about looking for satellite villages of the main resort, as they can be much cheaper.

Ally

We also have to ski at Feb half-term, and as Ian says it is the busiest week in the whole ski season, so prices are at their highest.

I am sorry to say that I don't think you will find any cheap last minute deals for that week, although I may be wrong, of course. We go to France and the prices start now at around £1000 per person for a catered chalet, plus you have to add on another £200 or so for lift passes.

I have noticed that transport usually runs out first, and if you can get flights and transfers ahead of time there is usually self-catering accommodation available in resort, through the local tourist board for example.

Ally

Summer,
If you want a cheap ski holiday in France, I think you'd find it easiest to look for bargains with the tour operators, rather than look for specific resorts.

If you're not tied to a particular date you could go for the less popular dates, like before Christmas or the first week in January after the kids go back to school which tend to be cheaper.

Crystal, for example, has a catered chalet in Tignes for 4 people for 7 nights week starting Monday 13th December for £347 each, including flights from Gatwick, transfers, breakfast, afternoon tea and 3 course evening meal. But you will have to pay 200 euros each on top of this for the lift pass. And Tignes should be fine this early in the season because of the glacier. Or, Crystal do deals in January where you can have 2 lift passes for the price of one.

Other options to consider if you want to save money are driving there (if there are 4 of you to spread the cost), going self-catering (if there are at least 4 of you) and doing your shopping in a town before you get to the resort, or staying in one of the satellite villages to the main resort which are usually a lot cheaper and connected by gondola etc.

Ally

bandit wrote:I'm not sure how you can lose a snowboard whilst in use, perhaps one of the J2ski snowbaorders can help with this. The bindings, generally don't seem to have a release, unlike alpine ski bindings. At least the snowboard bindings, I've used didn't release. I can totally understand resorts wanting riders to use a leash, it seems sensible. Out of bounds, there is a risk that the board could suck you down in an avalanche slide.

Bandit,
Snowcrazy is right, about when one is likely to lose a board. In that Ski and Board magazine article Tony Cardwell, on behalf of the British Association of Ski Patrollers, says;
"The danger period seems to be when boards are being carried and get dropped, are being put on or taken off, or are being misused."

Trencher,
That's very strange, that some hire shops don't supply a leash any more with the snowboards. Maybe it's because they're cheaper without the leash? I'm glad to hear you use one :D

Ally

In the October edition of the Ski and board magazine, there is a small piece about leashing your snowboard to your leg, or arm. They say that all 5 Scottish ski areas are advising that long leashes should be used, so that runaway boards don't injure people below.

In light of this information, it seems to me that it is likely that insurers may refuse to pay up if you have a runaway board that injures someone.

When I was in Tignes recently someone totally lost their board like this, and it was one of the 'new' fancy Edge to Edge ones. Presumably it went off-piste somewhere. Luckily, there were no reports of anyone being injured by it, although at least one person had a near miss with it.

Ally

I find I need to wear goggles when the light is 'flat' and I can't see the dips and bumps. My sunglasses don't work very well in those conditions. Plus, the goggles are better in a blizzard.

Bandit - I can ski okay now without having to see my skis, but I wasn't very good at ski-ing when I first started to wear the OTG goggles, and it was very off-putting. I suppose it was something like losing the use of one eye (except that I could still see in 3-D) and I had to learn to manage like that.

Ally

Well done Alistair, and thanks for telling us :D