J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by andyoneil

Sorry, not had much time since I got back from VDI

AS NellyPS says we had a great time (though an extra pillow would have been most welcome!)

Ski Republic were great - had the gear ready for us on the first morning with exactly what we'd asked for. My Dynastar DStinct + were in good condition, sharp etc. Another of our party didnt get on well with his initial skis and they changed them without any problems at all.

definitely worth considering as w end up paying approx £40 each with the 2 for 1 other - a lot better than the £110 that Crystal want!!

Shop is literally at the Yellow Bus Stop at Rond Pont des Pistes so dead easy to get too and from on first / last days

Andy

snowb4ndit wrote:

As long as you don't sit in the middle of a piste on the brow of a hill having just scrapped all the powder off the slope, then we will all get along fine! :lol: :wink:

Oh come on - he's been boarding for a year, they teach you that bit in the first five minutes of beginner's boarding school! )

Welcome Ashman though !

Some resorts do lessons in the mornings and afternoons and you can choose which - dragging yourself out of bed to be bang on time for 9 (they WILL go without you if you don't show) can be a de-motivating experience for some so try to get afternoon classes if you can (and are not one of life's early risers)

Thing that I always forget, until I go again with absolute beginners and try to snow plough everywhere with them, is just how physically demanding on your legs those first few days are - sure you still need to be able to SP into lifts etc from time to time but you'll be glad to see the back of it and move onto parallell turns that are so much less effort!

Drinking in resort is very quiet for me these days - I like a wine or 3 with dinner but am usually tucked up in bed by 11ish (give or take) as I'm knackered from all the exercise, mountain air and good food. Oh and I dont like to be up late and miss any of my precious skiing time.

Which reminds me - only 4 more sleeps til VDI!!!

8)

snowb4ndit wrote:then go to a nice warm pub that has a log fire and order a jagermeister. . :roll:

I do far too much of that anyway - maybe that's why I can go downhill quickly - as Manny Osborne Paradis said on Ski Sunday yesterday (he does it with a lot more style and control than me though....)

I bought some new boots at Snow and Rock at the MetroCentre between Christmas and New Year and had excellent service.

My wife and I were in there for nearly 4 hours as they worked hard to make sure we got what we needed. Asked a lot of questions about skiing skill, style, previous problems with boots etc etc. They also made custom footbeds for me as I have a real problem with over pronation (I look ridiculous on a treadmill).

I agree that it could be the case that if you get the wrong guy you could have problems but there were two of them working that day and both were being very attentive to each of the customers they had in.

I bought my previous boots in resort in Livigno a few years ago - dirt cheap but no real "fitting" per se. I wouldn't have liked to lose 4 hours out of my skiing holiday to get fitted so glad I had them done at home with no language barriers or time constraints, plus they are nice and local if I need adjustments which was the only thing that put me off Ellis Brigham at Castleford X-Scape.

You'll definitely see a huge difference in your skiing from having your own boots no matter where you get them from!

Andy

Thanks Bandit

I'd looked at Flaine but seemed to be all self catering (cetainly with the big TOs like Inghams etc)

Andy

Thanks T1berious

Bloke in our chalet in Verbier reccomended St Anton to me last year but we wanted to go back to VDI so the missus could ski the Espace Killy after only being a beginner last time we went and not being able to get very far.

I'll put St Anton back on the list too!

Andy

Hi Pablo

Have done a lot of skiing in various places: Folgaria,Sause,Pas de la Casa (x2),VDI,Kitz,Livigno,VT,Verbier and Killington so not stuck on France, just speak the language (a little) , know you can get Geneva flights from Newcastle etc

That said I had looked at Zermatt (they say you have to before you die don't they) and had mentally shortlisted it as the swiss franc is better value (comparative to the Euro) that it has been.