J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

Insurance companies are entitled to give their terms and conditions re helmet. If you get a head injury(like a concussion) that could have been avoided had you been wearing a helmet they can refuse to pay because in a way you are blatantly taking a known risk and shifting it onto insurance company and its other clients who pay the same premium but not taking this risk. I don't want to re-start this debate because it's quite pointless. I am all up for individual choices, but I think it's fair for individuals to pay for their choices. I think whether insurance covers head injuries should be dependant on wearing a helmet, and at least premiums should be different for those who wear helmets and those who don't.

The good thing about smoking ban is that now you can spend a night out in a club and go home not smellling like an ashtray - even smokers like that.

You might want to see a bootfitter for this problem. Some people have "collapsing arches" and will need a support to stop their feet cramping. You also shouldn't buckle your boots too tight, particularly in the morning. Generally, if you really need to buckle them up often means that boots are too big for you. Definitely have your boots checked. Pain in quads can result from being pushed into backseat and it can be also related to boots.

I release bindings by stamping, as just like Ally I find it quicker this way. But you can try turning your pole upside down if you are concerned about your bindings wear. IMHO it's not too bad when ski gear looks battered as this is the proof you actually ski with it:)

I only ever ski in one French resort - Chamonix and I don't find it lot more cheaper than Verbier (which is considered "expensive"). Lunch money can be saved by making your own lunches (it also saves time as during holidays restaurants get packed).

Glad you enjoyed your trip! Your pictures remind me that I haven't been farther than the bottom of Tortin station this season and should make up for it. I will disagree though that Verbier is not good for beginners - it has two learning areas (rolling hills on Lac de Vaux and La Chaux) and both are easily accessed from gondolas. But I find that it's not the best for intermediates who plateau-ed. Pistes are not variable enough, often icy and bumped-up in the afternoon. But once the plateau is broken through, Verbier is unparallelled for its back bowls and gullies.

I tried BBR 7.9 and I didn't really like it. I only tried it in powder, it skied OK but it wasn't the most enjoyable powder ride. The tails indeed were slipping out in turns. Too much work for my taste:)

I can't see how to avoid learning to snow-plough and stem-christies in the beginning. The space on the bunny slopes is limited so the task is to get the absolute beginners from there to normal "grown up slopes" ASAP, like in half-day. And it can only happen when they can comfortably control his speed and know how to change direction. If there was a way to keep beginners on bunny slopes for a week at least, probably snow-ploughs could be avoided at early stage, and they can learn straight to ski parallel. I still don't see the point, since it's a useful technique, just as stems. It really shouldn't lead to any bad habits - as it's sometimes claimed.