J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by lilywhite

jim preston wrote:Ive never had cold feet when skiing or heard my friends complain of this I use normal ski socks nothing fancy, is there a possibility of thin blood or you are on medication or possibly been in extremely low temperatures interesting ,,,or have i just been lucky not to have experienced this problem ???

Hi Jim, in Banff one Jan the thermometer was showing minus 38c with the wind as well, you can imagine how cold it was! Sweden in Jan has meant temps in the minus 20's. When it's that cold I struggle to even get my feet in the boots if they are not warm, it feels like the plastic stiffens up. I have no trouble once you get minus 15c and up.
You are right about circulation being a possible contributor or something like Raynauds being a factor.

done

Hi PT, some people swear by hotronics. They won't solve the problem if your boots don't fit or if you need but have not got custom footbeds or if your wearing silly socks.
Are you over tightening your boots which might cut off circulation?
Are you warming your boots and ski socks before you put them on? Far easier to stay warm than get warm, I either blast my boots with a hairdryer before putting them on or transport them to the hill with a heater inside (a bottle half filled with hot water will do the trick).
A cheaper alternative is boot gloves, which are neoprene covers that go over your boots, they stop snow getting in your boot and help reflect heat back toward your foot. They really work, I got mine in canada but if you google boot glove or kosy boot you will find them easily. :)

I have a large calf too, had to have the top of the boots "flared" to make some room, I suggest you take your boots with you to see a fitter, might be an easy adjustment that can be done.

Plus 1 to carrying EHIC, Insurance policy number and phone number, contact no of fellow traveller/partner and a list of medications currently taken etc.
I cannot understand the mentality of people who ski without insurance. Touch wood I have never had to make a claim for myself but I dread to think what it would have cost us in treatment without EHIC/insurance last year when my other half broke his T6 vertebrate snowboarding.

Hi and welcome :-) ,
If you were lacking confidence because of balance issues, feeling out of control at speed or finding it difficult to adapt to changes of terrain (soft snow to ice or bumpy pistes) then snowblades will make things worse I think.
Unless your going to pay for private lessons then it will be difficult to get tuition on blades.
They are great fun for a couple of hours though.
I struggled with confidence in the early days but once I had a private lesson focusing on my weaknesses I felt much better and I'm really glad I persevered. If you can I suggest you get a couple of private lessons before you go or even a couple of group lessons at a dry slope (dry slopes are so much more difficult to ski on, they make real snow seem like a doddle after).
If your slimmer and fitter than six years ago you may well surprise yourself with how much easier you find things. With improved core strength your already going to be ahead of the game in comparison. Have fun.

Kids typically learn better with other kids. Mums tend to worry more about kids than themselves. Maybe kids in group ski lessons and mum in a private lesson or two?
A lot of instructors prefer not to teach family lessons, partly because of the diff methods of teaching involved and partly because of the parent care factor which interferes with learning.

I use Captains Cabin at Canterbury for my skis, always had good service. They took my OH's board which looked like it had been used in a gravel pit and gave it back mint, we were not convinced it was the same board.
At the end of the holiday I dry skis properly and apply too much wax then ignore them under the bed for the rest of the year.