J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by acarr

Thank you Brucie. It's really helpful having someone there who can give advice. We've never skied in Andorra but are seriously considering it due to cost. Went to Switzerland last year and thought we got very poor value for money. Time for a change I think.
Allie

Does that include First Class where you get free wine with your meal? :wink:

Hi Adam welcome to the nut-house -) It might be a bit quiet here at the moment but things will heat up in the autumn as thoughts turn to ski holidays. In the meantime have a browse through some of the threads for lively discussions about different places and post any specific questions you have. There's lots of expertise around - plus people like me who just like to talk!

I've not been to either but I really liked your film. My daughter went to the Zillertal with school last year and enjoyed it, though being 13 she didn't say much about it.

No problem :thumbup:
You could start looking in a few shops to give you an idea of prices etc. New stock will probably be arriving in October, roughly. If you need more advice once you've looked around, come back on here.
Some online retailers have reduced prices at the moment, but probably also not as much stock. You could still find a bargain. I don't know of a particular online retailer but I just google 'ski jacket' or something and there's plenty of options.

And OldAndy is right about the 2 pairs of gloves. Nothing worse than wet gloves :cry:

A basic list:
You'll need a ski jacket, ski trousers, couple of pairs of ski socks, ski gloves, wooly hat, and lots of layers - from thermal underwear to fleeces. You might need ski goggles for snowy conditions. You're hiring boots and skis but you didn't mention a helmet. I wear one but it's a personal choice. If you want one you could hire it.

A small backpack is useful to carry water, snack bars etc. You'll use up a lot of calories.

As it's your first time, could you borrow anything from a friend? That way, if you don't like it you won't have wasted money on kit you'll never use again. If you're on a budget, you could check out Aldi and Lidl which often run special weekly promotions in winter. I know people who find bargain ski wear in TK Maxx. On the other hand, if money is no object, there are lots of shops willing to take it from you...With skiing, like other hobbies, you can spend a fortune on gear if you want the latest fashion but it's not really necessary.

[Breaks open piggy bank. Surveys contents]
Hmmm. I've got a button and a few coppers. Chip in anyone? :oops:

I can tell you that it's snowing hard in Saas-Fee down to village level. Unfortunately visibility at the top is very bad and it's windy so they've shut some lifts early. There's plenty of snow but it's not that cold so lower slopes are slushy. My gluhwein is nice though.