Getting into skiiing

[Schif]

Ok, so most of you know that I'm a snowboarder (and those who didn't now do). I've been on the snow now for over a decade and I truly love every second of it. This year though, I'm considering trying to learn how to ski. Its not that I'll never board, but the Poconos do get a little monotonous after a while and I figured I should learn a new skill. The thing I'm wondering is how to step into it. I don't really want to go out and buy a pair of skis right now. A good pair is going to cost a ton of money and I know for a fact that I'm not ready for a good pair yet. Also I don't want to waste money on an entry level ski that I will never use again after the next year or so.

 

To me the idea of renting came up, but then I remembered some of the times I've rented snowboards in the past, when I broke my board a few years ago and snagged a rental to finish out the day with It was a challenge to ride and I knew what I was doing. I can only imagine how a terrible pair of skis would work for a terrible skier like myself.

 

Does anyone have any input? Suck it up and buy some skis? Rent a pair for the season? Stick to the shred stick?

[Melissa]

Rent for the season. You can get decent new skis/boots/poles for the season for under $200. That is what I did my first year skiing, and then at the end of the season I picked up some skis. Also, good skis don't have to be expensive. They will be expensive if you get brand new (both in condition and model year) skis they will be. But you can get great skis at great prices that are last year's model (or the year before). That is what I did, and it worked out really well for my checking account.

 

I hope you get out skiing at Sno this year!

[phillycore]

What about a seasonal rental??

 

I know some ski shops out there will rent you performance gear on a seasonal rental where you could have decent gear to learn on and then decide weather it's what you want to do or not by seasons end...

[Brian]

To me the idea of renting came up, but then I remembered some of the times I've rented snowboards in the past, when I broke my board a few years ago and snagged a rental to finish out the day with It was a challenge to ride and I knew what I was doing. I can only imagine how a terrible pair of skis would work for a terrible skier like myself.

 

I think you'll be fine renting daily. When you rented a board, you were experienced going in.. and "trained" to your own board. So you basically had to relearn a few things to get the right feel for it.

 

Just starting out skiing.. you won't have that experience working against you. If you struggle at first.. it won't be the equipment, it'll be the lack of experience/skill holding you back.

 

Once you get the basics of skiing down, then you can start worrying about your gear and using the same setup.

[Glenn]

Get tele gear.

[Brian]

Skiers walk funny in the lodge.

[Glenn]

Get tele gear because if you ever want to get into backcountry in a big way you are on the best equipment for going up.

 

Buy your gear. Renting is just pissing money away. There are so many deals out there between gear swaps, end of season sales and online stores, you really won't have to spend that much. Also, you can sell your gear when you need to trade up, so again you aren't pissing away that money. Even if you do end up renting I would think buying your own boots would be worth while.

 

Also you are gay, just get better at snowboarding.

[Schif]

Get tele gear because if you ever want to get into backcountry in a big way you are on the best equipment for going up.

 

Also you are gay, just get better at snowboarding.

I'm thinking about the switch mainly because of the backcountry and touring aspect. As much as I love snowboarding I'll have to admit that it is a very inefficient way to get around in the snow, hence the skiing thought.

 

And for the second point, I'll still get better at snowboarding, just throw in some 2 stick action on boring tuesday afternoons.

[nick malozzi]

Well since Glenn started the pissing match I'll add mine.

 

I tried tele last year, and it was pretty damn hard. I had the basics down by the end of the day, but it was one hell of a work out. However, whenever I just pushed back my heals and skied as though I wasn't on tele it was so god damn easy it wasn't even funny. That all being said, I have played Ice Hockey since I was 5. So it was a pretty natural thing for me. Not saying If I had normal skis I'd be some sick ripper, but honestly I think it is way easier then my first time on a board. I felt like with a nice pair of twin tips I'd be riding switch in no time, and charging fairly hard. I mean I took the crappy tele rentals I had into the park, and was getting bigger air then Doug could ever even dream of.

 

Long story short, I'm not trying to hate on skiers, cause there is def a lot of skill there when you start pushing the upper level of certain types. However, I don't think your going to find anything in skiing that will cure the monotony of PA mountains. Their still going to be too small, too crowded, and poor snow. Push harder on your board and find another level. In my opinion if you are a rider and your bored your not charging hard enough, and same thing goes for skis.

 

Just my 2cents.

 

edit: i intended on burning skiers a lot harder in my post, but bitched out cause i'm busy today and can't keep up with a flame war in real time like i prefer to. sorry if i got you excited with the first sentence.

Edited November 4, 2009 by nick malozzi

[JFskiDan]

 

Even if you do end up renting I would think buying your own boots would be worth while.

 

 

i agree with that part, there is nothing worse than boots that are uncomfortable. but...

 

i think you should rent the whole package for the first 2 times out, to make sure this is something you want to persue. i have often thought about learning to snowboard, but never once considered going out and buying the equipment before a test run or two.

Edited November 4, 2009 by smartass

[RootDKJ]

i agree with that part, there is nothing worse than boots that are uncomfortable. but...

 

i have often thought about learning to snowboard, but never once considered going out and buying the equipment before a test run or two.

I've though about it as well.

[Johnny Law]

Get tele gear.

 

Fix the heal fix the problem...

 

Now seriously tele is cool and a great way to get up the hill but there's a reason only 1 dude has passed that French SAR test on them. No matter how good you may be you will never be able to have the power and precision of similarly skilled locked heal skier. The boots are more comfortable and the pivot point is more natural than AT bindings but that's about it.

 

Your sacrificing alot of down hill capability for what is now a pretty modest uphill gain and really at the end of the day going down is the primary reason you were going up in the first place. Dynafits are lighter and arguably more durable and all of the at bindings have pretty acceptable pivot functions. AT truly is the best of both worlds.

 

There is stuff to explore in pa but really only because your bored, look for power line cuts and petro pipelines. Power lines normally have some small scale brush involved because there only trying to keep plants off the towers. Petro pipelines are pretty much just grass, nearly perfect for skiing. Buckeye operates nearly all the lines in PA so check out their map page and look for something crossing over a good sized hill. http://www.buckeye.com/Default.aspx?tabid=113

 

Cambria is close to you (assuming your in state college) look for where it crosses Bear Gap....

[Schif]

Sweet tip on the pipelines Johnny, that looks like it would be a pretty sweet little adventure after we got some of the natural stuff.

[method9455]

I made the switch back last year. I was a skier from like 4-12, snowboarded from 13-21, and now I'm doing both.

 

I bought the whole setup but that was because I was at the shop and got about $1200 worth of gear for $250, but skiing is crazy expensive compared to snowboarding. It was not the best approach, my skis are way too stiff for me right now because I am a total noob again. I'm sure I would be progressing faster on softer skis than what I am right now. Once I get better I will have a set of twins that are good for freeriding pretty hard and a little bit of powder/jumps (Line Prophet 90s for anyone who cares), but for right now they are too much for me.

 

I would say absolutely buy the boots. Get boots, and get footbeds. Rental boots suck. They are sloppy becuase they are packed out and they are cold/uncomfortable, plus you are sharing boots with other people. No thanks. Get like a lower intermediate boot, don't cheap out but the stiff boots at the top are totally unnecessary until you start charging stuff really hard. I would expect to spend $250-350 for new boots. I have tried on a lot over the years, I'm a fan of Technica and Dallbello because of my foot shape but just go into a good shop and talk to the guy, try some on, you'll find something you like.

 

Then rent skis for the season. You can get good enough skis for the year but daily rentals are a waste of time & money. If you actually want to progress you'll go at least a half dozen times.

 

For the actual experience of skiing, at first it was very easy. Before I stopped I could do any trail in PA and 360s and had raced a bit. Going back to it, I had pizza/fries down after the first 100 feet and was doing decent regular turns in like 5 runs. But after that progress was very slow. I put in like 4-5 days last year and I could get down a black diamond but I wasn't carving well by any stretch of the imagination. Up at Stowe I was doing blues as long as they were groomed, but moguls beat me up. I did a few jumps at JFBB and landed them but that was probably a mistake so I can get some speed and stop, but my turns just aren't good. I'm thinking this year it is time for a lesson. So if you are a never-ever skier, then I'd get a lesson on day 1 or go with someone who knows how. Just flailing at it will suck. If you have skied but are trying to remember, I'd get a lesson after a few days so that you can kind of remember how to do it and build up the muscles and then get the best bang for your buck after you hit that wall of what you remember.

 

There are some decent videos on YouTube for instruction too.

 

The funniest part is I have absolutely no idea what to do with poles. Literally I just flop them around like a complete moron. It feels so awkward now. If anyone could explain what you are supposed to be doing with them in this thread, that would be great.

 

As for the tele gear, that is one of my primary motivations for this whole switch back. I want to be able to access stuff and I think it is easier than a split board. But now they are making some bindings that are like tele when you skin but you can lock the heel on the way down, seems like the best of both worlds. Some of my friends have this model and used them in Utah for a week of BC stuff with no problems.

 

http://www.markerusa.com/duke16.php

[Justo8484]

I made the switch back last year. I was a skier from like 4-12, snowboarded from 13-21, and now I'm doing both.

 

I bought the whole setup but that was because I was at the shop and got about $1200 worth of gear for $250, but skiing is crazy expensive compared to snowboarding. It was not the best approach, my skis are way too stiff for me right now because I am a total noob again. I'm sure I would be progressing faster on softer skis than what I am right now. Once I get better I will have a set of twins that are good for freeriding pretty hard and a little bit of powder/jumps (Line Prophet 90s for anyone who cares), but for right now they are too much for me.

 

I would say absolutely buy the boots. Get boots, and get footbeds. Rental boots suck. They are sloppy becuase they are packed out and they are cold/uncomfortable, plus you are sharing boots with other people. No thanks. Get like a lower intermediate boot, don't cheap out but the stiff boots at the top are totally unnecessary until you start charging stuff really hard. I would expect to spend $250-350 for new boots. I have tried on a lot over the years, I'm a fan of Technica and Dallbello because of my foot shape but just go into a good shop and talk to the guy, try some on, you'll find something you like.

 

Then rent skis for the season. You can get good enough skis for the year but daily rentals are a waste of time & money. If you actually want to progress you'll go at least a half dozen times.

 

For the actual experience of skiing, at first it was very easy. Before I stopped I could do any trail in PA and 360s and had raced a bit. Going back to it, I had pizza/fries down after the first 100 feet and was doing decent regular turns in like 5 runs. But after that progress was very slow. I put in like 4-5 days last year and I could get down a black diamond but I wasn't carving well by any stretch of the imagination. Up at Stowe I was doing blues as long as they were groomed, but moguls beat me up. I did a few jumps at JFBB and landed them but that was probably a mistake so I can get some speed and stop, but my turns just aren't good. I'm thinking this year it is time for a lesson. So if you are a never-ever skier, then I'd get a lesson on day 1 or go with someone who knows how. Just flailing at it will suck. If you have skied but are trying to remember, I'd get a lesson after a few days so that you can kind of remember how to do it and build up the muscles and then get the best bang for your buck after you hit that wall of what you remember.

 

There are some decent videos on YouTube for instruction too.

 

The funniest part is I have absolutely no idea what to do with poles. Literally I just flop them around like a complete moron. It feels so awkward now. If anyone could explain what you are supposed to be doing with them in this thread, that would be great.

 

As for the tele gear, that is one of my primary motivations for this whole switch back. I want to be able to access stuff and I think it is easier than a split board. But now they are making some bindings that are like tele when you skin but you can lock the heel on the way down, seems like the best of both worlds. Some of my friends have this model and used them in Utah for a week of BC stuff with no problems.

 

http://www.markerusa.com/duke16.php

 

 

several points to address here...

 

first, i'd steer clear of really jumping on the prophets. it's also not really a great bump ski. they've got a sheet of metal in them that makes them stiff. metal, when stressed, doesn't always bend back into place the same way wood/fiberglass does. i've seen some laminate skis get pretty beat from bumps, and hitting a jump and landing the wrong way could definitely cause the same kind of damage.

 

second, absolutely agree about boots. if you can only afford to sink a certain amount of cash into it this year, boots are where you do not want to skimp. having your boots fit properly means the direct link between your body and your skis will be as responsive as possible, making everything easier for you. sloppy boots mean your skis don't go where you want them too, almost having a mind of their own. no fun.

 

third, poles are generally used to help initiate a turn. think of it this way. when you want to turn, you bend your wrist of the direction you want to turn and plant your pole on the ground. your next move is to use that pole as a focal point to base your turn around. this kinda goes out the window once you start getting better and there are certain times when you will or won't use your poles, but when i was teaching kids, that was the easiest way to explain it. they also help get you in a rhythm and help keep your turns consistent, and i find them to be very useful in the bumps because of this.

[Dan-]

I'm going to say, stick to your snowboard. Travel to other places make things interesting.

[ben]

Now seriously tele is cool and a great way to get up the hill but there's a reason only 1 dude has passed that French SAR test on them. No matter how good you may be you will never be able to have the power and precision of similarly skilled locked heal skier.

 

 

As for the tele gear, that is one of my primary motivations for this whole switch back. I want to be able to access stuff and I think it is easier than a split board. But now they are making some bindings that are like tele when you skin but you can lock the heel on the way down, seems like the best of both worlds. Some of my friends have this model and used them in Utah for a week of BC stuff with no problems.

 

 

I think the tele gear has come so far these days that responsiveness isn't really an issue anymore. The whole tele system is so rigid that the movements you put into it are almost all translated to your ski with very little wasted energy. Like alpine, this is truer the better your boots fit, the more customized they are to you, etc., but the gear is no less responsive than alpine gear.

 

And I'm saying that even though I'm still skiing the 'old' gear. Just last year, a few of the tele companies came out with a new boot-binding system, the NTN (the New Telemark Norm) which improves upon that design even more, and makes the system even more responsive.

 

Also, if you go the AT route, make sure you get a solid AT binding that won't break. Two or three years ago, I know that people were hesitant to switch from alpine to AT because the word on the street was that the AT bindings broke easily, even with normal alpine use. I don't know if they've fixed this problem in the past year or two, but make sure you do your research so you know you're getting a reliable AT setup.

Edited November 6, 2009 by ben

[AtomicSkier]

The tele gear has come so far these days that responsiveness isn't really an issue anymore. The whole tele system is so rigid that the movements you put into it are almost all translated to your ski with very little wasted energy. Like alpine, this is truer the better your boots fit, the more customized they are to you, etc., but the gear is no less responsive than alpine gear.

 

And I'm saying that even though I'm still skiing the 'old' gear. Just last year, a few of the tele companies came out with a new boot-binding system, the NTN (the New Telemark Norm) which improves upon that design even more, and makes the system even more responsive.

 

Also, if you go the AT route, make sure you get a solid AT binding that won't break. Two or three years ago, I know that people were hesitant to switch from alpine to AT because the word on the street was that the AT bindings broke easily, even with normal alpine use. I don't know if they've fixed this problem in the past year or two, but make sure you do your research so you know you're getting a reliable AT setup.

 

Tele'ing is for clowns!

[ben]

Tele'ing is for clowns!

 

you didn't tell me you were switching this year. hit me up some time and we'll make some turns.

 

[Justo8484]

Also, if you go the AT route, make sure you get a solid AT binding that won't break. Two or three years ago, I know that people were hesitant to switch from alpine to AT because the word on the street was that the AT bindings broke easily, even with normal alpine use. I don't know if they've fixed this problem in the past year or two, but make sure you do your research so you know you're getting a reliable AT setup.

 

marker has pretty much addressed that with the duke/baron bindings.

 

 

Tele'ing is for clowns!

 

haven't tried it huh? it's pretty fun. it certainly makes blue a lot more interesting.

[Schif]

Tele just seems like it would be a sick skill to have under my belt. Its hard to argue and say that its not the best way to do some alpine adventuring. I kind of see it like navigating by the stars. Not really all that useful in today's society, but something that I would feel great about knowing how to do.

[Dan-]

marker has pretty much addressed that with the duke/baron bindings.

 

 

 

 

haven't tried it huh? it's pretty fun. it certainly makes blue a lot more interesting.

 

 

You know what will be even more interesting? When you and i switch gear.

[nick malozzi]

Tele'ing is for clowns!

so is hitting the same handful of crappy runs over and over again day in and day out to rack up your "vert".

 

tele skiers get a lot of respect from me man. it was one hell of a work out, and it certainly was fun. i'm just not ready to be a n00b again. i can ride a lot of terrain rather comfortably on my board, and it would take way too long to get to that point on tele skis.

[AtomicSkier]

so is hitting the same handful of crappy runs over and over again day in and day out to rack up your "vert".

 

tele skiers get a lot of respect from me man. it was one hell of a work out, and it certainly was fun. i'm just not ready to be a n00b again. i can ride a lot of terrain rather comfortably on my board, and it would take way too long to get to that point on tele skis.

 

I was just pokin fun at TeleBen...PA's most legit switch skiing tele skier. It's not everyday that you see someone arc'in turns switch on tele skis down the Asp at CB

[Blong131]

buy used. i made the switch last year, and got pretty nice (rossi scratch and p12s) for a hundo. then dropped cash for boots. get fitted for a good boot, this will make all the difference. and will last you a very long time.

 

my mom tried to skimp, and fit herself for a boot at a tent sale. she was hurting after 3 runs. she went and got fitted, and shes skiing like never before

 

seriously, prolly paid 350-400 for the full setup after mount and whatnot, but spend the cash on boots and get a decent used ski/binging setup. you wont enjoy skiing on a rental boot.