During the five years that I worked at an equipment rental and retail shop, as well as the additional five+ years responding to numerous email enquiries on eBay, I have spent countless hours learning about choosing appropriate equipment. Drawing on this experience, I have provided answers to a few of the more commonly-asked questions surrounding this topic.
A: First rule of thumb: regardless of the discount, I’d steer clear of high-performance race-standard boots for recreational (even advanced level) use. This category of boot is going to be too stiff to flex for 99% of typical recreational skiers. Not only can it be detrimental to your skiing performance, but the pain caused by the unnecessary stiffness will make you consider snowboarding next season. It is far more important to buy the right boots designed for all-terrain use than it is to get 90% off of the retail price for the wrong boots. That being said, you don’t want a boot that is too loose fitting without enough buckles. To create a snug fit over the entire foot and around the ankle and lower calf, make sure the boots offer at least three (preferably four) buckles on each. If there is a question between two sizes, go with the smaller of the two. Just like shoes, boot liners do break down and conform after a couple of uses. If the boot isn’t snug enough, you won’t be able to get your skis to respond quickly to the micro-adjustments of your feet. Use the sizing charts for appropriate fitting.
A: Women’s skis are slightly softer flexing due to the lower average weight of women compared with that of men. Since women’s skis are constructed for the lighter-weight skier, any individual- male or female, young or old- who fit into the specified weight range for that model ski would benefit from its construction. This means also that a lightweight adult might even find a junior model works well for them.
Skis know only weight- not gender, height, or age- of their riders. Many adults can benefit financially by getting into a junior model (or women’s model) if you can fit into the weight range. On the same note, heavier youth need to think about getting on an appropriate adult ski to accommodate the adult weight.
The bindings are generally mounted farther forward for a women’s model to accommodate a typical women’s lower center of gravity, but a male skier can simply mount the binding at the “male-specific” setting. This goes for demo skis as well: simply have a technician slide the toe and heel piece slightly to the rear to accommodate your Incredible Hulk-like upper body.
A: Flex is a rating of the stiffness of a ski. A stiff ski requires much more force to bend in order to achieve its optimal shape in a turn. A stiff-flexing ski is designed to offer more stability at higher speeds for an aggressive skier who is actively initiating the turns. Conversely, softer-flexing skis require less force, speed, and activation to initiate the turn. Soft-flexing skis are ideal for those who generally cruise at comfortable speeds with a more relaxed, playful attitude. Stiff-flexing skis are ideal for serious, intense skiers needing to release all that energy into a willing scapegoat. (If you’re not sure what type of skier you are, your spouse might be able to offer some insight.)
In general, the more expensive the ski model, the stiffer the flex; this is due to higher quality materials such as titanium, Kevlar, and carbon used in the construction of the ski.
A: Side-cut is the difference in width between the tip and the tail in relation to the waist. Generally, the narrower the waist width in relation to that of the tip and tail, the sharper and quicker the turn will be. Conversely, the smaller the difference, the larger the turn will be. For example, a side-cut of 119-64-102 (tip-waist-tail) is considered a “slalom” or “SL” side-cut, which will be ideal for tight, quick, short turns. A side-cut of 102-63-88 (tip-waist-tail) is considered a “giant slalom” or “GS” side-cut, ideal for large, long, sweeping turns.
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