calling all ski bums

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Hi guys,

I need some advice. I'm 18 years old, fit, 5 ft 10, 78kg's, and am about to spend a ski season in st anton (lucky me eh?). I've been looking into buying some skis, and have been researching into it for a couple of weeks at work. I know the saying 80% of skiiers think they're experts, but 80% of those are intermediates, but i consider myself a competent skiier, having skiid pretty much every year since a very young age: any type of groomed slopes present no problem, and i've been doing off piste for a little while, and would consider myself to be inbetween level 2 and 3 of this websites skill level rating:
http://www.pistetopowder.com/index.php?p=16-16-14
No doubt i'll improve a hell of a lot through the season, and i would like some expert (or just well informed) advice on what skis would suit me. I'm an aggressive skiier, no pussy-footing about, and i have been looking at freeride skis (preferably with twin tips, as i enjoy larking about facing the wrong way occasionally!). These are the skis i've been looking at atm:
-salomon lords (177cm)
-volkl mantra (177cm)
-k2 obsethed (179cm)
I'd also appreciate any advice or suggestions on appropriate bindings and poles, and whether to buy here (where it'll probably be cheaper), or wait until i get to st anton.

Thanks for the help!

Dom

Hello Dom

If you can afford to wait then I would advise that you buy at the resort. That way you can try before you buy and once you do buy you can take it back to the shop for tweaks.

I've only tried the K2s which are great but I've heard top reports on the others too.

One ski I would recommend for you though is the Scott Punisher. I am big fan of Scott but then again they are brilliant.

I'll let you know my view of the Punishers next month!!! :)

Oh, and Salomon Z12 ti seem to be a pretty popular freeride binding.

I went out on some Scott Crusade's today, and some Scott Neo's er.... and some Dynastar Legend 8000. Does this mean I'm a ski bum then :lol:

I was chatting to a Scott, Switzerland, sponsored skier yesterday. He can choose any ski from the range. He loves the Punishers :D

Dom.

If you are to be a true ski bum, shouldn't you be looking at buying third hand off the Head instructor!!?? Good buy, great street cred.

In my first season, there were several of us classed ourselves as "skibums" We had absolutely no spare money. We paid £49 for a season pass!!! Tourist ladies bought our only drinks of the week, on a Friday night. ~ Whoopeee!

Our food was tinned, bought at a cash and carry in the UK, (100 meals per person), and heated on the top of our room heater, it took about two hours to cook.

Unfortunately, halfway through the season, two of us started working for the ski school, and our cred was shot. On the other hand, our financial circumstances did creep forward.

Skis were either second hand/third hand, or reconditioned from the Kneissl factory in Kufstein.

I feel a John Cleese moment coming on ... "Third hand skis lad, eeh wot luxory, now then, when I were a ski bum...."

Dom, are you sure your'e a ski bum?

oh dave, i'm far from a ski bum! i was trying to get advice FROM ski bums ^^ i've been working for a few months to get enough money to buy some skis, and some fitted ski boots (spelling?), as i think for a ski season, that's probably the best investment right? As i'm only 18, i've never bought any ski equipment, because well...i grew every ski season. So this is my first real ski investment. thanks for the advice so far guys, i reckon when i get there i'll try as many out as i can. will definately have a look at those punishers.

Poles, if they are the right length and they feel comfy you can't go wrong? If you are bumming it for the season it might be worth getting some decently fitted boots from CEM who has probably the best reputation out of the bootfitters I hear of in the UK, (haven't been to him myself) or get a rec. for a bootfitter in resort. Since you are doing a season I would go for 2 pairs of skis-something like a midfat potentially the Mantra with some light but solid binders z12ti s or something and a dedicated powder ski with a touring binding if you do want to get skiing off piste maybe the K2 Coomba with Dukes.. or something?

Enjoy

Depends if you have best part of £1200 to spend though eh ross? :lol: