Anyone have some advice......?

Rent.......

I rented a pair of Volkl Estrellas last season. They were the next step up in price to what I usually went for and the difference was amazing. My skiing and confidence improved straight away and I was a strict blue, very nervous red skier before. This season I have bought my own, not too expensive and great for everything I want to do and I know I can ski on them. Reds and a Black this season so far. Maybe your wife wuld like to rent a pair and see how she gets on? You can always change them and try several before she finds what suits her.

I think renting different skis all the time can really knock your confidence - there are some skis I just didn't get on with when I was a learner and if a rental shop didn't have my favourite skis I was instantly nervous.
If your wife tries out a few different skis, chooses her favourite and buys a pair the same, over time she'll get to know what they are like in different conditions and come to trust them more.
It's also great having your own gear :-)

I would be in the same ski school group as your wife, I have always been a cautious intermediate, and know my limits, after several bad crashes caused by others (including a dislocated hip!). Private lessons are OK, but you are pushed for a full hour and it is hard going and personally I did not enjoy it - but I did it for the same reasons stated above. I have also had lots of different ski school lessons and have now reached my comfort zone - happy to ski blues and reds (although now my osteopath says I can only do the easy stuff). I once had a 3 day Club Ski in Banff, which was great, but it is hard being pushed. I also had hypnotherapy to help me get over my fear factor and to some degree I did a bit. I think your wife is my 'skiing sister' - she is happy to pootle around, look at the scenery, and enjoy the Alpine atmosphere. My OH likes to ski reds and much more tricky stuff, but we usually pick a resort where we can ski a bit together and then slope off for an hour or two to do what we want - after all we are on holiday. Out of the two of us, I am the one always up for the skiing holiday!! I have seen many a couple fall out because of differences of opinion on pushing to your limit.

Buy her a very good pair of fitted boots and rent skis.

Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. Have just booked ski school for Mrs Jones and it looks as if the Estrella's fit the bill.

Another throbbing feeling in the wallet!

erogenous jones wrote:Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. Have just booked ski school for Mrs Jones and it looks as if the Estrella's fit the bill.

Another throbbing feeling in the wallet!

Estrellas?


http://www.estrelladamm.com/

erogenous jones wrote:Thank you all for your thoughts and advice. Have just booked ski school for Mrs Jones and it looks as if the Estrella's fit the bill.

Another throbbing feeling in the wallet!

Out of date ski. You'll be making it 25% harder for her to ski than it needs to be. Do her a big favour and find something with tip rocker/early rise