What skis for a beginner?

I am needing to hire skis and boots for a total beginner. All companies do a very cheap, skis and boot hire package for beginners which they are calling economy and they do not say what the skis are. The next price up are for beginner to itermediate and the price doubles.

My question is should she go for the cheapest or will they hamper her progress/be a load of rubbish ?

For an absolute beginner? I would say go for the cheapest ones. They will most likely be a few seasons old, but they'll do fine. I'm not sure about intermediate skis, but getting her "gold" standard would almost certainly hamper her progress as they would most likely be too stiff to flex at the slower speeds achieved by beginners.

The only situation in which I would think they might benefit is when the conditions are icy, and the edges may not be in the best condition. I imagine you might ask the hire shop to remedy this, though.

I'm sure someone with more experience than myself will correct me soon, but that's my take on the situation.

Go for the silver ones, not bronze or gold. They wony be fast but might just be newer or better maintained.

DaveMac and Trencher gave excellent advice.
If beginner first try out "activity"!
Think of it like a "marriage"!
First do you really want to get married?
Then if yes,,what kind of wife do you want since finding a "compatible" ski is as difficult as finding a wife! Trust me!
Then you must find out what you like in a ski,,so like in a "martiage" it will take you several years to discover the "qualities" of a ski! I know,,I know others will tell that this ski or that ski is great for you (like others will find you the best wife),,,,but you must determine that!
How?
Learn to ski on rented (sorry "hired" ) skis! Take lessons and slowly you will discover that all skis have personalities. You will fall in love with one of those "personalities"!

That is the joy of skiing! Finding that great great ski for you!

I have just finished testing 20 pair of skis and oh my are they different!!!! All great but so different!

Snowbandit,
I used to think the colours the ski hire shops offer - blue, red and black were for beginner, intermediate and advanced and I've hired them according to that premise for several years.

However, I've recently booked some more skis, and the shop offers the same colour scheme, and then beginner etc. within each colour scheme - so that you can hire black beginners, for example. The colours in this case seem to be more about the quality of the ski and boot, and hence the cost of hiring them!.

I have still hired blue ones, though, for the member of our party who has only done one week of ski-ing, and I thought I'd see what they were like when we got there, and upgrade if I thought they weren't good enough. So, I'd suggest you do the same. The blue economy ones we've hired in the past have been perfectly adequate, and we've now moved on to paying more for the red and black ones as our ski-ing has improved.

Pavelski,
It's nice to see you back :D . I hope you enjoyed yourself testing out 20 possible marriage partners :wink:

Ally

Ally great minds think alike! I booked her skis the day before yesterday, she decided to go for the cheap ones with a view to upgrading if necessary when we are there. (She is a student!) :D