2nd time skiing - which ski's to hire

[Gerr]

G'day - my question is about ski hire for our second trip. Last year we were at Thredbo for 7 days and hired the beginner ski's. By the middle of the week, we were skiing Blue runs and having a ball. This year (Mt Buller) , wondering whether to hire the beginner ski's again or move up in the world. I've noticed that Buller Sports and the Duck Inn outlets have either Normal (presumably beginner) or Executive, and Georges Ski Hire have Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Anybody care to offer an opinion about which way we should go this year ?? Are the ordinary ski's more stable for beginners? And when do you move on to better ski's (and what defines a better ski) ?

If you want the technical angle, I have supinated feet and am bowlegged, but am in the middle of getting some newly purchased boots aligned prior to the trip. Last year had trouble rolling the stance ski over to the big toe edge and the last instructor I had recommended trying some narrow-waisted ski's next time round - Why? no idea!, although hopefully getting aligned boots will allow me to roll better this year. Actully having boots will allow me to walk following the ski trip this year!

Thanks

[Paul Oberin]

You may want to have a read of this article, it covers bow legged skiers. Written by a nice bloke as well. ;)

http://www.mthotham.com.au/today/snowtech/200561921011.htm

[Gerr]

I know theres a song about bow-legged women !!
Thanks Paul

[Gerr]

Thanks for that Paul - I have been sold boots that cant in both directions (tick). Your article says that BL skiers benefit from risers and also narrow waisted skis (sorry - lots of paraphrasing) - would you be able to explain how these help? Which then brings me back to the original question of would you move on from "ordinary" hire ski's and what would I be looking for? Cheers.

[Paul Oberin]

My opinion of what skis to get for a second time skier, if renting from a reputable shop with up to date equipment, i doubt you will gain anything from renting anything better than the basic carve skis, I know in my own shop my basic carve skis are what some shops class as executive skis, they are new Head wide skis, and only a few years back would have sold for around $800 or more, and you would have to be a ski instructor to need a better ski.

Having said that, there are some shops around with well worn skis still in rental.
The shops on the Mountain at Buller are excellent, and as mentioned already, places like Pullins at Mansfield , Buller sports, Georges, Pension Grimus and Blacks would all have basic skis well up to the task, so save your money until your can ski at a more advanced level.

[Gerr]

Save money? This is skiing! Thanks Paul - sounds good!

[Paul Oberin]

The general rule is to go wide for Knock Knee skiers and conventional width for Bow legged skiers, the narrower platform that the narrower wasted skis allow, will see the centre of Knee mass and Femur in line with the ski edge, thus allowing the ski edge to engage a little later than when on a wider ski.
I hope that is not too technical for you.

[Teckel]

Gerr. Some shops give labels to their skis and charge accordingly, depending on the age of the ski, rather than what level of skiier it's for, or how good the ski itself actually is. If when you go into the shop, all the cheaper priced skis are hacked up, and all the expensive skis are nice and shiny, that's what they are doing. Go in and ask for narrow waisted skis.

[Taxman]

Getting more specific, I was thinking a ski something along the lines of a Rossignol B1, ski about chin to nose height. Easy to ski, but has a lot of progession and accepts a lot of turn shapes. I believe that the intermediate hire skis offered by Thredbo and Perisher are based on the B1.

[Gerr]

Thanks Paul, Teckel and Taxman. It can be difficult to find out this stuff outside of a forum like this - thanks for your input.