When a relatively new skier is ready to purchase skis, my belief is that those skier ability ratings should be regarded. As for "just for fun" demo days , maybe not so much.
I would like to think that most ski shops are reputable, where sales match the needs/attributes of the skier, before the dreams of the skier. With some latitude.
Last fall I happened to overhear a salesman chatting up a lady who was buying her first pair of skis. In this case the buyer's newfound enthusiasm was mistaken for ability. The spiel went something like this : "Now here's a great ski you can grow into and keep for years. This way you'll be saving dollars in the long run. Don't worry that magazines might say it's for an advanced skier; most of them say that because the testers ARE experts. You'll quickly move from those green slopes to the black runs in no time at all." TA-CHING!!!
In my own experience I have had a couple of demos that provided some measurable insights into the realm of higher-spectrum skis. (above my level, shall I say)
The first demo I had was from a tent slopeside. I was an advancing beginner and was handed a pair of Burnin' Luvs...probably too long.(K2 sizing) My knowledge of this ski yelled, "NO."
My acquiescing brain fart said, "He-Knows-Better-Than-You. Take it."
The second foray into demoland was on a ski I selected myself. I was a middling intermediate and chose a ski labeled advanced-expert. This ski boosted my confidence via the assets that come built into this level and drove me to terrain I'd have passed by otherwise.
An incredible experience. BUT....and it's a BIG one… just because the ski took me to a refreshing level of confidence, it did not come equipped with the skills to manage these new slopes for long. Now the very ski that got me there is punishing me for struggling to stay there.
The advanced- expert ski might be able to stretch us, but only so far. A beginner or intermediate cannot truly---if they are honest with themselves---handle the demands of a top ski. Most of them are simply Too Stiff, Too Stiff, and often Too Long for the skiing ability. Which brings me to a parallel isssue…
I am somewhat bemused by the senseless rush to ski Black slopes. Is this a Medal of Honor thing or what?
How many times do we see folks slowly navigating their snowplows across and down the hill, while the experienced skiers are halting so abruptly they risk injury to themselves and others? A beginner or low intermediate is not suddenly and advanced skier because he completed a higher-level run. Employing steeper terrain for development and honing of basic tools is game improvement, but refusing to return to easier slopes until those skills are coming together, is just plain stupid.
To the original thread question----sorry for the vent---: If a newer or lower level skier is using advanced-expert skis that they have found to be “not so hard” on the slopes of their comfort zone, they will be SOL when suddenly they find themselves losing control and discovering that the only tool left in the box is the How-To-Conquer-Panic while side-slipping all the way to the nearest restroom…next to the bar.
I figure if the equipment starts to work against you from the get-go, better to dial down to a ski that will help you become so skillful that you NEED to move up. And what could be better than that?
Throw me in the "old habit die hard" camp - I just haven't found light skis that I like. But believe me, my backcountry/powder setup is for sure way lighter than my resort skis.
