Time for some powder skis . . .

[SkiNana]

SkiNana, if this is the ski shop that's at the base of Big Sky, I've had the same experience with them. You're right to say that you'll vote with your wallet on that shop at Big Sky! Good luck and have fun with your new skis .

It's a shop in the Town Center area of Big Sky, not in the Mountain Village. I'm sorry you were treated that way, but glad you found your boots!

As to the Soul7 and Savory7 being so similar, snow addict, I understand that but, 1. I really dislike the graphic on the Soul 7: maybe it shouldn't matter, but it does. 2. It's just that much longer. Maybe another demo (really?!!) would prove it inconsequential, but . . . And 3. Why would I compromise to make the purchase from that shop anyway? What I want is available elsewhere, probably cheaper. See above about voting with one's wallet!

 

[snow addict]

It's not longer at all. They measure the same but longer appeal more to men and shorter - to women. There was the same situation with the early iteration of S7, unisex had stated lengths 168-178 and women's version 166-176. Even if they were different I don't think you will notice the difference, it's less than 1". Demo. But of course if you are cross with the shop and can get the skis elsewhere and even cheaper, do it.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Hehe!!! Recently just had two ski shop personnel (one a young person, the other a seasoned person) tell me to ignore an instructor's recommendations on pole length since it's "So easy to get certified and half the time they don't know what they're saying." I'd like to see them go through PSIA training. They were trying to save me $$, so I'll give them that, but why knock ski instructors (who go through a crap ton of training) to convince a customer to save money? That was just downright insulting to me and to my friends who teach skiing and snowboarding.

And I wonder just what kind of extensive training *they* had before being allowed onto the sales floor!

That being said, I recently told two experienced instructors I wanted to get my PSIA level 1 just to really get a complete education in skiing, and they looked at me skeptically and said that the level 1 was ... hm. Basically I think the story is that people with no skiing experience whatsoever are put through PSIA level 1 and then allowed to teach beginners, and so the instructors I was talking to don't think much of the level 1 class. Although it occurs to me, as I'm typing this, that maybe it shows exactly the opposite. I think it's more a condemnation of the ski resort's criteria for beginning ski instructors than anything else ...

 

[Tammy]

That being said, I recently told two experienced instructors I wanted to get my PSIA level 1 just to really get a complete education in skiing, and they looked at me skeptically and said that the level 1 was ... hm. Basically I think the story is that people with no skiing experience whatsoever are put through PSIA level 1 and then allowed to teach beginners, and so the instructors I was talking to don't think much of the level 1 class. Although it occurs to me, as I'm typing this, that maybe it shows exactly the opposite. I think it's more a condemnation of the ski resort's criteria for beginning ski instructors than anything else ...

You have a point. It really does depend on the ski area. I've had some terrible lessons and some really amazing ones depending on where I went.

The hill I typically frequent has really upped its game in terms of its qualifications for ski instructors over the years. All of them have at least PSIA level 2 certification. I'm working with a particular teacher who does their women's clinics and she's been training a LOT for her PSIA level 3. From my understanding of things, level 3 is a tough certification to attain.

I was absolutely insanely lucky in that my very first instructor (I was a "never-ever" at age 30) was a PSIA level 3. He's still very active and teaches clinics. I don't think that I'd have such a mad love affair with skiing if it wasn't for the quality of the first lesson I received 7 years ago.

Perhaps the two chuckleheads in the ski shop haven't had as good of an experience with ski instructors that I've had. I can't disparage the shop or their workers too much since I've received good service from them. It was just kind of off-putting that a ski shop's employees would insult ski instructors. Heck, if it wasn't for ski instructors (especially the good ones who are very passionate and serious about it), ski shops would be out of business.

Anyway, I totally threadjacked this, SkiNana. I'm so sorry :(.

 

[SkiNana]

No problem at all, Tammy. And I'm happy to report that we were blessed with six inches of lovely white stuff for me to take my new Savory 7's out in for the first time today!

We picked them up at REI yesterday in Bozeman and Lone Mountain Sports (here in Big Sky) mounted the bindings (free because we bought them there). DH came home from dropping them off and told me they were putting "fashion" bindings on them rather than the white Marker Griffons I'd requested. When I saw them this morning I was really pleased: they had used a black binding with blue trim that matches the graphic on the ski. So cute for a bunch of men to get involved in putting the "pretty" bindings that "match" on a lady's ski for her! They know us there, but still . . . I'll be over there tomorrow with cookies for them!

And speaking of "chuckleheads", I still haven't heard from the one at the shop where I demoed!

 

[bounceswoosh]

No problem at all, Tammy. And I'm happy to report that we were blessed with six inches of lovely white stuff for me to take my new Savory 7's out in for the first time today!

We picked them up at REI yesterday in Bozeman and Lone Mountain Sports (here in Big Sky) mounted the bindings (free because we bought them there). DH came home from dropping them off and told me they were putting "fashion" bindings on them rather than the white Marker Griffons I'd requested. When I saw them this morning I was really pleased: they had used a black binding with blue trim that matches the graphic on the ski. So cute for a bunch of men to get involved in putting the "pretty" bindings that "match" on a lady's ski for her! They know us there, but still . . . I'll be over there tomorrow with cookies for them!

And speaking of "chuckleheads", I still haven't heard from the one at the shop where I demoed!

Best to know the individual - if someone had swapped out the binding I chose "for" me, they'd be wearing the skis through their head as a nose piercing!

 

[Tammy]

No problem at all, Tammy. And I'm happy to report that we were blessed with six inches of lovely white stuff for me to take my new Savory 7's out in for the first time today!

We picked them up at REI yesterday in Bozeman and Lone Mountain Sports (here in Big Sky) mounted the bindings (free because we bought them there). DH came home from dropping them off and told me they were putting "fashion" bindings on them rather than the white Marker Griffons I'd requested. When I saw them this morning I was really pleased: they had used a black binding with blue trim that matches the graphic on the ski. So cute for a bunch of men to get involved in putting the "pretty" bindings that "match" on a lady's ski for her! They know us there, but still . . . I'll be over there tomorrow with cookies for them!

And speaking of "chuckleheads", I still haven't heard from the one at the shop where I demoed!

I'm so glad that you got to ski on your new boards. Yep, I'd have to agree with Bounceswoosh on the bindings, but since you know the shop and are comfortable with it, what the heck. Enjoy .

 

[SkiGAP]

Best to know the individual - if someone had swapped out the binding I chose "for" me, they'd be wearing the skis through their head as a nose piercing!

what she said

 

[SkiNana]

It was the same binding! Just the black instead of white and it has blue trim areas that match the graphic. And they had DH's blessing. So, you see, they didn't really take any liberties at all with my decision on bindings. Rereading, that did sound like they had gone crazy on their own, but that's not the case at all: exactly the binding I ordered, they just dressed up the color.

 

[bounceswoosh]

It was the same binding! Just the black instead of white and it has blue trim areas that match the graphic. And they had DH's blessing. So, you see, they didn't really take any liberties at all with my decision on bindings. Rereading, that did sound like they had gone crazy on their own, but that's not the case at all: exactly the binding I ordered, they just dressed up the color.

Okay, this makes a lot more sense!

I didn't even consider color when I asked for the Marker Griffon bindings. Then I found out they come in two colors - red accents or teal. As it turns out, the teal goes really nicely with the blue accents on my orange skis ...

 

[SkiGAP]

Ok, threats of bodily harm withdrawn.

 

[SkiNana]

How do you "like" on Tapatalk?!

 

[skibum4ever]

You touch the post your want to like and it will show a "thumbs up" on the screen. You touch the thumb And it creates a "like".

 

[geargrrl]

You touch the post your want to like and it will show a "thumbs up" on the screen. You touch the thumb And it creates a "like".

On my tapatalk on the iPad, when I touch the post I get a bar that has 4 buttons to like, quote, share, more.

 

[SkiNana]

I get what geargrrl gets . . . No thumbs!

 

[skibum4ever]

Here's what I get.

 

[skibum4ever]

Here's what I get.

 

[skibum4ever]

Here's what I get.

 

[skibum4ever]

Here's what I get.

 

[SkiNana]

I can't manage THAT either, skibum!

Geargrrl, show her what WE get!

Except, it's fleeting, I'm not certain you can capture it on a screen shot.