What Would You Change About The Ski Industry?

[santacruz skier]

I would put Austria's heated and covered chairlifts in all truly cold locations. Not so necessary in the Pyrenees, but in the US Northeast...

I couldn't believe those 8 seaters were heated....(Kitzbuehl) just thought it was because a ritzy resort.

 

[santacruz skier]

I'm always sensitive to this, but so far I've never had the issue in a store. In fact, just the other day I was in a The North Face store populated entirely with males, and they were 100% helpful - I was looking for insulated bibs. TNF doesn't have any, but they had suggestions (none of which panned out) for OTHER BRANDS I could try. That's been my experience every time I walk into this The North Face store - they must have excellent training. In some ways, I think (some) women are more judgmental than (some) men this way. I don't think I've ever had a man make obvious assumptions about my interests based on my size. They're just stoked to see a woman getting after it.

Speaking of which - wtf with the lack of insulated bibs? I have found *no* technical insulated bibs for skiing. Divas Outerwear has them, but you can't pee in them without taking off your jacket. I would like to understand. Bibs are more comfortable at the waist, keep snow out, and keep your core warmer. Would it not make perfect sense to make some of those with insulation, too? @SnowHot any insight into why such a product doesn't exist?

Did you try NWT technologies or something like that? They custom make technical gear... I'll get the link and provide for you.

 

[santacruz skier]

@bounceswoosh try this
https://nwt3k.com

 

[VickiK]

yes, Powder suits are called fart bags elsewhere.

 

[bounceswoosh]

@bounceswoosh try this
https://nwt3k.com

I don't think the "feature" scrolling is working, but unless it's in there, they don't appear to be insulated. And only appear to have men's sizes ....

 

[santacruz skier]

I don't think the "feature" scrolling is working, but unless it's in there, they don't appear to be insulated. And only appear to have men's sizes ....

Hmm. I was able to open and view bibs. Seems like a great company. Might be worth an email to them. Think it would be fun to customize.

 

[SkiBilly]

I'd like to see more ski patrollers like for speed and people doing stupid things. There is often too many people going to too fast (whether relatively in control or not) on runs that there are plenty of intermediates or beginners on.
I would also banish t bars

Agree about ski patrol policing the speedsters and YES!!! Get rid of T-Bars...slow, boring hateful things. The long ones make my hip ache.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Get rid of T-Bars...slow, boring hateful things. The long ones make my hip ache.

Leave my T-Bar alone! It keeps running when winds are too vicious for lifts, and right now it's actually easier on my knee than a lift. (The fact that snow boarders have to be very, very good to ride it is a nice little bonus.)

 

[santacruz skier]

Leave my T-Bar alone! It keeps running when winds are too vicious for lifts, and right now it's actually easier on my knee than a lift. (The fact that snow boarders have to be very, very good to ride it is a nice little bonus.)

T Bars and pomas are all over Europe...ones in the US aren't anywhere near as long!!! Can be 20 minutes or longer! All over the Portes du Soleil which encompasses France and Switzerland...

 

[veronicarella]

T Bars and pomas are all over Europe...ones in the US aren't anywhere near as long!!! Can be 20 minutes or longer! All over the Portes du Soleil which encompasses France and Switzerland...

I know the three T-bars at WB are all because they are on top of glaciers and can be moved as the glaciers move and, unfortunately, shrink. Can't put a chair on glaciers!

 

[newboots]

I find the T-bar and J-bar challenging, and they were very short! I can't imagine 20 minutes on one. On the other hand, if all the lifts were on wind hold, I'd be on that T-bar in a heartbeat, aching legs or not.

 

[mustski]

I haven't ridden a t-bar in years, but I did enjoy my first ride on a Poma at PowMow. It was an adventure. I can't imagine a 20 minute t-bar or Poma though. I'm sure I rode t-bars that long back in the day; I just can't remember the feeling.

 

[luliski]

I lived in Switzerland when I was a kid, and I rode lots of t-bars and caused all kinds of trouble on them (riding off the track, unloading early to ditch lesson group, falling off, etc.). I've ridden the poma to Lookout Mountain at Northstar, but it's not as fun as the t-bars used to be.

 

[SkiGAP]

The T-bars and button lifts can indeed be long over here...but not only. They can also be steep, they can turn, and they you can get airborne. You can even be more or less in an off-piste situation with them. Fun!

And they are not called Poma lifts here, at least I have never heard that in Europe. At some resorts all or most of the lifts are from the manufacturer "Poma" and you see the name everywhere, so it wouldn't narrow it down much.

 

[Lilia]

More paid ski patrol and better benefits (life and health insurance) for them.

Apart from extending the ski patrol insurance beyond the current age limits, I'd suggest making the ski resorts more affordable in terms of public transportation.

For example, in Ontario, the Blue Mountain appears to be the only resort that has a bus route assigned to it from Toronto. There is only one bus route that seems to be sold out far in advance. Other resorts seem to have no public transportation to and from them at all.

 

[Lmk92]

No. Union pays all instructors of a level the same regardless of expertise.

I don't think this is true. If there is a union of instructors all getting the same pay, the union is not properly representing everyone and should be challenged. No other union operates this way.

 

[mustski]

The teachers unions all operate that way! It's based on years experience and education but not on excellence. I think most unions operate that way. They don't represent individuals, they represent groups so it's based on generalities. It's not necessarily bad- it's just one type of system. I was speaking hypothetically. I don't believe ski instructors are unionized.

 

[Lmk92]

My apologies - I misunderstood what you wrote. My bad.