Question: When/ why do you demo?

[diymom]

There have been a few threads lately about demos. What is the motivator for you to demo? Because you need new skis? Because you are curious about skis you have read about here or somewhere else online? There happens to be a demo going on, so why the heck not?

I do not need new skis. But tomorrow I have an errand to run that will -conveniently- take me close to Wachusett, where they just so happen to have a demo day going on. I think I might just set my alarm and head out the door early to hit up the demo fest. I am curious about the Yumi, and am also hoping Atomic brings the Vantage X80 cti. But I am also afraid that I might find something I like better than what I have. I do not need new skis.

 

[marzNC]

Good topic!

As background, I don't buy skis that often. Not a shopper in general, whether for skiing or anything else. Still have my BPs that I bought in 2012 as rock skis. Instead of use my Stormriders for quite a while. Treated my Absolut Joys with Phantom in 2018 and that only makes sense if I'm going to keep them for another 3+ years, which is the plan.

I go to demo days because it's fun for me. It means that when I read what others say about skis they like, or don't, I have a better context for understanding the impact of ski design vs the skier's particular scenario. I bought the AJs after demo'ing mid-70s skis for 2-3 seasons. Learned a lot in the process. Especially from models that I didn't like.

A side effect of demo'ing annually at the same location (Massanutten in Jan, Alta in April) is that I got a sense of how my preferences change as my technique improved over 5-6 years after I started taking lessons regularly. Not dramatically, but noticeable at certain stages.

 

[racetiger]

I haven't gone to a demo day but If one happens near here Id go just to cure the curiosity and or try different skis. I dont need to buy any more skis right now unless I break something

 

[canski]

Definitely when looking for new skis, but also in anticipation a year or 2 out as skis do not change every season......you never know what models/lengths will be available, or if the conditions will be appropriate, or if you will be available when you really need new skis....so sometimes just for the rolodex...or if you see a screaming deal at the end of a season on a ski you would like to have in your quiver for that rare powder day/trip, or for pulling the trigger a year early. Plus it is just fun to check it out - I am often amazed at my likes/dislikes relative to other reviews. And when not looking for anything at the moment, I am also happy to realize that I still like what I have...

 

[canski]

And have fun and report back..

 

[nopoleskier]

I love to try all the new technology, skis have come a long way!! I think it's really fun to try different skis. even if I'm never going to buy them for instance: I have never been a Volkl girl they are too heavy but those Flairs.. they are a nice ski but I already have my Cloud 11's.

I like to ski a ski that gets rave reviews or bad reviews to see if it works for me or not. I like to know what my students are on- some skis are not good for some skiers IMO.

I also write down the name/size etc and I buy a year later. I click the Skis.com link on this site
if the top sheet is all that's changed I don't care I'm skiing 'last years ski'
I've gotten some great deals buying after the ski season..

I highly recommend Demo days!

 

[badger]

I demo for two reasons:

1. The fun factor. Reading reviews from ladies who've been out on their own demo adventures will pique my own interest in learning about skis that may be more suited to me personally than what I have.
(This year I'm pretty set so will not likely demo this season.) I ski alone most of the time, so when I am at a resort with a great demo inventory I enjoy my attempts to discover the sensations and characteristics mentioned by others. Which leads me to reason number 2.

2. I do not weigh very much. 90-95 pounds . Many of the features felt in a ski by most skiers, may be lost on me. While I might experience the general qualities attributed to a ski, the subtle distinctions and usually the most significant, cannot be realized because my mass ---or lack of it--- does not leverage the ski to create the feedback others may feel. I will however, give the ski a second chance at another time. Later in the season or in a year or so. Hate it still , or do I now have positive regards?

A lot of the favorite skis raved about by other women , will find themselves back in the shop after one or two runs. My purchased skis have often been a ski I never intended to try. Something I may have read about and stored away in the second tier of considered demos. The results have been enlightening to say the least.

 

[marzNC]

A lot of the favorite skis raved about by other women , will find themselves back in the shop after one or two runs. My purchased skis have often been a ski I never intended to try. Something I may have read about and stored away in the second tier of considered demos. The results have been enlightening to say the least.

Yep, never expected to be able to deal with Stöckli skis but there was a demo tent in PA and I figured why not. First took out the carvers that my Massanutten instructor loves. Much to my surprise, I liked them. The next season at the same demo day, the rep talked me into trying out the Stormrider 85. Was the first season for that model. I didn't buy based on those two short (2 min) runs. But was actively looking to demo them again out west. Found a pair at Taos. Bought the demo pair after the second rental day.

I'm also petite, older, advanced. Only starting buying skis about 10 years ago.

 

[Jilly]

Yes to when I in need of new skis. And like nopoleskier....just to try the new stuff. As mentioned I hear about a ski and just want to see what it's like.

Demo day next Saturday at Tremblant. I'm going to try and get back up for it.

 

[sibhusky]

I always plan to go, but then the day comes and the weather is wrong, or I'm not in the mood. I think if it was midweek I'd be more likely to actually do it, but it's always on Saturday and I don't ski Saturdays, so it takes a special effort to make myself go. I'll always say I'll pay the extra $50 to do it in my own schedule, but then I lose the multishop inventory of the special demo day, and the mountain shop hasn't been carrying stuff that interests me at all.

 

[santacruz skier]

Demos in Tahoe are around $80 but occasionally I get a freebee from the tune shop so will try a demo just for fun and to try something new or the latest/greatest. If demoing to buy, then the price of the demo is applied towards the purchase.
Taos Ski Week (ladies) included free demos for 5 days but never switched out from the BP 88 in a 152. Reason? They were super fun....
Also if traveling out of the country don't always bring my skis so an opportunity to demo for the week. That's how I found the Black Crows in Austria. They had never been taken out so were brand new. Same with Head Great Joy....
Got home and decided I needed to purchase one of those two skis....
Did I need new skis? No.

 

[Little Lightning]

I'm fortunate in the sense that my local shop offers free demos on the 1st Thursday of the month from Dec.-Mar. Since they're a woman's only shop I get good information on which skis will possibly work for me. At the end of the season they sell off their demos and sometimes have pretty good deals like my Goode Carbon Opus. This ski sold in the $1200 range and I got it for 50% off including the demo bindings.

The past several years I went to the demo days with friends from out of town who were in the market for new skis. I demo with them. I do keep a list of the ski, length and impressions of the ski. When I demoed yesterday I had already narrowed down my bucket list to 3 skis. Still, I spent the whole morning demoing.

Like Badger I wonder if I experience the nuances of a ski that other women feel. I don't know if I'm not skiing the ski aggressively enough or I don't have the weight to appreciate the ski. I also wonder if I spent more time on each ski I would be able to appreciate the skis more. I have demoed skis that I couldn't wait to get off my feet.

I demoed yesterday because it was time to upgrade to a newer ski from my Rossi Saffron 7's. While the ski is not necessarily worn out it seems my skiing has changed and I've out grown the Saffron's.

Also, it's fun to share thoughts about skis with other women. Yesterday, I started comparing notes with a woman my size on skis we liked. Her thoughts were very helpful.

Finally, demoing costs me very little. I have a Senior season pass at Loveland Ski Area and the demos are free.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I demo either just for fun or if I'm looking for something specific. In the past, I have demoed a lot because I never bothered to fly my own skis out west with me when I traveled, so I always just rented demo skis and could try as many as I wanted. I often found a ski I liked but didn't need--sometimes I was even able to refrain from buying said ski--other times, not so much.
It's fun to try different skis and see what the differences are. Your tastes may change over the years as you progress and additionally skis can change as well and you may find you suddenly like a ski you didn't like so much in years past or vice versa.

 

[marzNC]

I have demoed a lot because I never bothered to fly my own skis out west with me when I traveled, . . .

That reminds me of a key reason I demo out west. I take my all-mountain skis when I fly. But have yet to see a reason to buy powder skis. The more experience I get with powder ski options, the easier it is for me to rent appropriate demo skis when I get lucky and catch a powder storm. At the very least, it narrows which brands to consider. I've found that there are brands I almost alway like regardless of which model, and there are brands that are too much work for my size and skiing ability.

 

[KBee]

I demo for fun whenever I can. I love skis. I love trying out new skis. Love when I can take out a freshly waxed pair every hour, too! (Meadows is OK with that, not Ski Bowl, though.) I don't need new skis, but I like them, and want another pair. Maybe because I grew up skiing older-than-me, heavy, long, garage sale skis. (Honestly, they were awesome.) But now I can pick anything...

 

[newboots]

I’ve never demo’d skis. My first year I had a season rental (beginner Heads), and last year I bought past-year Blizzard Quattros. Mr. Blizzard insists that I need new skis this year, for reasons that are unclear except he buys a new pair of Blizzards on pro form annually.

This year I have an opportunity to demo cheaply and I’m going to try it. For the last two years, I’ve been concentrating on simply learning how to ski. Now I think I might notice the difference on different pairs of skis. Maybe slightly later in the season, after I’ve gotten my ski legs under me.

 

[alison wong]

I demo skis because if I ever need to rent skis, I want to be able to tell the shop what suits me.

Reason, I got set up with the wrong skis before. It was too powerful and I had to ski down a chute.... that was a night mare. Of course, at that time, I did not realize part of the issue was the wrong ski.

I consider myself as a low skilled skier, not able to adapt to different skis. After that chute experience, I tried to take advantage of free demo days, so I can try different skis and know what brand & model suits me. If I ever need to rent again, I can tell the shop what I need, not them telling me what suits me....

I think up until last season, I dreaded to try skis on demo days. But I would force myself to do it. Primarily afraid of getting on wrong skis and can't make down to the bottom in 1 piece!
But since last season, maybe my skiing have improved somewhat, I don't mind trying different skis, no longer a dreadful task for me....

With all that said, I don't demo for fun (yet). I demo for practical reasons, Guess I am the odd one out (again).

 

[newboots]

@alison wong - those sound like good reasons to demo!

 

[Abbi]

Recently I have demoed for fun, occasionally. Last year I had to demo skis as my favorite pair died. Took me a while to find any that spoke to me. I also think it’s a good idea to know if there is something you absolutely do not like in case you end up someplace needing skis.. It also gives me a read on how the shop listens to me or does not, based on what my comfort level will be. I got handed a pair last year that I said I thought would be a problem and got “you’ll be fine”, which I was not! That was also the second pair of ‘nots’ from the same place.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I'm signed up with a ski shop local to the mountain that has an annual demo day by invitation in late March for next year's equipment. It's really more of an evaluation (we take and turn in notes on each ski we try) than a demo. I do it for fun AND to take notes about what I'd like, if that opportunity arose. I always find a clear and present "winner."

Doing demo's in late March means that I'm up to the challenge more so than I am in early December.