Convincing a SO to ski

[Christy]

I initally wore the same clothes I would wear for cold/wet weather hiking. Inexpensive rainpants (Marmot precips), synthetic or wool blend long underwear, fleece tops, shell. If he's outdoorsy at all maybe he has one or two of these items? Then with your plan of finding him cheap snow pants and a decent jacket, he should be fine.

 

[michpc]

I initally wore the same clothes I would wear for cold/wet weather hiking. Inexpensive rainpants (Marmot precips), synthetic or wool blend long underwear, fleece tops, shell. If he's outdoorsy at all maybe he has one or two of these items? Then with your plan of finding him cheap snow pants and a decent jacket, he should be fine.

ha, I wish! He's more the jock type than the outdoorsy type, but I'm trying to convince him on that front as well. We can all change! If you'd asked me a year or two ago if I would have gone on a 21 mile backpacking trip in the middle of October, I would have laughed at you! I just need to get him enthused about spending several hundred dollars at EMS, like me!

 

[Pandita]

I convinced my now husband to try it out. We went with my sister (sheena and Mr Sheena). We got him into the ski boots and helped him get to the class for beginning skiing. We promised that he could have beers when we finished for the day. He was not the athletic type, and now he has become a good skier, he can now go down the blue squares. It just took him some time, but now he oves it.

Give your SO some time and a chance to appreciate the greatness of skiing.

I too had just started getting back into skiing. If by chance, which is crazy, your SO does ot like skiing, still go and he can hang out i the lodge.

 

[Bumblebee]

OH had his 2nd snowboarding lesson last saturday and decided he was up for trying the chairlift. We did 2km and yes, he fell over about 1000 times but he did better than I thought he would - no more worries about will he have a good time or not!

Edit: He thinks I'm beyond awesome because I didn't fall over. I LIKE this pedestal!

 

[SnowHot]

Well, I learned to ski in "regular" clothing. Jeans and sweater under a jacket! I didn't buy any "ski specific" clothing until 3-4 years later, and only gradually.

^^^^^
This is why a lot of beginners hate it and never return.

Get him the right clothing to make the first ski experience as comfortable as possible.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression

Another thought......see about a three day package, such as a three tix for a bargain price, or a three lesson for a specific rate.

In my experience, sometimes the first time out is intimidating, but if you get him/her out three times, you've got them hooked!

 

[SnowflakeADK]

^^^ Very good suggestion. Every person I know who doesn't ski/board won't try it (aside from fear) because they "hate being cold". They don't understand that with proper gear they will be quite comfortable. And yes, the quicker you get them back there after that first (sometimes frustrating) day, the better. Like anything else the more you do it, the easier it comes, and the more comfortable you feel doing it.

 

[altagirl]

^^^^^
This is why a lot of beginners hate it and never return.

Get him the right clothing to make the first ski experience as comfortable as possible.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression

Another thought......see about a three day package, such as a three tix for a bargain price, or a three lesson for a specific rate.

In my experience, sometimes the first time out is intimidating, but if you get him/her out three times, you've got them hooked!

I think this type of thing totally depends on the person. If you're talking about a person who says "I don't think I'd like skiing because I hate the cold" then absolutely - you need to get them the right warm/waterproof/windproof gear and show them it isn't so bad. But if you're dealing with someone who never gets cold (my husband would be a prime example) - it wouldn't matter at all. And if you combine one of those "never gets cold" types with someone who is mostly concerned about their budget - I think putting them in "regular" winter clothes to give it a try isn't a bad idea at all.

I skied in jeans as a kid too and it never turned me off from it. I would put the priority on boots that fit (which may just be a matter of spending time time at the rental shop to get it right) over quality technical clothing unless we're talking about someone who you know can't take being cold.

 

[RachelV]

I think this type of thing totally depends on the person. If you're talking about a person who says "I don't think I'd like skiing because I hate the cold" then absolutely - you need to get them the right warm/waterproof/windproof gear and show them it isn't so bad. But if you're dealing with someone who never gets cold (my husband would be a prime example) - it wouldn't matter at all. And if you combine one of those "never gets cold" types with someone who is mostly concerned about their budget - I think putting them in "regular" winter clothes to give it a try isn't a bad idea at all.

Yeah totally, but I think it makes sense to take a few extra steps just to make sure the misery factor doesn't get too high. Some semi-waterproof windpants over your jeans would help a lot in not getting soaked if you fall, for example.

I have a few friends who've only skied once or twice and they think they need to go out and buy hundreds of dollars worth of special clothes to really get into it. I always tell them to just get a waterproof or semi-waterproof outermost layer and then just put a bunch of "regular clothes" layers underneath.

 

[michpc]

Well, we got the BF some cheap snow pants last weekend. As for on top, I think I'll just have him layer up a lot, with something at least not cotton on the outside in case he falls.

As of now, it looks like I'll be taking him to Wachusett on Saturday. I'm very excited...I hope he enjoys himself at least a little!

 

[Robyn]

Oh, actually keep the cotton away from his skin. If he sweats the cotton will absorb it and keep the moisture there inviting freezing. Let us know how it goes!

 

[michpc]

We did it! Took my BF to fabulous fresh powder conditions at Wachusett today!! (and my first turns of the season as well:D) He was all decked out in nice waterproof clothing, which ended up being key since it kept snowing ALL DAY. While I went off and demoed skis, he took his First Turns lesson, and later in the day I got him up the beginner lift (no problems there!), and he was making great turns down the green hill, and even got past snowplow stops. However, he seems kind of indifferent about the whole thing, and said it was kind of boring! But I tried to convince him that at a bigger resort with a bigger variety of green runs, he'd have more fun with varying conditions, and of course that with improvement there's even more variety to explore. Hey, if i can get him out on the slops again, we'll call it a success!

I even have proof (he wouldn't let me take a picture of his face )

 

[ski diva]

Here's hoping you'll be making many, many more turns together!

 

[SnowHot]

yay!

 

[michpc]

They also had him on 130s. Definitely good for first turns, but by the end of the day started to get a bit unstable as he was working up some speed. I think on some longer skis and more interesting greens he might get more enthusiastic. Here's hoping!

 

[Christy]

Nice!

130s?? Really?

 

[michpc]

Nice!

130s?? Really?

Yeah, I think the guy at the rental shop figured they'd be so easy to turn there's no way he could have a bad time. Said we could trade them in for longer ones later in the day.