Good intermediates?

[Briiz]

Hi, this is my first post. I was born on skis, but was a nordic skier until just a few years ago. I'm an intermediate alpine skier, but have never taken the time to actually buy skis for that purpose. I need a lot of help with this.

I'm 5'5, 120lbs. Generally ski on 150s. I'm basically looking for a decent piste ski. However, I LOVE moguls and would like to have something that can hold up with some light bumps (I'm not particularly good with them). I don't make much money, so I can't afford a whole lot, but I'll look around for any skis you guys mention at the ski sales right now. So keep cheap skis in mind ;)

I have a pair of skis on hold at Sports Authority, but I can't remember their full name. They're flats, K2 luvs. They're black with the details in light pink, with a small breast cancer ribbon on them. I can't find them online, so I can't figure out their name. They're pretty flexible. They remind me of one luvs, but I could be wrong. I'll probably buy them anyways, if only for the price ($100). Does anyone know what their actual name might be? Or how they handle?

Also, I have no idea what these demos are that everyone talks about on these forums. I feel like a idiot for asking, but how can you demo skis?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Edit: Forgot to add...I ski in Colorado, and am kind of "middle-of-the-road" aggressive.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

I have a pair of skis on hold at Sports Authority, but I can't remember their full name. They're flats, K2 luvs. They're black with the details in light pink, with a small breast cancer ribbon on them. I can't find them online, so I can't figure out their name. They're pretty flexible. They remind me of one luvs, but I could be wrong. I'll probably buy them anyways, if only for the price ($100). Does anyone know what their actual name might be? Or how they handle?

First of all....WELCOME!!!! You will LOVE the Divas!

Secondly....those skis that you have on hold are my skis! It sounds like they are exactly like my 2006 K2 One Luvs! I LOVE them. $100.00 is a great price! WOW! Is that with bindings? Those were 960.00 skis!)

They handle well here in Colorado. I tried them in Taos last year, and the ice there was a little rough. They are a fast ski. (and I like to ski very fast!) They also handle the bumps pretty good. They have nice give.

They sound like a good start for you....if for nothing more than the price!

The other Divas may have better advice for you (they know a lot more about skis than I do!) But....I LOVE LOVE LOVE my K2 One Luvs!

Good Luck!

 

[volklgirl]

Don't know about the Luvs, but can answer your ? about demos.

Many on-hill (and some off-hill) ski shops have several pairs of skis available for customers to try before buying. Typically they'll have the same models for demo that they sell so you can try them then buy them. There's usually a cost for this....$40-$50 is pretty standard. If you then buy from that shop they typically apply that fee toward your purchase.

Most hills also offer "demo days" sometime during the season where manufacturer's reps come with canopies and van loads of skis that you can try for free, just by leaving a credit card or driver's license. Usually they'll have 2-3 manufacturers there at the same time so you can go from tent to tent trying different stuff.

Another option is to see if the on-hill rental department has a "high performance" fleet. If so, they'll usually have a variety of stuff in a range of sizes that you can rent or "demo" for the day. The draw back to this is that you are usually stuck with one pair of skis for the entire day.

The best process to use during a demo day is to try as many skis as you can in a variety of sizes. Take each ski on the same series of runs at the same speeds so you're giving each one an equal comparison. Take a notepad and pencil (or our Ski Report Card), and make plenty of notes - either during your chair ride or while the shop adjusts the bindings on your next pair of skis. Trust me when I say if you don't take notes, they'll all blend together and you'll forget everything except the exceptional stand-outs (and even then, you'll forget something like actual model name or length).

When you find the ski that has you giggling and laughing and grinning from ear to ear......buy it, BUY IT NOW!

 

[num]

Welcome to the forum!

Some ski hills and some stores offer demo[nstration] skis, but not all. I'd start by calling the local hill and other ski shops and asking if they have demos available.

Basically, they hold on to your ID or keep your credit card on file while you try out skis to see what you like before buying them. They put demo bindings on the skis, which are easily adjustable to fit various boot sole lengths and set to various DINs easily from one skier to the next.

You can either pay to demo from a shop (on or off hill), or attend a sponsored demo day at the hill. Think of paying to demo from a shop as buying a trial size of a product, and think of sponsored demo days as receiving a free sample. The sponsored demo events are great for us in that we get to try things out for free, but worthwhile for the shops and companies as promotional events. During the sponsored demo days one or more reps from ski brands come and set you up to try out various skis for free. Check your local hill's calendar and see if there are any demo days coming up.

When you pay to demo from a shop, they often will apply the price of demoing as a credit should you decide to purchase from them.

Where do you ski?

 

[num]

Wow, we all post at the same time.

 

[volklgirl]

How are your boots?????

Please, please, please do not buy boots at Sports Authority or any other big box or general sporting goods store. Read the "Why you (yes you) need a bootfitting" thread then go to a real ski shop and be firm about your requirements. if your boots don't fit well, it doen't matter what ski you're on....they'll all suck.

 

[Briiz]

Secondly....those skis that you have on hold are my skis! It sounds like they are exactly like my 2006 K2 One Luvs! I LOVE them. $100.00 is a great price! WOW! Is that with bindings? Those were 960.00 skis!)

Well that sounds like great news They don't come with bindings, but with them it will still cost me under $200, which is a price I can definitely handle! I think I'll try to pick them up tomorrow, the only reason I don't have them right now is because I accidentally left my card at home. I can't wait to try them out! I think maybe Breck next weekend would be the perfect time

Of course I still want suggestions for other skis, with those at that price I coud probably afford another pair with the deals going on right now!

 

[Briiz]

How are your boots?????

Please, please, please do not buy boots at Sports Authority or any other big box or general sporting goods store. Read the "Why you (yes you) need a bootfitting" thread then go to a real ski shop and be firm about your requirements. if your boots don't fit well, it doen't matter what ski you're on....they'll all suck.

I don't own any...I have such an awful time fitting into boots! Every one I try is a pain! I had no idea bootfittings existed before this forum, that is something I'll have to try!

Can I buy bindings at sports authority?


And thank you everyone for your help on the demos!

 

[Native Vail Gal]

Wow, we all post at the same time.

LOL Num! Yup!

 

[volklgirl]

You'll find TONS of good general info about equipment at the very top of this forum (Threads 1-7).

 

[Native Vail Gal]

How are your boots?????

Please, please, please do not buy boots at Sports Authority or any other big box or general sporting goods store. Read the "Why you (yes you) need a bootfitting" thread then go to a real ski shop and be firm about your requirements. if your boots don't fit well, it doen't matter what ski you're on....they'll all suck.

What she said!!!^^^^

VERY important....and great thread, too! :cheer:

 

[SueNJ]

When you find the ski that has you giggling and laughing and grinning from ear to ear......buy it, BUY IT NOW!

Welcome to our enabling little community!

I think that chain stores like Sports Authority have their own "versions" of some of the bigger ski brands. I may be wrong, but I believe they're usually a rebranded version of an intermediate-level ski that's out on the general market. They do something similar with ski boots, but they tend to cheap out on things like buckles and liners, and definitely don't offer the expert fittings that a ski shop with a bootfitter offers.

Do you have a good-fitting pair of boots? You can get the best skis on the market, but if your boots don't fit right, the skis won't perform. If you don't have boots, you'd be better off putting your money toward a decent pair of boots, fitted to your feet, and just rent skis until you can afford to buy them. Most dedicated ski shops have bootfitters that can work wonders with even the most hard-to-fit feet (like mine!). There are several divas here who live in Colorado, and I'm sure they can give you some recommendations on good shops to visit.

There's lots of great advice and a wealth of knowledge on this forum!

 

[Briiz]

Alright, I called sports authority to extend my hold on the skis. Apparently they are actually Inspired Luvs, which I can find NO info about on the net. Can anyone tell me about them?

I decided to consider another pair I had been looking at, but I had felt were too short. They are True Luvs. They go up to my chin instead of my nose, which is short for me, but if they are better skis for me I would consider paying a little extra. They're $225 including bindings, the Inspireds would be $200 including the binding. I checked all the other sports authorities in the area, none have my usual length. I don't think I'd mind having short skis, I'm not too into speed (like it, but don't need it).I have seen information saying these were beginner skis, and other information saying they were advanced skis. I'm sure you guys could give me a better idea of what they're like Opinions on these?

Thanks everyone! This forum is more useful than all the reviews on the web put together

 

[Kano]

For what it's worth, I've been skiing on True Luvs for a few seasons now and just when I thought I'd outgrown them, they proved to have a bunch more excitement in them! I don't know if I learned something, or they didn't like the idea that I might replace them!

I AM still looking at options for a wider ski for "fluffier" days. For me at least, they seem much happier on firm, groomed snow than in deep or pushed around stuff!

Kano

 

[Jilly]

I'm Canadian, but isn't Sport Authority a box store? So those skis are "deck" skis. SA went to K2 and ask them to make a ski for them only. That's why you can't find them on the K2 website. As for boot fitting I would try a ski specific store. Many box store staff don't have the training a ski specific store will have.

 

[Robyn]

I'm Canadian, but isn't Sport Authority a box store? So those skis are "deck" skis. SA went to K2 and ask them to make a ski for them only. That's why you can't find them on the K2 website. As for boot fitting I would try a ski specific store. Many box store staff don't have the training a ski specific store will have.

And Sports Authority is notorious for having these kind of skis with names that you'll never find info on. Honestly, I don't think I'd buy any equipment from SA. They are known for storing their skis poorly so inspect carefully (rusty, damaged edges and bases are common) and their expertise is somewhere between little and none. These guys are expected to know a little about a lot of very different sports rather than those at places like Christy Sports, Boulder Ski Deals/Colorado Ski and Golf (the same management), Outdoor Divas, and the many smaller stores in this area. I'd even prefer REI over SA.

For a boot fitting I would suggest making a trip to Boulder and going to Outdoor Divas. And last time I was in there (the one in Cherry Creek) they were having some pretty good ski deals.

 

[Native Vail Gal]

And Sports Authority is notorious for having these kind of skis with names that you'll never find info on. Honestly, I don't think I'd buy any equipment from SA. They are known for storing their skis poorly so inspect carefully (rusty, damaged edges and bases are common) and their expertise is somewhere between little and none. These guys are expected to know a little about a lot of very different sports rather than those at places like Christy Sports, Boulder Ski Deals/Colorado Ski and Golf (the same management), Outdoor Divas, and the many smaller stores in this area. I'd even prefer REI over SA.

For a boot fitting I would suggest making a trip to Boulder and going to Outdoor Divas. And last time I was in there (the one in Cherry Creek) they were having some pretty good ski deals.

^^What she said...and Jilly, too!

Also, Colorado Ski and Golf is having GREAT sales. If you do nothing more than go in and look at the "real" skis that the product line produces for dedicated ski stores, you could learn a whole lot more about the hierarchy of the k2 ski line.

Good luck...and Fort Collins......GO RAMS!!!! :cheer:

 

[Solincia]

These ladies can tell you a lot more about skis than I can, but I can tell you of an online source that has great deals in their outlet.

o2gearshop.com

Right now they have some 2007 Volkls, 2008 Volkls, Fischers, and Nordica intermediate skis <with bindings> under $250.

They are a small shop in Wisconsin, and you get exactly what you expect. New, quality skis for a great price. I know there are several other ladies on here who have purchased from them as well.
AND it's no tax, free shipping... that's a money saver!

Check it out!

 

[vanhoskier]

Briiz -

Don't buy from Sports Authority. Make the drive to Boulder (either Outdoor Divas or Boulder Ski Deals) and get a boot fitting and buy boots. (I used to live in Boulder and both places will definitely point you in the right direction). I recommend getting "freeride" boots - they are softer, but still high-performance, and will work with any ski you'll want.

Then, go to different mountains and demo skis. Call ahead and see what they demo. I know Loveland demo's a variety of stuff (including K2) for about $35. I would ski on high-performance rentals or demos for the remainder of this year, having spent your good money on a great-fitting pair of boots. Then, next year, get skis. There still will be some leftovers from this year around they may be right for you. At this point you will have experience with different skis and will have a better idea with what you want. Personally, I LOVE all mountain twin-tips, and they are great for your CO conditions. Check some retailers on Ebay that sell new skis and have a good reputation.

You are fortunate to live in CO with a plethora of great ski shops and mountains as resources. I remember "summer ski sales" in Boulder that had GREAT deals on leftover skis. Talk to people in the reputable ski shops and on the mountain. Take advantage of them, and stay away from the box stores! Good luck!

 

[Briiz]

Wow, I was really hoping to not have to go down to Boulder. I work a full time job, a part time job, and am still in school so I try to only leave the town for skiing, and only then stay really close (unfortunately the close stuff is just awful). So I'm now onlining it Since Sports Authority is now out of the question, I don't have to rush anything since I don't have to have anything on hold, whoopee! Its kind of funny, I actually thought some skis I was looking at there were used because they were covered with scratches and the edges were rusted...turns out they were new. Looked like the k2s were in great shape though. Although I was going to be so excited to have new skis for the weekend. So I guess I have two options for the weekend now-- go to Boulder and get a bootfitting and new boots and then demo next weekend, or just get on demoing this weekend for a half day (my pups obedience class is right in the middle of saturday, which limits me far too much :mad: ). Those boots are starting to sound more and more wonderful, especially since I hate boots so much and always am dying of pain within a few hours.

Also, skis online...
https://www.o2gearshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=2_70_76&products_id=139
Is this the same as the firefox? I've seen good reviews about the firefox but not this...fox...

https://www.peterglenn.com/pglenn/product.asp?pf_id=EXCLUSIVE 8 - SILVER_DYNASTAR&s_id=0
Comments?

What are typical demo skis that would probably suit my ability level and are all-mountain?