What if you can't demo?

[ski now work later]

I agree with all the Divas who have encouraged demo-ing skies before buying. However, for many of us there aren't opportunities to demo, or to demo the skis that we want to try out. Twin tips, for example, are very hard to find as demos, particularly for women specific skis.

I think that this forum has the best advice on skis for women. After considering what I read on this forum, I studied the reviews on realskiers.com which are excellent and informative (and also subject to an annual subscription fee). Then I found a great salesperson and asked him a ridiculous number of questions before I bought the skis from him. I had made some errors in buying skis until I embarked upon this course of study after finding skidiva.com last Winter, and ultimately wound up buying 3 (!) sets of skis this year that I wasn't able to demo.

I bought Volkl Attiva AC2s at the end of the season, and tried them out this week and loved them. Since I was already skiing on the Attiva AC3s, however, it was pretty easy for me to know that the AC2s would work for the purposes that I wanted. Today I skied on the Solomon Mynx ski and was super happy with those. Now all I have left to demo is the '07 Solomon Scarlet powder ski which I think I will like a lot having now tried the Mynx.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you're not able to demo, don't despair. With a lot of research and questions, you should be able to find the right skis for you.

Boots, however, are another matter entirely, I highly recommend finding a very experienced bootfitter for that purpose. When I met with a bootfitter this July, he had me try several pair and walk around, so that only after an hour or so I was able to identify which pair felt the best. Having just skied on them for 2 days this week, I am sure I made the right decision!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I agree 100%. I've bought skis that I've demo'd and ultimately wound up not being as happy with them as I thought I'd be (or was I just having an exceptionally good day on demo day??). I've bought some just based on reading reviews and been delighted. And then there's that elusive, occasional "great deal" that comes up somewhere, and it turns out to be the most fun you can have without laughing and you wish you'd bought 2 pairs. It can SO be a shot in the dark....

But boots, that's totally different. Even ordering online, same make, same model, a year's difference can mean a change in the last. Spend the extra bucks on boots and fitting. Skis can be sold, and it turns out that the demo's I wound up not really liking worked superbly for someone else.

 

[Shellski]

I don't know, my personal experience - I broke a cardinal rule of always demoing and bought a pair of K2 Lotta Luvs (which have received very, very positive reviews - and I already have a pair of Burnin's which I adore). In theory, this sounds pretty low risk, but I hate them, really hate them and I can't really work out why, they just don't work for me.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I feel your pain -- that is always such a sad day. How's this one for weird: I have skis that I love and happened on a great deal to buy the same ski 7 cm shorter, way cheap. WHOA ! These are the SAME skis? They do not feel like the same ski. Can 7cm possibly make THAT much difference? As it is, I was probably skiing my faves too long, which is why I made the purchase of shorter.

I'm heading out this a.m. to give them a second chance. If it's still an "I don't know..." kind of response, they are getting sold. :( Here I thought I was doing the right thing by going to the "correct" length.....

 

[SnowHot]

I agree that research that does not include demo time can work out fantastically.
Fortunately a lot of the reviews from experienced reviewers recognize the properties of the skis and not just the grins gotten from getting on them.

Properties one person likes in a ski may be different than properties, but the descriptions in a lot of the reviews help discern the value YOU will get out of the ski.
I like that!

 

[Kiragirl]

A lot of skis now have the adjustable bindings, my friend let me ski in his in the spring with a simple adjustment. See if you can try out friends' skis that way. of course, if it's ok with them : )

 

[volklgirl]

WHOA ! These are the SAME skis? They do not feel like the same ski. Can 7cm possibly make THAT much difference?

YES!! 7cm CAN make that much difference! I learned that with my and hubby's 6* last year. I was struggling with my 161cms, and he made he try his 168cms. Needless to say, he didn't get them back and I had to hunt down a pair of 175cms for him. He too, is MUCH happier!