Who's planning to get new equipment in '08/'09?

[Robyn]

Um, yeah PNW you're in for a bigger gear bill this year.

 

[MaryLou]

I plan on getting new ski boots. And custom foot beds. My boots are about 4 seasons old, bought just before my last pregnancy, so they haven't quite fit right since. They've also softened up too much. Have some gear guides, but will have to try them on and see what I like. Not too excited about having to deal with breaking in new boots, but I know it's a necessary evil.

Also need some new googles, over the glasses kind.

Just picked up a new pair of ski pants - some Cloudveil hard shell type for $59 at TJMaxx - wahoo! Also loaded up entire family in new ski socks, underthings, etc... while there, love that place.

After those things, I'm done. Bought new skis last spring, so I'm pretty current lol...oh...except for ski poles...but I tend to break/bend them anyway, so I'll just wait until my crrent ones give out (even though they're not too pretty).

 

[ski-luvr]

I got 'em! I got 'em! I got 'em!!!

I got my line celebrity's at ski fever! yay me!! AND I got them for $349! ('08-'09!!!)...and as suggested by fellow ski divas I got the salomon Ti bindings. But I did go cheap, and I got the z10 instead of 12, but my current bindings are set only at 8 so I think I it'll be ok...Now where's the snow????? I'm ready!!!

 

[BackCountryGirl]

I got some new skis -- Fischer Vision Zeals.

 

[PNWSkier]

Um, yeah PNW you're in for a bigger gear bill this year.

That's what I figured!!

 

[ski-luvr]

feet

When people talk about custom footbeds are we talking about superfeet or like custom orthotics?? I was thinking about trying out superfeet...do people tend to love them? Are there any other alternatives?

Also, what do you all think is the best ski sock? While trying on boots, the person that was helping us mentioned that our socks were really too thick (Thorlo extreme ski)...any suggestions?

 

[MaryLou]

When people talk about custom footbeds are we talking about superfeet or like custom orthotics?? I was thinking about trying out superfeet...do people tend to love them? Are there any other alternatives?

Also, what do you all think is the best ski sock? While trying on boots, the person that was helping us mentioned that our socks were really too thick (Thorlo extreme ski)...any suggestions?

Not sure exactly lol...you buy ski boots, they mold the part you step on to your foot. Didn't get them last time, by will this time. Everyone (and my hubby) says they give you much better control and comfort. My current boots don't have either lol. There's a post somewhere on this site about it - I'm just going to the same bootfitter my hubby has used (he had some ankle issues the guy solved also).

ETA: My favorite socks are Smartwool, padded a bit in the shin and the rest is thin, but very warm.

 

[PNWSkier]

ETA: My favorite socks are Smartwool, padded a bit in the shin and the rest is thin, but very warm.

I LOVE the Smartwool Ultra Light socks. They really have no padding but they are surprisingly warm. I purchased them when I first got my boots and planned to use them until I packed the liners out a bit. I had to buy more pairs because I am hooked. I even wore them on a day with below 0 temps when they were not allowing people on the lifts with any skin showing and my feet were so toasty! Really surprising since you can see through them.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

When people talk about custom footbeds are we talking about superfeet or like custom orthotics?? I was thinking about trying out superfeet...do people tend to love them? Are there any other alternatives?

Also, what do you all think is the best ski sock? While trying on boots, the person that was helping us mentioned that our socks were really too thick (Thorlo extreme ski)...any suggestions?

Superfeet is one of the manufacturers of custom footbeds (there are others) - and they happen to make stock footbeds (several colors for different levels of support and arch conditions) as well. The ones we're talking about here - custom - are made in ski shops - molding to your foot process. Love mine, have had them for many years, in many pairs of boots. (I'm very pronated and have other foot issues.) I'm really not sure what other manufacturer names are out there now re: customs, as I've had mine for so long.

Socks - yes, go thin, with a thicker shin if you MUST. However, if your boots really fit, shin-bang should not be an issue, ever. The general forum consensus is SmartWool, which frequently come up on Steep & Cheap at great prices.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

There's a post somewhere on this site about it

Actually, a whole gear review thread:
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3246&highlight=superfeet
Overwhelming consensus: money well spent.

 

[ski-luvr]

Hmmm...So my uncle is a podiatrist and has offered me the opportunity for some custom footbeds from his office...the process at his office involves molding my foot out of plaster, wrapping the plaster with plastic and then they put my ski boot on over that...not sure what happens next (like how they get everything apart without disprupting the plaster mold), but the molds along with the boots are sent out to a magical place where they mold a footbed. Is this the same process that a bootfitter would put me through? It almost seems to good to be true that he (my Uncle) can do this, and is offering it free of charge (he said he'd write off any cost to him). What do you all think?

 

[Jilly]

That is how my orthotics were made. Not my custom footbeds. My footbeds are cork with a plastic cover. The beds were heated up, then strapped to my foot, covered with a fabric boot, then covered with plastic and the air vaccumed out. Left to mold to my feet. Cured and then cut to fit my boot. Before that I had the Superfeet that you can buy off the shelf. Green ones I think. These "footbeds" are glorified arch supports and heel cups. That may be all that is needed for some people and was great for me for a few years. But last year I had alot of problems with the new boots. I had an old pairs of Confortable. These were hard plastic that were heated up and you stood on a special apparatus to mold the footbed to your feet. So I tried them in these new boots. Worked great, but cold. So I went and had the cork ones made as they are so much warmer.

 

[volklgirl]

My hubby, the consumate e-bayer

Get this.

I fought for 2 years to get the Auras, which I dearly, dearly love .

Now, hubby has decided I need to have either the Gotamas, the Kiku, or the Katana. WTF ??? He realizes we live in MICHIGAN, home of the man-made hardpack, right??? What the H am I gonna do with 105-128 waisted skis??????? :ROTF:

I love him dearly, but.......

 

[Severine]

How sweet that he's such a gear whore, too.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I just got new boots- Lange Exclusive 80.
I'm glad I finally made a decision and that the buying part is over-- what a saga. Now I just need to take them to my fitter.

 

[volklgirl]

How sweet that he's such a gear whore, too.

It is, isn't it? You know all the coats I have? All his doing. Unfortunately, we paid retail for many of them .

 

[SkiGAP]

Get this.

I fought for 2 years to get the Auras, which I dearly, dearly love .

Now, hubby has decided I need to have either the Gotamas, the Kiku, or the Katana. WTF ??? He realizes we live in MICHIGAN, home of the man-made hardpack, right??? What the H am I gonna do with 105-128 waisted skis??????? :ROTF:

I love him dearly, but.......

Hey, as long as he does not plan to forbid you from skiing on the Auras, then "just say yes"... your Quiver will turn into a QQUUIIVVEERR!

 

[slipnslide]

I found a pair of Auras for $529.00 a few weeks ago. The price was so tempting, but I had just bought a pair of Solomon 1080 Guns for an even better price. The plan was to return the Guns and buy the Auras... Besides, I thought they might be a little short for me (154s), until last weekend when I skied them for the first time. What FUN skis! Oh, the tight little turns! I could do just about anything on them.

Now, I plan to keep the Guns and wait until next year on the Auras, or beg for an early birthday present. I wish my fiancée was a gear whore

 

[SnowHot]

Get this.

I fought for 2 years to get the Auras, which I dearly, dearly love .

Now, hubby has decided I need to have either the Gotamas, the Kiku, or the Katana. WTF ??? He realizes we live in MICHIGAN, home of the man-made hardpack, right??? What the H am I gonna do with 105-128 waisted skis??????? :ROTF:

I love him dearly, but.......

:Hole:

 

[MaryLou]

Get this.

I fought for 2 years to get the Auras, which I dearly, dearly love .

Now, hubby has decided I need to have either the Gotamas, the Kiku, or the Katana. WTF ??? He realizes we live in MICHIGAN, home of the man-made hardpack, right??? What the H am I gonna do with 105-128 waisted skis??????? :ROTF:

I love him dearly, but.......

I know someone at my NE ski area that demo'd the Kiku's last weekend - typical easter hardpack/crust. She loved them, said they handled great on the crust. She went to buy them, but they weren't carried at the ski shop. That's all I know, FWIW.