Please help: budget ski gear for a total novice

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adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
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HI,
I am somewhat athletic and in good shape so decided to learn how to ski.
Can you recommend a good set of gear - like a jacket, ski suit, helmet, googles, gloves, etc, etc.
Boots, and skis are OK too but for the first few months I plan on renting skis - to get a better feel out of what I want...
Fire away!
 

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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Buy a cheap set of goggles, gloves, jacket and pants. I would look for used jackets and snow pants myself or whatever is on clearance at ski stores in your size. It's a lot of expensive equipment to buy at once so start with cheap stuff and replace with better stuff as you save up money and figure out what you want.

In case you don't already have it: I would also invest in good/cheap undergarment layers. It the past, i used to pick up the polyester/polypropylene thermal underwear at the army/navy surplus store for cheap.

After the first 3 or 4 times think about buying a helmet and start trying out different ski boots. When you go boot shopping, go to a good store and spend an hour or two at a time to figure out which boots will fit you the best. A good boot will change your entire outlook on the sport and a good boot fitter/shop can make the entire process much quicker and easier.
 

adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
5,287
6
81
Buy a cheap set of goggles, gloves, jacket and pants. I would look for used jackets and snow pants myself or whatever is on clearance at ski stores in your size. It's a lot of expensive equipment to buy at once so start with cheap stuff and replace with better stuff as you save up money and figure out what you want.

In case you don't already have it: I would also invest in good/cheap undergarment layers. It the past, i used to pick up the polyester/polypropylene thermal underwear at the army/navy surplus store for cheap.

After the first 3 or 4 times think about buying a helmet and start trying out different ski boots. When you go boot shopping, go to a good store and spend an hour or two at a time to figure out which boots will fit you the best. A good boot will change your entire outlook on the sport and a good boot fitter/shop can make the entire process much quicker and easier.

Would you recommend PlayItAgain sports?
 

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
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Would you recommend PlayItAgain sports?

I haven't been there so i couldn't say. The basic take away is to not over think it for the few times you go out.

Oh yeah, you might want to consider socks too. BTW, which part of the country are you in?
 

adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
5,287
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I haven't been there so i couldn't say. The basic take away is to not over think it for the few times you go out.

Oh yeah, you might want to consider socks too. BTW, which part of the country are you in?

Michigan, so small hills - great for beginners, but still -relatively cold.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
96,949
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buy used. check CL and such. Ski shops tend to have old stock brand new gear on sale too.

Skis are out of fashion so the prices should be ok. I got nice custom moulded boots, skis and binding cheaply because they were from previous model years.

Same with skiwear, previous season stuff are on sale all the time.
 
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alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,769
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HI,
I am somewhat athletic and in good shape so decided to learn how to ski.
Can you recommend a good set of gear - like a jacket, ski suit, helmet, googles, gloves, etc, etc.
Boots, and skis are OK too but for the first few months I plan on renting skis - to get a better feel out of what I want...
Fire away!

Are you in a ski area or are you traveling to ski.

The former: ebay, craigslist, playitagain places, etc.

The latter: Buy hat, gloves, eye gear, undergear stuff and just rent. Don't rent at the lodge if you want to save money.

A lot of what you buy also depends on where you plan to ski. I came from S. Florida to ski at Beaver Creek, CO. Until you got up to the high slopes even a jacket was overkill.

Then on the way down the mountain a snow storm hit. I could have used a better jacket then.
 

DrPizza

Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Mar 5, 2001
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www.slatebrookfarm.com
Do NOT attempt to buy ski equipment (skis, boots, bindings, poles) until you have a season of skiing under your belt. Season long rentals aren't that bad around here - I think it was around $140 for unlimited for the entire season. Much less if it's once a week for the season. Helmet rental was quite cheap - they want to encourage helmets. I just wish my wife wasn't so busy with grad work - I was going to get us season passes. Maybe I'll volunteer to chaperone our school's ski club or something - even cheaper.
 

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
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Jan 2, 2006
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I've got a lot of tips for gear and all that.

Since you are new, I would NOT recommend investing in all that dedicated ski gear unless for some reason you need to (you *require* custom boots for whatever reason, for example) or you just know that you will be a lifelong skier.

1. A simple $40 rain shell pant/jacket combo from Walmart will work for your pants and jacket. Wear fleece pants and a jacket underneath the rain shell.

2. Do NOT wear cotton. Wear a quick-drying synthetic because you will fall and snow will get under your shirt and get you wet.

3. Get some good wool socks that cover your calf. Since boots cover part of your calf, you want to prevent chafing from the cuff.

4. Rent boots and skis and poles and helmets. Note that normal rentals are simply what they call "sport skis," basically skis that are good for people who stick to the groomers. These are good skis to learn on, but not necessarily good skis to figure out what you want to end up buying. To figure out what skis you want to buy, you want to get *demo* skis, not *rental* skis, but that's way further in the future.

5. Get some gloves.

6. Get some cheap goggles. Do you wear glasses? If you do, you MUST get OTG (Over the Glass) goggles, which have a wider foam cut-out and more space in the lens area to support glasses. Are you Asian? Get an "Asian Fit" pair of goggles, which are flatter. Goggles are definitely something you need to go to the store to try out.
 

EagleKeeper

Discussion Club Moderator<br>Elite Member
Staff member
Oct 30, 2000
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To expand on FBB

You want ski gloves; not normal gloves. the end must fit over the wrist w/ elastic (keep the snow out when you kiss the ground) and will be much warmer.
Two pair of socks on light weight and one heavy/wool
Layer up
Goggles should have a yellow tint to cut the glare from the snow.
 

adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
5,287
6
81
Do NOT attempt to buy ski equipment (skis, boots, bindings, poles) until you have a season of skiing under your belt. Season long rentals aren't that bad around here - I think it was around $140 for unlimited for the entire season. Much less if it's once a week for the season. Helmet rental was quite cheap - they want to encourage helmets. I just wish my wife wasn't so busy with grad work - I was going to get us season passes. Maybe I'll volunteer to chaperone our school's ski club or something - even cheaper.

I have heard a lot of opinions like yours!
I have managed to snatch most of the outfit over at Marshal's/TJMax. And I am taking some quality gear from Columbia. Not $300.00 stuff, but I got a quality multilayer jacket and a pair of ski gloves for around $150.00
I will rent the gear stuff out, see what works for us, and buy the equipment summertime.

I've got a lot of tips for gear and all that.

Since you are new, I would NOT recommend investing in all that dedicated ski gear unless for some reason you need to (you *require* custom boots for whatever reason, for example) or you just know that you will be a lifelong skier.

1. A simple $40 rain shell pant/jacket combo from Walmart will work for your pants and jacket. Wear fleece pants and a jacket underneath the rain shell.

2. Do NOT wear cotton. Wear a quick-drying synthetic because you will fall and snow will get under your shirt and get you wet.

3. Get some good wool socks that cover your calf. Since boots cover part of your calf, you want to prevent chafing from the cuff.

4. Rent boots and skis and poles and helmets. Note that normal rentals are simply what they call "sport skis," basically skis that are good for people who stick to the groomers. These are good skis to learn on, but not necessarily good skis to figure out what you want to end up buying. To figure out what skis you want to buy, you want to get *demo* skis, not *rental* skis, but that's way further in the future.

5. Get some gloves.

6. Get some cheap goggles. Do you wear glasses? If you do, you MUST get OTG (Over the Glass) goggles, which have a wider foam cut-out and more space in the lens area to support glasses. Are you Asian? Get an "Asian Fit" pair of goggles, which are flatter. Goggles are definitely something you need to go to the store to try out.

Roger that!
 
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fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
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Jan 2, 2006
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I have heard a lot of opinions like yours!
I have managed to snatch most of the outfit over at Marshal's/TJMax. And I am taking some quality gear from Columbia. Not $300.00 stuff, but I got a quality multilayer jacket and a pair of ski gloves for around $150.00
I will rent the gear stuff out, see what works for us, and buy the equipment summertime.

Well, to clarify, the skis you rent will be all the same, generally. They're basically all "sport skis" and are good for groomed runs. If you want to expand to other types of skiing like riding switch (backwards), grinding rails, or skiing powder, rental skis won't help you in figuring out what skis you want.

For that you want to get demo skis, which are basically a wide range of different kinds of skis that you can try out.

It's really just messed-up nomenclature in the industry. Yes, you also "rent" demo skis, but rental skis are all the same sport skis while demo skis are skis of all different styles and classes. Go for demo skis when figuring out what skis you want to buy, not rental skis. There are ski shops with season-long demo programs. You can demo all different styles of skis for the entire season.

Actually that would be my advice. Get into a DEMO program. Don't get into a RENTAL program.

Demoing is very important. Even skis of the same make and model can ski completely differently if they are different lengths.

Another thing that is very important is trying out and hammering away at different types of terrain. Groomed runs are fine, but they can get very very boring. Stray into the moguls, the trees, the deep powder, the park (jumps and rails and boxes). You may find you prefer something other than groomed runs. I know guys who end up enjoying grinding rails, doing half pipes, etc more than skiing on the actual runs. The upside to enjoying rails is that you can do it in the city (yes, there is urban skiing and you can do it in a place like flat Minnesota).

And keep in mind that if you end up *hating* a particular type of terrain, it may be your skis, not you. I used to HATE powder. After getting a ski different from my sport skis I now LOVE powder (and a lot of other things that I used to hate as well).

Me:

I first rented skis for half a season. Knowing nothing about skis, I decided to buy a pair of skis that looked like my rentals (sport skis). And that's when I progressed, did different types of terrain, and realized that they're not that great for lots of things that I eventually got into, such as powder days, busting through crud, and riding backwards. So I skied them for one season before I couldn't stand them anymore (lots of crashes). I *demoed* some different classes of skis and found a class that I liked. The demo ski would never have been an offering in the general rental section.

Basically, I would have had a lot more fun if I went ahead and demoed different skis before basing my decision on the rental skis that I had been using.
 

adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
5,287
6
81
Well, to clarify, the skis you rent will be all the same, generally. They're basically all "sport skis" and are good for groomed runs. If you want to expand to other types of skiing like riding switch (backwards), grinding rails, or skiing powder, rental skis won't help you in figuring out what skis you want.

For that you want to get demo skis, which are basically a wide range of different kinds of skis that you can try out.

It's really just messed-up nomenclature in the industry. Yes, you also "rent" demo skis, but rental skis are all the same sport skis while demo skis are skis of all different styles and classes. Go for demo skis when figuring out what skis you want to buy, not rental skis. There are ski shops with season-long demo programs. You can demo all different styles of skis for the entire season.

Actually that would be my advice. Get into a DEMO program. Don't get into a RENTAL program.

Demoing is very important. Even skis of the same make and model can ski completely differently if they are different lengths.

Another thing that is very important is trying out and hammering away at different types of terrain. Groomed runs are fine, but they can get very very boring. Stray into the moguls, the trees, the deep powder, the park (jumps and rails and boxes). You may find you prefer something other than groomed runs. I know guys who end up enjoying grinding rails, doing half pipes, etc more than skiing on the actual runs. The upside to enjoying rails is that you can do it in the city (yes, there is urban skiing and you can do it in a place like flat Minnesota).

And keep in mind that if you end up *hating* a particular type of terrain, it may be your skis, not you. I used to HATE powder. After getting a ski different from my sport skis I now LOVE powder (and a lot of other things that I used to hate as well).

Me:

I first rented skis for half a season. Knowing nothing about skis, I decided to buy a pair of skis that looked like my rentals (sport skis). And that's when I progressed, did different types of terrain, and realized that they're not that great for lots of things that I eventually got into, such as powder days, busting through crud, and riding backwards. So I skied them for one season before I couldn't stand them anymore (lots of crashes). I *demoed* some different classes of skis and found a class that I liked. The demo ski would never have been an offering in the general rental section.

Basically, I would have had a lot more fun if I went ahead and demoed different skis before basing my decision on the rental skis that I had been using.

It seems that what you were looking for were great "all downhill terrain" type of skis. Can you name the brand/type?

Also, this thread gives back:
Ski Jacket reviews:
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ski-Jacket-Reviews

One of the mentioned jackets is selling for only $105.00 at backcountry.com (white)
http://www.backcountry.com/flylow-gear-b.a.puffy-coat-mens

I am going to get it unless white color is bad for some reason?

I am also getting pants "Ridge to Run&#8482; II Pant" from Columbia:
http://www.columbia.com/Ridge-2-Run™-II-Pant-|-010-|-M/887253758885,default,pd.html?v=true
I wear 32x34 jeans and these were very comfortable on me in "M regular". I am 6ft1in or 184cm
 
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fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
Moderator
Jan 2, 2006
10,455
35
91
It seems that what you were looking for were great "all downhill terrain" type of skis. Can you name the brand/type?

Also, this thread gives back:
Ski Jacket reviews:
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Ski-Jacket-Reviews

One of the mentioned jackets is selling for only $105.00 at backcountry.com (white)
http://www.backcountry.com/flylow-gear-b.a.puffy-coat-mens

I am going to get it unless white color is bad for some reason?

I am also getting pants "Ridge to Run&#8482; II Pant" from Columbia:
http://www.columbia.com/Ridge-2-Run™-II-Pant-|-010-|-M/887253758885,default,pd.html?v=true
I wear 32x34 jeans and these were very comfortable on me in "M regular". I am 6ft1in or 184cm

Right, they call my all-in-one ski a "one ski quiver"

This is the one I got:

http://lineskis.com/skis/sir-francis-bacon

The jacket and pants look good. The things that I don't like about white:

1. Stains more easily

2. Can make you harder to see if you fall - people skiing behind you may run into you easier

3. If you get in trouble like get caught in an avalanche it'll make it harder to spot you by ski patrol - note that avalanches aren't just the entire-mountain-coming-down-on-you types you see in the movies. It can be as small as a 7-foot wide area of unstable snow sliding down and tripping you up and covering you. It doesn't take much snow to mire and kill a man.
 

Leros

Lifer
Jul 11, 2004
21,867
7
81
For as a 2 day ski trip, I bought a jacket, ski suit, gloves, and goggles from a ski shop for about $100, $60, $20, and $20 respectively. So about $200 total. I spent another $30 on thermals and socks at an Academy.

I rented skis, ski boots, and poles from the place the slopes.
 

adlep

Diamond Member
Mar 25, 2001
5,287
6
81
Right, they call my all-in-one ski a "one ski quiver"

This is the one I got:

http://lineskis.com/skis/sir-francis-bacon

The jacket and pants look good. The things that I don't like about white:

1. Stains more easily

2. Can make you harder to see if you fall - people skiing behind you may run into you easier

3. If you get in trouble like get caught in an avalanche it'll make it harder to spot you by ski patrol - note that avalanches aren't just the entire-mountain-coming-down-on-you types you see in the movies. It can be as small as a 7-foot wide area of unstable snow sliding down and tripping you up and covering you. It doesn't take much snow to mire and kill a man.

I really appreciate the info man!
 
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