Ski package

Owning equipment is not for everyone. If you enjoy skiing only a few times perseason, you are far better off continuing to rent your equipment. A full package, even on sale, will range from $400 to $1600 (Skis, bindings, boots, and poles). Then there are the yearly maintenance costs to consider and the inevitable fact that every few years some fantastic new feature comes along that you'll want to try.

The equipment you rent can be the best way for you to continue to improve your skiing experience. By knowing what to look for in rental equipment you will greatly increase your chances of having a good time on the mountain.

The simplest way to get you outfitted is to break the process down into steps.

1)Determine your skier type (see chart). Keep in mind that your skier type does not determine what type of ski you should rent. If you are a Type I skier, it would eliminate some of the skis in the Demo range, but not all of them.

2)Boots are the most important piece of equipment. Take time to get the fit right... an ill-fitting boot can ruin an otherwise perfect day. Before you put your foot in the boot, pull up your socks. To eliminate many possible wrinkles, you should be wearing socks made specifically for skiing, not cotton socks which will be cold. Put your foot all the way into the boot and then lace or buckle it up completely. Many liners have some kind of internal lacing system. Cinch that up first, then buckle the boot shell from the toe upward. Once in the boot, bend your knee forward. This accomplishes two things. First, it will push your heel back into the heel pocket. The heel pocket is designed to hold down your heel while skiing. Secondly, see if your heel lifts up inside the boot when you drive your knee forward. A small amount of lifting is acceptable, but if your heel is lifting up more than 1/2", then you may need to try the next smaller size boot. For heel lift of 1/2" or less, you should be able to make the adjustment by tightening the buckles over the instep. It's okay if your toes are touching the end of the boot, as long as you aren't feeling pressure or crushing on your toes. If you are, then the boot may be too small. Remember, the boots are designed to fit with your knee in the forward position - the proper position for skiing. A common mistake when trying on ski boots is to stand straight up and assume the boots are too small because toes are touching the end of the boot. This often results in rental of a boot that is too large, causing the foot to slide back and forth in the boot, ramming the toes repeatedly into the end. At the next visit, an even larger boot is requested to ompensate for the toe pain from the previous experience. The point of this narrative is to illustrate the fact that most foot pain from ski boots results from boots being too large rather than too small. That said, take your time and make sure you leave with a snug-fitting boot!

3)Finding the right combination of ski size and type is your next step. Your ski size may be different with various types of skis, but it always depends on three factors: your height, your weight, and the type of skiing you enjoy. The kind of skiing you like does not necessarily correspond to your skier type. All skis can go fast, but not all skis are stable at high speeds. A Type I skier will most likely want to be on a ski that is easy to turn. This ease of turning will mean that the ski's sidecut has a shorter radius than some other skis, making it feel as if it wants to turn all the time, which is not helpful in keeping stable at high speeds. So here are the design rules when it comes to skis. The sidecut radius determines whether the ski will make quick short-radius turns or longer carving turns. The waist width of the ski will make a difference in how quickly you can change from one edge to the other, what is known as edge-to-edge speed. A ski known to be quick from edge to edge is likely to have a narrow waist. The length of the ski will also affect whether it can be turned quickly or not. A longer ski offers more edge contact, allowing for more stability at higher speeds. But a longer ski with a short sidecut radius is designed to be a quick-turning ski for a larger person. One common mistake made by ski renters is to request a larger size of the same ski they had really liked before, hoping the larger size will add stability for higher speeds. If the original ski was correctly sized for their height and weight, they will lack the body mass to easily engage the edges of this longer ski, making it very difficult to turn.

Midfat skis are fairly new designs which offer the most versatility. Known to be wider from tip to tail, they displace your weight so that your ski is easy to disengage and change direction. They are less fatiguing because the wider design allows the ski to ride higher on the snow, making it easier to disengage the edge, sending the ski into the next turn. The wide designs also allow you flout higher in power. The sidecuts may vary but these skis must have a longer radius cut. They are still easy to turn because they are sized shorter. Many midfat skis are turned up at both ends, making them ''twin tip'' skis. These skis are known for the radical tricks in the halfpipe, jumps, and parks. Don't let that scare you away from trying a twin tip - they are a lot of fun to ski whether you ski backwards or not!