There is no better sound than that of your skis clicking into your bindings and the squeaky sound of ski wax on French Alpine snow. There’s be something very invigorating about kitting yourself up for a session on the slopes of snowboarding or skiing. Here are some pointers regarding selecting the right gear from your local or resort ski hire shop to get your holiday started on the right foot so to speak..
Ski and Snowboard Hire
If you are going to hire your ski equipment from one of the many hire stores at your resort, find one that will let you order online. Pre-booking your ski and snowboard equipment online will saves you a lot of time by way of not having to wait in queue. Change over days are normally on a Saturday. i.e. the end of the skiing week and where people check out and in. This means that Saturday morning people will be queuing up to return their hired skis. And Saturday afternoon is where the new arrives are picking up their skis. Sunday is normally the first skiing day of the week. As you can imagine, Saturday and Sunday morning are the are the busiest times for equipment hire shops. And believe me - the queues can be enormous! So, you have two choices; pick up your skis earlier or order online. But also check if ordering online negates the need to queue. Some stores let you order online, but you still have to queue!
What type of skier are you?
First, whilst choosing your ski rental shop at the resort, you want to sort out what type of terrain you'll be skiing or snowboarding on. What are the current conditions on slopes and the all vital question "what type of skier are you"? The answers to these questions will determine various of things with regards to your fitting season as the hire shop.
As most avid skiers recognize, today’s ski kit as advanced a long way compare you yesterday’s gear. With this advancement in technology, renting the proper ski gadget can appear like a frightening task. You'll probably need to get geared up for boots, skis and poles. Some would say; a proper fitting ski boot is the most essential a part of progressing for ability as a skier.
Geared up for boots
Comfort is not king in terms of renting ski boots. To improve your skiing ability and to progress to the next stage, it is vital to lease boots that supports every centimetre of your feet. You want to prevent having what's known as sloppy foot. Sloppy feet happens while there's too much room in your boots which will reduce the amount of control you have over your skis. Equally, you don't need to strangle your feet to the point where you can’t feel them. However, you genuinely want your boots to be tight. This will maximize your sensitivity to the terrain and increase your ski control.
How long are your poles?
Quite often the ski rental store will simply size your poles for you. But if you're an expert skier, you may need to be aware of a couple of factors regarding your pole length. The pole length should be adjusted depending on what type of terrain you opt to ski on. If you're a fan of ripping up fresh corduroy then you definitely need a standard sized pole. You may determine what length a standard pole; simply flip the ski pole upside down and grab it immediately below the basket. If the pole is the right standard length, you're arm will be bent at 90 degrees.
Alternatively, if skiing zipper line bumps is your bag, ensure you get smaller poles so that you can plant correctly whilst bump bashing. Using poles that are too long and planting on the mogul, will push your shoulders back. This will cause you to either be kicked to the again seat or redirect your skis. Since you want a "quiet" upper body, short poles will help you to simply flick the top of the mogul whilst as the same time, skiing through the line.
Your Skis
Skis are the number one query whilst renting kit in your from a rental store. Common questions regarding skis are:
How long do my skis need to be?
Length of skis rely upon the skier’s ability. As you stand and holding a ski up against you, perfect length of ski for beginner to intermediate skiers tends to be between your upper chest and nose. For skilled skiers who generally tend to are looking for powder stashes, their skis are normally longer to support their body weight whilst on the deep snow.
What are powder skis and groomer skis?
Floating in France’s deep powder stashes is one of the things that makes a ski holiday. A good way to ski powder, it is important you have got skis wide enough to carry you on top of the snow. If you are on slim racing skis, you will have a tendency to sink too deep. This could turn your powder day into a arduous leg workwork. On the other hand, if you're into carving flawless turns in Les Arcs, then you definitely need to hire skis which might be a touch narrower so that it will maintain the line tighter whilst leaning into your turns.
I’ve heard of parabolic. What is it?
Parabolic skis technology has revolutionised the ski industry. They have enabled amateur skiers to advance to intermediate, whilst intermediate skiers have enjoyed tackling advanced terrain. Essentially, parabolic skis permit for quick edge to side turning radius. Just pivot your knees, put the skis on their edge, and they do the all the work for you.
What the difference between and stiff or a flexible ski?
Stiff skis are superb for holding their edge on packed snow. They also enable a skier to ski faster whilst maintaining the edge. However, stiff skis are not best suited for powder. Flexible skis are superb for blasting through the crud and blazing over moguls. Flexible skis are also favourite by the less experienced as they are easier to turn
So, when hiring your skis, do you research into the ski store first, ask yourself some questions about the sort of skiing you want to do. The people in the ski stores know they stuff, to ask them if you have any other questions. They’ll be happy to help - their reputation is dependent on it.