Buying my fisrt pair of skis.

R

Rakien

Member
Hello,

I'm thinking of buying my first pair of skis but I have absolutly no-idea which ones I should get, so if you could help me I'd realy appreaciate it! I'm 172cm in height and I weigh around 120lbs. For the past couple of years I've always been interested in doing some rails and stuff in the parks. However, I've only skied with alpine skis and have never had the chance to ride twin tips. Since I'm 15 soon turning 16, I can't realy afford anything that's top of the line (I can't go over $400 maybe at the very limit $500 including skis, bindings, boots and poles). I just need a pair of skis that suit my needs and that'll last for at least 2 or 3 years. I've been skiing since I was 4 so I'm not all that bad, as I said before I've never used any twin tips so it would be nice if someone could run me down on the main differences I'm going to notice while skiing with them.

Thanks in advance

 
look used for some cheap twins since you have some normal all mountain skis that way if you rail the hell out of em it wont bother you much but you shouldnt notice a real difference between twins and normal skis as a whole park skis are USUALLY softer flexing i say usually cause its not always for just starting look into some used rossi scratch fs there solid on rails and anywhere in the park and not even that bad of an all mountain ski
 
here's my advice, DON"T BUY NEW GEAR! Believe me, it's not worth the extra money. I'd look into getting some nicer used skis like K2 PE's or Fujatives, or even Armada AR5's. There are plenty of great deals on here, where you can get great skis and bindings in great condition for $250/$300. then spend the extra money some used boots that fit your riding style. If you have anything left, get some new pants. And that's how you buy ski stuff on a budget.
 
i got some used for 2 seasons '05 size 28.5 1080 boots that i will sell for cheap. pm me if your interested
 
Thanks everyone for your speedy replie! I'm most likely going to buy used skis since everything on the web seems to be priced at around $300. Does anyone have an idea on what length skis I should get for my size (172cm).

 
Anything around your height really. Shorter skis are going to be a bit easier to rotate, but length gives stability. Just try to find one within 6cm of your height.
 
I got my ARVs last year for $390 mounted. 210 for skis,130 for bindings, 50 for mounting. Everything was brand new. If you can't find that kind of a deal though you could get lucky with some good used ones. It depends on what your doing to, if your going to be outside of the park a little fugatives, scratch fs, chronics, ar5/ar6, and trouble makers(the list goes on)will be good. If you encounter powder quite often than ARVs, scratch bc, and chronic blends will be good without sacrificing park performance. If your going to stay in the park all day than invaders, anthems maybe silencers (since your on a budget).
 
I'll still be skiing alot out of the park. Out of the skis you listed which were good for both park and outside the park, I think the fujatives best suit my budget, although I would like to know which one of those is considered the "best".
 
Okay, thanks. One last thing though, just in case I don't buy these is it true that the day after thanksgiving is the day I can find the biggest sales on skis?

Thanks again for your great help :)
 
you probably won't find any skis for cheaper than what the fujatives are on evogear. go for those.
 
Yeah, I think I'm pretty much set. I'm going to check 2 local sport stores this weekend, if I don't find anything better I'll get those fujies. As for the bindings, do you recommend any that are good and at the same time rather cheap? Thanks, and sorry for being such a pain with all the questions... :(

 
www.proctorjones.com

www.untracked.com

www.tramdock.com

www.jibij.com

www.decadesnow.com

www.evogear.com

www.d-structure.com

I know one of the hardest things to find when you're starting something new is a decent store. Those are all tried and true. Proctorjones.com is my personal favorite, free shipping and if you use the coupon code "newschoolers", you get 10% off your order. Cruise around the forums and shop around those sites... just get familiar and comfortable with all the brands and skis before settling on a final purchase. Try to buy last season's equipment... and ALWAYS call the store you are planning on buying from, ESPECIALLY if you're buying a package... you could possibly talk yourself a into a deal. A lot of times websites don't list equipment they still have left over from last season, so it's a good idea to call and ask.

Oh... and ALWAYS check www.steepandcheap.com. If you're lucky, you could pick up a pair of Rossignol Scratch FSs for $170 or even a pair of Scott P3s for $90. They have been putting up Look PX12 bindings for $70 quite a bit recently. All great equipment for a great price... just have to be patient and check the site religiously.
 
For bindings, since you only weigh 120 lbs, you should keep an eye out for some Look P10s or P12s. Or, if you can get a good price, PX10s or PX12s (the PX models are from this year, P models are from previous years). Also, just so you know, Rossignol bindings are exactly the same as looks.

A lot of shops you go to will probably try to sell you Salomons, S810s, or S912s. But don't go for those. Even though you are light, those Salomons are still extremely unreliable bindings. Also stay away from Markers. Stick with Look/Rossignol.
 
some fairly solid advice in here. the fujatives on evogear are a great price, and would be a well suited ski for what you would need. As montioned, do check www.steepandcheap.com like 3-4 times a day if you can, and who knows... they can have good deals on skis, like really good, especially for what youre looking for.

For bindings, it is better to invest a tiny bit more than getting the cheapest thing out there (unless it is a good binding). They are important for safety. Some stores (or reps) will try to sell you whatever they can, but that is not chill. You dont need something super light, since the weight is under foot. I'd stay away from salomon s810s and markers. as mentioned, a p10, px12 or axial 120 will be more than enough.

Boots are the most important item you'll need. If your boots arent a good fit, youre not going to ski as well, nor enjoy it as much. Go to a ski shop (not a big sports store type place, unless no ski shop is available) and get your feet measured and get boot fit. Proper fit will be key. Youre fairly light, so you dont need a particularly stiff boot, which also helps bring the cost down. There a lot of options, so try on different boots to see what fits well.
 
I've looked around on many sites and they're saying that the fujatives are basicaly ONLY park skis. I want to spend around 20% or 30% of the time in the park not 80%. I've looked at the silencers and they say that those are considered all-mountain twin-tips unfortunatly, they also seem to be priceier than the fujatives. Do you think I should look at something else than the fujatives?

I'm also starting to get rather confused since on some sites they say that people around 120lbs should get 168cm skis, or on others they say that skis should be lower than your height. I now you guys have already recomended the 179 but I just want to 100% that they're right for me before I buy them (I'm 172cm).

As for the boots, I'll do as you say and try to get myself some Rossignols or Looks. I'm just curious to what they will cost.

Any ideas on what bindings I should get and where they should be mounted?

Thanks for being patient with me :)

 
i have a pair of 04/05 168cm rossignol scratch fs's mounted (once) with look p10 lifter bindings. the topsheets have some chips and nicks but the bases and edges are in great condition. looking for $200 shipped. pm me if your interested i have a bunch of pics. theyre mainly park skis but will definitly hold their own all mtn.
 
maybe look at a pair of lines like the anthems or chronic's... im not too sure on the price but line's are generally pretty cheap.. but yes 179 should be fine as long as you can actually ski.. i would recommend down a little bit at like a 174-175 but come on the difference is like half an inch maybe... so go with whatever is in your range and available
 
Hey, everyone I just found some 174 Scratch FS NEW for $210 while the lowest on the 179 fujas is $230!

I know I've been changing my mind continuisly and I've been looking at different skis here and there, but I am now positive on getting one of these two. I just need to know your final opinion.

To recap, I'm 15 almost 16 172cm tall, I'm light (around 120lbs) and I'm not that strong. I'm planning on doing much more skiing out of the parks than in them (80% out of the park 20% in). And I need my skis to last for about 2-3 years.

Now for the skis! I like the fujatives, but I'm worried that they'll suck at everything other than the park. To better understand my freestyle skiing level; well I can't even do a 360 or a rail, I can do a 180 1 out of 4 times :( but that just might be because I've always tried to do tricks with heavy rental "normal" skis...or maybe I just suck. However, I am quite good at alpine/normal skiing. Anyways, I just want to get better at the park stuff so that's why I'm here looking for a good twin-tip, which would be my very FIRST pair of skis and my MAIN skis.

As for the Scratch FS, I'm scared that they'll be too heavy for me...as I said before I'm light and pretty weak, but I've heard that they're MUCH better than the fujatives so I'm stuck on deciding which one I should buy.

So, should I get the Fujatives at $230 or the Scratch FS at $210? (both prices include shipping)

Thanks yet again, this ended up being much harder than I had anticipated...

 
if the scratch fs's are the 05/06 ones with the caution tape, buy them without a doubt. i ahve them in 174 and im about 5'7 120 lbs and theyre my park ski. they absolutely rip outside the park as wll. buyyy thmeemmm
 
Yes, they're the ones with the caution tape. You don't think they aren't too heavy for a guy like me (I'm used to "normal" skis you usualy rent at resorts)?
 
they wont be too heavy ull gain some muscle if anything from using them. Don't quote me on this but arent they lighter than fujis? Almost any ski from the scratch line is a good ski in itself. FS's rip everywhere in bounds on a mtn. I think u'll grow into them and ull like them a lot.
 
yeah dude if you found 05/06 scratches for 210 id say get those over my 04/05's. the 05/06's are a little wider and much stiffer which you will like when taking them outside of the park. they are definitly a badass park ski as well with lots of pop and are very durable. and 210 is a great price. yeah theyre kinda heavy but when comparing them to fugis there will be little to no difference in weight.
 
i would just like to congratulate everyone in this thread. this is the first NS thread i've ever seen where absolutely everyone was helpful and friendly to a new guy. thumbs up NS.
 
This guy actually gave us quite a bit of information to work with. Not to mention he had already done a bit of research on his own.

I think most people on this site are more than willing to help people with ski equipment. I mean, that's why we're here... we love talking skis! But too often people come to this site, give absolutely no information, make no effort, and just expect us to tell them exactly what to buy... in which case, the response is generally not favorable to the thread starter.
 
yeah true enough. but even then, there is sometimes mad hate in these kinds of threads, or at least bullshit answers. this one just stuck out to me as a really good thread.
 
Thanks man! I'll be telling all of you guys what I got in about 2 days. I need check all of my local ski/sports stores just to make sure that they don't have any extraordinary specials that could give me something better than the $210 Scratch FS.

 
i dont know where you found the scratches at but seriously 210 is a badass price and i would take them before they're gone. i really dont think youll find a better deal at your local sports stores. especially for how cheap a price that is for such a good ski.
 
I got impatient and ordered myself a pair of Scratch FS!!!

Thanks to everyone for helping me find my perfect skis :D!
 
good work man, you've found a real bargain for the ideal ski for you. maybe when i next buy skis i'll employ you to find me another killer deal!

best of luck learning the ropes in the park...
 
Just wanted to tell everyone that I ordered a pair of Rossi Axial2 120 Ti Pro '05 bindings ($104) for the Scratch FS which are still in the mail. I am now in the search of good, cheap boots. If anyone by chance has any suggestions on what I should get please let me know! I won't be buying them online since I want to try them on first, however I still would like to know which model(s) I could get.

Thanks again for all the help you've provided me with :D.

 
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