SKI EQUIPMENT

Question
QUESTION: Ron, My son is 15, he's 5'6" and weights around 140 give or take a little. He started skiing at Jay Peak here in Vermont last winter and was able to ski the black diamond trails easily by the end of the season. The ski school instructors have asked him if he might like to teach younger kids to ski this coming winter. He has decided he wants to join the High school ski team this fall. I have been trying to reach the coach to see what he will need for equipment but have been unsucessfull. The local ski shop has a huge tent clearance sale in August where everything left over from last year will be marked down by 50-70% so I would really like to purchase what I can before school starts back up, the problem is I am not a skier and have no idea what he will need. I don't want to waste money on something he will not be able to use on the team. I imagen he will need a special goggles, gloves, jacket and helmet but I don't know how to tell what is worth buying. Of course the local shop wants to sell me EVERYTHING, so I need some outside assistance. Can you also suggest the size/ length of skis he will need?  Thanks for any suggestions you can provide.

ANSWER: hi Tammy, i'm sorry it took so long to respond, I forgot to put myself "on-vacation" here on all-experts.

let me answer the easy question first- regarding specialized equipment. Your son will need an approved helmet, and racing helmets do differ from "regular" ski helmets. the local shop is not likely to carry one that  your son can use in competition. Luckily, your sons school will likely have a team night with significant discounts. For goggles, you need to be sure they are helmet compatible- meaning that the strap does not lift the goggles off his face because of the helmet. he'll need a day pair, and a night/flat light pair. don't try to interchange lenses on one pair (with the exception of the smith I\O), changing lenses just results in scratched lenses that pop out of their frames. Goggles really do differ in quality, there are few bargains. it's all about how air is directed  over the lens, clarity, and fit. For gloves, every instructor will tell you, leather is the only way to go- we really abuse our gloves. Swany, Reusch, make great gloves, and like many companies, have great discouny programs for instructors. if you can, get him a pair of mittens for those super cold days (and a case of handwarmers from costco...).

regarding a ski coat- wait until you hear from the coach, they may have a team deal. your son may also be allowed to wear his ski school coat free-skiing, althoug thisvaries by ski school. oh, if the team does not have a uniform, and want one, swix has some good programs, and DNA worked very cooperatively with PSIA-Intermountain. if the racers in you sons division wear speed suits, you'll get deals on-line, on ebay, and may find some via skiracingmagazine on their web site (it may be nice to get him a subscription). luckily, kids outgrow speedsuits before they wear them out.

for skis, your son will free-ski on a pair about 170 cm long, about 69mm under foot. for racing, he would use a pair that's 165 for slalom, and 175-181 gs (181 may be long for his experience level). some school teams do not race slalom, and set a tighter gs, so a 175 will do nicely.

I'd go with a race-carve ski, rather than a pure race ski.

I may be giving you more q's than answers- but at least it's some direction. you can get him boots (is his foot still growing a lot?) go for a 100-110 flex, and take advantage of the sale to get him plenty of socks (ski liners, not padded ski socks, which cause cramping and few instructors wear). also, wool thermals such as ice-breaker or smart-wool. these are great items to get  on sale. email me when you know more.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for the information. Can any boot be made to fit a ski? What is the difference between a racing ski and a race-carve ski? How can I tell the difference when looking at them? Will the ski liners be marked or am I just looking for a thin sock in the ski shop? (Sorry for the stupidity, but like I said this is all new to me!)

Answer
Hi Tammy, Yes, any boot can be made to fit a ski, but not all boots match the skis performance. A stiff boot and soft ski, for instance, are a poor match. A race carve ski versus a race ski will appear in the name, but also a race carve ski is not subject to certain radius limitations, and it is not likely the school team will be subject to those either. The ski liners will be marked as liners, but your idea of just a thin sock is accurate. sorry for the slow response, I have limited access to email, so I am mostly responding on my phone...