How do I know which skiies to purchase?

Question
I want to purchase my own set of skies. I have always rented and I am tired of the junk that I have been given. I am stationed in Korea so we ski at the resorts here. I consider myself an ok skier. I am 5'4" 155 pounds. I do not even know where to start. If you could help me it would be greatly appreciated. -Maggie

Answer
Hi Maggie,

Having your own set of skis is much better than renting. There area few ways to find what works well for you. You can usually rent 'demo' skis. These will be higher end skis that would be similar to what you would want to buy. There are skis being made specifically for women nowdays. They tend to be lighter and more responsive to a woman's style of skiing.

I would suggest that you look for an 'all mountain' type ski. They have a sidecut on them that allows for good carving but they also work well for powder. At the level of skiing you describe, your abilities would grow into an all mountain ski and yet still work for you when you get to an advanced level.

I can't really recommend any particular brand but I know that K2, Atomic, Rossignol, and most others are making women specific skis. There are a number of ways to find them online. You may be able to find some used for a really good price. Many ski areas change out their demo skis every season and sell the used demos for good prices. Ebay is also a great resource for used equipment. If you do some research and find some particular models you like, place those in search engine. You should get some hits for ski shops closing out gear and may find a good price for what you are looking for.

Hope this will help you in your search.
Keep on skiing,
Windlover