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2torial #0586:
Learn2 Buy New
Skis
"I've got just what you're looking for..."
If you haven't shopped for skis in a few years,
prepare yourself for big changes in the store.
Traditionally manufactured skis are now
increasingly fewer in number, replaced by newer
constructions and designs. This is not considered
unusual: refinement and evolution have always been
a part of ski design. Fat skis, for instance, were
designed specifically for powder skiing by less
accomplished (or less macho) skiers and have proved
to work very well. Then came the first "hourglass"
designs in 1995.
Hourglass skis are a much more radical departure
from accepted ski design and are marketed as
everything from a beginner's helping hand to an
expert's race ski. This is not surprising in
itself--after all a new "breakthrough" seems to be
promoted every year--but now there's a difference.
Now you're hard-pressed to find a ski that's not an
hourglass shape! Manufacturers and the ski press
have jumped into this with both feet and unless
there's a severe backlash of unhappy buyers, it
looks like next year's models may not include any
traditional models at all. The rules are
changing...
There are two basic ways to buy a pair of skis.
The first is by reading ski magazines to educate
yourself about what makes skis perform the way that
they do and to familiarize yourself with what's on
the market. Then you can narrow your choices down
to consider a couple of models based on price,
availability, and how much you like the
salesperson.
The second way is to look for a good salesperson
and effectively communicate your needs to them.
Based on what you tell them (and what they want to
sell you), they then choose one or two skis they
feel have the characteristics you're looking for in
your price range. This can be a very effective
method if you can find a knowledgeable, experienced
salesperson. If you can't, you'll probably wind up
paying too much for the wrong pair of skis.
With the market changing so radically, though,
there's a real need to add another arrow to your
quiver: the "demo ride." Demo rides are simply the
opportunity to test a pair of skis before you buy
them (ski shops have been providing this service
for years). Usually, a shop will rent you a pair of
skis and bindings for a day or for the weekend.
Generally, the cost of the rental will be at least
partially deducted from the cost of a new pair. And
in most cases, everybody's happy. You get to try
before you buy and the shop sells a pair of skis.
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