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Gear Guide
How long should my skis be? How do I know if my boots fit? What is an indemnified binding? What's the right height for my poles? These are just a few of the common questions every skier asks at one time or another -- even experts. The right equipment can mean the difference between average skiing and great skiing. It can also mean the difference between safety and severe injury. The linkification below will guide you through the confusing world of ski gear, and probably save you a dollar or two.
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How to Size & Buy Skis
From understanding ski sizes, selecting shaped or parabolic skis, powder or midfat, frontside or rocker, understanding the differences between men's and women's skis, buying used skis, demo skis, and buying new skis: linky -
Guide to Buying Boots
DIN numbers, mondo sizing, and what size is a 27.5 anyway? How many buckles? Front entry, rear entry, or mid-entry? Buying and sizing ski boots, used or new? Get schooled by clicking here. -
Guide to Sizing & Selecting Your Ski Poles
Proper height is critical, as are the right type of "basket" for your skiing. And do you want composite or aluminum? clickety. -
Understanding the DIN Range and Release Settings
Adjusting the DIN setting either compresses or decompresses a spring. That compression determines just how much force is required for the bindings to move and spit out the boot. It's simple physics, right? How do you spell ACL? please click here. -
Binding Indemnification Tables
The technician looks at your bindings, frowns, and then consults a chart. Finally, after not finding your binding model number listed, he shrugs and says, "we can't work on these, they're too old." Here we explain why, and offer the latest available data on currently indemnified bindings. -
Helmets
Live free or die, right? Fine by me, I don't wear mine all the time either. But the slopes have changed since the days gone by, skiers are faster on today's courderoy and collisions are nastier. So all in all, helmets aren't a bad idea. Here we tell you how to size 'em, and how to pick one out that doesn't itch and drive you NUTS. Put a lid on it. -
Tuning Your Skis
It's more than just wax; it's sharpening, structuring, brushing...and that wonderful fragrance of molten p-tex. While mildly carcinogenic, it's a sure sign that ski season is right around the corner. Wax on, wax off. -
Ski Base Structure
Those are the tiny hairlines on the base of your skis. Believe it or not, the thickness (thinness, really) help your skis go faster, and it's all temperature dependent. Get structured. -
Buying Gear on Ebay, Craigslist, etc.
Nothing says "free market" like buying skis on Craigslist...and nothing says "uneducated consumer" like some of the stuff that is sold there. We'll tell you how to avoid the common pitfalls. Linky.