[Closed] The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2015-2016 season

Hey Hammerite, we probably crossed paths today.
I did MA to Muhlbach then spent the day doing park runs trying to land a 360, got close but by 3pm the snow was like glue.
Last day here tomorrow then doing some days in Sport Gastein, maybe Flachau and Schladming if they stay open and conditions are ok.

Tom B - early Jan can be a challenge, somewhere high and reliable could be like ice station zebra if the weather is bad. Also if I might say planning a romantic week where you've just spent nye alone on a lads ski holiday - seems high risk 😯

Next thought is accomodation, hotel might be more intimate but chalet is always hard to beat for value.

Some thoughts;

Meribel - huge range of skiing, high enough to be reliable, decent looking resort with some good apres ski and bars/restaurants
Peisey-Vallandry - more charm than Les Arcs or La Plagne but easy access to both, tree skiing
Champagny - "back skde" of La Plagne very pretty, probably not many Brits - good for La Plagne skiing and maybe Peisey
Sainte-Foy with White Room - did my first ski holiday with Mrs B here, get a slope side chalet, small village, nice atmosphere, easy guided off-piste day to Monal ?, spend a day at say Tignes/Val if you want
Austria - good for apline charm, St Anton or St Christoph (might be a bit small)

Ha hopefully it isn't too risky Jamba 🙂 😯

Cheers for the suggestions....... I'll have a look around and see what deals I can find.

Re the easyjet sports equipment allowance:
You get 20kg for normal hold bag plus 20kg for your ski/board bag for a total of 40kg. You can split that weight between those 2 bags any way you want provided no one bag weighs more than 32kg.
I've just come back with 4 boards in my board bag weighing 24kg and a rucksack of 14kg. They've never checked how many boards I've packed.

We're flying back with Easyjet tomorrow. 2 pairs of skis, 2 pairs of sticks and my boots. Did self service check in, they didn't even weigh the bag.

Col - we probably did pass you at some point. We'd finished by 3pm, but yes it was very sticky. We've skied Flachau/Wagrain, Flachauwinkl/Zauch, Schladders/Haus, Fageralm and Altenmarkt this week, conditions were pretty good at all. Although the lower runs at Schladders are getting patchy. Hardest skiing from a conditions point of view was yesterday over your way because there was no overnight freeze.

Has anyone tried fatmap? I never reqlly ski where it is available, but have heard good things.

Godammit! Ran over my thumb with my ski yesterday and damn near sliced the thing off. A mitt full of claret and €200 of stitching later and I'm sitting out the next day or two. This wouldn't have happened on a board you know! Much less dangerous! There goes my career as an international concert [s]penis[/s] pianist.

Up until then, actually my skiing was coming on ok.

Conditions are heavy, but it's been great fun watching the boys get so much confidence. Warm and sunny with blue skies today.

Oooof!

*tries to imagine mechanics of running over one's own finger with one's own skis*

I have absolutely no idea how. Not to mention it is a long way from up here to down there where the Skis usually are.

*tries to imagine mechanics of running over one's own finger with one's own skis*

Phatt grabz?

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It wasn't your [s]wan..[/s]drinking hand, was it?

Only when "ghosting"

I sliced my toe on my wife's snowboard once...

At least a sliced thumb doesn't stop you boarding

Happy healing

PS - watching the boys will be great until you're sat on the lift watching as your 9 year old heads down a black mogul run with the instructor expecting fast parallels all the way (he failed to pass this year because although his technique was apparently good he wasn't fast enough - looked faster than I'd have done it, if you could have got me anywhere near a moguled black). It was a strange mix of pride and fear.

Hey Lunge, is it snowing or raining over there?

how about watching your boy when you've just given him your phone to strava his run and he's pinning it down a red run ("in control" he told me later, but really not), in order to break his top-to-bottom record. He hit 44mph, a day before his 11th birthday! Definite mixture of pride and fear...

Anything that starts with the phrase "hey, dad, watch this"...

Igm - sounds like Jr's doing well enough for one that can't be on the slopes once a month through the entire season. He'll nail it next season I'm sure.

We're wrapping up today for this season, late flight back tonight to San Fran-brizzle. It's been a good week in spite of the rising temperature. I'm well chuffed with my skiing. I can pretty confidently make my way around all but black slopes now which is quite a liberating thought when snowboarding is my first love but I have other options now depending on conditions. The drawback is that now I have to consider buying some skis.

I will probably just buy some end of season hire skis, but it I were tempted to get something in the sales instead, what should I be looking for in a ski for piste bashing only. (if snow is good, I will be on the board) I like something that turns in quickly rather than something that will ever need to float on powder.

vintagewino - Member
how about watching your boy when you've just given him your phone to strava his run and he's pinning it down a red run ("in control" he told me later, but really not), in order to break his top-to-bottom record. He hit 44mph, a day before his 11th birthday! Definite mixture of pride and fear...

yep... but we had a long chat in the car later about the immovability of trees and what happens when you hit one at 40mph!

Anything that starts with the phrase "hey, dad, watch this"...

Skiing if I may suggest working on off-piste technique so you can do some touring, a great way to extend the season and find fresh snow when the slack is skied out or lift system not fully open. IMHO thats one area where skiing still "leads" boarding.

Strava - went for a walk last weekend and hit a pb for me, max speed 176kmh 😯 using phone gps to measure max speed is a bit of a waste of time

Stoner - I got some Rossi Experience 80s at the beginning of the season. My first skis, really happy with them. I would like to think my technique and ski stamina improved this year, but as I'm a lot less fit and a lot less flexible I think the ski made a big difference. I picked mine up new from Glisshop for about £170-ish when they had one of their big discount promotions, think the favourable exchange rate helped.

As for sons showing off, Jnr spent most of last week perfecting his downhill race jumps. Those little tiny lips that most of us just roll over... he hits, tucks and just flys. Can be quite scary to watch, but he looks like he knows what he's doing! He is quite sensible though and only does it when no one is around.

Whoo hoo! Got a day skiing last week with my middle lad. Often doubt whether we'll ever get a family ski holiday for a variety of reasons, but then realised the Sierra Nevada was only 2 hours drive away and had plenty of snow. Better than taking him indoor skiing any day 🙂

Off to Breuil-Cervinia tomorrow, but I've not yet sorted lessons, ski pass or equipment hire.
Do it online tonight or wait till we get there?
There appears to be online discount for equipment hire, but I thought shops might to a deal as it's nearing the end of the season - thoughts?

Stilltortoise - your lad is a quick learner and looked like he was having the best time. 🙂

We had some tears and sulks along the way, but by the end of the day he was flying. Chuffed to bits 😀

Fresh snow in Obergurgl last night and today- shame we are leaving tomorrow morning.
Had some great blue bird days, cover is still really good.
Am I the only person who quite enjoys the slushy snow!?
Skiers winging about moguls and slush but on my board I love it!

Lots of off piste potential here if there was more snow, may do Obergurgl at feb next year, anyone been? I'm guessing being so high it can get some weather!?

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IMHO thats one area where skiing still "leads" boarding.

Really?? I'm inclined to think that the development of splitboarding kit over the past few years has done much to level things out abit ...

[Not trying to to be confrontational or anything, just highlighting the fact that touring is no longer just for skis]

had some tears and sulks along the way

Great video loved it !!

@Digby understood, I haven't seen split-boarding first hand but it looks a phaff to split/join/move boots vs touring skis and touring can be a mix of up and down

Matt_SS_xc - Member
Fresh snow in Obergurgl last night and today- shame we are leaving tomorrow morning.
Had some great blue bird days, cover is still really good.

Woohoo good to know - we're landing there tomorrow teatime for a week 🙂 I was worried that it was going to rain as it was so warm

anyone?

The ski pass costs what it costs normally, doubt you will get much discount online. You might get a bit of a deal on equipment online, unlikely to get anything in resort unless you're willing to shop around..

@jambalaya

agreed, the 'changeover' with a splitboard is a tad more involved but once you've got your routine dialed, clipping the board back together and popping the bindings back on, only takes a couple of minutes max.

The biggest chunk of changeover is removing and folding your skins and that's pretty much the same whether it's a splitboard or skis I think (unless you are one of those backcountry dudes who [can] remove their skins whilst still clipped in to their skis!]

Think this week will be more about working on my tan than my technique, easily 12 degrees and slushy by 2pm.

Of to buy sun block, shorts and t-shirts in the morning for the afternoon !

Good amount of snow up top here in Åre , even though it seems they have moved most of it to build this enormous kicker

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Vanishing rapidly lower down. Surfy conditions by 2pm. Started to see the bike tracks appearing though !

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Surprise 20cm of fresh, light snow yesterday. Rock solid underneath but a smashing day to be out.

Love this .. [url=

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[i]Love this ..[/i]

Me too....such awesomeness! 😯

Wish I could do that! 🙁

Just coming to the end of a great week in Cervinia. A great laid back resort to get the kids up and running.

[img] https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzbXhdDEMaQTOGRVTVBSR1FMOG8 [/img]

288 sleeps. Next year's flights already booked. 😀

Flights? Meh

We've had next February booked since November. Got the ski schools and everything booked now.

Have a gold star. 😀

Home after a glorious 7 days in Alpine Italia

Already looking at flights and free ride skis for next year 😀

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wow - those are amazing conditions.

What alt?

Missing the snow, Was in the Dolomites 2 weeks ago.
Some slush low down.
Had the MRI of my knee on Saturday 🙁
But I'll get it fixed for next year...

Stoner - Member
wow - those are amazing conditions.
What alt?

About 2,800 m there, but we were skiing up to 3,400 m from the top of Plateau Rosa 8)

So 2 questions:
1. Can anyone recommend a well vented helmet? My K2 Thrive is just too warm and cooks my once - I need something a little cooler; and
2. Any recommendations for some 50/50 piste vs off piste skis? Black Crows Orbs are looking good, but so are Wed'ze Samurais as a budget option. Who you got?

I would massively recommend my smith vantage mips helmet

http://thegoodride.com/snowboard-accessory-reviews/smith-vantage-review-and-buying-advice/

I like the look of the Smith Vantage Mips and after some of the prices I've seen in the past week, it looks quite reasonable. Maybe see if I can get a 2016 model in the sale.

2. Any recommendations for some 50/50 piste vs off piste skis? Black Crows Orbs are looking good, but so are Wed'ze Samurais as a budget option. Who you got?

I loved the old S3 I had and had a test on the new Rossi Sin 7 and it was a good fun, slashy ski too. Skis fairly short for its length but at 98 under foot and a decent rocker they float pretty well too. The Experience 98 is also apparently pretty good with a more on piste focus.

@geoffj - SportPursuit have a Cratoni Tempest which has some large vents at the front and it's only £40
Also have Smiths and Pocs at the mo.
Worth a look.

Oh man tragic news

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/apr/19/snowboarding-champion-estelle-balet-killed-avalanche

Just about to order a set of these for next season: [url= http://slantskis.com/skis/ambush/ ]Ambush[/url]. This year was great but the days with 50cm of powder and a few bootpacks make we want something lighter with a wee bit more float.

[img] [/img]

Thanks to dez and whatnobeer - there is a bargain pair of sin 7s in my LSS, which I'm probably going to go for - and that bloody sport pursuit site is like crack. I'm now £200+ lighter 😕 🙂

Worse than that Geoff, the SP computer learns the things you like and emails you about them.

Know it's a long shot but has anyone stayed in the Hameau area of Flaine?
Thinking of there next year but it is stuck up the road a bit. I did read there is a free bookable taxi service which is available after the skibus finishes ....

I've just put the storage wax on my skis for the Summer. When does the new thread start, after the solstice? Last week:

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The snow was awful, icy low down then softer higher (temperature inversions are common when the wind is in from Spain), 20-30cm of surface soft which slipped off as soon as any pressure was put on it. Making a turn would have taken me straight back into the slide I'd started so it was skis off and walk down the line my mini-avalanche had cleared.

I just bought some new bindings for next season! We've had the longest day here so the countdown to winter is on!

New thread please, Flashy - it's July on Friday 8)

Patience, patience.....

Let's at least have a day or two to enjoy summer!

New thread coming soon.....!