How To Choose a Complete Ski Package - Helpful Hints for Beginners, Intermediates, and Others

In this video, we walk you through what to look for when browsing the Complete Ski Package options on SkiEssentials.com.
All our Ski Packages can be found here: www.skiessentials.com/skis/sk...
Written Article: www.skiessentials.com/Chairli...

[@samsonian]

As someone that has skied their whole life, raced, ski-bummed around and worked in the industry as a bootfitter; the #1 thing you can do to improve your skiing experience is to get yourself set up with a good-fitting pair of boots with custom footbeds. I know, this might sound like me selling but I’m no longer in the industry; it’s just this: the boots are the one part of your body that interfaces with the ski. The simplest fit issue, change to forward lean, ramp angle, cuff adjustment, canting and/or improper sizing will not just ruin your day but can turn many people off skiing altogether. Another thing to think about: if you get boots and some adjustable poles you can demo the skis of your dreams every day if your vacation is short enough and often it might surprise you how affordable it is vs. renting and you get to try WAY nicer skis often much better-cared-for. Cheers and go rip!

[@jaredmayo7138]

I’m not a beginner or intermediate and I have skis but I’m still watching this lol

[@swegatron2859]

Same I have 6 pairs of skis and 14 days this season already. Hey any ski content is good content.

[@Alexwozere]

@@swegatron2859 You lucky bastard, I am stuck in lockdown in London. No skiing for me this year :( Also just watching any ski video to scratch the itch!

[@bowenchen1078]

@@Alexwozere Sorry for hearing that.. I’m heading to Stowe next week even though the snow is unbelievably rare in New England.

[@swegatron2859]

@@Alexwozere you should pick up rollerblading. Closest thing to skiing around town. Here’s some inspiration, with big wheels it’s pretty much skiing around, plus you gain balance and leg strength for skiing later. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGjLkHmwj7ebfqs

[@Alexwozere]

@@swegatron2859 I used to skate when I was younger, skated rails and vert ramps. But those days are behind me at my advanced age of 35 lol. Could end up badly hurting myself if I got back on skates! I took up rock climbing at indoor walls instead. Burt yeah street skating could be a thing to try out, would be weird switching to those big wheels though, looks fun!

[@Puzzoozoo]

Even though I'm not in America, that was interesting. Now I'm retired and a free agent I'm going back into skiing next season after a 35 year gap, and will be getting fitted with boots in October, and all-being-well on my 3 holidays for the 2025 season I'll be getting my first set of ski's from the same place I bough to boots i.e. Ellis Brigham in Deansgate, Manchester.

[@Knightlight02]

Great video!! Im relatively new to skiing but wanted to get intermediate level gear which i could use for a long time. The video was super informative and gave good comparaisons of many products on the market. I picked up Nordica Sportmachine 90s (especially since i have big feet and these specifically mention extra room to accomodate) and will most likely grab some Atomic Vantage 79C!!

[@SkiEssentials]

Sounds like Vantage 79C will be a great ski for you!

[@andrewdiamond2697]

This is a great recap across a range of options. Last year I went from my Rossignol Experience 77 skis (similar to the blue Exp 74 on the left) to a Rossignol Sky 7 with 96mm under foot and Marker Griffon bindings. I'm still in the Dalbello 90 boots that I've been in for the last 5-6 years. Clearly moving up to a 110 or higher boot is next on the agenda....maybe for the 2021-2022 season.

[@SkiEssentials]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Andrew! I agree, next step would be a slightly stiffer boot.

[@masonbradbury3702]

Great video! I bought the Atomic Vantage 75Cs as a beginner a few years ago and they worked out great. One recommendation: if you are on the fence about committing to an entire package, just start by buying boots. Owning your own well-fitting pair of boots (and a good boot bag to carry them in) will transform your experience and make skiing a massively more approachable and comfortable activity.

[@SkiEssentials]

Thanks Mason! I really appreciate you sharing your experience and I'm sure others will too.

[@Woj08]

Can you let me know what type of boots you bought to wear for them and if they were comfortable?

[@MrThaibox123]

Would be great if you can do a video on what is the current best skis for beginners in different scenarios.

[@SkiEssentials]

We'll re-visit the package/beginner ski discussion at some point soon. In the meantime, do you have a specific question about a particular ski?

[@MrThaibox123]

@@SkiEssentials I just wondered what would be the absolute best piste only starting ski to be able to make maximum progress with zero consideration to having to upgrade in the future. Purely what would be best to start right now. 180cm man 85kg. Many thanks for your help

[@SkiEssentials]

@@MrThaibox123 If you're looking for a mix of now and the future, I'd take a look at one of the mid-80's skis that we talk about a lot. Salomon Stance 84, Volkl Kanjo, and Dynastar M-Pro 85 all have an easier starting point and a very high performance range. Experts are still satisfied with these skis, and they're amenable to learning and progressing as well. I'd look to the mid 170's in any of these skis.

[@MrThaibox123]

@@SkiEssentials many thanks for the reply. What im looking for is the ultimate beginner ski to get you as fast to carving groomer only as possible. I’m very new but on the journey to beginning carving and wanting whatever will get me there the easiest without a worry for future usage. Just whatever would be best right now for a beginner carver on the groomers.

[@mbtravel7294]

Thanks for making this video, I bought some used skis I am not happy with, I am looking to buy a new package from you.

[@SkiEssentials]

Don't hesitate to reach out or give us a call if you need any help!

[@mbtravel7294]

@@SkiEssentials I did and got the help I needed thank you for replying 🙂

[@ConnollyCaveman]

very helpful!

[@SkiEssentials]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yippie6862]

There are a lot of beginners and intermediates that don't necessarily care about affordability. They still want the best even if it costs more. They want ski, bindings and boots that are the best for their ability now. They want a ski that that allows them to grow into. The best beginner to intermediate ski. Or an intermediate to advanced ski. What would recommend for these people?

[@SkiEssentials]

Skiing is a little different than other activities or sports in the sense that the more money you spend, doesn't actually equate to a better experience. For most beginners, the skis we talked about in this video are actually perfect. As you start spending more, you get skis that are stiffer, heavier, wider, with more rocker, or any combination of those elements and more. For a true beginner, most of those characteristics aren't a benefit, and rather a deterrent to progression. There are some exceptions to that (Elan Ripsticks would be a good example of a very approachable ski with a high performance ceiling), but in general, that's a good way to think about it. Mountain biking is always a fun comparison. If you go out and spend $10,000 on a mountain bike as a beginner rider, you're going to have more fun and the bike will help you feel better. If a beginner skier goes out and buys a $2-3000 setup (boots, skis, bindings), it's likely not going to provide any extra benefit and probably is going to cause some bad habits in progression. It's an interesting scenario and one that's more true in skiing than anything else I can think of. It's a big reason why we make the content that we do. It's important to find a ski that's right for you and right for your current ability level, rather than going out and buying the most expensive ski. "Best" in skiing is a very subjective term. What's best for me as a skier is almost definitely not going to be best for a beginner, or even an intermediate. Hope that helps clarify! There are some good skis that you can grow into, as you bring up, but it's still important to not exceed your current ability too much.

[@davidmendlovits6854]

I am looking to buy a pair of skis in Switzerland. I wonder if you have a shop in Switzerland or if you ship to Switzerland? Thanks for the video. I really enjoyed it.

[@SkiEssentials]

Hi David! Best thing to do in this scenario is contact our customer service team. They can look into shipping quotes for you. Email or Live Chat on our website should get you the answers you need. Thanks!

[@christianrogers2361]

What problems arise when a skier buys a ski that is too aggressive or a boot that is too stiff for their experience level? All these videos talk about what to look for but nobody explains why.

[@SkiEssentials]

It'll mostly just hurt your technique. If you're skiing a boot that's too stiff, it will force you into a more upright position that you want to be, which in turn will hurt your ability to control the ski and/or put you more in the backseat, where injuries occur. The same is true with skis, although I think it's more important in boots. With skis, if it's too stiff, it's basically just limiting how much you can flex and manipulate the ski into different turn shapes and styles. If it's too stiff, you'll just be sliding and skidding around, not flexing the ski into carves, etc.

[@jimlow6824]

A too aggressive ski might be unforgiving for an inexperienced skier. Mistakes that you recovered from before…

[@jameszeng2666]

At first glance I thought that Rossignol Experience is an 88 one ... I was like: "Wait! That can't be under 600"... then I find out it's a 74...

[@SkiEssentials]

They do look similar!