Aug/061
Skis for next season
It seems like a good time of year to be looking for some new skis for next season. My Atomic SX 9’s have done really well for 2 seasons, but they’re starting to limit me a bit. They’re a little heavy, and a little small. Great for fast carving on piste, but now I’m getting further into the off piste and deeper, steeper, powder I’m looking for some skis which can hold me up a little more.
The other thing I need is touring bindings. These bindings can be released at the back and pivot on the toe. You use them in conjunction with skins, which are a layer of (traditionally animal fur, now synthetic) material which allows the ski to slide forward, but not back. This lets you to travel up hill on skis a little bit like walking, and gives you the ability to move away from the lifts and get out into the mountains to where it can just be you and your companions.
So anyhoo, there have been a pair of Dynastar 8000’s outside a shop in town since the end of the winter.
Longer, lighter, a much larger footprint and Dynastar are make 15km down the road in Sallanches, I reckon they’re my skis for next season. They were originally on sale for €650, and I’ve watched the guy drop the price right down to €350. They did have touring bindings on, but those have been sold so I might need to buy some new. My new mate Albert (whose skis they are) is going to sort me out. I’m trying a new way of doing business with French people. Basically you do everything as slowly and without hurry as possible. Shake hands a lot, smile a lot, enquire into the person’s health and voila – the price just keeps dropping.
It got very cold here over the past few days and it’s started me thinking of skiing again. I guess there are only 3 or 4 months to go until the season starts up again and I can’t wait.
