Purchase skis or continue to rent

[SkiDad]

Thanks for these recent replies. Has anyone heard anything about the Volkl AC 20? It got a good review on this website. Any thoughts on how it compares to the Head Xenon 7.0 someone of my skills and aspirations? I believe the costs of the two are roughly comparable.

I think I've resolved the amortization issue that the sales person brought up (see one of my previous postings). The Xenon 7.0 costs about $650. Assuming (low-end) that ski rental is $35/day, I would pay back the cost of the Xenons about half way through my 19th day of skiing with them. Of course, that assumes that my skill doesn't climb to the next level before then.

Finally, concerning rental lines: unfortunately, I'll still need to stand in them to rent boots and skis for my kids....

[SkiDad]

I spent close to an hour at the local ski store this past weekend and, believe it or not, bought a pair of skis! My son (who turned out to be a good advisor) and I went over all the options several times with the sales guy. I really gained respect for the guy, because more than once he talked me out of spending more money than I needed to. Is this a trait of skiers?

Anyway, I chose the Volkl AC-20 skis (163 length). The store had just lowered the price of these to $600 (with bindings). The Head Xenon 7.0 was $650 (also w.b.), which is not a huge difference, but he thought that I would stay with the AC-20s longer as I advance in ability (the flipside: he thought the Heads would be more familiar to me me now). He also liked the K2 Stryker, but didn't think the K2s were necessarily better than the Volkl, even though they cost more: $680 (without bindings, I think).

Thanks to everyone who offered me advice on this. I'm going skiing this coming weekend, and will let you know how the new skis work out.

[Mac]

Just got back from a trip to Colorado. Got to ski with a handful of campers at Winter Park and Sol Vista. Recieved a very favorable report on the Xenon 7 from one of the campers that bought a pair last season, but I see that you have already made your decision. I am not a fan of Volkl's, and even less of a fan of the Marker binding systems, but there are a lot of people out there that own them, for one reason or another. Good luck with them.

[cabo79]

This is my 3rd season, I rented the first year and have been buying used off E-Bay since. I am 6' 200 lbs. I found when I was just starting, short shaped skies work best. I used 150's the first and second year. The last lession I had last year the instructor was nice enough to tell me about the books and DVDs avalible. I have progressed fast since. I started the season on 160's and am now using 170 Atomic st11, These have been by far the best for me for now. They are very wide at the ends and narrow in the middle, 126-65-106. They came off E-Bay old model but new. I bought the bindings seperatly and as they are a modular design- the skies are made to except Atomic bindings. I put them on myself. I will be heading out to Denver next week and am taking a used pair of 172 Atomic Metrons to try, 129-76-116. I hope the added width in the middle dosn't make it harder to carve. I think the height above the skies that the Atomics have may also make it easer to carve. OH by the way I am 63. I have 4 grand kids and 4 kids to ski with.

[SkiDad]

I just got back from three days (OK, two and a half...) skiing in Wintergreen, VA. The slope conditions were terrible, but my new Volkl AC-20s were fantastic! No problems at all with the bindings. I found these skis to be very stable and reassuring -- I was able to go at greater speeds than I had previously done with rentals -- and they turn (tip?) very nicely. I skied my first blue slopes, in pea-soup fog with about 30-foot visibility.

Two months ago, I couldn't tell one ski apart from another -- now I'm aware of what everyone is using. A lot of Head skis -- that's what this place rents. I only saw one other pair of Volkls, a few Dynastars, Rossignals, etc. I didn't see any K2s. One guy had a pair of Head Xenon 9.0s (the lime green is easy to spot). He told me he just bought them and that so far they were great.

On another note, I ordered Harb's Essential of Skiing, and it arrived in the mail the night before we left for the resort. I stayed up that night to get through the first chapter. The Man's voice was in my head on the slopes the whole weekend!!

Cabo, thanks for your e-mail. It's great to hear of someone else who didn't start skiing until their middle years.