Whether you’re a seasoned participant in ski breaks or you’re only just getting to grips with the basics of ski boot fitting, the chances are that you will have come across various statements about skiing that are provocative, or outright questionable.
What, you might have wondered, is the reality when it comes to certain crucial aspects of ski equipment?
Here at Ski Exchange in the UK, our status as a widely trusted and highly regarded ski shop puts us in a strong position to highlight some of the most frequent myths and misconceptions.
- “Ski boots should be painful”
Although it is not typical for ski boots to feel quite as comfortable as the wearer’s normal day-to-day footwear, they also shouldn’t be painful.
A good metaphor to apply here, is that how tight your ski boots feel should be akin to a firm handshake. You shouldn’t feel like you’re being crushed or squeezed, but neither should your ski boots feel loose, like they’re constantly moving on and off your feet as you’re trying to ski.
- “If your skis are failing to grip on the snow, it’s definitely because of dull edges”
It is true that dull edges could be the cause of you sliding out in your turns, where you had expected to feel solid edge grip.
You can also relatively easily check the sharpness of your ski edges by carefully running the back of your fingers over several spots. If the edges on your skis are still sharp, they should snag the hair on the back of your knuckles.
However, if it becomes apparent that your ski edges are still sharp, you should consider other potential causes of your inadequate grip.
For example, if your ski bases have become warped – or to put it another way, they have become convex or concave – this will prevent your ski edges performing as they should. A stone grind may therefore be needed to restore your ski bases’ flatness.
- “Skis should always come up to the chin”
The short answer to this one is that the height of skis you require will depend on what you intend to do with them.
If you will be seriously putting yourself through your paces on the slopes, opting for relatively tall skis could help you maintain stability at speed. But if you only have short turns around the resort in mind, you are likely to be best advised to opt for shorter skis.
Even the above observations, however, can only serve as broad guidelines. To help you determine the most appropriate height of skis for your needs, be sure to talk to our own team at Ski Exchange in the UK, as well as your ski instructor.
- “Ski boots will still work perfectly fine if they’re 10 years old”
It’s perfectly understandable that you might not be in a hurry to replace those tried-and-tested ski boots you’ve always loved. But the reality is, becoming overly attached to ski boots that you have spent more than a decade using could be dangerous on the slopes.
The materials that make up a ski boot inevitably lose their form fluency over time, while the shell will become brittle and fragile, and the sole will wear out. Such deterioration will mean you could be putting your safety at risk.
So, once your ski boots have passed the 10-year milestone, you should be arranging to replace them as quickly as possible.
- “Any wax is always preferable to no wax”
The term “ski waxing” refers to the practice of applying a material to the bottom of skis to help them glide more smoothly across the snow.
It is worth bearing in mind, though, that if you only have a wax to hand that is meant for cold snow temperatures, and you intend to go skiing on warm, manmade snow, you shouldn’t anticipate that such a wax will help your skis glide well.
Whatever your current requirements are when it comes to all things ski equipment and accessories, you can expect Ski Exchange in the UK to bring you a wealth of high-quality products at attractive prices.
We’re a store very much for winter enthusiasts, by winter enthusiasts!