Season 14/15 Banter thread

a148pro

Hunting for a balaclava today as off to Cervinia shortly, may be warm but may also be up to 3800m and some talk of an exposed drag lift into Zermatt so wouldn't mind the option

Preference for a balaclava which doesn't stink of oil (last one I bought in Portes du Soleil) and which doesn't fog up my goggles (any I've ever used)
ED
53 degrees have all these:

http://www.53degreesnorth.ie/catalogsearch/result/index/?limit=all&q=balaclava

Great outdoors have this:-

http://www.greatoutdoors.ie/product_info.php?cPath=146&products_id=235568

fannymagee

a148pro wrote: »

Thanks fanny - posted that in wrong thread! Meant for general banter to get more traffic

I was thinking that! ;-)

sheesh

I have a windstopper neck gaiter and cannot breath through it so cannot put it over my mouth great otherwise. polar buff might be an option

a148pro

Yeah fanny suggested a double buff on another thread so might try that. There is a lot to be said for flexibility.

fannymagee

a148pro wrote: »

Yeah fanny suggested a double buff on another thread so might try that. There is a lot to be said for flexibility.

Layer the Buffs! It's the way forward

Dr Nic

Ruroc full face helmet for sale on my adverts.ie page if anyones interested... 2X googles never worn included

Rew

I have a vented OR one that I got in great outdoors, dispite the vent it fogs the goggles

a148pro

I suspect they all will fog the goggles. Ended up getting one that is quite flexible and I can either use wrapped around my chin or just around my neck like one of the other ones. Was up in 53 degrees North in Blanch, was carnage getting in and in there. Having a two year old attached to me didn't make things easier. After about the seventh balaclava tried on he got a bit too freaked to continue.

Also was really surprised at how expensive everything was. 23 euro for ski socks? For one pair?

fannymagee

a148pro wrote: »

I suspect they all will fog the goggles. Ended up getting one that is quite flexible and I can either use wrapped around my chin or just around my neck like one of the other ones. Was up in 53 degrees North in Blanch, was carnage getting in and in there. Having a two year old attached to me didn't make things easier. After about the seventh balaclava tried on he got a bit too freaked to continue.

Also was really surprised at how expensive everything was. 23 euro for ski socks? For one pair?

Haha, poor child! Yes good socks can be bloody expensive, but worth it. Those stupid tube socks are a disaster...

AlternateID

Good ski socks are expensive. Having said that I've not seen good socks here for sale but I'm not a good shopper.

I used a buff for the last week. My new oakleys fogged but the lens is **** I think. Bought a new Oakley lens and had no problems with fogging. Swapped the lenses again yesterday and it fogged in seconds. Changed it back. No problem. Waiting for feedback from Oakley now.

Rew

AlternateID wrote: »

Good ski socks are expensive. Having said that I've not seen good socks here for sale but I'm not a good shopper.

I got Solomon ones in TK Maxx for €10 a pair that seem to be decent.

Rew

a148pro wrote: »

I suspect they all will fog the goggles. Ended up getting one that is quite flexible and I can either use wrapped around my chin or just around my neck like one of the other ones. Was up in 53 degrees North in Blanch, was carnage getting in and in there. Having a two year old attached to me didn't make things easier. After about the seventh balaclava tried on he got a bit too freaked to continue.

I was planing on heading up there earlier with 2 kids in tow and now im very glad I didn't!! Might be quieter tomorrow.

a148pro

Rew wrote: »

I was planing on heading up there earlier with 2 kids in tow and now im very glad I didn't!! Might be quieter tomorrow.

Was in liffey valley and blanch today and liffey was quiet and blanch was nuts. 53 degrees was manageable to be honest, albeit busier than i've ever seen it but it was a bit of a tk max atmosphere with the reduction rails.

lbj666

Lads can anyone recommend an affordable googles for low light whiteout conditions. I have a pair of oakley ambushs but they don't seem to produce hi yellow lenses for that model. Any suggestions?

Rew

They do make an ambush hi yellow http://store.prolens.com/oakley-ambush-replacement-lenses-p197.aspx

CardinalJ

AlternateID wrote: »

Good ski socks are expensive. Having said that I've not seen good socks here for sale but I'm not a good shopper.

TK Max do smartwool 100% merino socks for a tenner a pair. Won't stink & will help stop blisters

AlternateID

CardinalJ wrote: »

TK Max do smartwool 100% merino socks for a tenner a pair. Won't stink & will help stop blisters

If they've got good stitching on the heal and toes I say go for it. I picked up my burton emblem socks for about 16 a pair. In the past I bought **** socks from north face that I wear off the slopes.

Road-Hog

Ive been skiing many times and can never quite understand the need for 'high spec ski socks', I have bought and worn many pairs of ski specific socks over the years and worn 'foot ball' type socks on a few occasions when I ran out of ski specific ones or failed to pack enough, in any case I didn't notice a whole lot of difference.....can anyone enlighten me?

AlternateID

Road-Hog wrote: »

Ive been skiing many times and can never quite understand the need for 'high spec ski socks', I have bought and worn many pairs of ski specific socks over the years and worn 'foot ball' type socks on a few occasions when I ran out of ski specific ones or failed to pack enough, in any case I didn't notice a whole lot of difference.....can anyone enlighten me?

Skiers feet don't move in the boot like a snowboarder. Feet move, socks rotate, may get blusters.

Do skiers feet move at all in the boot?

Road-Hog

AlternateID wrote: »

Skiers feet don't move in the boot like a snowboarder. Feet move, socks rotate, may get blusters.

Do skiers feet move at all in the boot?

Very little movement but I've never developed blisters on any trip I've been on to date

Rew

Yeah there is always some movement. Everyone feat are different and everyones skiing is different so you can get way with non-specific ones just as you can if your hiking etc. I cant I find a decent sock makes a huge difference.

man_no_plan

Can't beat the lidl/aldi socks if you ask me. I have Solomon ones too and in the past spent stupid money on different types can't see any difference. toes can get chilly sometimes but only if playing in the powder where they're in and out of the snow.

Fattes

Dr Nic wrote: »

Fattes looking at a 5 day hit and run to engleberg mid jan. 40 eur return flights to basel. think its only a couple of hours train from there. Would you recommend any snowboard lessons there? Looking to do some snowpark stuff... Cheers...

Board local, tell the lads I sent you (PM me for real name)

Probably about 2 -2:30 from Basel, I have a spare room of it's just you! It's looking well today

Fattes

Apologies for radio silence have been spending the last week with my leg in the air and icing it! Error in the MRI booking so won't know till early next week what is actually wrong!

Swelling has gone down a little pain on the MCL side which is probably a 6 week lay off!! Targeting back teaching beginners by Feb end and slowly back from there season will probably be a write off for big mountain but recovery is the priority

prunudo

At least you're staying positive Fattes, hope the recovery goes quickly.

With regards to socks, I've worn ski/board specific socks since my second holiday. Some are better than others and I've replaced the least effective ones as the years have gone by. I actually find it hard to find the same brands/ type from year to year.
Personally I wouldn't be without them but I got awful blisters and bruising my first year which I blame on a combination of badly fitting old boots and wooly socks. I swore I'd never go through that again an Id treat my feet right, because at the end of the day you're wearing them for between 8-16 hrs.

As somebody said everybody is different, one of my mates wears double pair of football socks with no side effects, if that was me I'd have blisters before I got on the first lift!

olaola

Road-Hog wrote: »

Very little movement but I've never developed blisters on any trip I've been on to date

I would get a blister from my slippers (skin on feet like paper) and I've never had a blister from my ski boots.

Fattes

Good socks are a huge help in support and foot position in the boots. But TKMaxx do really good ones very cheap so no need to spend too much.

Positive is all you van be really

DoraDelite

AlternateID wrote: »

Good ski socks are expensive. Having said that I've not seen good socks here for sale but I'm not a good shopper.

I used a buff for the last week. My new oakleys fogged but the lens is **** I think. Bought a new Oakley lens and had no problems with fogging. Swapped the lenses again yesterday and it fogged in seconds. Changed it back. No problem. Waiting for feedback from Oakley now.

Definitely must be a dodgy lens. I've given the prizm rose a full run out and I give them the thumbs up. No issues with fogging at all (then again I don't seem to get issues with fogging with most goggles). They were great in low light and even managed a white out day with no real issues, got enough contrast to see what was in front of me.

been too depressed the last week after the ski comedown to update

So I went for Christmas week to Chamonix and Fattes was flat out with the snow dances (thanks for that!). Conditions were green below 2000 metres so the options were limited. ended up following the snow for the week.
Sunday/Monday in Grand Montets, surprisingly ok conditions, not all slopes open but those that were had snow cover, some alright off piste also.
Tuesday in Cervinia, fantastic conditions, albeit windy. I'm told it's prone to wind though.
Wednesday in Verbier, again anything above 2000 metres was pretty decent, good range of slopes open.
Thursday in Grand Montets again, conditions not great, lots of ice, early beers required
Friday in Pila, really nice above 1800, not busy and lots of nice runs.
Saturday it finally snowed, sadly they closed grand montets and only flegere was open...all two runs and no real off piste.

Considering the lack of snow and the fact I was expecting very little skiing, I'm pleased with how the trip went and enjoyed the tour of the ski resorts. Thankfully snow conditions improved over the last week!!

Roll on St Anton in 13 days and counting....

AlternateID

DoraDelite wrote: »

Definitely must be a dodgy lens. I've given the prizm rose a full run out and I give them the thumbs up. No issues with fogging at all (then again I don't seem to get issues with fogging with most goggles). They were great in low light and even managed a white out day with no real issues, got enough contrast to see what was in front of me.



Roll on St Anton in 13 days and counting....

Yup I think bad lens too. I expect to hear back from oakley this week. I've read their support is very good.

40 days till my next outting but that will be a 4 week trip around tirol.

DoraDelite

Damn you! I'm jealous...40 days would be great.