What's your season purchase?

Fattes

stecleary wrote: »

enquirer about a boot fitting/adjustment service in S&R for boots not bought there, Surely there's a market for for this kind of service??

They do it, Charge pretty heavily for it, but not sure just how much around 80 euro I think

Fattes

d2ww wrote: »

I have to ask, why do you need to keep changing your boots? If they are comfortable and the right stiffness, surely you're sorted.
I'm on my second pair in 20 years, and that is mainly due to the first pair getting really mouldy in the garage one year.

Basically wear and tear! I do 150-200 ski days a year in a pair of boots, bye that stage my 140 flex boots have a flex of about 100-100 due to use. So they are too soft for me.

Normal use say 7-20 days a year the recommended replacement for boots is 5-8 years, due to the life expectancy of the plastics used. In reality if looked after properly they will alst longer.

There was a big jump in ski tech, recently but nothing major has changed in the last couple of years, Other than Elan's Left and right skis. Some companies have new torsional stiffners etc but the shape and performance are similar for your average skier. Any ski bought in the last 4 years will be pretty compatible to this years models.

Boots the same nothing major has changed since the Fischer Vacum Shell and Amer Sport Custom shell tech a few years back. Some changes in touring kit but that does not effect to many average skiers.

stecleary

Fattes wrote: »

They do it, Charge pretty heavily for it, but not sure just how much around 80 euro I think

That's about 20% the cost of boots, not a bad price at all really.
In comparison to other sports with custom fits its fairly cheap. I've paid €150 for a fitting session on my bikes.

Fattes

stecleary wrote: »

That's about 20% the cost of boots, not a bad price at all really.
In comparison to other sports with custom fits its fairly cheap. I've paid €150 for a fitting session on my bikes.

Probably on top of the foot bed costs, I am delivering training in there next week for a ski manufacture so Will check and let you guys know

Northern Monkey

I think this might be the first year since I started skiing that I dont need to buy anything! I'm sure I will find something essential between now and February.

am i bovvered

Northern Monkey wrote: »

I think this might be the first year since I started skiing that I dont need to buy anything! I'm sure I will find something essential between now and February.

Ski gear is the one part of my life where 'need' has very little to 'want'

cormee

Northern Monkey wrote: »

I think this might be the first year since I started skiing that I dont need to buy anything! I'm sure I will find something essential between now and February.

That's a very defeatist attitude! What you need and what you want are two completely different things

Fattes

cormee wrote: »

That's a very defeatist attitude! What you need and what you want are two completely different things

I think they should get a one week ban for that kind of attitude

Northern Monkey

cormee wrote: »

That's a very defeatist attitude! What you need and what you want are two completely different things

I should have put essential in quotation marks!

FortuneChip

I'm finally upgrading my gear - first time since I started boarding EIGHT years ago.
Ok, I've gotten a new board in that time, but still rocking the same oversized Burton Mission bindings, and same boots (LONG overdue, near agony by the latter stages of last years trip), and the less said about the ever-degrading pants the better.

Snow&Rock will be making a decent sale next time I visit!

CardinalJ

I have nothing I need.
When you're skiing 2 weeks a year you can't justify new skis when there's nothing wrong with your current ones..... that said I think the Volkl Kendo's look interesting..........
Also my boots are Nordica Speedmachine 110s.... I could probably update.....

I'd be disowned.

masseyno9

Snowboard boots (being soft) typically would need to be replaced more frequently than ski boots, I would guess. Not a ski gear expert, though. Was boot shopping with the good lady last weekend (she got a killer deal on last year's rome focus boa) and the guy in the shop had a rule of thumb that once cracks/serious wear shows up around the ankle/heel area, you need to think about new boots as the support just won't be there. Typically, about 50 days wear maybe, so 2-3 seasons for me, roughly. God, I love living at the base of the Rockies!
Haven't bought anything yet this year, although last week's boot fitting took so long I was browsing through the boards by the end and now I'm getting a bit curious as to what's out there! Haven't got a new board in 3 years...that's as good a reason as any to get a new setup!

Northern Monkey

I think I'm going to have to retract my prior statement about not buying anything this year. Ordered a jacket from snow and rock on Black Friday (reduced from 190 to 120) but it didn't arrive. I contacted them about it this week and they apologised and said their supplier had let them down and that they couldn't fulfil the order.

As an apology they have offered me 37% discount on any jacket they sell!

Rew

Need a new helmet, the air bladder in my salomon ranger sprung a leak

Anyone seen Oakleys new helmets in the flesh anywhere in Dublin?

olaola

Got a new North Face jacket down in Kildare Village - not that I needed it...

Timmaay

Rew wrote: »

Need a new helmet, the air bladder in my salomon ranger sprung a leak

Anyone seen Oakleys new helmets in the flesh anywhere in Dublin?

Thinking about getting a helmet also here, I usually hire one but can be hit or miss in terms of fit and quality, and by now I'll have it paid for in the cost of rental. Any recommendations on what to go for? Could either get it in Dublin, or heading to morzine the 29th, which is a reasonable sized resort so plenty of shops with ones there.

Rew

I reckon you will do way better online then resort and you will have better things to be doing in resort then finding a helmet :-D

Style is very personal obviously but I'm looking at the Oakley Mod 5 or a Salomon Quest Ltd (the Prophet is also very nice)

These sites are good
https://www.blue-tomato.com
https://www.surfdome.com

And I just found:
https://www.snowinn.com

I liked my Salomon Ranger but I was disappointed that there is noway to replace the "custom fit" air bladder that broke. To be fair I think I my carelessness broke it. The mechanical twist systems seem to be a better option. The Quest LTD is an air system but instead of inflating it it uses a self inflating system so less moving parts. One thing that is really nice to have is a magnetic chin clip, once you have used one of those hard to go back to fiddling with the regular plastic clips. One thing you cant check easily online is google fit so you might want to research what you have versus any helmets you like. Bricks and mortar Snow&Rock have good selection and will measure your head for you, Great Outdoors have good selection and 53 Degrees only do Scott.

The high end ones have a system called MIPS which is meant to help with certain types of impact but you will pay €€€ for it. Im sure Sweet and others do carbon fiber helmets but I've never ventured into that level of stuff given its a once or twice a year use.

olaola

Timmaay wrote: »

Thinking about getting a helmet also here, I usually hire one but can be hit or miss in terms of fit and quality, and by now I'll have it paid for in the cost of rental. Any recommendations on what to go for? Could either get it in Dublin, or heading to morzine the 29th, which is a reasonable sized resort so plenty of shops with ones there.

www.decathlon.ie (or .co.uk) have a good range too.

DoraDelite

So despite swearing I'm not buying any new gear this season, I have just taken delivery of a new jacket
I justified it because a have a tiny tear in my current jacket (cosmetic only...)

Rew

DoraDelite wrote: »

So despite swearing I'm not buying any new gear this season, I have just taken delivery of a new jacket
I justified it because a have a tiny tear in my current jacket (cosmetic only...)

I did the same...

masseyno9

Picked up a new (to me) board during the week. Put some 8 year old burton cartels on it for the weekend. Heading to Lake Louise Saturday and I think they've been getting snow, so should be fun.

It's a 2014 Capita Totally Fk'n Awesome, camber between the bindings and flat/rocker outside so should be fun to try. Stable at speed, poppy and should be able to butter it a bit, too. I've only had full camber or full rocker before. If I don't like it, I'll just sell it on. Also, just realised my other current board is a limited edition of only 400, so that's kinda cool!

cormee

masseyno9 wrote: »

Heading to Lake Louise Saturday and I think they've been getting snow, so should be fun.

I used to love watching this video, Lake Louise looks great.

masseyno9

Video is blocked in work. I'll take a look later at home. Snow was plentiful, but tracked out as last dump had been Thursday. New board was great, forgot how a bit of camber in a board lets you dig into those deep carves! Love the new board and the 9 year old Burton Cartels were great, so I'm in the highly unexpected situation of considering NOT buying new ones.
But yes, Lake Louise is great. Not as expansive as some of the European multi-resorts, but some great terrain. If they get fresh snow, there  are some great bowls accessible either by lift or a short hike.

Kaisr Sose

Fattes wrote: »

Tone down the passive aggression, I was neither denying or criticising your freedom of choice.

Merely pointing out the fact that, the chances of meeting a bad boot fitter are the the same or higher in resort than they are here in Dublin! Personal experiences will vary, facts don't

Different season same old same old. Nobody has to take your advice. Simples!

My purchases

Kästle FX 95 (173) with Warden MNC binding
Black Diamond O1 Mid Stiff Telmark Binding
Atomic Nomad Ti Skis (167)
Skins
Telescopic Poles with powder baskets
St Anton Season Pass

Quii

bought a helmet yesterday, a nice Bollé one for €50 in Mathew's in Cork, off to Soll on Saturday!

olaola

Quii wrote: »

bought a helmet yesterday, a nice Bollé one for €50 in Mathew's in Cork, off to Soll on Saturday!

We're off the following Sat... can't wait

davmol

In over 15 years of snowboarding I can honestly say Bolle are by far the best goggles ive ever used.They are the only ones which I haven't experienced fogging up of the goggles,they keep clear all day.

After 15 years of using F50 bindings and the same boarding boots ive upgraded to Boa boots(dial tightening boots).Spent so much time tightening up laces on the slopes it really p1ssed me off.Now I can spend more time boarding and less tying.Also upgraded to alpha flow bindings,click the back of them down ,insert your foot click back up and youre gone.My down time getting the board ready should be seconds now which means more time on the slopes.
New jacket on the way too so I wont look like ive come from a funeral anymore when on the slopes.

hullabulloo

Used flow bindings for a couple of trips but found it you're to have them as tight as should be you spend the same amount of time at the top of each lift adjusting them. If you don't mind them a bit loose you can be away in seconds though. Have gone back to the normal ratchet bindings for the last few years.

cormee

hullabulloo wrote: »

Used flow bindings for a couple of trips but found it you're to have them as tight as should be you spend the same amount of time at the top of each lift adjusting them. If you don't mind them a bit loose you can be away in seconds though. Have gone back to the normal ratchet bindings for the last few years.

I have a pair of Flow NX2 se, and I agree/ish - the toe strap and the strap that goes over the middle of your foot lose their setting when you step out of them, but the highback stays in the correct position.
The way I do it is to step into the bindings, with the highback down (and the other straps as loose as they became in transit), pull the highback up, and then tighten the other two straps afterwards. Also, don't tighten them anything like you would ordinary bindings - they only need a fraction of that.
Doing it that way I'd say I'm 4x faster than I was in ordinary bindings. I'd never consider anything but Flow after my current pair, however Burton have just launched a new pair of step-in bindings, I'll be VERY interested to see how they go.

AlternateID

cormee wrote: »

I have a pair of Flow NX2 se, and I agree/ish - the toe strap and the strap that goes over the middle of your foot lose their setting when you step out of them, but the highback stays in the correct position.
The way I do it is to step into the bindings, with the highback down (and the other straps as loose as they became in transit), pull the highback up, and then tighten the other two straps afterwards. Also, don't tighten them anything like you would ordinary bindings - they only need a fraction of that.
Doing it that way I'd say I'm 4x faster than I was in ordinary bindings. I'd never consider anything but Flow after my current pair, however Burton have just launched a new pair of step-in bindings, I'll be VERY interested to see how they go.

Step-on will be Burtons second attempt at strapless bindings. I'm very interested in them too but you require new boots.

(Waiting to go at airport now)

cormee

AlternateID wrote: »

Step-on will be Burtons second attempt at strapless bindings. I'm very interested in them too but you require new boots.

(Waiting to go at airport now)

Yeah, I wouldn't mind the investment, to be honest, if they were good. They are supposed to be extremely responsive. There's a video of then being tested by journalists on YouTube.

Jammy git! Where are you off to? I'm just back from St. Anton a week, and already starting to justify a spring trip to Chamonix in my mind.

AlternateID

Two weeks in Mayrhofen. Already covered hof, tux and zillertal arena. Proabably back to tux today.

Mitch Buchannon

I don't know if this should be in the bargain thread or not but I picked up a new Helmet in an end of season sale after retiring my Scott one this winter. I had tried on a heap of them while I was out in Cham in January. I jotted down brands/models and the sizes that fit me. As I was in no rush I sat back and bided my time. I picked myself up a Sweet Protection Igniter MIPS.

Northern Monkey

I love sweet helmets but my head is the wrong shape for them!

Dero

I'm not sure it qualifies as this season, given that I won't be skiing again until 2018, but I got a good Musto ski jacket in Kildare Village a couple of weeks ago. It's the one at the bottom of this page. I got it for €224. Apparently reduced from €799, although I'd be sceptical that it was ever actually for sale at that price. Still, nice jacket though. Hoping to get some boots too at some point. Then I'll be all set for next year.

maddness

Dero wrote: »

I'm not sure it qualifies as this season, given that I won't be skiing again until 2018, but I got a good Musto ski jacket in Kildare Village a couple of weeks ago. It's the one at the bottom of this page. I got it for €224. Apparently reduced from €799, although I'd be sceptical that it was ever actually for sale at that price. Still, nice jacket though. Hoping to get some boots too at some point. Then I'll be all set for next year.

Cool jacket, which shop in Kildare village?

AlternateID

Dero wrote: »

I'm not sure it qualifies as this season, given that I won't be skiing again until 2018, but I got a good Musto ski jacket in Kildare Village a couple of weeks ago. It's the one at the bottom of this page. I got it for €224. Apparently reduced from €799, although I'd be sceptical that it was ever actually for sale at that price. Still, nice jacket though. Hoping to get some boots too at some point. Then I'll be all set for next year.

Not a fan of Kildare Village myself. Nice jacket but can you imagine anyone paying €800 for it? That's a holiday.

cormee

Dero wrote: »

I'm not sure it qualifies as this season, given that I won't be skiing again until 2018, but I got a good Musto ski jacket in Kildare Village a couple of weeks ago. It's the one at the bottom of this page. I got it for €224. Apparently reduced from €799, although I'd be sceptical that it was ever actually for sale at that price. Still, nice jacket though. Hoping to get some boots too at some point. Then I'll be all set for next year.

Nice jacket. Planning next year's trip already? How did Menuires work out? I suppose you heard about myself, Stephen and Aengus' failed trip to Engelbert? We got full credit note from the hotel we had booked, so I reckon a December trip will be in order 😀

... And just to keep the theme of the thread going, I reckon I'll get those Burton step-ins ( and boots, which I need anyway) , I haven't read any (credible) bad reviews of them, most reviews are positive.

Dero

maddness wrote: »

Cool jacket, which shop in Kildare village?

Musto have their own shop there. Lots of sailing gear, but some ski stuff too.

Dero

cormee wrote: »

Nice jacket. Planning next year's trip already? How did Menuires work out? I suppose you heard about myself, Stephen and Aengus' failed trip to Engelbert? We got full credit note from the hotel we had booked, so I reckon a December trip will be in order 😀

... And just to keep the theme of the thread going, I reckon I'll get those Burton step-ins ( and boots, which I need anyway) , I haven't read any (credible) bad reviews of them, most reviews are positive.

Yeah, Stephen told us about Engelberg. I'd imagine that was really frustrating with the way the timing worked out.

Myself & Will went to La Tania in February, so were mainly skiing in Courchevel, with a bit in Meribel. Still planning a family trip for next year, still unsure where to go. But hey, at least I have a nice jacket. :pac:

cormee

Just arrived via courier from Italy. Ride Insano boots. Seriously stiff compared to my last pair, so I'd imagine I'll spend the first hour or so, with my face buried in the snow, on my next trip.

I was going to get the Burton step-in system but they're only being released to the general public about now, so I want to hear what others think about them before investing in a pair.

stevire

Where did you get the boots? In need of a pair myself, I've worn out the old ones, way too loose at the ankle and laces are slipping (pull system)

The step-in system sounds good but big costs when you have to replace bindings too, then you're 'stuck' with burton for boots per se

cormee

stevire wrote: »

Where did you get the boots? In need of a pair myself, I've worn out the old ones, way too loose at the ankle and laces are slipping (pull system)

The step-in system sounds good but big costs when you have to replace bindings too, then you're 'stuck' with burton for boots per se

https://www.freshfarm.it/ - they have great prices - the same boots were €70 more on Blue Tomato, very good customer service too, responded to my emails in about 20 minutes.
Re. the step-ins, if they work as well as the reviews seem to say, I reckon they would be worth the investment, Burton make pretty good products, so I'd have no concerns about buying both bindings and boots from them. I'll wait until next year I reckon, when regular people have used them, I also have a relatively new pair of Flow NX2 hybrid bindings, it would be kind of wasteful to replace them so soon, as they were quite expensive.

blue note

I'm trying to build up my ski gear so that next years trip will be less (financially) daunting. So this year I picked up a salomon jacket and pants, no fear helmet, helly Hansen zip thermal, couple pairs of socks and a pair of spyder gloves in sports direct / tk maxx. All in I paid €336. But I think that's me sorted for gear for this year. Next year it'll be boots and I'll be done.

I went with brands because if I reckon they won't want to put their name to anything that isn't at least decent. I hope my logic is sound!

olaola

I really can't justify any more purchases. But some stuff for the kids arrived from Decathlon today, I'm vicariously living through their new bits & pieces!

Rew

New pants, couldn't resist as they were the match of jacket I got last year and some fleece inner gloves. All TK Maxx stuff.

blue note

olaola wrote: »

I really can't justify any more purchases. But some stuff for the kids arrived from Decathlon today, I'm vicariously living through their new bits & pieces!

I suspect once I have everything I'll still want to get more so will do things like replace my Jacket that will have been worn for a total of 4 weeks plus the time I tried it on after I got it.

Maybe having kids and getting them stuff will be the solution.

Steve

Actually, the only thing I need this year is a pair of sunnies..
Last year was a jacket - Lidl - and as good as any I've had. Pants / salopettes are over 10 years old and still fine, bought a salomon helmet on this forum so I'm all set.

Also lots of crossover with my sailing gear, it's as good if not better than ski gear, only thing is lack of a skipass pouch in the jacket arm.

willah

New helmet. My Aldi one served me well.

BarryNumber1

These bad boys, Rome Boss 390 bindings.