by Stein, Eric's Son
Demo'ing Skis and Other Equipment
Ever go shopping for skis and have a sales representative
show you three to five models of skis that were supposedly
right for you (given the kind of skiing you wanted to
do, your weight, and your ability)? Such situations beg
the question: "How's a person to decide which skis
are best for them?"
The best answer is to try them all under the same snow
conditions, on the same trail, and then pick the model
that "skis" the best for you. In other words,
take them for a "demonstration ride," just like
you would a new car that you were thinking of buying.
To demo skis you need two things: lots of skis and snow.
More and more, dealers are realizing that as ski prices
rise, potential ski buyers are becoming less and less
willing to plunk down big bucks without the opportunity
to personally find out how a pair of skis feel. Those
dealers that do are constructing and grooming trails near
their shops that can be used for demo'ing skis. These
same dealers also typically stock a wide variety of skis
by a number of different ski manufacturers. Moreover,
they will carry the same model of ski in several different
lengths, as well.
What does this mean to you? It means that you will have
the opportunity to try different types of skis (e.g.,
touring and skating) in different lengths under the same
conditions, and if you make more than one trip to the
shop, you can also compare skis under different snow conditions.
Such tests can tell you a lot. For example, some skis
work better in soft snow (off-track) and some better in
packed conditions (on-trail). You may also find that a
longer ski gives you better floatation and glide, but
that a shorter ski is easier to turn. Depending on which
capability you value most, the choice of skis should then
be obvious.
Other things that are worth demo'ing are boots, bindings
and poles. In general, it is best to find a boot that
suits you and then buy the binding that goes with it.
However, you may wish to compare the control differences
between recreational (in-track) with back-country bindings
before selecting a boot. If they already haven't, women
should try boots that are lasted for a female foot. Pole
length is also a matter of choice. Longer poles make classic
skiing easier and give you more glide, but shorter poles
are more comfortable on hilly terrain and can provide
more control on downhills.
The other big benefit you can derive from demo'ing is
the experience of skiing on a well-waxed ski. Most cross-country
shop owners are experts at properly waxing skis and keep
their demo skis in tip-top shape. By trying such skis,
even if you are a die-hard no-wax user, you can experience
the true design potential of a cross-country ski.
Two shops in Michigan that are especially well set up
for demo'ing skis are Cross-Country Ski Headquarters in
Roscommon (517-821-6661) and The Cross-Country Ski Shop
in Grayling (1-800-889-7456). Both have trails located
adjacent to their facilities and both have a wide range
of skis available for testing.
