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David H
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New to this forum. Chapel Hill NC. Lower level intermediate skier.

Couple questions...even after performing a forum search:

Does anybody know of a kids ski equipment exchange program? Maybe some of the busier ski shops? Distance won't be a concern for example if there is a good exchange program in the VAs. The boys grow like weeds and just looking for alternative methods to get them outfitted versus renting constantly.

Also, for myself. I need to upgrade my 20 year old stuff and thought of buying a piece at a time. I'm guessing boots would be the most important and first choice? Then I can use my old skis while my new fitted boots get worked in and save money for new skis/bindings. I thought, with this South/Central East snow, some fatter skis will help me. I was thinking Nordica Enforcer 100s with Nordica Speedmachine 100 boots.
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marzski
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Hello! I'm in northern Wake County, 10 min south of Southpoint. How long have you been in CH? I moved there from NYC back in the 1970s.

My go to ski shop in the Triangle is C&R Ski in Hillsborough. Well worth a drive to check out what they have. At least you'll know what's possible for next season. Dick is an experienced boot fitter. I've bought two pair of "new old stock" boots from him during late season sales that start late Feb. Including custom heat-molded footbeds. Also bought boots for my daughter when she was a tween. Since then she switched to telemark skiing.

C&R has some used gear for kids. But it's luck in terms of whether it's the correct size. Got a pair of boots for my daughter. Dick also will buy back gear in good condition, usually for store credit.
2023-24: Wolf Creek in Dec, Massanutten in Jan, Feb; GT, Big Sky; Crested Butte; Alta/Snowbird in April.
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marzski
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David H wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:53 am New to this forum. Chapel Hill NC. Lower level intermediate skier.

Also, for myself. I need to upgrade my 20 year old stuff and thought of buying a piece at a time. I'm guessing boots would be the most important and first choice? Then I can use my old skis while my new fitted boots get worked in and save money for new skis/bindings. I thought, with this South/Central East snow, some fatter skis will help me. I was thinking Nordica Enforcer 100s with Nordica Speedmachine 100 boots.
Where have you skied in the southeast? What other region have you skied in lately?

Getting a recommendation for specific boots by make and model is not usually a good approach. There is a reason that the term "boot fitter" exists for the ski industry. Ski boots should fit like a glove, not like a street shoe.

I suggest you read about what a "boot fitting" means. Pays to make an appointment. Allow at least 2 hours. Bring your old boots and a pair of thin ski socks.

https://theskimonster.com/blog/posts/sk ... ed-to-fit/

By the way, I was an intermediate when I got my daughter started on skis at age 4. That was almost 15 years ago. Have learned a lot about ski boots and how to demo and buy appropriate skis in the last decade. I'm retired and have averaged about 50 days on snow in the last 5-6 years, increasingly most of those days are on ski trips out west.

I've skied enough in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic to know what type of skis work better. "Fat" skis that are 100 underfoot . . . not for an east coast intermediate.
2023-24: Wolf Creek in Dec, Massanutten in Jan, Feb; GT, Big Sky; Crested Butte; Alta/Snowbird in April.
David H
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marzski wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:26 pm Hello! I'm in northern Wake County, 10 min south of Southpoint. How long have you been in CH? I moved there from NYC back in the 1970s.

My go to ski shop in the Triangle is C&R Ski in Hillsborough. Well worth a drive to check out what they have. At least you'll know what's possible for next season. Dick is an experienced boot fitter. I've bought two pair of "new old stock" boots from him during late season sales that start late Feb. Including custom heat-molded footbeds. Also bought boots for my daughter when she was a tween. Since then she switched to telemark skiing.

C&R has some used gear for kids. But it's luck in terms of whether it's the correct size. Got a pair of boots for my daughter. Dick also will buy back gear in good condition, usually for store credit.
I moved here about 20 years ago from SLC. I've been to C and R a few times. A couple trips to Wintergreen from them and have been there lately to research Nordica stuff. Was planning to go there to get my boots...as long as they pretty close to competitive prices. When I go back, I will ask around for discounted/used kids stuff and talk to Dick about buy back information. Thanks for telling me more about how Dick operates. They're big kids...hopefully that works in my favor.
David H
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marzski wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:35 pm
David H wrote: Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:53 am New to this forum. Chapel Hill NC. Lower level intermediate skier.

Also, for myself. I need to upgrade my 20 year old stuff and thought of buying a piece at a time. I'm guessing boots would be the most important and first choice? Then I can use my old skis while my new fitted boots get worked in and save money for new skis/bindings. I thought, with this South/Central East snow, some fatter skis will help me. I was thinking Nordica Enforcer 100s with Nordica Speedmachine 100 boots.
Where have you skied in the southeast? What other region have you skied in lately?

Getting a recommendation for specific boots by make and model is not usually a good approach. There is a reason that the term "boot fitter" exists for the ski industry. Ski boots should fit like a glove, not like a street shoe.

I suggest you read about what a "boot fitting" means. Pays to make an appointment. Allow at least 2 hours. Bring your old boots and a pair of thin ski socks.

https://theskimonster.com/blog/posts/sk ... ed-to-fit/

By the way, I was an intermediate when I got my daughter started on skis at age 4. That was almost 15 years ago. Have learned a lot about ski boots and how to demo and buy appropriate skis in the last decade. I'm retired and have averaged about 50 days on snow in the last 5-6 years, increasingly most of those days are on ski trips out west.

I've skied enough in the southeast and Mid-Atlantic to know what type of skis work better. "Fat" skis that are 100 underfoot . . . not for an east coast intermediate.
Around here: Beech, Sugar, Wintergreen and Snowshoe. Before I moved here from SLC: Deer Valley, Canyons, Alta, Snowbird, Brighton, Solitude, Sundance, Snowbasin and Lake Tahoe...which really isn't saying much considering my skills.

That was my plan, buy my boots from C and R and get them fitted properly. Regarding the '100' size, a friend from Alberta and who skis a lot in Alberta (would say is an expert) advised my on that size. I figured the wider skis would be good for the sugary/granulated heavy snow that we get here and not worried about how they would be under optimum groomed conditions. My understanding is that fat rockered skis would help me in the crud that we get here. Followed by simply working on my skills of course. What reasons can you explain on not having that wide of skis? TIA
David H
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So I'm guessing the my 'powder' off groom Canadian skier friend is leading me too far from what we see most in this region. Most of the time, the mountains around here stay packed and groomed with almost no powder? The skiing so far this year resembles spring skiing where the snow is getting chewed up/granulated/sugary at certain very busy sections but mostly stays packed. So...maybe a ski less wide underfoot? Like 90 and has a good mix of camber and some rocker? I would really prefer as much to an all quiver ski and work on getting a 90 wide ski onto it's edges versus a narrower ski.
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spydeeTJB
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Yes, an 85-90 mm ski would serve you better for the southeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Regarding new boots vs skis, you may find the shop won't mess with your old bindings to fit the boot change due to their age.

Rent till March then get a package deal.

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davidski
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I think 90 to 100 is the new golden mean

As far as Enforcers, Nordica like all the big companies change their flagship skis completely but keep the name for branding, smaller companies not as much, the nordica enforcer has been radically different at least three times in 10 years, but still carries the same profitable title. DPS would be the other side of the equation. But I think I am in a unique place because I am heading to Colorado tomorrow and left my really big skis at another spot so I will be on the same ski I've loved for 5 years -- and if that doesn't work that is definately a problem of me and not the terrain or the ski

Spydee why is 85 a better serve than 100? we just learn to ski what we are regularly on, turn radious are the same on wide skis just a matter of how you lean.. I think, but it's a question
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davidski
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I think I just made an excuse for bad fundamentals

And David H welcome to the board!
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spydeeTJB
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OP said he's a lower level intermediate. I'll go out on a limb and say 10 to 15 days a season mostly on piste. Narrower waste does help those learning to carve vs skid or splay. Right or wrong, his concern is slush & crud....where a stiff ski is better regardless of width.

Take all this with a grain. I gave up on the one-ski quiver long ago. Think I'm up to 5 now.

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