(Oct 23,2011)
Click Here for List of Used Ski Equipment For Sale! Note the 3 tabs along the bottom of the page: Skis/Boots/Other
FVSEF SWAP
Sunday, October 9: The foundation will host a Ski Racing Equipment swap for race and related equipment. This is an event for families to swap/sell outgrown, but valuable gear. 1:00-3-pm at the Saddle Club near the hocky rink in Whitefish.
FIT SESSION
Wednesday, October 12th is our Fit Session. This is an opportunity to review new equipment for the coming year and provide an opportunity to make ski and boot purchases at a reduced cost for our team athletes. Equipment would be ordered at that time (or shortly after) to be delivered later. We will meet 5:00 PM till 8:00 PM at the SPORTSMAN & SKI HAUS in Kalispell. Some companies will send representatives and others will send sales materials for us to use. I expect representatives to be present from: Volkl, Marker, Fischer, Rossignol, Nordica and POC.
THANK YOU SPORTSMAN AND ATTENDING REPS!
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES:
Kalispell Ski Club Ski Swap
Fairgrounds in Kalispell
October 8-9
Big Mountain Ski Club Ski Swap
The Wave Whitefish
November 5, 2011
Drop off Nov 4
ON-LINE RETAILERS
Artech Ski Racing Gear
Race Place
Race Werks
Reliable Racing
Sun Valley Ski Tools
SOME EQUIPMENT GATHERING INFORMATION
All choices should be made considering proper sizing and performance characteristics. For our younger skiers the performance characteristic consideration may be looking for a good ski/boot that will enhance learning. For our more experienced racers we will probably retain that requirement, but also factor in how the equipment will help to deliver speed to our racers. Perhaps for the very elite, speed will be the prime factor in equipment selection.
SKIS:
For our younger skiers, we recommend junior skis (up to about 125/135 lbs) with a good deal of side cut that are both soft and of an appropriate length. For less experienced skiers/younger skiers, less than chin height is best. Skiers with more experience might choose skis that are about nose height. Multi Event skis (aka Kombi Skis) will likely fit this guideline. Typically, only when buying discipline specific GS or Speed skis will we consider skis that are longer than head height.
For more experienced racers such as Jr. 3s and Jr. 4s who chose discipline specific race skis keep these guidelines in mind; SL skis should stand upright to the bottom of the chin minimum and up to nose height maximum, GS skis to the top of the head minimum and up to 2” above. Kombi skis should come to the nose. These guidelines are for J3 and younger. Remember Jr. 3s are also moving towards the Jr. 1 and Jr. 2 ski length rules. Jr. 1 and 2 athletes should meet the minimum USSA (and/or FIS) requirements and have coach input. The minimum SL length for Jr. 2 girls is 155 cm. Minimum GS ski length for these girls is 175 cm. Jr. 2 boys can ski as short as 155 SL but must use at least 180 GS skis.
For Jr. 3s and younger skiers there are no length or radius rules. Use the guidelines above and if you have questions consult with a coach. Jr. 2s and above should meet the length and radius rules as dictated by USSA/FIS. If you have questions consult a coach or the USSA/FIS guidelines.
BINDINGS
For those of you with lighter athletes (70 lbs and less) be sure to indicate what boot you will be using. Some boots for juniors only accept Jr. DIN bindings. We have had several situations at fit day when families have bought skis and boots that are not compatible. Following are some Jr. DIN Sole boots: Lange Comp 60, Lange Team Pro, Nordica 60, Rossi JR 1, and Tecnica Race 70, 60. There may be others.
BOOTS
Boots must fit well and be flexible at the ankle for the best learning. Except for the smallest of sizes, a 3 or 4 buckle conventional design is best. Pick an appropriate boot for skiers of the correct size, weight and ability. Often, all-mountain (or similar) models are good choices. Many of the competition boots are designed for older, stronger and more experienced children. Boots that are too stiff or too high will hinder even the most talented skiers, young or old. Competition model boots are frequently built relatively stiff, but remember, many of the athletes that these boots are intended for are built like linebackers.
There can be an inclination to buy boots that are too large because they feel good on flip-flop summer feet and/or the skier is not used to a performance fit. On this note, I frequently see Jr. 2 athletes skiing well in boots that are a size smaller than they had as Jr. 3 skiers. Boots that are too big are unworkable. Make sure your boot fitter is shell sizing your athlete and that there is no more than two fingers space between the heel and the back of the shell when the toes are just touching the front (one finger for J2+). Do not buy boots that your child is going to grow into; that just doesn’t work well and is false economics. We will make the boots bigger during the season as necessary. Boots can be a made a whole size bigger in a few locations as needed. We can make boots bigger, but cannot effectively make them smaller.
HELMETS:
There are many good ski racing helmets. USSA requires a hard shell covering over the ears for GS, Super G and Downhill racing in all USSA Sanctioned events. (Tommy Moe Series is exempt from this requirement.)
What is important; is a well-fitting helmet designed for ski racing that is comfortable. If the helmet is too tight, obvious discomfort makes it difficult to wear. A helmet that is too large can bounce around, move the goggles, impair vision and will likely not be as protective as it is designed to be. A well-fitting helmet will be comfortably snug. When the helmet is worn, it should grip the head to the point that when twisted, the helmet will move the skin of the forehead and brow, but not be uncomfortable to wear for long periods. GET YOUR HELMET FITTED BY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW.
Poc, Spyder, Uvex, Carrera, Shred, Briko & Boeri are all good ones. There are likely others. Though they all fit each of us reasonably well, we do know that some tend to fit slightly differently. Each tends to have a slightly different shape as its native mold and some are more round, some more oblong and so on. I believe it is a good idea for the athlete to try helmets on prior to buying, if possible.
A chin/face guard is important for Slalom, but it should be removed for GS/SG and DH. Though it is not the end-all for facial protection, I am pretty confident it can and does help to deter gate impacts to the face. You might consider this more important for our YSL and older athletes. I CERTAINLY recommend them for our YSL and older athletes, especially if they are aggressive slalom skiers who challenge gates and try to take the shortest line (through or inside the gate).
To remove the guard for GS; usually 4 screws hold that protective bar/guard in place. My kids (as they got responsible enough) had a screwdriver in their bag and a small ziplock bag to put the screws in. They also had a set of extra screws in a different ziplock, just in case… (and yes, they did get used…) Extra screws can be found easily at places like Nelson’s hardware.
Most modern helmets are lined with Styrofoam as the protective layer. Comfort foam lining is just that; for our comfort and fit. The Styrofoam layer is designed to crush on impact, absorbing the destructive energy of the impact, trying to save the noggin. If a helmet takes a good blow; IT LIKELY HAS A DEFORMED STYROFOAM LINER AND SHOULD BE REPLACED. Some helmet companies have a crash replacement policy to motivate us to replace those questionable helmets.
Goggles:
Quite related to helmet fit and function is how the goggles interact with the helmet AND the athletes face. Manufactures definitely design goggles to work with and be compatible with their helmets, but it is not always a total success… (the helmet/goggle shape is great, but the athletes face may not fit this formula…)
Let’s consider some important requirements for the interaction of helmet/goggle/athlete to be optimal.
1) As above the helmet needs to fit correctly…The goggle needs to fit the space provided by the helmet well and allow no/or very minimal “goggle gap” between the top of the goggle and the helmet. Not only can Goggle Gap be cold
WHERE DO I FIND THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT?
There are a few source options that we can consider. When considering used equipment, there can be significant considerations. Excessive wear can be a factor. With boots be sure the shell and liner are sound and the sole is not excessively worn. Skis should show no delaminations, have a smooth base and the edges should not be excessively worn or thinned from damage or sharpening.
1) Used equipment that a family has outgrown can be a great source. It may be economically viable and most likely will have an available history as to how it performs.
2) The internet is a viable source as well. Craig’s List and eBay can work well, but one must have good knowledge of size and performance characteristics.
3) There are several Internet based race gear shops that deal exclusively in race related gear. Most have good pricing and are well versed in this type of gear. Most have phone #s that allows you to speak with knowledgeable technicians. If you have questions regarding this approach I would be happy to help you find the right shop.
4) We will sponsor/organize an in-house ski swap for our families to sell/distribute outgrown equipment. Though this is not intended as a community-wide swap, outside individuals may bring equipment to the swap if it is appropriate equipment for our athletes.
5) We also invite representatives from the ski/boot/binding companies to come one fall evening to help us with selection/sizing and purchase of new equipment. Typically the rep’s come with equipment for viewing and equipment is ordered that night. Payment is usually due that evening when the order is placed.
