Gearing Up for the Snow

Folks in the East and Midwest may think Californians know very little about real weather. But the truth is, we know the way to the beach when it’s sunny and we can provide detailed information about El Nino and frozen crops.

And we know what to do when it snows: Grab the skis and head for the hills.

For those who have never set foot on a slope--but have long been intrigued by the idea of skiing or snowboarding--the fear of making an uneducated equipment purchase can be as great as the fear of careening into a pine tree.

With another ski season upon us--and snow teasing us from atop local hills--we checked in with some local sporting goods shops to get a few tips on purchasing equipment. These suggestions should benefit not only novices, but also skiers who have been out of the market. The ski gear of a decade ago is not necessarily the gear of today.

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Todd Stuflick, an employee at the Oshman’s sporting goods store in Camarillo, stressed the importance of renting a variety of skis, before making a purchase, to find which pair best suits your needs and tastes.

“Get a feel for them, figure out what size you need,” Stuflick said. “All different skis have a different feel.

“It’s good to do a little bit of research--you don’t want to buy more than you’re going to use,” he said. “People have a tendency to to go out and spend on the absolute best thing in the world. You could spend $1,000 on skis and bindings. . . . But for $400 or $500, you can go in and get a nice setup, and if you take care of them, they can last five or 10 years. You don’t want to spend an ungodly amount of money when you can rent and find what suits you first.”

If you have never skied or haven’t skied since the early ‘90s, you may think skis are straight. Not anymore. Now, almost all skis are parabolic (or hourglass) in shape--wider at the ends, narrower in the middle.

“Parabolic skis help initiate a turn, they allow you to handle the skis better, they’re more controllable,” Stuflick said.

Steve Cahill, a sales associate at Sportmart in Oxnard, said parabolic skis, when standing on their tips, should reach between the skier’s nose and forehead. He said they should be fairly flexible, with a bend of 2 to 3 inches.

“Some good name brands are K2--they’re very good for beginners, very well-shaped; same with Elan, the Elan Reactor is very good for beginners,” Cahill said. “Volkl [brand] is selling the best. It’s really flexible, shaped nicely and it can also be used by intermediate skiers.”

As important as the skis are, it may be the ski boots that determine the quality of a skiing experience.

“If you have uncomfortable boots, you’re not going to have a fun time,” Cahill said. “For skiing, AFX by Nordica is good this year. They adjust for walking and skiing and they have a real thick liner inside, which gives a lot of ankle support.”

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The same rule of thumb that applies to choosing skis also applies to selecting a snowboard: It’s worth trying out a few models before making a purchase. Boards vary in shape and size, and different snowboarders have different needs.

“The first thing I’d do is go with a reputable brand name, somebody who has been around for enough time that they will back up their work,” said Greg Krier, assistant to the manager at Surfin’ West in Simi Valley. “Burton and K2 are the major ones.”

Krier said the size of the snowboard--used like a surfboard--is determined by the height and weight of the rider. The type of riding to be done, whether casual or advanced, also will determine board selection.

Cahill said snowboards should be tall enough to reach between the chin and nose for users who are of average weight for their height. The board should be smaller for lighter people, allowing for more ease in turning.

In addition to the size of the board, its makeup is a key consideration. The core of the board generally comes in wood or foam. The salespeople we spoke with recommended the more expensive, but more durable wood.

“The foam core has been known to snap easily,” said Cahill, who recommended the Burton, Sims, Santa Cruz and Ride brand names. “Make sure there’s no nicks in the edges because water can get into the wood and you’ll get wood rot and it’s really easy to snap after that.”

And bottom line, there is that old bottom line--price.

“For someone looking to get started, for the board itself and a pair of bindings, you can spend $350 and get a pretty good start,” Krier said. “On the other end, we’ve got [boards] for $550 alone.”

Surfin’ West rents snowboards for $30 for the first day, $5 for each additional day. Oshman’s rents snowboards for $19.99 a day, skis for $12.99 daily.

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Meanwhile, keep an eye open for sales--Oshman’s is taking trade-ins of old skis and snowboards Sunday through Feb. 6, and SportMart is planning price reductions on snowboards next month. At Surfin’ West, snowboards and clothing will be reduced by 30% to 40% at the end of the season.