Tag Archives: skiing

Skiing Snowboarding After Having Kids

I’ve been skiing for 24 years, and for the last seven years I’ve been teaching at Tallington Lakes Ski & Snowboard Centre so I believe I’m a fairly competent and confident skier, happy to tackle any slope, including the Swiss Wall and launch myself off big jumps or over rails. I’ve taught many adults, mainly women who haven’t skied since having kids and are looking to get back into it.

The main thing I noticed was a lack of confidence, and skiing without confidence makes it harder, your body will probably hurt a lot more from all the tensing, and you won’t have any flow.

While I was pregnant I skied and snowboarded until I was roughly 6 months pregnant, all the time being very safe and staying within my easy limits and had cut down the amount of time on the slope. My baby is now three-and-a-half months old and since he was born, I’ve skied and snowboarded at Tallington several times, however the main different between now and pre pregnancy riding– confidence! Although still very confident in my own abilities there’s now a feeling that if I get hurt, I have someone who is relying on me.

Doing flat 360’s on the slope, or even 180’s aren’t as smooth, I’ve been doing these since I joined Tallington Lakes and never had a second thought but now I have to think about it – what if I catch an edge. Trying to link turns on my snowboard has now become way more difficult because what if I fall over and get injured?

So, to all you parents out there, I get it! I get the worry of falling over, I get the worry of getting hurt, but I know the more I get out there and practice, the more my confidence will build, and I’ll get back to my previous standard. A lesson with one of our instructors will help you build that confidence and correct any errors that may be creeping in, I know I’ll be seeking some advice!

Lotti
Chief Instructor
Tallington Lakes Ski & Snowboard Centre

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From one seasonaire to another…

Remember: you are probably going to be flying and will have to fit everything into your ski bag and holdall. So, this is my ultimate guide after massively over packing for my own season!

Firstly, keep in mind that you will, hopefully, be skiing everyday for five months so invest in your kit wisely! The number one piece of kit on your list should definitely be boots, whether that is ski or snowboard. We’ve all worn rental kit, which is just about passable for a week but these need to be comfortable from the moment you step onto the slopes on your first day to the last day of the season. Go to a shop, and get your boots fitted properly. A simple solution is to get a footbed, get them heat moulded, and wear them in before you go. Then you’re not wasting your precious slope time trying to make sure your feet don’t hurt! Get several good pairs of socks too; this will ensure your feet stay warm and provide all the necessary padding in all the important areas.

Secondly, get yourself a tray, or two! Investing in a snowboard or skis will mean you can have exactly the right kit to meet your needs. Remember, you are there for five months so you have to think about what you can achieve in that time; even as a beginner you can progress to be riding powder (which will happen) to free-styling within a month or so. Since you are riding every day make sure you get yourself something you can have fun on everywhere as well. An all-mountain set up that’s not too stiff will mean you can venture anywhere on the mountain, including the park, but won’t hold you back on the fresh corduroy. With your hardwear now covered, don’t forget your head. Never ride without a helmet, protect yourself!

Get yourself a comfortable pair of goggles that fit well with your helmet. Having the choice of lenses is also a good idea: the Oakley Prizm Rose are ideal for cloudy-to-low-light days but will cover you if the sun decides to shine; paired with the Oakley Fire or Sapphire Iridium and you’ll be covered for all levels of ability.

For the duration of your season, one pair of salopettes is plenty but ensure that they have leg vents. Bib pants are a great choice since you get more pockets and they keep all the snow out, especially on a powder days. They are also fantastic for summer slush laps as they provide all the important cover without the need for extra layers, not to mention they look pretty cool too.

Clothes and layers are equally as important, since you will see all sorts of weather throughout the season; where sunburn is possible and but so is frostbite. You’ll need t-shirts and sun cream when riding in 12°C sun and also a number of thermal tops and leggings for those really cold days. Remember, layering is more than just one massive coat, so grab a riding hoodie or fleece (or three), plus a thin waterproof jacket. This will benefit greatly as you can then mix and match your apparel depending on the weather – so you don’t get too hot or too cold! What’s more, a cheap spare coat that you are happy to get a little dirty is a must-have for your nights out.

With all your technical equipment accordingly sorted, now to decide what to wear when you’re off the slopes! The mountains are surprisingly not a fashion show you don’t need a new top every time you go out; a couple of spare jeans and tops will do you fine, just make sure you stay on top on your washing!

Finally, my top seasonaire tip – make sure you pack yourself a 4-way plug because you can be sure that you’ll need to charge several things at once. This way, not only have you got a bit more extension but there won’t be any arguments over plugs!

For more information about any equipment please see our other blog posts or visit us in-store.

Lottie (Chief Instructor)

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Salomon Q-83 Ski Review

The women’s Salomon Q-83 Myriad  all-mountain skis.

Recently it was that time in your life that every skier loves; time to purchase a new set of skis! I have skied several times around Europe, in different conditions, but whenever I am asked “what kind of skier I would class myself”, I’m not sure! I enjoy blue and red runs, and will go down blacks – if I have too. I’m learning to better my technique in the soft stuff, but most comfortable on piste.  I enjoy my skiing, and to me, that is the main thing.

skier skiing sunny day
I’m learning to better my technique in the soft stuff, but most comfortable on piste. I enjoy my skiing, and to me, that is the main thing.

Salomon Q-83 Myriad Women’s Skis

Personally, there are loads and loads of skis out there and, maybe as I am girl, I’m not one of these people who will do hours and hours of research. I summed up my requirements, to my other half, I wanted an easy turning ski that looks nice and will help me progress. He gave me a few options but the one that stood out most, and seemed to suit my ability, was the Salomon Q-83. As I said, I’m not very technical, so my boyfriend wrote the next part:

The Salomon Q series has proved a huge success and offers a vast range of skies for different abilities and types of skiing. The Q-83 is aimed at female intermediate skiers; that are looking to progress into skiing powder (the softer stuff) for the first time. It offers early wide edges (you’ll notice the bulge) and a hook free taper on the tip to allow for easier turning on piste. Basically this makes the ski shorter, and therefore easier to turn! The ski has a full wood core so will easily ski at speed and will still maintain plenty of control on piste. The ‘honeycomb’ in the tip dampens any vibrations. Finally, The ski has a utility rocker tip and tail which allows the ski to float easily in the softer ‘fluffy’ stuff.

The first point that I really noticed about them from the skis that I have previously used was how easy it was to turn. I have struggled previously with turning skis of this length but found my Salomon’s very easy. Thankfully, this helped with my confidence and when the time came and I decided to head off into the powder: lets just say it didn’t exactly go to plan the first time but after a few falls into the soft fluffy snow I started to gently get the hang of it which is something that I have never been confident enough to do.

skier fallen in powder
The ski has a utility rocker tip and tail which allows the ski to float easily in the softer ‘fluffy’ stuff. Or not!

Back on the piste, I felt that I was getting a little quicker and more confident the more I skied them. By the end of our trip, with the help of my boyfriend I was starting to learn to carve the skis. To me, the skis were exactly what I wanted. They were soft and easy to ski but seemed to be responsive when I started to pick up a little speed. My turning has improved dramatically and I even managed to gain a little confidence skiing in the powder. Overall, I really enjoyed these Salomon Q-83 Myriad skis and glad I went for them. I am looking forward to skiing them next year.

Finally, the fact that they are really pretty sums everything up but I need to remember not to look at them whilst skiing.

Thanks Mega!Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather

Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) In Alpine Skis

Alpine ski manufacturer Head has implemented a Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) in their skis!

For those who follow Formula One you will be familiar with the term KERS; the Kinetic Energy Recovery System that stores the kinetic energy whilst the vehicle is braking to use later when the vehicle is accelerating. And you may have read that the Royal Navy want to use KERS to power laser guns on its warships.

KERS In Skis

So why would you want to have KERS in your skis? To go faster like an F1 car, or blast fellow skiers off the piste with a James Bond-like laser in your ski; I think not! It’s all to do with turning.

The skis have piezoelectric fibres which transform kinetic energy whilst skiing into electrical energy. This electrical energy is stored for when the skier is at the end of their turn, when the ski is at maximum flex, and released to stiffen the tail of the ski. This gives the skier extra ‘pop’ into their next carving turn.

supershape ititan skis
The Head Supershape iTitan skis have KERS, so get motoring!

As with comedy; it all about ….. timing. So the boffins at Head skis programme the sensors to release at the appropriate point of the out-turn and depending upon the ski type how stiff to make the tail of the ski. The Head iSupershape iTitan skis have KERS technology.

Clever stuff, but I still like the idea of a Bond-like laser in my skis!Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather

What is the flex rating on ski boots?

The flex in ski boots refers to how easy or hard it is to move the boot forward at the cuff. It is represented by an index number, ranging from 50 (very soft) up to 130 (race stiff). The flex index of the boot can usually be found on the side of your boot.

Some brands and styles will have two different flex numbers, for example 110-100. These boots tend to have an easy to use dial on the back of the boots, which allows you to slightly alter the flex of the boot between the two numbers. The tricky thing is that most boot manufactures don’t stick to a standardised flex index, so one brands 110 flex could be another brands 100 flex. So its good to just use the flex index as a guide, rather than strictly going by the number.

What Flex Ski Boots?

You may ask yourself, what kind of flex would suit my skiing ability? Generally speaking, a first time beginner skier will be in a very soft flex boot and an advanced skier would be in a much stiffer flex boot. However, your weight and the type of skiing can affect it too!

Too keep it simple, a 70 – 90 flex would suit beginner men. Intermediate men would be comfortable in an 80 – 100 flex boot, and advanced male skiers would look at a 90+ flex. Again, this is just a guide; a heavier/stronger skiers would want to go for a stiffer flex boot because they will be more powerful and will easily ‘flex’ the boot.

Women tend to have less body mass for their foot size and height, therefore flex ratings are lower. The flex starts from 50 and will go up to the highest point of 110. Beginner women skiers would suit a 50-60 flex, intermediate women skiers will be looking for the 60-80 flex, and advanced women skiers will get much more out of a boot that’s between 80-110 flex.

As always we recommend seeking professional advice and getting your ski boots fitted by a qualified boot fitter.Facebooktwitterredditpinterestlinkedinmailby feather