Would you buy skis without a demo first?

[ATLSkier]

I live in Atlanta and am in the market for new skis. I would like to try before I buy, but I don't have a ton of ski days each year (and, unsurprisingly, none in ATL). When I am out west skiing, I am with family and friends and don't like taking the time to swap in and out skis to demo them. Also, I have found it hard in the past to find the skis I want to demo. I am interested in the Head Kore 93, and thinking about just buying it because, based on the reviews, it appears to be what I am looking for. I am a bit concerned about buying a ski before trying it. Would you?

 

[Mike Thomas]

I do it all the time, but I also know exactly what I am doing.

 

[nemesis256]

4 of the 5 skis I've owned I've purchased without a demo. My first (Head Rev 80) was based on recommendations on EpicSki, and I'm not sure I even knew demoing was a thing at that time. The others came down to research and luck...especially with Kastle FX85. I practically won the lottery with those. I still have 1 pair I own that I haven't even skied yet, hoping to change that in the next week.

It can be risky not demoing though. But if you find reviews/people who have a similar size, skill, and intended use, you're unlikely to hate them.

 

[François Pugh]

I do it, but I do a lot of research first. Best bet is to try the exact ski in three different lengths before you buy it. Second best is to have tried enough skis that are similar and different to the skis you are buying, and having compared the reviewer's opinion of those skis to your opinion of those skis, be able to extrapolate from your experience to those skis, based on the reviewer's review, and buy it in your "standard" length. By your standard length, I mean a standard based where your best length usually fits into the ski length range a ski comes in, e.g. 2nd longest length that ski comes in, or longest, or shortest, or 2nd shortest - you get the picture.

Also if the ski is $50 plus shipping, it's not going to require as much certainty as one that's $1299.99.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

With the ski reviews written here along with great advice from Phil your chances of making of good choice have improved greatly. Only way to tell is to pull the trigger. Go for it.

 

[Eleeski]

The best skis I've bought have been from demos that I didn't want to give back. Some untried skis have been a waste of money (including some with good reviews). But a lot of the skis I just gambled on have been great (and good deals and quite convenient).

One thing on unfamiliar skis that has helped me is to get adjustable bindings. Quite a few skis have needed the binding placement moved to feel right. It's easy with demo bindings and there are some good options available. Note that a good demo shop will listen to you describe your style and make that adjustment for you when they set up your boots (that line on the ski never exactly lines up with the boot mark so some judgement is in play on a demo setup).

At worst, you can sell the skis and just be out money and the couple days you wasted on skis you didn't like. And spending your limited time demoing when you'd rather be skiing sucks. Go for it!

Eric

 

[Yo Momma]

Demos can be sketchy sometimes too. A bad tune and ruin a great ski, as can sketchy conditions...wrong ski for the conditions, etc... I agree w/ @Guy in Shorts

 

[François Pugh]

If they rent the skis you are thinking of buying near where you will be skiing, they may include your rental fee in the purchase price. So, unless you are getting a screaming good deal, considering buying it there. Hedging your bet, so to speak.

 

[Philpug]

If you want to demo a Kore 93 before you buy it..especially being from Atlanta..you will be waiting until next year to make your purchase. The Kore 93 will be sold out in most shops by Christmas. Yes, the reveiws of the Kore 93 are stellar, so are many other skis. The question is, do the reviews match what you want in a ski? If so, get it now, don't want, because in this case, he who hesitates will have missed out.

Demos can be sketchy sometimes too. A bad tune and ruin a great ski, as can sketchy conditions...wrong ski for the conditions, etc... I agree w/ @Guy in Shorts

This is just as, if not, riskier than not demoing the ski at all

 

[Ken_R]

I live in Atlanta and am in the market for new skis. I would like to try before I buy, but I don't have a ton of ski days each year (and, unsurprisingly, none in ATL). When I am out west skiing, I am with family and friends and don't like taking the time to swap in and out skis to demo them. Also, I have found it hard in the past to find the skis I want to demo. I am interested in the Head Kore 93, and thinking about just buying it because, based on the reviews, it appears to be what I am looking for. I am a bit concerned about buying a ski before trying it. Would you?

Depends but I have never purchased a ski for me without demoing it first.

That said, if you know what you like in a ski and know what to look for then its ok since one has to adjust to any new ski regardless.

I demoed the Kore 93 yesterday in 180cm and it is very close to a perfect resort ski for out west for a wide range of skiers and snow conditions. The 180cm length felt so so dialed in. I would buy it.

 

[Tom K.]

Demos can be sketchy sometimes too. A bad tune and ruin a great ski, as can sketchy conditions...wrong ski for the conditions, etc... I agree w/ @Guy in Shorts

Could not agree more. If you believe you have a demo source that is unquestionable when it comes to quality of tune, that is unbeatable.

But very hard to find, IME.

 

[HDSkiing]

I have actually never, not once or ever demo’d a ski before I bought it.

When I was younger and into racing and bumps it was what ever the top skiers of the day were on (yeah I was a marketers dream target) After owning and skiing so many different skis I think you get a feel for what the ski will do just by looking it over, feeling the flex etc. in the ski shop and if your in a ski town most likely the guys in the shop have skied it and give you better feedback.

With this new-fangled internet thing you can get that info at the click of a mouse if you’re at a store a distance from the slopes. This site has a wealth of info.

When selecting a ski be honest with yourself about your ability level, the type of skier you are, where you want to ski etc. some skis are more forgiving, some less. From there you can narrow it down. The emphasis, if your only skiing a few days a year should be on having fun. I’d stick with an intermediate to advanced rated ski. Any ski in the right hands (feet) will perform, advanced-expert level skis will perform better but may also require more effort/technique to achieve that performance and there may be a learning curve that you may have no interest or time in pursuing to get that performance, it may even be the cause of some frustration.

Also, especially if it’s a new ski get it tuned for the conditions, which for out west will be essentially a de-tune.

Have fun!

 

[ATLSkier]

Phil's comment on the Head Kore 93 is exactly why I am thinking of going ahead and buying it. I need the 171 length, and it's hard to find. I'm therefore going for it! Thanks all!

 

[Bill Talbot]

Data point... I have NEVER tried a pair of skis before buying... in FIFTY years on snow

 

[Philpug]

Phil's comment on the Head Kore 93 is exactly why I am thinking of going ahead and buying it. I need the 171 length, and it's hard to find. I'm therefore going for it! Thanks all!

Paging @SkiEssentials to the black courtesy phone.

 

[graham418]

I have demo'ed a lot of skis, but have never demo'ed a ski that I have bought. I generally buy skis the are a good deal. Sometimes it doesn't work out, but in the last 10 pairs of skis that Ive had, I can only name one that I don't like. (For sale now !!)
Skis are all good nowadays, some are more suited to you than others, but there are no real bad ones.
I do a lot lot of online research now, especially thanks to this site, so I am making more educated purchases.

 

[Goose]

demoing skis is not as practical as many people would have you think especially for those who may only get to ski say 10 or less days per season and don't live near enough resorts.

You have to find the demo day and then also of course be able to go on that day. The you need be able to have the model skis and sizes of those skis you want to demo. The hope they are tuned decent when "you" try them.

Of course all this then also uses up one of your few entire ski days if you even find what your searching for in the first place.

One can always rent demo skis I suppose (if its ones they wan to try) and also have in your size. And even then if conditions are not the norm that day it again is not as telling. And how often can one rent demos before spending so much renting it in itself becomes economically challenging considering the cost of buying new skis was already challenging to begin with.

Firstly imo is to understand what type skier you are and where and how you ski most the time and what you want in a ski.

The way Ive done it? Look at all the makers websites and see what info as for materials and tech, etc is available for the given model skis. Some makers are better than others at doing this and I find even that changes from year to year. Imo they sometimes need to be more specific with the info offered but none the less there is always something there.

Then there are reviews and sometimes more reviews and even more reviews to be found. Some skis have more reviews than others but often enough if you cant find much on a specific ski you can find plenty for that models larger/smaller sisters of that model even though sisters also are not identical but you can still get an idea if you know what the tech and material differences are between them and how/what it applies to.
But reviews need to be taken with the grains of salt they come with. As for magazines and professional write-ups you need to differentiate between promoting a ski vs giving an honest view of it. As for forums you have to weed out stuff like brand loyalty, how many skis the writer has actually ever skied, praises or putdowns out of nothing but ego with no real value, and their overall type and ability of skiing vs what you do. All that said, after reading (or viewing) enough reviews both professional and from average people you can collectively build enough feedback info about them. It can help you decide if a model is worthy of purchase or even change your mind to a different model. Or find a happy medium between price and model. Yes price (for most people) does come into the equation when searching for skis.

That's how Ive done it. I dotn fly through it and for me I make a process out of it. Read and view and do it again and again. Try to pick up on the hard facts only that collectively build for a few different models that fit my interest.

 

[RuleMiHa]

I think there is value in demoing skis just to learn how skis different properties feel, but when it comes to purchasing because of the practicalities of the system demoing, the ski you are going to buy may not be possible.

 

[Started at 53]

Renoun has a 100 day “demo”, I mean money back deal.

More expensive than the Kore but might be a better ski too

 

[ATLSkier]

Paging @SkiEssentials to the black courtesy phone.

I looked. Unfortunately, they don't have them.