Bulgaria Ski discussion board

Hi

after skiing in bansko, i would like to take the plunge and buy my own skis and boots.

I am a 16 year old, confident skier, who can now handle reds pretty comfortably, and am not afraid to take on blacks. I like to go fast and would imagine with future skiing holidays already booked, i am going to advance pretty quickly.

However, before you reccommend the best skis in the world, obviously due to my age i am on a tight budget.

The atomic SX7's for £199 seems a good deal, but i could do with some expert advice, and this is the best ski forum i know!

i would also need boots, so any advice is appreciated!

thanks guys,

tom

Hi Tom,

A few years ago, Alpine skiing was very different to what it is today, and pupils used to be tought to ski with legs and knees as close together as possible.

Due to the changes in snow conditions over the years this has now changed, and all pupils are now taught to ski with legs about 6 - 8 inches apart. This has meant skis have changed a lot over the years also, and Carver skis are now the most widely used throughout Europe and beyond.

If you are going to Pamporovo next year you could visit the Atomic factory at Chepalare where you can get expert advice from the manufacturers and buy at factory prices. You should be able to get a brilliant pair there for under 150 quid.
Length is also very important, and the tips of your skis should reach the bridge of your nose when you stand up to them.

Boots ae very important as they can make or ruin your holiday. I bought a set of Lange in Bulgaria 4 years ago for about 60 quid and they are like slippers! We ski hard every year for 2 weeks non stop and I have never had so much as a twinge from them.....they are superb.

Whatever you buy, take your time and dont buy anything just because they 'look' good.

PP

Gidday Tom.

Good report by the way.

Now is the best time to buy skis as all the shops are trying to get rid of their stock for the summer so there are some great deals to be had.

Snow and Rock are doing a sale with some great gear so it's worth having a look on their site to see what they have got on sale.

I've just bought a new pair of Scott P3s with Marker 1400 comp bindings. Saved myself about £150 buying at the end of the season.

The best advice is to get to a couple of your local ski shops to find what you want then get home and spend a while on the web looking at different ski shops to get the best deals and most of them will post gear out. I used a shop called freeze in Edinburgh even though I'm in Yorkshire. They are really helpful.

Hope this helps.

Having skied in BG for some years now, I wouldnt personally bother with skiis, cant be fussed with the hassle at the airport etc, and the last two years ive done some quite serious damage to the skiis due to the appearance of bulgarian rocks, bushes and grass, and i also cringe even on hire skiis going over loose stones etc as you get that clack clack sound.
But i would eriously endorse your own boots, get down to snow and rock and get them properly fitted, like pp ive got some langes, and improved the fit even more this year by getting moulded foot beds. Each make suits slightly differant foot shapes so its really important to get them properly fitted. And as said end of season sales are quite a bargain!!!!!!! Better to spend a little extra and get years of comfortable skiing.

Good advice from the last rpt,now that most resorts are giving carvers its hardly worth buying,a good tip for you is when you get to the ski hire tell the guy you are an advanced skier and slip him a few quid,if he doesnt fall for the advanced skier and give you good skis he most likely will take the few quid and give you a good set,works for me every time,buying boots,keep them on your feet for about fifteen minutes in the shop,walk around in them,make sure your heel in properly back in the boot,dunt the heel of the boot on the floor to ensure this,but the golden rule is,when you are in a shop at normal temperature your feet are at normal size,but in snow and cold conditions your feet "shrink"a fraction,thus the cause of miss fitting boots !!so often slightly tight in the shop is perfect on the piste,i have Raichle,swiss make,very comfortable.

I think to sum up Tom head to a shop like Snow and Rock and get your self fitted. Don't deside on a brand of boots until you get fitted. Different brands for different shaped feet. My boots are Tecnica Fires which are the best boot you can get if you've got a wide foot with a high instep. MG mentioned Raichle. If these are the flexon boots some say they are the best boots ever made but are best for a narrow foot. Raichle have goon out of business now but the flexon boot is now bad by Dalbelo so if you want these you can still get the boots.
I like to use my own kit which is from my racing days. I like to know exactly what is on my feet but I tune and wax my own gear and set my bindings to where I want them but hire skis are a good option as most hire kit these days is of a good standard.