The STW Ski & Snowboard thread. The 2016-2017 season

Le Praz is my favourite place to stay in the 3 Valleys, it is only 1 lift to the Croisette on a morning and the run back isn’t too bad.
Rather be in Le Praz than 1850 any day…..

We’ve only ever stayed in Méribel (or Brides Les Bains) so to me it just looks like a long way back from Val Thorens and Mont Vallon for example.
Also it looks like there are only red runs down to Le Praz. That’s not a problem on my board but if I want to practice skiing I’ll be taking a lift down…:-(

I guess you just adapt your day according to where you’re staying, the small village does appeal as we’re not certainly not into the pitchers of Vodka and Redbull side of Méribel après ski…

isnt Brides Les Bains about a hour gondola ride from the nearest slopes?

The final section of red into le Praz isn’t so bad, depends on conditions really, is only difficult if it’s bumpy or icy, and you can always catch the bubble back from 1650. It is a long way over to Val T but getting back from Mont Vallon wasn’t a problem, and I was with a few slower skiers

We’ll be skiing Courmayeur this season having rented an apartment there. Next year we will be in St Gervais Les Bains and moving there permanently. Cant decide whether to go back to ski’s this season or stay on the board. Likely spend it riding this bad boy

175 wide custom build from DOUK snowboards

Hope you all have a good season

Niall

Looks good Niall, and absolutely massive !

Due to budget restrictions I am looking at making my own splitboard . Anyone done it? I’ve read that they can be decent enough for a season or 2 to get into it….

I’ve just got a pair of these in the sales. I’ll be fitting them to my Jones this weekend… My old APO Espresso step ins are still going fine but as my last pair disintegrated whilst riding them I don’t want to push my luck for another season… 😀
SP SLAB 2015

Top tips for nice all mountain skis, probably 60/40 piste off piste, good skier but not something to headbanger as I will mainly be cruising around with family.

howsyourdad,

I looked at it, I was going to make one for the wife, but adding up the cost of skins and all the splitkit wasn’t exactly cheap, and I found a K2 Panoramic with skins and all the stuff (and no work!) for a very good price so I bought that instead. And I still have my old Salomon intact!

I may have a pair of Gen 2 Spark R&D Ignition bindings to sell this year if the wife fancies upgrading.

When are you looking to go away? All season Scottish, or have you got trips in the calendar?

Hi NedRapier, thanks for the reply. I am thinking the same thing. I have an old burton board, unridden but Japanese special edition that I got in a car boot sale for £10 . Would rather keep it as it is certainly no beater board . I have seen skins and the kit for approx £240 , plus expenses of tools and sealing the board, ptex etc, plus the work which I may well bodge! So say £300 all in plus my time. I have seen some splits boards and skins for around £500 ish…. Still nearly double but not insane money.

I live in Sweden so will be using it regularly , from my house for ‘training’ and a few little runs down, as well as driving to local mountains around an hour away. I’ve heard that homemade splits don’t last as long and of course the board loses a little stiffness from cutting it in half …. So I may last a season and then I would need/ want to upgrade, so would end up buying a proper split anyway… But then it would be nice to have a spare for guests etc

NZCol – have a look at the Rossi Soul HD. I’ve got the original ones (selling them this season) – very easy to ski, will carve on piste as long as it’s not bulletproof ice and fun off piste. Originals were / are a bit easy going for me, hence they’re getting sold, but the new HD versions are a bit beefier…

Does anyone know of a similar setup (catered chalet where you don’t have to rent the whole thing)

Most (certainly a majority of) independent catered chalets operate on this basis.

Agree with Nedrapier, I think looking for a second-hand proper splitty makes more sense than going DIY. You’re likely to end up spending not massively more cash and you’ll end up with a setup that works a lot better, both in split and snowboard modes.

NZCol, have a look at Nordica NRGY. Fit your brief perfectly.

NZCol, have a look at Nordica NRGY. Fit your brief perfectly

I have the NRGY 90s, awesome skis!

Bought last season after a recommendation from CFH.

isnt Brides Les Bains about a hour gondola ride from the nearest slopes?

It’s about 25 minutes but seems like more because it’s cramped and slow. The real problem is the last download is at 17.00 and you can’t ski all the way down.

Lovely little film about snowboarding in Turkey , which goes back some 300 years!

Yes yes, all booked for another week in Obergurgl next Feb. Having skied in most European countries (and indeed NZ) I am fast coming to the conclusion that Austria is the place to go.

Off to Decathlon later to pic up some new gear, I am fancying some VERY bright salopettes I think.

Yep Austria is my favourite too. Heavy filthy food, loads of weird booze, stuck in the 1990s hotels and generals style of resorts plus lovely people and good prices win win win!

I love Austria. Nowhere else would you conga around a bar with a load of 60 year old men.

Season kicks off for me next week on the Kitzstein Horn, and riding Leogang now for closing weekend.
Austria rocks!

Obergurgl in March… Zermatt in April… really need to do something in January… but after going OTB a bit, not that fit…

Just out of interest, any snowHeads bases on here? (Andy I know…)

Is that up in Kaprun? We went up there for the day from Saalbach a couple of years ago and it was the windiest day of my life!

Top tips for nice all mountain skis, probably 60/40 piste off piste, good skier but not something to headbanger as I will mainly be cruising around with family.

Rossi Sin 7 Sky 7. Wee bit smaller than the Soul 7 but a wee bit more versatile I’d say.

Another Austria lover here for summer and winter holidays. Saalbach for Christmas.

Stoats – yes I’m a Snowhead.

any snowHeads bases here?

Me, occasionally. Stevec when I do log in but it’s not as often as it once was.

I am also a snowheads poster in the winter. Not prolific though.

Austria is great (imo much better than 30 years ago now lift systems have caught up. Probably the best place
For Christmas, scenic, right mix of appreciation for religious and social aspects. St Anton has always been in my top 5

Stoatsbrother, couple of snowheads here too. More of lurkers than posters though.
Trying to sort out the house ready for ski season, off in Jan and back 1st April. Excited….just a little bit

What is a snowhead?

It’s a skiing forum, even more middle class than this place. ‘What car to drive to my Swiss chalet’ threads are a hoot.

Trying to sort out the house ready for ski season, off in Jan and back 1st April. Excited….just a little bit

I bet 🙂

It’s a skiing forum, even more middle class than this place. ‘What car to drive to my Swiss chalet’ threads are a hoot.

😕

thanks some good tips. any good online shops – have been looking at the nrgys, the ski and was also recommended the salomon qst92 which i am reliably informed are ‘me’

Glisshop, Sport Conrad, Ekosport.

salomon qst92

Ooh, now they look nice. Fat, floaty tips and a nice waistline. Just how I like ’em!*

FWIW, I can’t think if a Salomon ski I didn’t enjoy. Hell, I even had some fun on the silly as BBRs a few years ago. Fun ski. Looked stupid, mind you.

*I set ’em up, you knock ’em over, etc.

Anyone else checking webcams yet?

Snow in the valley at Serre Che already! Nice amount up high as well.

Anyone else checking webcams yet?

Of course! 8)

Since I spotted it had snowed at my first stop (Courchevel), Ive been watching it occasionally. Nothing to get excited about yet though!

According to MeteoSuisse there will be snow down to 1200m this week. I was hiking in a t-shirt at 1900m on Saturday, won’t be doing that for a while now I guess…. 🙂

According to MeteoSuisse there will be snow down to 1200m this week. I was hiking in a t-shirt at 1900m on Saturday, won’t be doing that for a while now I guess…

You’ll almost certainly be able to do it next week…. Snow watching in October is a waste of time people, you know it!