How to Choose and Buy the Right Skis

Now that you have mastered the art of skiing or at least like to think that you have, you are probably in the market for your own set of skis. Though rental skis have gotten better and better and many ski resorts actually offer new technology skis, owning your own pair of skis will make you a better skier. Though skis can be expensive to purchase, there are many ways to save money and be certain that you have selected the right ones.

The first thing to consider when selecting skis is what your actual skiing ability is. There are many charts online to help you determine what your level is; however, you must be truthful when you select a level. For example, if the chart states that to be a level four skier you must be able to stop at any point on the slop at any given time and usually you can accept for that one rare incident when someone cut you off and you were going full speed and could not stop so you fell over instead, then you should not consider yourself a level four skier. Accurately choosing your level will assure that you select skis for your level, and not more advanced skis that could actually make you ski less effectively.

Once you have chosen your level, we can begin with the process of selecting skis. Ideally, you would want to try every pair of skis on your favorite slopes. This is not going to happen. But chances are high that you will be able to find reviews of the skis you are interested in by someone of your same level. These reviews will help you narrow down your choices to a few models. It is imperative that you only focus on the reviews by individuals with an identical level to yourself.

Now that you have chosen a few different models of skis, you will need to determine what size ski that you are looking for. Again, there are many online charts that will assist you in selecting the proper size. I suggest you consult these guides, or ask an employee what they would recommend at your local ski shop. The employee will take many things into consideration. They will look at your height, weight, ski level, type of surface you ski, and what you desire to do with your skis. Once a size has been selected, or a range of sizes have been selected you will need to make certain that the model of skis that you have chosen above are available in the size that you desire.

Now you have probably narrowed you choices down to about three or four pairs of skis. Go out and price these skis for the current model year at your local shop and also check out the best prices that you can find online. You will probably be shocked to find out that many of these skis cost well over $400. However, you should not fret as much better prices are easily found. Physically, skis change very little each year among each model. Sometimes, a particular model does not physically change at all. Most of the changes to skis each year are only cosmetic. The makers will change the color patterns, or add some glitzy details to make the skis look different. Meanwhile, the ski itself is still identical.

Therefore, I recommend you now look at prices for last year's model of a particular ski, perhaps even look at the prices for two years ago. These skis will still be available through select online retailers. Through this method, you will find that you can usually save anywhere from 60 to 85% off of the prices listed for this years models. For example, the ski that you are interested may have a current model year price of $449, a last year's model price of $189 and a two year's ago model price of $119. The savings is tremendous and you usually only lose out on the current trendy design and patterns, but you don't lose out on the skis ability.

Based on the prices that you find through the method described above, chose what model year ski you will purchase and be happy that you have saved a bundle. Enjoy your skis and become a better skier.

The above method of finding great prices applies to many things. There are usually last year's models available still online for many items ranging from jackets, to shoes, to tents, to laptop computers, to digital cameras. The savings is almost always substantial and the product is still new. The only downside tends to be for those who seek out the trendiest designs and always have to have the most current gear. If you are willing to sacrifice trendy and current you can save money by purchasing last year's model with confidence.