One of the perks of belonging to the Prime Time Ski Club is the special events that are held throughout the year. Recently a local ski shop offered a free ski demo day for Prime Time members and about 15 people took advantage of this opportunity to try out the latest technology. There’s a ton of new skis hitting the slopes this winter, all aimed at improving the on-snow experience. Easier turn initiation and more maneuverability mean that you will expend less energy when skiing, minimize fatigue and enhance performance. All this translates into longer days on the slopes and additional years of skiing.
There are a lot of great skis out there; the problem is finding the right one for your skiing style. SKI magazine’s 2015 Buyers Guide is a good start. Skis are divided into categories for men and women as well as the type of snow conditions you expect to ski on most of the time, such as “mixed snow east” or “groomed snow” if you ski in New England. Within these broad categories, skis are rated on eight categories such as crud performance, floatation, rebound energy and forgiveness.
However, the best way to find the ski of your dreams is to try out several models before buying. You don’t have to know why a ski performs a certain way. It’s more important for you to feel how if performs and how it affects your skiing. If you’re not lucky enough to be a Prime Time member, there are ski shops that offer demo programs where the cost of trying out several pairs of skis can be applied to the cost of a ski purchase. Most ski shops recommend you narrow down your choice to three skis. Ski on them and compare. If you find a ski you really don’t enjoy, eliminate it immediately and maybe select another pair to try. If it comes down to choosing between two skis, ask a friend to watch you ski and see which pair brings out the best in your skiing.
Once you have the perfect ski, you’ll probably want someone to ski with. That’s where Prime Time Ski Club comes in. The club boasts a membership of more than 125 skiers and non-skiing spouses or partners, ranging in age from 50 to 80 plus. Anyone looking for someone to ski with on any weekday should show up at North Peak Lodge at 10 a.m. (upper level, right hand side past the bar). After a brief time for announcements, members usually break into small groups of four to eight skiers, based mostly on skiing ability and speed and terrain preference.
For Prime Time Ski Club membership information and a schedule of activities check out our web site at www.primetimeskiclub.com or stop by Peak Lodge any non-holiday weekday at 10 a.m. and join us for a few runs. We hope to see you soon.
