Choosing the Right Equipment
Our job at Rookies is to get the most improvement out of you in the timeframe we have. Firstly, this comes down to your dedication to improve, secondly it’s down to us as trainers and thirdly you have to be on the right equipment.
BOOTS
Ski boots are the single most important piece of ski equipment.
Your ski boot is the link between your foot, the ski and the snow. So obviously, the better the fit of your boot, the more control you’ll have over the ski.
Boots come in different shell volumes and flexes, a performance boot will have a narrower shell width and a stiffer flex rating along with a thinner liner all of this is designed to give you more feel for the ski and the ability to make more precise edging movements, getting the skis to work for you.
There is a lot of customising that can be done to get the perfect fit, all you need to ensure is the size and flex of the boot is right for you.
WHAT CAN I DO AT HOME? You can do a shell check yourself to see if the size of the boot is correct. Take out the liner and put your foot into the shell of the boot, slide your toes forward so they are just touching the plastic, then shine your phone light down your calf to your heel. You should see enough space there to fit your index finger and about half of your middle finger between your heel and the plastic, approximately 1.5cm. If you see more space than that, your ski boots are unfortunately too big.
If you need adjustments to be made to the fit of the boot, our trainers will help you sort out any boot fit or alignment issues you may have once you arrive.
SKIS
There are 2 main factors you need to take into consideration when choosing skis:
Width of the skis under the foot
Sidecut Radius & Length
The width of the ski under foot determines the type of terrain and snow conditions the ski is best suited for - a ski with a waist width of under 70mm is suited to firm snow, 70mm to 85mm is ideal for all-mountain skiing and over 85mm is for off-piste.
For technical all-mountain performance skiing we recommend a ski with a waist width of between 68mm and 78mm
The Sidecut Radius is the geometrical shape of the side of the skis. This in conjunction with ski length determines the radius of the arc the ski makes when just using its design to turn.
For technical all-mountain performance skiing we recommend a ski length somewhere between your mouth and the top of your head, with a radius between 12m - 16m
POLES
For technical all-mountain performance skiing we recommend a pole that when you are standing in ski boots the pole comes up to the top of your pelvis/hip bone.
