The State of the Equipment (Ski)

OK, so now I've said hello. I suppose that the best place to go is to tell you a little about the equipment that I'm using. Most of you know what travels with me, but I thought that I would write it all down, and a few stats of interest:

2002 Volkl Supersport T50 5 Star Skis 168cm
Nordica Beast 12W Ski Boots 24.5 Mondo
Kerma Poles
Boeri Tactic Ski Helmet

I can almost hear the comments now, so let me address the obvious ones right now.

1) Yes, I have ridiculously small feet, and I use women's ski boots. Sorry, that's the way it is. I tried the the boots on and they fit properly. I could've custom ordered men's boots in the same size, but why? I would've paid extra for basically the same boots. There are a few, frankly minor, differences, which wouldn't justify the extra cost. Hey, at least they aren't pink and black.

2) No, those skis aren't ideal for skiing the whole mountain in Colorado. They suck in powder and they get "interesting" in the bumps. By interesting, I mean a complete handful. However, they are great for going fast and carving on the "front side" of the mountain. That's what I bought them for. I will say they are stiff, and I love them. They aren't going anywhere soon, but they will be augmented.

Finally, I have to point out that I purchased all of these items at a local specialty ski shop, but its not the only ski equipment that I've owned. I've tried to save a few bucks using the big chain stores, and its not worth it, at least for me. I skied with boots that were at least a size too big, and skis that were far too soft, until I found somewhere that actually knew what they were talking about. In my case, I trust the ladies and gentlemen of The Ski Shop in Colorado Springs (http://www.theskishopinc.com/). Everyone there knows their stuff, and will try to solve every problem. You might not like the solution, but that's the way it works sometimes.

The point of the above paragraph is this: I may spend slightly more for my equipment, but I have complete faith in what I'm using. If something goes tits up, I know that its me, and that's important. So, I would suggest that you find somewhere that you trust, and get to know them. Don't try and beat them to death on price, rather look at what you're getting. I know that in my case, its worth everything I pay.