Remember this?
He isn’t falling. He’s demonstrating a ski technique from the 70s practiced by jet-setting ski racers. What is it called?
Qu’est-ce que c’est?
Ten Indispensable Items Every Senior Skier Should Own
Age has its rewards. And you may have noticed the occasional downside.
For the senior skier, a few equipment decisions – some of them surprisingly simple and inexpensive, can improve your overall experience.
Here are ten. We’d welcome additional suggestions from you.
Lightweight, folding chair — The civilized way to get boots on and off. Avoid camping chairs that place you too close to the ground. Opt for a full size unit. If the parking lot is messy, use a plastic mat for protection.
For Parking Lot Booting Up
Small, flat plastic water bottle – It’s one of the most practical items. Wearable hydration systems may be good for backcountry, but overkill for resort skiing. Conventional bottles are bulky. Most camping outfitters carry 12 oz plastic bottles with a nozzle cap. Just a few dollars; fits flat in your parka pocket.
Fat rockers – Reverse camber skis with a soft tip are ideal for getting around most mountains. Unlike other designs they require less effort to turn and tend to float on powder and crud. Their energy efficiency adds hours to the day. The trick is in the reverse camber — you’re turning a much smaller portion of the ski than with other designs. Don’t take them out on boilerplate, and be patient if you need to negotiate long, flat connector trails, They’re not easy to skate.
Fat Rockers Have Captured The Imagination Of Powder Hounds
Glove liners –In addition to warmth, they protect hands when removing gloves. Wear them under a slightly overlarge glove or mitten. Easy to wash. The best cost about $20.
Plug-in boot warmers – Use them in the car on the way to the hill. They make it easier to get boots on and pre-warming is a nice way to start the day. Choose the style that works best with your car’s electrical system.
Custom boots – Pricey, but possibly the best ski investment you make. Custom foot beds. Custom foam liners. If you spend considerable time on the hill, you’ll understand.
Balaclava – Not the pastry, the snug-fitting head and face covering. On a cold day this adds comfort and takes away the sting. Opt for one with a poly— face section. Wash often. A great investment at around $25.
Accessories tote bag – One bag per skier for all small gear – goggles, powder cords, lip balm, gloves, warmers, etc. Choose one with a small zip pocket for your season’s pass(es). Under $50.
Prescription goggles – Glasses and skiing don’t mix. They fog. They break. A goggle that accommodates a prescription insert is a better alternative. Downsides: they tend to be pricey and may fog when you overheat. Contact lenses are a practical alternative.
Emergency Whistle – Most likely you’ll never need to use it, but a loud whistle is almost as good a cell phone if you get into trouble. Under $10.
Piercingly Loud When You Need To Attract Attention
Helmet – Some longtime skiers still rely on knitwear. Helmets are warm, comfortable and protective. Yes, if you hit a tree at 40 mph, nothing will protect. But for the occasional brush with a branch or a slower fall, helmet is the way to go. Make sure it fits properly. Most skiers are happy with air vents and removable ear pieces for warm Spring days.
Full Visor Helmet From Osbe
SweetTarts — Seriously, this roll candy helps overcome dry mouth in an instant.
Email your suggestions, please.
Long Time Between Runs
It is a sunny and cold Thursday morning in early February. There are a handful of other skiers on the mid-New Hampshire ski area lift. I decide to go right at the top. Trail is untouched, the corduroy grooming marks fresh and waiting. I turn, effortless. Ahhh. I turn again, making a big, wide arc. The feeling is like floating, my new skis carving and then, almost without a conscious notion, shifting to the other edge.
Hard to believe this is my first real run in thirty-five years. Okay, there was an expensive, uncomfortable holiday weekend on rental skis and boots in the 90s with cranky children, cheesy condo and unrelenting cold. It was an exception. I had left my real skiing behind long time ago.
I started in college, in the mid-60s. Back then, it was blue jeans and rice-paddy parkas with Moriarity hats, wooden skis, leather boots and Cubco bindings. In the early 70s, I lucked out and worked as an assistant editor at Skiing Magazine working and rubbing elbows with some of the greats. Now, that was fun.
I was Associate Editor in the early 70s
The next few decades had me running a business, flying here and there, finding and keeping clients. No time, no interest in skiing. Too cold, too time consuming. The closest I made it to the slopes was working on my laptop while watching my wife kids from the day lodge window.
Then I came back. With retirement came time. I looked at boots and skis in a ski shop one day and said to myself, “I can do this now.”
I find almost everything about skiing has changed for the better during my long hiatus. The skis are magical instruments, boots are comfortable, clothes are warmer, the lifts are faster, the trails well groomed and, because of my senior status, the lift tickets are relatively cheaper. And, there is no more need for speed. Instead, I relax into the slow turn, pressing down to feel the slice of the edge.
Parabolic skis rule! Turning has never been more easy or more fun.
Apparently, I’m not the only veteran coming back to skiing. Although we are still a small percent of the total, the number of skiers over 65 has doubled since the 1997-98 season, according to a National Ski Areas Association demographic study published in 2013. And we ski more often than younger skiers, too. We get in 9.5 skiing days per season compared to a national average of five days. We are using the gift of time that retirement has bestowed.
What does it take to get back? Fitness for starters. That’s a good idea, regardless. A good ski shop to fit you out with the proper equipment, maybe starting with decent rentals. A lesson might be helpful, too. A couple of friends to go with. A nice winter day in the middle of the week. More and more runs.
What’s your return-to-skiing advice?
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