How to Buy Women's Skis

Whether you've got some skiing under your belt and are ready trade in the rental equipment for a pair of your own skis or you're ready to replace a pair of old skis and aren't sure how to shop for today's new and improved styles, these steps can help you focus your search to locate the right equipment for your needs.

Instructions

1. Determine your general wants and needs, including the weather conditions you typically ski in and the terrain.

2. Talk to a sales person. Let them measure your shoe size and height. Suck it up and be honest about your weight too--all of this is important in getting skis that keep you safe and allow you to perform properly. Don't try to fudge the numbers so you can share equipment with someone else.

3. Compare women's skis to a pair of men's just to get an idea of the difference. This allows you to feel the difference in weight (women's skis are much lighter than men's) and ergonomics (the center of weight on women's skis is closer to the front in order to keep the tips on the ground, whereas women often complain that the tips don't stay down when they wear men's skis.)

4. Spend enough to keep you safe, comfortable and progressing in your abilities. The worst thing you could do is snatch up a bargain set of skis or take someone else's hand-me-downs if they aren't the right fit for your body or your skiing needs. Spend that extra chunk of money so you can enjoy yourself on the slopes.

5. Go on quality, not appearance. Sure, that set of hot pink skis would probably get you noticed, but if they're cheap and poor quality, the only person taking notice will be the ER doctor.

6. Buy your equipment individually. Package deals may save you money, but you may not be getting the equipment that is best for you. Sure, the skis may work, but the boots could be all wrong. Go with your gut instinct and listen to the sales person. They probably aren't on commission, so you don't have to feel like they're trying to suck more money out of you for their own benefit.

7. Try the skis before you buy them. Take advantage of demos and really take your time in making a decision. Buying a pair of skis on impulse is almost a guaranteed let-down. Another suggestion is to take a women's skiing clinic and ask the other women and instructors for their reviews.