LET'S be honest, skis are not cheap and most skiers can only afford one pair. They look for the true cross trainer, the all mountain machine that floats in the deep and cuts trenches on the groomed.
Rossignol has the Experience 88 Blst, which works on both sides of the piste markers. The honeycomb filled airtip means that the ski feels light and nimble on the piste. The Auto Turn Rocker is a unique blend of 30% tip and tail rocker with 70% traditional camber underfoot. The tip rocker helps the ski plane on top of the powder, with the traditional camber coming into its own on the hard stuff. An extended sidecut continues beyond the tip and tail contact points where the rocker starts so that the more a skier tilts the skier onto its edge the more of the ski's sidecut connects with the snow for extra grip especially on ice and firm snow.
With vertical sidewalls for extra grip the Experience 88 is more than enough ski for the expert who wants to ski the whole mountain, but it's manoeuvrable and tolerant enough for a good intermediate who's looking for some technology to improve their game.
IMAGINE Ferdinand Porsche coming out of retirement and designing an all new car. Colorado based Zay Products plans to introduce a brand new concept in alpine ski boots, developed by a team including the father of the modern ski boot.
Zay's design replaces the traditional buckles on the lower shell with cables. The use of cables to close the lower shell allows a designer to use a much thinner and therefore lighter shell as it no longer has to support traditional buckles [and rivets]. The shell also wraps the foot more closely and connecting the cables to the cuff also tightens the
Equipment
ROLLEI, the German camera manufacturer has added a range of new ski goggles and sunglasses cams to its growing action cam portfolio in the UK.
With a 135° wide angle lens and 5.0 Megapixel, and HD video resolution (1080p) camera, the splash-proof action Rollei Ski Goggles are specially designed for winter sports enthusiasts, to record their fast-paced action pictures and videos with Audio recording in stereo and up to 60 minutes recording time.
Compiled by Chris Exall
BERKSHIRE
Carters 360
99-113 Caversham Road
Reading
Berkshire RG1 8AR
Tel: 0118 959 9022
Twitter: @carters360
One of the first ski shops in the UK, we stock the best gear and brands. Our boot fitters are among the best in the world and we service skis onsite too.
BRISTOL
Skate & Ski
8 Broad Street
Staple Hill
Bristol BS16 5NX
Tel: 0117 109 959
Big range of snowsports clothing, hardware and accessories. Also clothing and hardware hire.
CAMBRIDGE
Ski Exchange Ltd
27/28 Dry Drayton Industries
Scotland Road
Dry Drayton
Cambridge CB23 8AT
Tel: 01954 210984
Expert boot fitting, servicing, rental, clothing and snowboards.
CARMARTHENSHIRE
Ski Pembrey
Pembrey Country Park
Burry Port
Llanelli SA16 0EJ
Tel: 01554 834443
Visit our specialist ski store at Wales No 1 Ski Centre for ski and snowboard instruction. 130m slope. Tobogganing. Open daily.
CHESHIRE
Brindley Chains
1 Tatton Court
Kingsland Grange
Warrington WA1 4RR
Tel: 08451 774999
E: sales@brindley-chains.co.uk
Sole UK distributor of Pewag snowchains for cars, 4x4’s, trucks and buses. Authorised distributor for Autosock.
DEVON
Devon Ski Centre
8a International House
Battle Road
Newton Abbot TQ12 6RY
Tel: 01803 833356
or 07547 892439
Southwest’s biggest independent ski outlet. Stocking multiple brands, free parking, late opening.
ESSEX
Fluid Lines
13 Peartree Centre
Colchester
Essex CO3 3DZ
Tel: 01206 545533
Fluid Lines is a snow and watersports specialist, stocking all major ski and snowboard brands. We also offer boot fitting and ski and snowboard servicing.
Skee Tex
The Old Mill
Battlebridge
Essex SS11 8TR
Tel: 01268 768282
Specialist snowsports shop, est over 60 years. Experienced boot fitters, full service workshop. Main dealers for Killy, Salomon, Rossignol, Head, Poirve Blanc, Sorel, Icepeak, CMP, Hestra, Scott, Olang to name a few.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Attwoolls Ski Shop
Bristol Road
Whitminster
Gloucestershire GL2 7LX
Tel: 01452 742233
Huge choice of skis, snowboards and clothing to hire or buy. Custom fit boots and service workshop. Expert boot fitting. Top brands with expert advice.
HAMPSHIRE
SnowTogs
429/431 Millbrook Road
Southampton SO15 0HX
Tel: 02380 773925
SnowTogs only stock ski gear, making us unique in the area. With a specialist boot fitting department, we are well known for sorting out “problem feet” and offer full custom fitting. Our skiwear department sells top names like Spyder, Descente, Eider, Schoffel and Salomon. To complete our service we have a full ski workshop. Check our website for opening hours and details.
KENT
Captains Cabin Sevenoaks
113/115 St Johns Hill
Sevenoaks
Kent TN13 3PE
Tel: 01732 464463
Fantastic choice of ski clothing/equipment. All major brands stocked. Professional boot fitting service, hire and workshop repair.
Snowear Ltd
51 Camden Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent TN1 2QE
Tel: 01892 517807
One visit to the Snowear store or website will enable you to fulfil all your winter clothing, ski and snowboarding requirements. We have a large selection of stock to suit all abilities and budgets. Take a look at the new jackets from Columbia, Dare 2b, Luta, Ice Peak and Raju. For top range technical jackets we have Columbia and Dare 2b lines.
lower as the skier flexes, limiting lower shell deformation.
The toe box is 7% larger than most boots with a 98mm last, which in conjunction with the cable closure allows a little more comfort than is usual in a high performance shell.
Zay's designer Rex Deitesfeld worked with Ed Chalmers to develop the Zay ski boot. Chalmers’ boot pedigree is impressive with 15 years at Lange and responsibile for the high-performance boot designs of the -70s and -80s, including the original Lange Banshee, the Lange XL 1000, XLR, and Z series, along with other industry firsts. Almost every traditional overlap boot available today is a direct descendant of Chalmer's designs. Zay has an innovative design with impeccable pedigree.
Sales & Services
LANCASHIRE
Rivington Alpine
Units 10 & 11
Adlington South Business Village
Huyton Road
Adlington, Chorley
Lancashire PR7 4JR
Tel: 01257 483999
E: graham@rivingtonalpine.co.uk
The North West’s largest independent ski retailer stocking all major brands. Custom ski boot fitting a speciality. Servicing workshop on site. Free on-site parking.
SkiA Designs Ltd
Haydock MC
Station Road
Haydock WA11 0JN
Tel: 01772 842111
The SkiA Sweetspot Ski Trainer is a ‘dry land’ ski trainer that will revolutionise the way you train for skiing, whatever your level of ability. With training sessions lasting just a few minutes, you can practice and refine your skills of centred balance – the skill the lies behind the high performance skiing of elite athletes.
LONDON
Finches Emporium
25-27 Perry Vale
Forest Hill
London SE23 2NE
Tel: 020 8699 6768
E: finchesemporium@btconnect.com
Finches Emporium is a family run business in South East London with six different departments: skiing, snowboarding, cycling, skateboarding, sailing and general sports. All available in our 2,000 sq ft shop.
Profeet Ski Boot Lab
867-869 Fulham Road
London SW6 5HP
Tel: 020 7736 0046
Profeet are ski boot specialists – custom ski boot insoles, custom liners, ski boot fitting and shell customisation. By appointment with a trained ski boot fitter. All boots come with a lifetime comfort guarantee.
LEICESTERSHIRE
Nobles
Custom House
Hillside Farm
Rempstone Road
Lymeswold, Loughborough
Leicestershire LE12 6UE
Tel: 01509 881111
Ski and snowboard specialists. A great range of equipment to cover all abilities and budgets.
SCOTLAND
Banks of Perth
29 St John Street
Perth PH1 5SH
Tel: 01738 624928
E: enquiries@banksofperth.co.uk
Large range of junior and adult ski clothing and equipment. Specialists in boot fitting and custom insoles.
Freeze Pro Shop
165 Bonnington Road
Edinburgh EH6 5BQ
Tel: 0131 260 9677
Freeze Pro Shop is the UK’s leading independent ski and snowboard retailer, stocking only the best products from leading brands. Free postage on most products. Next day delivery.
SUSSEX
Edge & Wax
Unit 15-16 Huffwood Trading Park
Partridge Green
Nr Horsham
Sussex RH13 8AU
Tel: 01403 713470
Highly technical ski and snowboard servicing workshop, full boot fitting facilities, extensive showroom, online shopping.
Snow Lab
Knockhatch Ski Centre
Hailsham Bypass
Hailsham BN27 3GD
Tel: 01323 848410
Specialist winter sports retailer. Custom boot fitting service. All major brands stocked.
Bliss Snowboards
Unit 13 Huffwood
Partridge Green
Nr Horsham
Sussex RH13 8AU
Tel: 01403 713470
Great snowboard brands, awesome product knowledge and high quality servicing in the heart of Sussex.
YORKSHIRE
White Stone
1 & 2 Wellington House
Cold Bath Road
Harrogate
North Yorkshire HG2 0NA
Tel: 01423 858584
Customers are guaranteed a professional and friendly service at White Stone which stocks the finest quality ski and sporting goods and the widest choice of luxury brands for snow and active sports throughout Yorkshire and across the UK.