Buyer's Guide from Italy

[Claudio Primavesi]

Hi Claudio,

Thanks for all the great work! I look in the mail box for the Italian copy I purchased every day

First, it seems that one of the readers may have found a problem with the algorithm. I don't know what numbers they entered, but the algorithm sugested skis over 200 cm in length...

About the names, before I give any suggestions, can you tell me all the categories that you have? Are there 3 categories? Or 5?

My first idea is that "Downhill" is too general in English. Many people call skiing at the resort "downhill skiing." You could try "Descent" or "Freeride" but that might not be different enough from "Line."

You can ask questions and get answers here, or you can send me a private mail.

Whatever you like!

Bruno

Hi Bruno, thanks! We have 4 different categories: Race (racing), Light (lighteweight skis and boots), Tour (classic touring - 90 to 100 mm waist) and Free (freeride, +100 mm waist). As for the algorithm, it should be ok right now, we found the bug (I hope). I think Descent could be ok. Let me know your toughts [email protected]

 

[Slim]

Hi @Claudio Primavesi ,

First off, thanks for the awesome work you and your team have done over the years, thanks for being so thorough, it really is impressive.
For many years, here in North America, people have talked about your buyers guide, and asked people traveling to Italy to buy one and bring it back.
I ski toured in the Aosta valley myself last year and would have bought one if I had seen one in a store, even though I don’t speak Italian.

Second, thank you so much for putting all the time into creating the online version, and the English translation, I know that must be a ton of work!

 

[Slim]

@Claudio Primavesi ,
I actually came here today to post the “trip purpose” description, in the hope that someone with the Italian version could give me a better idea of what it meant.
Seems you got here first!

Hello Bruno, I'm editor in chief at Skialper, the parent magazine of thebuyersguide.it I paste the FAQ about summit, downhill and line. We are open to your suggestions, may be downhill is best to be translated as 'face' (this the natural translation from italian)?
Summit - Designed for long ascents and optimizing the effort needed as you descend from the summit.

Downhill - For those outings that are about more than the destination. They’re also about performance down some stunning faces.

Line - It’s all about the descent. Sure, you have to climb, but as little as possible and with some sacrifice, so you don’t have to sacrifice on the descent.

For me, the word summit, and the description, are clear.
But, the next two categories are not clear. The ‘title’ of “downhill” and “line” do not mean much to me, but also, the description sounds the same to me.

This is how I understand it:

1. “Summit”: about touring, traverses, covering ground, reaching a summit, and making it easy to ascend and descend, even on steep terrain.
2. ’downhill’: this is the one I do not understand. Is it supposed to be a balance of easy to tour and ascend on, balanced with good performance on the descent?
3. ‘Line’: this description seems clear, but the title is not.

Is that correct? That is how you meant it?

If that is correct, then I would say:

1. Keep that, both title and description are clear
2. change the title. If it is a balance of uphill and downhill, then using the word ‘downhill’ is confusing. Perhaps something like ‘up &down’?
3. for this, I would use ‘descent’ or ’downhill’, because it sounds like that is the focus, right?

I would not use the word ‘face’ in English, it doesn’t have any meaning as a trip purpose. It is only used to describe features of the terrain.

 

[Slim]

My next question is, what is the difference between ‘trip purpose’ and ‘recommended use’?

To me that sounds like the same thing.

For example: Free-touring, sounds (to me) like someone going out with a focus on the descents, but also ascending pretty far to get there.
That sounds very similar to the second ‘trip purpose (downhill/face).


And on a separate note:
in a few places, you use the word: ‘skimo’. I think you mean ski mountaineering (doing mountaineering, using crampons, ice axes and ropes, etcetera, but with skis).
In North America, the abbreviation ‘skimo’ is (almost) exclusively used for skimo racing.

 

[Claudio Primavesi]

@Claudio Primavesi ,
I actually came here today to post the “trip purpose” description, in the hope that someone with the Italian version could give me a better idea of what it meant.
Seems you got here first!


For me, the word summit, and the description, are clear.
But, the next two categories are not clear. The ‘title’ of “downhill” and “line” do not mean much to me, but also, the description sounds the same to me.

This is how I understand it:

1. “Summit”: about touring, traverses, covering ground, reaching a summit, and making it easy to ascend and descend, even on steep terrain.
2. ’downhill’: this is the one I do not understand. Is it supposed to be a balance of easy to tour and ascend on, balanced with good performance on the descent?
3. ‘Line’: this description seems clear, but the title is not.

Is that correct? That is how you meant it?

If that is correct, then I would say:

1. Keep that, both title and description are clear
2. change the title. If it is a balance of uphill and downhill, then using the word ‘downhill’ is confusing. Perhaps something like ‘up &down’?
3. for this, I would use ‘descent’ or ’downhill’, because it sounds like that is the focus, right?

I would not use the word ‘face’ in English, it doesn’t have any meaning as a trip purpose. It is only used to describe features of the terrain.

Good morning Slim, the meanings are ok, we'll hold in consideration your suggestions

 

[Claudio Primavesi]

My next question is, what is the difference between ‘trip purpose’ and ‘recommended use’?

To me that sounds like the same thing.

For example: Free-touring, sounds (to me) like someone going out with a focus on the descents, but also ascending pretty far to get there.
That sounds very similar to the second ‘trip purpose (downhill/face).


And on a separate note:
in a few places, you use the word: ‘skimo’. I think you mean ski mountaineering (doing mountaineering, using crampons, ice axes and ropes, etcetera, but with skis).
In North America, the abbreviation ‘skimo’ is (almost) exclusively used for skimo racing.

Thanks Slim, they similar, the two main differences are: 1) trip purpose has fixed answers 2) recommended use describes also the terrain and the level of the skier.