I'm attempting at 62 to return to skiing after 30 years, things have changed, help please.

[Happyhero]

Hi I lasted Skied when I was 31, now I’m coming up to 62 and I have lost all sense of cuation and reasoning and booked my whole family to go Skiing in Kitzbuhel In Austria over Christmas. They are all really excited and none of them have Skied before so we are planning lessons over there and some dry school lessons here too before we go.

I was average before, no off piste really, and could ski any run, so black runs included but don’t know how well I’ll do this time after so many years and a few aches.

I feel a bit out of touch and need some guidance please. I’ve heard skis have changed in the last 30 years and generally shorter skis are preferred. I am 6’ or 183cm and I have some skis that were recommended to me back then for their length for my height and they are 197cm long. It is costing me £90 return on British Airways to get my ski boots there and back which I think is crazy so I am thinking not to take my skis for 2 reason, cost and the fact I will probably be recommended to use shorter ones which I am keen to try as shorter seemed easier if I remember right, what do you think, what size should I have?

They look wider now too. Will my old Ski boots still fit modern skis, it looks like they will looking at pictures and videos online?

British Airways just seems to check everything extra to the case as another item that needs paying for. I’m sure when I used to ski they checked them in differently and cheaper. It seems now it doesn’t matter what the item, its just another case to them and so you pay for that, seems a bit greedy of them.

I never been skiing at Christmas before or even any month either side, I used to ski in March mainly for the weather, will it be ok at Christmas where we’re going, too little snow, too much snow, too cold, etc, etc?

 

[slow-line-fast]

Rent everything when you get there, the modern stuff is so much better than the old stuff. Really much much better. Think of your previous equipment just as a souvenir.

Also by renting there you can change equipment if it's not working well for you, therefore finding what is best for you. Kitzbuhel will have lots of very good rental options. Start by telling them about yourself and go with what they recommend, adjust as needed.

You might look into booking rentals ahead of time as it's a busy holiday period. Not sure if that is necessary or how it works. But it can be done.

As for the snow, we are waiting for that... still a few months to go before Christmas

* by 'rent' I mean 'hire'

 

[crgildart]

It's going to be a LOT easier than you think. The skiing and gear that is... Logistics and dealing with crowds is the only thing that's gone downhill...partly because the modern gear makes skiing so much easier than it used to be. Take a couple lessons to get the new gear vibe and have fun..

 

[fatbob]

Rent everything. Your boots will likely still work in bindings but may well explode due to plastic fatigue. Trick with airlines now is to take boots in your main luggage.

For getting back into it try a 170 piste ski. You can swap out a rental for a 175ish if you find its all come back to you easier.

 

[dbostedo]

Will my old Ski boots still fit modern skis

Echoing those above...

Do NOT ski in your old boots. And don't bother at all with your old skis.

On the boots, even if they fit in the binding, there a decent chance they'll break on you, and would not be safe at this point after sitting around for 31 years.

Current skis are not about longer or shorter compared to your old skis. Everything about them is different. Most skis aren't even made as long anymore. I'm 6', 180 lbs, and my shortest skis are 170cm (and 72mm width) and I love them.

 

[crgildart]

Also old style skiing technique is totally doable on new modern skis.. You can gradually adapt and tweak your form to better leverage the deeper sidecuts on modern skis.. But just picking up your inside foot and sliding them side to side is still totally doable. You'll be fine totally fine stepping out to an easy trail on new modern ski gear as long as you really were a competent skier back in the day..
Your old boots will crack under pressure, especially if it's cold. Rent or borrow all the MODERN gear first time out.

 

[Matt Merritt]

I'm a former Park City instructor who just returned to skiing last season at the age of 64 after a mere 38 years off. Some suggestions:

1. Follow @fatbob 's advice and bin your old boots.
2. Your old skis are best used for decorative purposes only. Modern skis have truly revolutionized the sport.
3. Try to rent the highest quality boots you can.
4. You'll have an easier time getting back into the swing of it with skis with a waist width of 80mm or so. The waist is one of the common ways that skis' turning characteristics are determined nowadays. Wide skis have been the craze but it seems narrower skis are gaining popularity (for good reason, I think). Rent demo skis if your budget allows. 170cm sounds perfect.
5. These days virtually everyone (in the USA, anyway) wears a helmet which can be rented with the ski gear.
6. I was nervous as heck at first but found I'd retained an amazing amount of my former skills. The stamina, on the other hand...

Have fun, welcome back, and we'll be anxious to hear all about it.

 

[geepers]

As others have said - rent everything, forget about your old stuff.

Also, recommend you take some lessons. The new skis requires much less effort than was needed with the old skis. It's a huge difference. Recommend taking the lessons early in the trip to get the most out of them rather than trying to remember "how to ski".

 

[cloudymind]

30 years old boots would be dangerous.
i also have a pair of 195cm skis from back in the days, fun to use but modern ones are way easier and you can try different models and try if you like carving or gs etc...

kitzbuel is great fun, i have been there years ago and was surprised to notice theruns were nearly empty. in recent years they invested alot so i would expect a bit more people. but there are many runs so probably not too overcrowded in the area there are huge rental places, not cheap but good skis. the skibus works well but the ski area is huge, so i didn't see everything. i liked saalbach.
the temperatures sometimes are too high because the elevation is quite low but i would expect an improvements on snow machines

 

[James]

Maybe the boots are like @mdf’s . Thirty years old, still going.
Prob not worth paying an airline to carry them, though he would.

 

[martyg]

Thoughts:
- If you will be pursuing this with passion, just purchase modern boots. Go to he best fitter in town. No shop will touch your bindings if mounting to old boots.
- Look for a multi-week "Sliding for Seniors" program. You will get instruction from someone who is likley a PSIA Senior Specialist, and meet like-minded people.
- If the above doesn't exist, two half-day privates. Your first day should be with an instructor. Start to rewire those inefficient movement patterns on day one. Not day ten.
- Demo skis, of course.
- Be prepared for a different resort experience. Not better. Not worst. Just different.

Best to you.

 

[dbostedo]

Thoughts:
- If you will be pursuing this with passion, just purchase modern boots. Go to he best fitter in town. No shop will touch your bindings if mounting to old boots.
- Look for a multi-week "Sliding for Seniors" program. You will get instruction from someone who is likley a PSIA Senior Specialist, and meet like-minded people.
- If the above doesn't exist, two half-day privates. Your first day should be with an instructor. DStart to rewire those ineffoicient movement patterns on day one. Not day ten.
- Demo skis, of course.
- Be prepared for a differrent resort experience. Not better. Not worst. Just different.

Best to you.

Note that the OP appears to be in Surrey, UK. PSIA doesn't apply, but there may be something similar locally.

 

[Philpug]

Rent the least carvy ski you can because even a modern 18m (around head height) 72mm Volkl Deacon will be much carvier than you ever experienced. If you take out a shor radius short ski, you will be like Bambi in ice. If you can, take a lesson the first day. Some of this will be like riding a bike but for an old dog, you will just need to retrain the muscles and once that light goes off it will be all down hill from that point, so to speak.

 

[ScottB]

I have been a life long skier. I bought skis in the early 90's and then again in the early 2010's. I would ski every year a few days on my 90's skis and boots during my 20 year "slow" period. My 90's gear is still usable today, but I did sell the boots a few years ago. Hard to predict if your boots will work or not, not worth the effort to find out. Rent all new gear for the trip when you get there.

One thing you may not know is there is the mtn owned rental shop and the independent performance gear rental shops. It might be different in Europe, but typically the mtn rentals are low end gear, well used and worn. The independent performance shops will have much better gear and I recommend you reserve equipment in advance.

Skis are shorter and wider now, I went from 205 cm long, 65mm width to 185 cm long, to 88mm width. You should be in the 175-180 cm range and 75-90 width. Width varies with the type of ski. All mtn is typically 80-90mm. Tell the shop the sizes of your crew and ability and they will make appropriate choices for you.

I had zero issues going from straight 205cm to shorter shaped skies, but I have been expert level for a long time. To me, the shaped skis made the turn for you when you rolled them on edge vs the old straight skis that you had to pivot around with a lot more force. You will adjust quickly I am sure, its still skiing no matter what. I assume you can still ride a bike right? Boy have they changed too. Sounds like a great family trip, enjoy.

 

[James]

One thing you may not know is there is the mtn owned rental shop and the independent performance gear rental shops. It might be different in Europe, but typically the mtn rentals are low end gear, well used and worn.

Don’t think there are any mountain shops, just like there are no mountain ski schools. All private shops.

Some place might have one, but I think it’s rare. Lots of carving skis to rent, not like here. Tuning can be an issue, but that’s a different can of solyent green.

 

[Uncle-A]

I agree most of the above recommendation, rent the equipment when you get there. I would say you want a ski in the low 80 MM under foot, even a high 70 MM under foot would be good. About 170 CM length sounds about right. If you are serious about returning to the sport purchase a helmet because a proper fitting helmet is as important as a proper fitted boot.
Good luck, have fun and be safe.

 

[fatbob]

Dunno where to ski in Surrey unless Box Hill gets an early snowfall. And yes I have telemarked there in December. Aldershot or Sandown dryslope? Hemel isn't that much further although getting into silly season for lessons there.

 

[François Pugh]

Rent it all, unless you have a lot of work already put into your antique boots to make them fit. Boots probably are dangerous due top pastic fatigue. Skis have improved a lot.

 

[Crank]

Go online and look for rentals. When we went to Italy last season there was an online discount for reserving gear in advance.

 

[Lorenzzo]

I’ve had two different friends visit from SoCal with 30 year old boots that didn’t survive the walk from the parking lot.