@Bill Talbot We spent a little time on a carpet in SF after I got new boots last year while we were playing around with my LLD and canting. It was an eye opener because the carpet magnifies things that you don't think of when you're out enjoying the snow and sunshine.
My boots have never been more dialed.
I have been doing this in DC. I call it the ski treadmill. It is most certainly eye opening.
The carpet definitely magnifies any technique flaws. I have been skiing for 17 years straight now and never knew I had so many problems.
I mostly went to get my new boots dialed in right where I bought them so if there were any adjustments it would be easy. It is good for that.
It is great conditioning, it gets the legs burning.
It is all about training. Not much fun IMHO.
One thing about it is that the instructor is right there working with you, standing in front of you and you can watch in the mirror. First few times I was too busy surviving to watch in the mirror. It is pretty good once you get used to the treadmill.
If you like to take lessons to improve your technique you will like the ski treadmill.
Way more feedback than being part of a group lesson for sure.
So if you want one on one ski technique feedback it is great.
It's all about learning when you are on the ski treadmill.
Me, I ski 98% for fun so I'm not a big fan of the ski treadmill.
But I do want to get better and get in shape for my ski trips. So I'm going.
The ski treadmill doesn't feel like skiing on snow. It seems the better you ski the harder it is to start over. And it is starting over.
You are all the way back to snow plow. And that is hard. 4 lessons in I am just now getting good at the snowplow. My son is pretty good. 4 lessons and he is just begining to parallel. It is a tough deal. It is weird. Edging and turning to get traction to go up the treadmill. Seems backward to me. Who turns to go up?
Supposedly it is a great way to learn the basics as a beginner quickly and accelerate the learning curve. It would be great for that.
I always figure it takes three painful days of skiing before you get good enough to enjoy it. But I learned when I was older. Kids are great. They learn to ski, get beat up, fall down, get cold and have the best time of their life. Me it took three days, but then I thought it was great.
If you could do the ski treadmill to work through the learning curve there, it would make your first time at the resort a lot better.
I will have to report back when I get on the snow to see how much it helps or not.
I am worried I have adapted to the ski treadmill, so snow will be more akward than usual.
Hopefully the training will make things better.
We'll find out in a couple of weeks.
If it isn't apparent I'm quite on the fence about the ski treadmill.
I would never use it if I could ski for real.
I love ski for the mountains, the company, the festive atmosphere, staying fit .... I'm not much into the challenge of self-improvement.
Self improvement honestly should be more important as I am a perennial advanced skier. It would be nice to get into the expert ranks. Usually I am too busy with work, family and so on. It's all albout skiing with the family. So no time for lessons. When I do get on a trip I am so busy exploring new places so I don't have time for lessons.
My passion is going to new places. I love exploring new resorts. Ski safari is my thing.
I do like to condition ahead of ski trips alot so the trip is more fun and less fatigue.
I suppose some would like the ski treadmill.
As a bootfitter it would be invaluable.
But they are 300k a piece. Not a small investment. $$$
I would post a video of me on the ski treadmill, but I am afraid I couldn't stomach the comments on my poor technique.
This guy on snowheads did that and it was brutal. They treated this quite advanced skier like a beginner.
Like Tricia said, the ski treadmill does amplify any shortcomings.
I guess that is good for learning. It is quite hard on the ego.
My thoughts FWIW.