Your very first piece of ski equipment (bonus points if you have pics!)

[Dave Petersen]

I still remember getting these. I was with my Dad at Lawlor's Sporting Goods in Lincoln, Nebraska. We were walking down the aisle, and I came across these beauties just calling my name. $13 was the price and it was well worth it! We met up with my Mom and she said "Why did you want those?!" as I had never been skiing in my life.

 

[Philpug]

Atomic Racer 2000 skis, 160cm with Salomon 444's and the upgraded brakes. The bright orange ones, I am assuming that these were a junior model, I have never seen another one.

 

[Jersey Skier]

It was a package deal from Ski Barn in Little Falls, NJ advertised in the NY Times. I lived in Queens at the time and my dad drove me there since I was only 14. It was a graduation gift for Junior High. Dynastar skis with chinese characters on the tail. It was a made for ski barn model. Paired with Salomon bindings. All black and orange. Also included a pair of Scott poles and San Marco boots all in the same black and orange, with no requirement for a good fit, just a matching shoe size.

I got all of this because I loved skiing, but swore I would never rent again after having to walk half way down Vernon Valley because a chunk of ice that was frozen to the plate of Spademan bindings preventing me from getting them back on.

 

[Philpug]

First real set up? Rossi ST's (silver/blue/red), 727E's and Nordica Comps.

 

[Don in Morrison]

My first gear was a Head 320W with some low-end Salomon bindings, leather Henke buckle boots. and Barrecrafter poles. The bindings had a single pivot toe that had NO elasticity and would toss me out a couple of times a day. Even so, I skied ten times better on that setup than on any of the rentals I used previously. (Cable bindings and lace up boots) I still have the poles but everything else is long gone.

 

[crgildart]

After much nagging, living in VA at about age 6, Santa brought some white fiberglass Sears skis and poles. The binding was just a leather strap through the body of the ski. They were pressed fiberglass with a grove but no edges at all. Skied them a couple times in light 2'-3" of snow in our back yard. I think they got lost when we moved to Minnesota.. next iterations were various garage sale scores of the wooden with bear trap binding variety. More snow and bigger hills, but learning to play hockey is what really got me turning and controlling speed... REALLY "skiing"..

 

[Uncle-A]

I think it was 1968 and at last free from rentals.

Fisher President Combi Ski 200 CM - My uncle had a friend that was a big deal at Garcia who was the Fisher distributer in the US and I got the skis for wholesale.
Look II Toe and Grand Prix N17 Heel
Lange Standard Boot (Black with Blue Flo Liners). Boot, Binding and mounting were from Princeton Skate and Ski Shop Manhattan, NY (only a small discount).

 

[x10003q]

My first pair of metal skis and step in bindings were bought at a ski swap when I was about 12 - 185 cm Hart Hornets and Cubco bindings that we mounted with my Henke leather buckle boots. I was so excited. By the time our first day of skiing rolled around (January at Vernon Valley) my feet had grown and I could barely get my feet into the boots. After that horrible day my Dad took me to Herman's to get my first pair of plastic boots - some blue Munari boots that were a direct copy of Nordica's intermediate boot at the time. I was also forced to go back to my 180cm, all wood Alberg skis with Marker cable bindings. At the same swap my mom got a pair of 200cm Fischer Alu Steel skis with cubco bindings and they were too much ski for her so she switched to the Hornets. My Dad dropped his 190cm Albergs and used the Fischers. My foot growth really changed the skiing dynamic in our family. The following season I went to my Dad's 190cm Albergs.

 

[Carl Kuck]

First pair of skis were used Dynastar Dynasoft skis, 195cm, Look N77R bindings, Caber boots, 1980-ish vintage. I had recently graduated from college, gotten a job, and picked these up from a college friend. Can't remember what the poles were, probably whatever was cheap at the Oshman's Labor Day sale at the San Diego Sports Arena.

 

[ErikL]

My first skis are the ones in my pic. Volkl Veritgo Motion. I bought them second-hand, but they were my very first non-rental gear. Great ski, but I've moved on and my dad now rides them.

 

[Dadskier]

Whatever these are?

 

[Jilly]

My first pair were red and had rat trap bindings. I do have the tip of a pair of Alberg's still. Ran the skis into a hearty cedar. Went back the next week to dig it out. I'm just scanning my Dad's slides. I'm sure there will be something in there.

 

[Dave Petersen]

Whatever these are?

View attachment 4544

I have a similar pair hanging in our kitchen today -

Those are a couple crazy looking poles you have -- they look more like stripeless croquet stakes -

 

[Dave Petersen]

I am surprised most people's first piece of ski equipment (or item) were skis. I think I had a few other ski items first, and skis themselves were about number 4 or 5 on the list.

After my Scott ski poles, these sweet orange Obermeyer gloves were my #2 item (and currently on display in my home).

 

[Dadskier]

Those are a couple crazy looking poles you have -- they look more like stripeless croquet stakes -

View attachment 4549

I think my dad just cut down some bamboo poles for me.

 

[oldschoolskier]

In my ski boots going after dads or moms skis in 1966/67 at about 2-1/2 years old in Monichkirchen, Austria.

 

[Dave Petersen]

View attachment 4552

In my ski boots going after dads or moms skis in 1966/67 at about 2-1/2 years old in Monichkirchen, Austria.

Cute pic!

 

[neonorchid]

I am surprised most people's first piece of ski equipment (or item) were skis. I think I had a few other ski items first, and skis themselves were about number 4 or 5 on the list.

 

[Uncle-A]

View attachment 4550

I am surprised most people's first piece of ski equipment (or item) were skis. I think I had a few other ski items first, and skis themselves were about number 4 or 5 on the list.


Dave when you started this thread I think most of us thought you were referring to hardware. If we listen to all the sales pros boots are the most important to start with when making our purchasers. When we rented skis we all used gloves of some kind and some type of nylon jacket. I skied with sunglasses for years after getting my first set of skis and did not switch to goggles till the mid 70's. Many of us had ski jackets before we ever skied.

 

[Dave Petersen]

Yeah, poor wording on my part. But first skis are fine too.