Frequently Asked Questions
What length ski should I get?
If there was one question I get more often than any other, it is this one. Here is the long answer: ski length is determined by many factors and depends not only on the skier but the individual ski. Yes, you can go online and get a general idea about ski length for your height, but this doesn’t take into account the type of ski, its qualities, and how it fits with you as a skier. Here at Ski Recs, we take into account all of these aspects and recommend a ski and its correct length for you.
Should I get boots in person so I can try them on?
We certainly understand the desire to try boots on in person, as this makes sense to ensure a proper fit. However, unless you get a good boot fitter or salesperson who understands how a new ski boot should fit inside a shop, you may find you end up with a poor fitting boot on the mountain. We pride ourselves on knowing what questions to ask in the survey to get the right boot for you, including walking you through how to measure your feet for a proper fit. And we follow up with you to walk through the boot fitting process to determine if a boot is workable with molding or not.
Should I demo skis first before buying?
Similar to trying boots on in person, trying a ski first seems like the right approach. That said, having worked in shops that provided demos (and often credit towards buying), I saw no more long-term satisfaction in people’s choices than I did being recommended gear by a qualified salesperson in the shop or online. The reason is that most people don’t ski enough to be able to determine how a ski performs not only in the one or two days they demo but more importantly, how it performs in different conditions. Taking into account where you ski, how you ski, what type of terrain, and finally, how you’d like to improve provides a much better guide to the ski you need for the entire season than the information a few hours or days on the mountain will give most people. This is why our survey is quite comprehensive.
I am not buying through you. How does this exactly work?
We work with partners we believe can provide you with not only a great selection and price but also customer satisfaction. When you purchase through our emailed links, we receive some commission for the sales.
What about returns, warranty claims, shipping questions, or if I have any issues?
Once you purchase the gear through a partner, you will work directly with them and their customer service team. Again, we have selected these partners because we believe they are upstanding in how they work. However, we are happy to help out if you run into any issues and offer advice on the best way to proceed if something comes up.
Are you AI?
Um…no. Whereas I recognize that AI has a place in this world, I don’t think it is here. I have seen AI try to recommend ski gear to a customer and although I am sure it will get better, the nuances are too much for the time being. And at the end of the day, I do believe we want connection in this world to other people, particularly with the things we love to do.