Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Welcome to our questions area -

DWSkis will try and keep expanding this area so you, the skier will have as many questions you may have answered as possible. Our goal is to do our best to help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each type of ski along with what each product is best suited for. Right now what is included in this area is limited but rest assured that we will make every effort to quickly publish the questions we regularly get so everyone can benefit from our expertise.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO !!,

We will make every attempt to answer all emails within 24 hours and most cases in only an hour or two. DWSkis wants your business "forever" so we typically end up asking as many questions as we answer to insure the product you are interested in is a suitable match for your needs.

We have divided this section into two area's to help with question sorting and most likely more sections will be added in the very near future.

 

 

Technical Questions:

 

What length ski should I buy:

Our number 1 question; the ski length you choose should be based on what type of ski you are looking at (how wide and for what use), where you plan to use your new skis, and your own "personal comfort" level with controlling ski's. Very-Very generally speaking; all-mountain general purpose skis should stand somewhere between your chin to eye level when they are standing along side of you. Remember, there really are no "hard" rules here, only ruff guidelines, personal comfort is everything  when ski length is considered. We will continue to add additional information about this subject when ski types are discussed.

What is a "mid-fat / all mountain" ski:

Two specifications a ski shopper need's to pay attention to; the center measurement of the ski and the turning radius. The center measurement (width) tells you what the ski is best used for. All mountain / mid-fat type ski's have a waist between 70mm to 80mm, sport all-mountain models will fall on the lower side of this window where softer snow all-mountain models will be closer to 80mm.

The turning radius measurement will tell you the ski's geometry; this is how wide the tip and tail are when compared to the waist. A low TR ski (we call them self turning type ski's) will typically have a turning radius  in the 10 to 13 meter range where a traditional model (old school) will have a turning radius around 20 meters. Most products built these days are in the 15 to 17 meter range. Remember we are discussing conventional all-mountain ski's right now, other types of skis come with different rules.

What is DIN:

DIN is the universal release standard used by "all" manufactures. In other words, DIN is DIN so it does not matter when you change bindings from one manufacture to another, if you are comfortable with your settings, keep them. Factors used to calculate your optimum setting include; foot size, weight, height, and ability. A basic, standard model binding will set from DIN 3 (ballpark 65lbs) to DIN 10 (205Lbs expert with normal feet). Premium models set to 12 and upper end products set to DIN 14.

What is a "Race stock / Race room" Ski:

Racing rules are set by F.I.S. and most ski manufactures build products which are legal to use for event type racing purposes. What makes things more complicated for ski buyers is that many manufactures will build a regular version and a race stock version of a ski with the same name. Be careful here; nothing is the same, everything about these 2 ski's will be different.

What is a fat / powder ski:

Way too many skis are "tossed" into this category making the word " Fat or Powder" way too general to really tell you anything. We think that the best way to think about these skis is to divide them into the following subcategories; 80mm to 90mm under foot - All mountain fat skis;  90mm to100mm under foot - general purpose Fat / Powder skis; 100mm under foot and up - full blown Powder only skis.

 

 

Shopping Questions:

 

I think I found the ski I'm looking for elsewhere but I'm not sure:

DWSkis believes that as a buyer, you need to be completely compare the products we sell to our competitors and unfortunately when key information describing the products you are looking to purchase is not supplied, there most likely is a reason for those omissions.

Remember – “It’s only a better deal if you actually know what you are buying” so we hope that to following list of buying tips is helpful with you making an “informed” purchase.

Why can I find the ski I'm looking for in a different size for a lot less money but I can't find the length I want for that price:

When shopping for previous year products finding a great deal on an unpopular length has nothing to do with the price of the same product in the length you actually want this ski in. We purchase products in a similar format that you are trying to purchase them in meaning that the manufacture typically will continue to lower the product pricing until they are gone. This means we end up paying more for popular sizes because they are purchased before the “lower demand” lengths are purchased.

What does "IN WRAP" mean:

If a ski is not noted as “In Wrap” most likely you are purchasing a display model. This is no different than making the same type of purchase at your local big box store except you are unable to see any problems first hand. The product is not actually new since it’s been handled and most likely has been nicked up by potential buyers – think “floor sample” when comparing.

I see the note "flat" on listings, what does that mean:

Many ski manufactures sell products which require you (the buyer) to purchase a compatible binding for that model ski.  The notation "flat" means that the ski has no lift plates, holes or adapters requiring you to purchase a special type of binding. This means that any type of binding from any ski binding manufacture my be mounted onto this type of ski without restrictions.

What do you mean by binding mounting is not available for this type of binding:

Many types of bindings manufactured (IE; Atomic Neox or Head Railflex) are bindings which mount on a track or rail.  This means that those types of bindings actually "assemble" onto those systems without drilling the ski to mount them. The tracks used by these types of bindings are common for all boots sizes and are mounted onto the ski before the actual binding part is mounted. If you purchase a "flat" ski and this type of binding, we can install (drill the ski and mount the tracks) before shipping them out to you. Ski bindings which are two piece (IE: Head Mojo or Atomic FFG) need to be mounted directly onto the ski to your exact boot size making this type of binding mount way too risky for us to do without your boots here in our store.

I see other sellers showing the ski I'm looking for with bindings on them but I don't see the listing include them:

We regularly see competitors post a picture of a product which is different than the description they have supplied. BEWARE – even if you assume that this seller actually has this product, not showing a real picture of what you are buying is trouble. DWSkis uses only pictures which we take at our store to insure you know what you are buying.

ALL too often we see a generic note that ski bindings are included with skis. ASSUME NOTHING – When a seller does not include specific information about color, year made, or brake size supplied; you have no guarantee that you are even purchasing a compatible product for those skis. Another “tricks” used by sellers is the note + in the description, this means you are getting a rental model and not a regular product.

Will you mount bindings:

We are asked to MOUNT BINDINGS all the time. Most of the newer products now built by ski manufactures have an integrated binding system or are pre-drilled by the factory requiring only assembly with a large Phillips screwdriver to install bindings onto your skis. The information needed to allow you to mount your own bindings should you be a little mechanically inclined comes with your new ski bindings. We do not offer a "partial" mount like other suppliers since this service really is of no benefit to you, is dangerous, only sounds good and has no practical value. The "finial set" part of the installation requires your ski boot to be physically here in our shop. If your plans are to take them into a local shop anyway, the cost difference between a "set" and a "mount/set" is nil so you gain nothing by us doing 1/2 the job. Should you choose to assemble your bindings onto your new skis yourself, we offer help with any questions you may have over the phone.

We have found that offering this service is far superior to sending you a 1/2 done mounting job. Learning how to put your bindings onto your skis basically insures that you know what it will take to complete the set-up process. It should also be noted that shipping skis with bindings attached is also much more complicated to correctly box so they are not damaged during the shipping process. If you have purchased a "flat" product (no pre-drilled plate on them) from us, DWSkis can drill your new skis (when requested) to allow you to do your own binding assembly. Please contact us with those requests so we can determine if it's feasible to offer this service to you.

Remember - we don't just "toss" skis into a big box so they can rattle around on their way to you; we custom pack every shipment to insure your new gear arrives in perfect condition.

Can I pick up skis:

Yes you may pick up gear from us or just come to shop. We have a couple 1000 pairs of skis on racks in a retail setting should you prefer to make your purchase in that fashion. Our actual store is located 70 miles east of Denver out I-70 and is approximately the same distance from Colorado Springs via Hwy 24. All products are the same price as they are listed on the internet and we offer "while you wait" mounting so your new gear is ready for the snow after leaving our store. We do not have regular hours but are instead are open when you want us to be open - just call ahead before coming. Should you choose to fly into our local airport here, we are happy to pick you up and take you back to your plane.