Gotta learn to ski to keep up with ski-crazy 3-year-old daughter.

[Helvetico]

I ride both hardboots and softboots, so the transition shouldn't be too difficult. I will have a hard time finding boots wide enough for my 9EEE feet.

Anybody have any thoughts on how to learn to ski most efficiently? I heard the French start you on short skis, like ski boards, then move you up every day until you're riding appropriately-sized carving skis by the end of the week. This sounds pretty rational to me.

I certainly don't want to go through the bone-crunching learning curve of snowboarding again now that I'm middle-aged.

[bobdea]

yup, this is pretty much the method used by all the better ski schools around and even the not so good ones.

to keep up with a 3 YO maybe just run snowblades or shorties all the time, this is what people who teach little kids often do because it's so much easier to tromp around in them picking up kids and they gear and there's less of you to get in their way.

[nekdut]

Also, snowblades will allow you to use your existing snowboard hardboots to start.

[BobD]

some really comfortable boots help with all the slow moving, and standing around.

BobD

[Mike T]

some really comfortable boots help with all the slow moving, and standing around.
BobD

+1.

As far as skis go, anything turny.

[David Glynn]

I've taught a lot of people to ski. A shorter ski is good, make sure it is from the current vintage of skies. I.E. shaped. I would not go with snow blades or that type of ski. Get some real skies.
Take a lesson.
Stay on the bunny hill till you can relax.
Relaxation will open the door to learning.
Skiing is not hard. Just to get use to your skis, move around with one ski on; after a few minutes, switch feet. Then put them both on and do the same. you will not need to spend much time with this. Learn to side step up an incline. Learn to snowplow.
Without going through a whole lesson the best thing I can tell you is to look where you want to go. Your body posture will automatically get you doing the right thing. If you want to go left look left. If you want to go right look right. If you don't want to hit something quit looking at it. It really is pretty simple to get started.
Laugh a lot.

[Aracan]

Depending on your daughter, Snowblades might not be a good idea. I used to be a pretty accomplished skier back when (even if I say so myself), and I thought I could spare the expense of new skis + boots. But my daughter (also 3yo.) wouldn't take the 'blades seriously - she kept wanting to follow my wife, who was still on her snowboard, and trying to emulate her movements.

So I had to get skis + boots after all, and I'm probably in for a surprise on the first day of this season - the last time I bought skis was around 1987, when carving was something you did to the sunday roast ... Hope I won't get hurt.
Good luck, anyway!

[zoltan]

Snowblades are correctly called skiboards. Now that I have that out of the way, I agree with people saying to just use them, since a lot of skiboarders already use snowboard hardboots. It saves you money and let's you stay with familiar equipment. In fact, if you check out http://www.skiboardsonline.com/ not only can you buy Deeluxe boots, but also Bomber bindings.

[Aracan]

Snowblades are correctly called skiboards.
Go ahead and try asking for skiboards in a shop over here ....

[zoltan]

I'd rather be correct and be ridiculed.

http://www.skiboardsonline.com/html/sport.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skiboard

[Zone]

Go ahead and try asking for skiboards in a shop over here ....

Good luck trying to find skiboards or Bomber bindings for skiboard in shops
skiboardsonline is the place to be.
No different than trying to find carving boards in shops

[Aracan]

Oh, I did not mean to say you were wrong. I was merely trying to point out that here in Austria, "Snowblades" or even "Bigfoots" are fare more common terms than the almost-unheard-of "Skiboards", although the former two are really product names.

[tex1230]

try "Snowlerblades"

[bobbeck]

As a certified old guy I recomend Full Tilt or Raichle Flexon with intuition liners and short parabolic skis. I ski 175cm at 200lbs. Comfy and fun. Enjoy the kids while you can. Bob

[Gunnar]

Depending on your daughter, Snowblades might not be a good idea. I used to be a pretty accomplished skier back when (even if I say so myself), and I thought I could spare the expense of new skis + boots. But my daughter (also 3yo.) wouldn't take the 'blades seriously - she kept wanting to follow my wife, who was still on her snowboard, and trying to emulate her movements.

So I had to get skis + boots after all, and I'm probably in for a surprise on the first day of this season - the last time I bought skis was around 1987, when carving was something you did to the sunday roast ... Hope I won't get hurt.
Good luck, anyway!

I have good experience with using my old snowblades (..the snowskiboardbladesmajjig from Salomon ;) ) when skiing with kids. The sidecut is around the same as kids skis. So it's very easy to do proper carving turns in very low speed, from extremely steep, to green slopes..

But be careful with non-release bindings. especially if you are not used to skiing.