Epinions Recent Reviews for jshefftz

Mid-Fat Versatility

Tue, 30 Jul 2002 18:17:45 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - This mid-fat ski offers amazing versatility in many regards:

-- Although originally designed for alpine downhill skiing, it is also very popular as an alpine touring ski (i.e., my setup, w/ Fritschi Diamir bindings) and as a telemark ski...

Amherst College: No finer small liberal arts college education can be had.

Thu, 8 Jun 2000 23:13:08 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - I don't usually write reviews on anything but ski-related items, but I graduated from Amherst in 1989 and (despite their consequent cutting of the varsity ski racing team) I greatly enjoyed and benefited from my experience there.

I won't...

Excellent All-Mountain Shaped-Ski

Thu, 8 Jun 2000 22:46:27 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - As a race coach, I generally ski only on race skis, but during the 96-97 season manufacturers introduced more pronounced sidecuts in their all-mountain skis before such sidecuts were available in their race skis, and hence many racers and coaches (like...

Stratton: Pricey, with Questionable Worth

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 23:18:23 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Stratton offers an abundance of intermediate through lower-expert terrain on a large classically peak- shaped mountain with a broad base. Now for the complaints.

Lift ticket prices have been astounding in the past, given that the only...

Stowe: The Athletic Skier's Mountain

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 23:09:48 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - I call Stowe The Athletic Skier's Mountain largely because of its challenge. The average pitch far exceeds its southerly neighbors, while Goat and Starr offer lift-served, in-bounds extreme terrain (with snow to cover it) that is almost unique in New...

Killington: K-Mart - in both the good & bad senses

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 22:53:21 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Many serious skiers disdainfully refer to Killington as K-Mart, and in some ways the moniker makes sense: lots of everything, including people. (Although unfortunately not K-Mart's reasonable prices.) But Killington offers plenty of serious,...

Bolton Valley: Big, But Flat

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 22:33:16 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Although closed for the 1999 season, Bolton Valley is slated to reopen for 2000. Bolton provides a great locals' alternative to Stowe & Sugarbush, with affordable prices and minimal liftlines. The mountain is surprisingly large, with much of it lit...

Ascutney: A Good Second-Level Resort

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 22:25:25 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Ascutney is a good second-level resort, and I mean that as a compliment. It's not Stratton, or Sugarbush, etc., but if offers a very nice self-contained ski complex, complete with hotel, health center, condos/townhouses, etc, plus a decent mountain to...

Nashoba Valley: Small Hill, Huge Infrastructure

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:38:55 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - A big parking lot; a nice lodge; a huge upstairs restaurant and bar; a full-size Ski Market store; lots of snowmaking capacity; a big rental complex; three triples, a double, and a t-bar all converging on the summit; countless beginner lifts just serving...

Fore/Aft Positioning a Plus, But Otherwise Undistinguished

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:26:21 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Except for demo bindings, the Atomic line is unique in the ability to move the binding position fore/aft on the ski. Although Atomic tends to overhype this feature as something you'd use to adjust the binding to different conditions, the real advantage...

A Pure GS Race Ski

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:16:39 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - The Atomic Beta Race 10.26 can be thought of as a refinement of its predecessor the 9.28, with a slightly bigger sidecut, and dropping the asymmetrical sidecut. The big change, however, is that it comes with a built-in deflex-like plate, which also...

Discontinued, Yet Still Worth Considering

Mon, 20 Dec 1999 21:11:09 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - The Atomic Beta Race 9.28 has been discontinued (after existing for a year in a limbo-like state alongside the 10.26), but is still worth considering, especially if you can find a pair for cheap sitting forlorn in a ski shop or used (in good shape) by...

Berkshire East: Less than the Sum of its Parts

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 13:37:55 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - I loved Berkshire East when I trained there almost every day in January and February for four years straight with my college varsity ski team. Yet when I now return there each year for four races while coaching another varsity ski team, my impression is...

Blue Hills: Ridiculously Close, but Depressing

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 13:05:04 GMT

rating: 2/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Blue Hills is so close to Boston that it's actually *inside* Route 128, offering a stunningly beautiful view of downtown. For people in the southern suburbs, it's probably a shorter drive than visiting the local shopping mall. Plus it offers a claimed...

Wachussett: Best Real Skiing Close to Boston

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 12:44:13 GMT

rating: 3/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - In a nutshell, Wachusett offers the best "real" skiing close to Boston. Now, the skiing is not "really" good, and unlike Blue Hills and Nashoba it's not "really" close to Boston, but also unlike Blue Hills and Nashoba it is...

Light, but Soft

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:40:59 GMT

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Although I own a different pair of randonee boots, I have borrowed a friend's Dynafits twice. The pros and cons are fairly straightforward, and closely linked. The boot is amazingly light, especially when paired with the Dynafit binding. But the light...

Discontinued, but Worth Considering

Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:23:38 GMT

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author jshefftz - Rossignol has discontinued the entire Course line of boots, but you may still be able to find a pair at a great discount. (I recently saw that www.bikeman.com was auctioning off some pairs with a very low starting price.) The new Race line is fairly...