Ski Instructors advice please. What do you think about ski tip connectors for little kids?

Question

Do they help? Do instructors see them and roll their eyes?

My twin girls are 5 years old and will be skiing for the first time. They are going to take lessons, and I want them to have as much help as they need. Are tip connectors usually any benefit?

Answer 1

huh

Answer 2

Tip connectors are great for the first few times to get them used to keeping the skies inline but it's not a good Idea to get them used to it it will interfere with them doing it on their own I have just the place there are many videos to pick from and their open the snowboarding free couching video their you will see others http://snowsportblog.blogspot.com/... Just browse around there are many pages with all kinds of great deals

Answer 3

They don't help at all. Kids need to make the wedge shape themselves or it's meaningless. Some kids do have trouble getting into the wedge, but there are ways to help them out before letting tip connectors do all the work for them. One of my favorites is to lie them on their backs without skis on and twist their boots into a wedge. You could also just do the same thing with skis on while standing up.

The other thing is that they will first learn to just go down straight, in "french fries," and that will obviously be difficult with the tips so close together. Even after they learn the wedge, the motion of french fries into a wedge is emphasized, so they will be going back and forth just to get the motion down.

Do instructors see them and roll their eyes? Yes :-D

Answer 4

I have never used them, but then I seldom teach the children. Many instructors do have a set that they use when the problem of tip separation is pronounced.  Personally I would rather the student learn about their skiing with muscle feedback, not with a crutch for the tips of their skiis.

Best is to let the instructor do his job, and let the twins have fun.

Answer 5

i used them with my twins, but they were under 2 yrs old. at 5 it will depend on the muscles the girls have. twin girls usually are small, but if they are active and have good control of their muscles they may not even need them. I wouldnt do anything but take the kids to the ski school and let the school outift them and deal with those issues. after the lesson if the girls didn't pick it up pretty quick you can buy all of those gadgets, but duct tape works well too by wrapping the tape around one tip then pulled and wrapped around the other tip. i have taught many many 4-5 year ols to ski but had no success with my own kids..they were too needy ."mommy help..mommy I can't.." one lesson with the right person and they'll love it for life.

Answer 6

Most training aids like tip connectors are just a waste of money.  A lot of overprotective parents make their kids use tip connectors and leashes and all of that other stuff, but it is all a waste of money and it causes the child to become pathetically dependent on it.  Just have them take a lesson and let the instructor teach them to ski.

Answer 7

I've used "Edgie Wedgie" type ski connectors (the rubber ones with the clips) as well as solid metal clips designed more for use with handicapped skiers.

I have a love-hate relationship with both devices.

They are excellent means to keep the ski tips from going too wide, but if you are doing the whole "Pizza-French Fries-Pizza" thing, a skier can forget (or choose not to) go into a wedge and then zoom off down the slope anyway.

When used with a child, or any skier with motor function issues, they can be an assest, however, they often need to be adjusted or they pop off all together, so you have to check them before every run. If you wear mittens when skiing, you'll have to take them off everytime to check the device. This can become a pain after a while, so buy gloves that allow for some dexterity before you start using the devices.

Lastly, I suggest using any devices only after you have tried it without one. This applies to Edgie Wedgies, Racer Chaser type ski harnesses with leashes, etc. etc. Your instructor you've placed the kids with may not choose to use them. With proper instruction, the kids might not even need them. So don't bother buying them until they've actually had some lessons. Speak with their instructor after the lessons and see how the kids did.

I've only had to use them with a few kids ever. I taught mostly handicapped kids too. I never really needed them with younger able-bodied kids.

I'm sure the kids will do just fine. Have Fun!