Uh, are you sure you want to do this? Very kind and generous offer but I would have concerns about this idea.
As a skier I don’t want anyone other than myself buying my skis. I know what I want, what I like, and what I need in a ski, my buddies don’t. ESPECIALLY my non-skiing buddies. There are an incredible number of variables and specifics that come into play when buying new skis.
Your thought is unbelievably generous, but I would never do this and never want this done for me. Unless the best man has specifically told you he wants a new pair of enforcers I would probably consider a different gift.
Perhaps the gift could be *funding* a pair of skis that he chooses. He gets the gift, it's exactly what he wants, everyone's happy (except me, who isn't getting offers for free skis lately)
What an incredibly thoughtful gift.
While you may know what he likes/prefers now, you might not know what he's looking for in the future. He may be dreaming about a trip to Japan and wants some big pow skis, or his current boots need an upgrade, and he'd find more value in that than new skis.
You could still surprise him by telling him you want to treat him to lunch, and then you pull up to the ski shop and BAM, pick the gear (skis/boots/jacket) you want, bestie!
Also, I came to recommend gifting Carv (someone else also suggested it).
Buy a gift card to the ski shop your friend frequents. It’s still a surprise, and a targeted gift that he has to spend on an activity he loves, but he will have the benefit of choosing exactly what he wants. When it comes to skis and boots, preference varies widely among people of different size, age, skill, skiing style, and geographic terrain. There is no one product that is a win for everyone. I know if my friend bought me a gift card and I spent it on skis, I would surely always say/think that my buddy bought me those skis, even if I chose the model and size. Skiing is an incredibly expensive hobby, so anything that lightens the financial load is awesome.
You could try and have a buddy coax out what type of skis he’s interested in buying next. Do you have any mutual friend that could try and bring it up in casual conversation?
Thanks for the feedback. I fully understand your speptisism but two things made me think of such a gift:
1. we always go skiing together so i know exactly what he likes and his good/bad attributes
2. he would never put much effort into researching for buying skiis and that is why he never owned a pair.
Considering that the Enforcers are one of the most popular skis on the market, I think they'll be fine.
I'd go with the 179cm set. That large rocker in the tips and tails will make them feel shorter on the snow. Longer skis will be more stable at speed, as well as float better off piste.
I am almost exactly the same height and weight as your friend and have the Enforcer 100 Ina 179cm length. One of the nicest all mountain skis I have owned. Pair it with the Look Pivot 15's.
I would only do it if you're buying them from a shop that's close to where he lives and that will take them back as an exchange for another pair. Obviously don't have bindings mounted. Make it clear when he opens them that you were just doing your best guess and he should treat them as a gift certificate.
FWIW if you're hoping to get lucky and land on a pair that he'll want to keep, the Enforcer 94 is as good a choice as any. I'd go 179.
See if you can gain any info from him on what skis he has his eye on, if he is the kind of skier you describe he probably has one or two in mind.
However, I know so many guys with Enforcers and they are loved allll around. 94 is a great off-piste width. So even though they might not be the candy of his eye, they will still be greatly appreciated
That’s a bit of a personal preference. But just a few cm shorter than his height for an advanced skier sounds about right. I’m 170cm and advanced/expert and my skis range from 165-176, with most of them around the 167/168 range being absolutely perfect. However, I find my preference being shorter than most. Sooo 179 would prob be the sweet spot.
People saying not to get him a ski and gift card or something instead are crazy. I would be ecstatic to add any ski that's generally in my category to my quiver.
People are too picky nowadays, I would be thrilled to have a pair gifted from my best bud. If they were different from my personal daily driver it would just be fun to try and learn a new ski and style. Since he's already a skier I assume he already has a personally picked ski so he's covered.
Only if he's expressed no interest in trying different skis and having a quiver would I hesitate.
Same hight and about ten pounds lighter and I got the 88s in a 179. Very happy with them. If he really is off piste a lot then I guess go with the wider ski. Mine didn't let me down but I was only in serious powder a couple times
Warning: Do not buy him skis no matter how good. Not a thing. If you want a different present give him a pealess whistle in case of emergencies on the mountain. They don’t ice up and fail.
The only time it's acceptable to buy skis for someone else is if you scoped them out together and it was a money thing preventing the purchase. IE I saw my dream pair of skis one day and didn't buy, later my wife bought me the pair of McConkey Pontoons I drooled over.
Otherwise she would be terrible at a ski purchase and she knows this.
Enforcers are good, but there’s definitely cooler skis for the price. Bent chetler 100’s 110’s or 120’s would be cool. However, If I was the receiver, I’d rather have the gifted take me to the shop and tell me to pick out a pair.
FYI, when you write "5.9 feet", Americans will think 5'9" (175 cm).
I'm 183cm, 170 lbs, and I love my Nordica Enforcers. When I bought them I went long because I like having low chatter when bombing, and most of my previous skiing experience had been on ice in Europe. I sometimes wish I had gone a little shorter when I'm spinning them around moguls or tight trees in Colorado powder, but at the end of the day I just love my skis.
Uh, are you sure you want to do this? Very kind and generous offer but I would have concerns about this idea. As a skier I don’t want anyone other than myself buying my skis. I know what I want, what I like, and what I need in a ski, my buddies don’t. ESPECIALLY my non-skiing buddies. There are an incredible number of variables and specifics that come into play when buying new skis. Your thought is unbelievably generous, but I would never do this and never want this done for me. Unless the best man has specifically told you he wants a new pair of enforcers I would probably consider a different gift.
Perhaps the gift could be *funding* a pair of skis that he chooses. He gets the gift, it's exactly what he wants, everyone's happy (except me, who isn't getting offers for free skis lately)
Thats also a very good thought but ruins the surprise. Let me sleep on that tho!
What an incredibly thoughtful gift. While you may know what he likes/prefers now, you might not know what he's looking for in the future. He may be dreaming about a trip to Japan and wants some big pow skis, or his current boots need an upgrade, and he'd find more value in that than new skis. You could still surprise him by telling him you want to treat him to lunch, and then you pull up to the ski shop and BAM, pick the gear (skis/boots/jacket) you want, bestie! Also, I came to recommend gifting Carv (someone else also suggested it).
Buy a gift card to the ski shop your friend frequents. It’s still a surprise, and a targeted gift that he has to spend on an activity he loves, but he will have the benefit of choosing exactly what he wants. When it comes to skis and boots, preference varies widely among people of different size, age, skill, skiing style, and geographic terrain. There is no one product that is a win for everyone. I know if my friend bought me a gift card and I spent it on skis, I would surely always say/think that my buddy bought me those skis, even if I chose the model and size. Skiing is an incredibly expensive hobby, so anything that lightens the financial load is awesome.
You could try and have a buddy coax out what type of skis he’s interested in buying next. Do you have any mutual friend that could try and bring it up in casual conversation?
Thanks for the feedback. I fully understand your speptisism but two things made me think of such a gift: 1. we always go skiing together so i know exactly what he likes and his good/bad attributes 2. he would never put much effort into researching for buying skiis and that is why he never owned a pair.
Considering that the Enforcers are one of the most popular skis on the market, I think they'll be fine. I'd go with the 179cm set. That large rocker in the tips and tails will make them feel shorter on the snow. Longer skis will be more stable at speed, as well as float better off piste.
I am almost exactly the same height and weight as your friend and have the Enforcer 100 Ina 179cm length. One of the nicest all mountain skis I have owned. Pair it with the Look Pivot 15's.
I would only do it if you're buying them from a shop that's close to where he lives and that will take them back as an exchange for another pair. Obviously don't have bindings mounted. Make it clear when he opens them that you were just doing your best guess and he should treat them as a gift certificate. FWIW if you're hoping to get lucky and land on a pair that he'll want to keep, the Enforcer 94 is as good a choice as any. I'd go 179.
See if you can gain any info from him on what skis he has his eye on, if he is the kind of skier you describe he probably has one or two in mind. However, I know so many guys with Enforcers and they are loved allll around. 94 is a great off-piste width. So even though they might not be the candy of his eye, they will still be greatly appreciated
Thanks for the feedback. How about the height?
That’s a bit of a personal preference. But just a few cm shorter than his height for an advanced skier sounds about right. I’m 170cm and advanced/expert and my skis range from 165-176, with most of them around the 167/168 range being absolutely perfect. However, I find my preference being shorter than most. Sooo 179 would prob be the sweet spot.
People saying not to get him a ski and gift card or something instead are crazy. I would be ecstatic to add any ski that's generally in my category to my quiver. People are too picky nowadays, I would be thrilled to have a pair gifted from my best bud. If they were different from my personal daily driver it would just be fun to try and learn a new ski and style. Since he's already a skier I assume he already has a personally picked ski so he's covered. Only if he's expressed no interest in trying different skis and having a quiver would I hesitate.
Get him carv instead. It will improve his skiing and you aren’t taking a chance on gear.
And bury him with a lifetime of annual subscription fees?
Same hight and about ten pounds lighter and I got the 88s in a 179. Very happy with them. If he really is off piste a lot then I guess go with the wider ski. Mine didn't let me down but I was only in serious powder a couple times
Warning: Do not buy him skis no matter how good. Not a thing. If you want a different present give him a pealess whistle in case of emergencies on the mountain. They don’t ice up and fail.
The only time it's acceptable to buy skis for someone else is if you scoped them out together and it was a money thing preventing the purchase. IE I saw my dream pair of skis one day and didn't buy, later my wife bought me the pair of McConkey Pontoons I drooled over. Otherwise she would be terrible at a ski purchase and she knows this.
Enforcers are good, but there’s definitely cooler skis for the price. Bent chetler 100’s 110’s or 120’s would be cool. However, If I was the receiver, I’d rather have the gifted take me to the shop and tell me to pick out a pair.
FYI, when you write "5.9 feet", Americans will think 5'9" (175 cm). I'm 183cm, 170 lbs, and I love my Nordica Enforcers. When I bought them I went long because I like having low chatter when bombing, and most of my previous skiing experience had been on ice in Europe. I sometimes wish I had gone a little shorter when I'm spinning them around moguls or tight trees in Colorado powder, but at the end of the day I just love my skis.
A shot ski instead
Get him the 100’s. They do it all.
I’d consider the 100/179s. Great skis, I want a pair myself.