WTB Kids Trainers

[xrated]

Looking to pick up a pair of kids skis for Christmas. Not much popping on ski-it-again. Any ballers have some sitting in the corner?

[Chef23]

What size are you looking for? Really small ones that the rope connects to or the next size up?

[Jdubs]

You may already know all of what I am going to tell you, but it is information that I wish I would have known going into all of this.

 

As a parent that started kids really young - I just have a few suggestions. If you get new skis they are usually over buoyant. These little ski's will frustrate kiddos. Skis will get crossed and have a really hard time getting up. HO and probably others sell a combo ski tail weight that keeps the tips naturally up out of the water. Until you have a chance to get tension on the line kids normally have the most trouble and many times they want to be done before the whole fun starts. My other suggestion is to look for wooden, less buoyant skis and if your kids are less then 4, I would stick to a skimmer ski trainer.

 

As far as talking to your kids, I would give them 3 rules to skiing success: 1. knees bent 2. handle low. 3. elbows straight.

 

Most importantly, make sure they are having fun. Some kids need a little tuff love, but if anything helped my kids, even more than instruction, it was all the cheering and high fives for accomplishments they had.

 

[xrated]

@Chef23 I'm looking for something that can have the trainer bar on or off. Probably something like the HOs.

 

@Jdubs thanks for the advice. We made a skimmer type deal this summer after putting the kids on a buds homemade deal. Basically a 6'x3' piece of plywood. Worked great for getting them used to being that close to water, but well you could see boredom creep in very fast so it is time to go to the next step. Ages are 4, 5 and 8.

[xrated]

Not much info on O'briens site on these...seem like they would be decent?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OBRIEN-2101114-WAKESTAR-ECO-TRAINERS-WITH-BAR-COMBO-SKI-/171128114229?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27d807cc35#ht_255wt_1133

 

How durable would bamboo be for kids to abuse?

 

[GroovyGrant]

@xrated those are probably pretty decent. Search the Obrien Scout, too. About the same as the Wakestar but a little narrower and less buoyant as @Jdubs points out. Taught my kids to ski this summer on the Scouts. They were just right for the 6 y.o. boy, but just almost too big for my 4 y.o. girl to manage before the rope was tight. Bottom line--just right and should be useable for another year or two with the connecting bar and rope removed. I haven't seen any problems with the bamboo durability but you do want to be sure to get them out of the boat so they can dry at the end of the day. Seems they take on just enough moisture that they will mildew a bit near the tips if left in a damp area. No biggie and it goes away but probably not good for the skis if it happens repeatedly.

 

Nothing better than getting the little ones up on skis!

[xrated]

Anyone deal with the HO Hotspot trainers?

 

No matter what we get I plan on rigging up some sort of tail weight as that seems to be in every thread I search for tips.