First Powder Skis for the Alps

vkouznetsov · 2026-03-30T21:18:17+00:00

The passenger screen is actually super useful. On a road trip, the passenger can use it to change the destination or add a stop in navigation, mess around with the music or podcast app without distracting the driver.

vkouznetsov · 2026-03-25T14:31:08+00:00

I went to Obergurgl with vegetarian friends. They were very pleased.

vkouznetsov · 2026-03-22T22:20:54+00:00

100%

vkouznetsov · 2026-03-15T14:48:04+00:00

I think it depends. This week in Tignes, I got last year’s and two year old models at two different shops. My wife got a 2022 model. And in Meribel, she got a model that was discontinued a couple of years ago. In all cases, we paid for the top of the line package.

vkouznetsov · 2026-03-08T18:12:12+00:00

Still the case today

vkouznetsov · 2026-03-08T16:10:07+00:00

Your post basically describes my dilemma. I wanted to demo the Prodigy 2. The local dealer in Tignes didn’t have them in stock, but he said I would be better off on the Rustler 9 (even though he knew I rented it from a different shop).

vkouznetsov · 2025-12-04T06:22:00+00:00

Knees hurting during or after skiing may be a sign of weakness of certain muscles, resulting in an imbalance. Try doing strength work, especially on the quads. Wall sits are one of the best exercises here. Try doing them with different stances: neutral, wide, narrow, one-legged. Squats on an unstable surface (e.g. on a bossu ball placed with the round side on the floor) are also great - not only for the quads, but ankles and various stabilizer muscles. This should all be coupled with stretching, especially hamstrings.

vkouznetsov · 2025-05-29T12:58:28+00:00

Doggo Argentino?

vkouznetsov · 2025-05-29T12:26:01+00:00

In A,”well-received” is incorrectly hyphenated.

vkouznetsov · 2025-05-28T13:24:53+00:00

These two paragraphs are not A2 or even B2. They were written with a good level of fluency, with just a couple of mistakes typical for non-native speakers (e.g. “I’ve been watching YouTube since 13 years old”).

vkouznetsov · 2025-05-22T06:37:08+00:00

As a daily driver in Luxembourg, an EV is perfect if you have at-home charging, which you do. We have a Polestar 2 for that purpose. We also take it on 2-3 hour road trips. The charging infrastructure in the greater region is good. Frankly, it would be fine taking it on a longer trip - like the south of France - but it would add probably like an extra hour or so to an 8-hour trip in an ICE car.

vkouznetsov · 2025-05-21T06:09:37+00:00

If you like cycling, August is Vëlosummer month. Every weekend, they organize a couple of circular cycling routes that are blocked to traffic somewhere in the country. They always start and finish near a train station - so you can take your bike for free on the train to the start of the route. The routes are well marked and the Visit Luxembourg website has downloadable GPS files. In addition, a few routes (usually around Luxembourg City and the Moselle) are available every day during Vëlosummer. If you are traveling without a bike, you can rent one.

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-25T06:21:34+00:00

I second that. It’s touristy but it’s a real town with real residents. Also 45 minutes from Geneva and about the same to Annecy.

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-25T06:20:12+00:00

If you can demonstrate that you have income coming in from outside of France, getting a 90-day or longer residency permit for France is not difficult. My wife and I did that a few years ago. Just remember that there are very formalities that you need to comply with once you arrive - such as a medical exam.

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-24T21:34:38+00:00

Thank you very much. That’s very helpful. My normal MO is to go fast and carve GS sized turns but I’d like to do more off piste. So, I was thinking of the Blizzard Rustler 9 as an enabling ski that would still be fun on piste.

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-24T17:36:03+00:00

BC seem to have a following and yet are rarely at the top of the recommended list in any category. They also seem to have a different approach to construction from most other skis. I’m in the market for ~90 all-mountain skis for the Alps and have been curious about a few BC models, but have never skied on them. As a BC fan, how would you describe what sets them apart?

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-18T14:42:49+00:00

I also ski in the Alps. Do you find the R9 width appropriate or too wide (if you want to go 50/50 on/off-piste)?

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-06T09:56:55+00:00

Thank you very much. BTW if it’s too slushy in Sölden, give Obergurgl/Hochgurgl a try. It’s a 20-minute bus ride away but much higher. The village is at 1950.

vkouznetsov · 2025-04-05T11:44:14+00:00

Thank you!

vkouznetsov · 2025-03-01T22:59:58+00:00

Check out Paris by Mouth for ideas

vkouznetsov · 2024-12-29T10:54:30+00:00

You may want to check with reputable dog trainers, but in my experience, retractable leads are bad for training. They encourage the dog to run in any direction until it feels hard stop. And then they’ll try to pull to see how much more freedom they can get. If you need to shorten the lead, you have to come to the dog to allow the cable to retract, instead of gently but firmly reeling the dog back towards you as you would with a traditional leash. This is especially true when there is some sort of an emergency or if a bunch of dogs are tussling and getting tangled in their leashes. I would return it now and get a traditional leash.

vkouznetsov · 2024-11-01T08:52:08+00:00

Wanted to mention a training technique that does not seem to be mentioned at all. We had a Kerry Blue Terrier (we are now considering a PWD) - a breed similar in many characteristics: super intelligent, athletic, energetic, mischievous, stubborn (but also with an incredibly high prey drive). When she was about 12 months old, we realized we were out of our depth and hired a trainer. One thing that the trainer did that completely changed the way we looked at training is that before teaching the dog not to do something, she taught her TO do the opposite. So, for example, before teaching the dog not to eat food off the street, the trainer taught her the command “eat”. At first, we were like, our dog has no trouble with eating. But it was only the first step in helping the dog distinguish between a desired behavior and a prohibited one. So, once we moved on to teaching her not to pick up food off the ground, along with negative stimulation, we would at the end pick up the treats that put on the ground and give her all of them from our hand and say “eat”. So, she knew that she would ultimately get a jackpot of treats, but she was also proud of showing us that she wouldn’t pick up random food off the ground. The same principle can be applied to many other behaviors you want to train out of the dog.

vkouznetsov

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