Kathleen,

The ski you should by depends a lot on what you tend to ski on. Being in VT I would guess you are skiing more groomers than pow pow. If you aren't an agressive/speed skier then you should go with something like K2 True Luv or One Luv. K2's tend to be a damp ski, so that won't snap you out of turns, but if you aren't agressive you won't care about that. Also check out the Atomic Cloud 9 and Blizzard Viva.

If you plan to encounter more powder and soft snow check out the Atomic 7th Heaven, Dynastar Exclusive Legend, or Fischer Watea 78. The Volkl Attiva you mentioned would also be good for more of a mix of conditions.

Pay attention to the dimensions on a ski; for instance the True Luv you were looking at is 119/72/103, meaning, the shovel is 119mm, the waist is 72mm and the tail is 103mm. This is a pretty narrow waist by today's standards and if you think you will encounter more powder than packed conditions, you want to go wider. The One Luv is 74mm, a little bigger, and the Lotta Luv is 78mm, wider yet. If you step up to K2's fattest women's ski, the Phat Luv, it's 102mm, which is great in the powder, but will probably be squirly on icey or packed conditions. In contrast the Sweet Luv is made for hard snow.

Size matters. If you don't plan to rip, and you are more of an intermediate skier you probably want to go a little shorter, around 160cm, but always check with your local ski shop, as this may vary with the actual ski manufacturer, shape, etc... skis today are made to be skied much shorter than the boats people use to ski on in the 80's. Less is more these days, particularly when it comes to control.

Your friend told you right on the boots. They should be snug, but shouldn't cut off your circulation either. Most people buy too big and their feet end up sliding around in the boot after one season. You have to remember that the boot sock will pack out. Nordica, Rossi, and Technica are better boots for narrow feet, but I would go a step up from the Beast (just me). Most boots also come with crappy footbeds, so consider getting some customs, like Superfeet. It's always best to get boots fitted by a pro in a good shop if you can. They will be able to tell you what the best fit is.

is there a question in there?

I would reccomend the 149...possibly the 156 if you truly are progressing quickly and want a ski that you can 'grow' in to.

Hi Carol,I can share my experience... I'm 49, very athletic and in-shape, 5'4", 112 lbs, but totally new to skiing. I skied about 30 days last year, took 4-5 private lessons, and skiied 15 days this year so far. I have outgrown this ski already. But hoenstly, looking back, I still would have started with this ski -- it's very forgiving and easy to learn on. Once I learned how to turn and became comfortable on the snow, I started going fast -- I love speed! - and this True Luv ski holds up okay, but there's lots of "chatter" up your ankle and leg. There's also lots of chatter in the ice or when the top soft layer of snow is scrapped off from lots of other skiers. And it doesn't cut through the crud very well on heavier snow days -- it throws you around more because it's not as solid as a more expensive, higher quality metal ski. So I've upgraded now after only 45 days on the snow with this ski. All that said, you almost have to start with a ski like this because it's easier to handle -- then you simply sell it on craigslist and upgrade once you've progressed. As athletic as I am, there's no way I could have learned on a better, metal ski. I progressed fast because I started with a ski that matched my ability level. Hope this is helpful. Debbie

One comment -- Buy the ski based on her WEIGHT, not her height. I am very light for my height (#112) and it takes weight to flatten the ski to make it turn! Otherwise the sidecut of the ski doesn't engage to allow it to turn. I am 5'4" and 112#, and I bought this ski in a 149. I am not able to turn the 156 length because I don't weigh enough. I do have to sacrifice on the "ride quality" just a little bit -- a longer ski would be smoother, but alas, that's no asset if I can't turn it! Debbie

This is an intermediate to advanced ski. Debbie is correct, you need to consider weight when selecting length, but I would also consider height as well. The bigger issue to consider, to your question, is what does she ski on? powder, packed powder, ice? This ski would be good for a variety of conditions, but I would also consider the One Luv if going with K2.

size range 155 - 160