Kilternan Vs Ski center

olaola

Any thoughts? Just being asked by a friend - I went for the beginner lessons in Kilternan about 4 years ago and thought they were very good from the instructor point of view. I still remember things I was taught - and they seem to be very safety focused. Have never been to the ski centre. Any reviews?

am i bovvered

I've skied on both the mat and a dry slope (although not Kilternan yet) it is hard to compare they are both very different. I would say the insructor in the ski centre was excellent.

Fattes

They both have their pros and cons.

Overall think Kilternan just shades it but that is a personal opinion. based on cost, technique etc.

Kilternan is closer to the real thing in my opinion as you are skiing and moving down a hill rather than on a rolling mat.

You will hear allot of no this is better no this is better etc.

As they are both artificial surfaces they are slightly diffrent from real snow, but you have to look at which will be provide a closer comparison. Allot of the instructors teach at both.

olaola

Fattes wrote: »

Kilternan is closer to the real thing in my opinion as you are skiing and moving down a hill rather than on a rolling mat.
...
As they are both artificial surfaces they are slightly diffrent from real snow, but you have to look at which will be provide a closer comparison.

Yeah, I'm of the same opinion - probably the most important thing you'll have to learn is stopping - and I think you'll get more of a feel for that in Kilternan.
Maybe the rolling mat is better for intermediates?

I_luv_2_ski!

i was up in kilternan recently and some one made a very valid point...the stuff in kilternan (i cant remember what its cause) is very unforgiving...if you dont do something right...you fall!!! so if you get your technique good up there you'll be flying on the snow...where as sow is forgiving...your skies move it easily so we all develop bad habits that you cant do in Kilternan!!!

I_luv_2_ski!

and to mark my words....taking from the ski centres website

"Less forgiving than real snow, all your mistakes are amplified on the Endless Ski Slope. This means that you learn and master good techniques and habits, making you a much better skier on snow."

I_luv_2_ski!

ya know that snow dome (snowtopia) they wanted to build in tyrrelstown? I know they were waiting on a decision from fingal county council for it but has anyone heard anything more???

it would be great if they got it!!!

I_luv_2_ski!

never mind...just found it on google there

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/huge-plan-for-8364100m-snowtopia-ski-centre-shot-down-1966957.html

Fattes

Cant belive some of the rubbish about this the proposal was based on getting 1.4 million visitors a year :eek:

Seriouly that means 1 in 4 people on the island would visit it once a year

Mmmm_Lemony

Or 1 in 8 twice a year.

The Vue cinema in liffey valley can charge 10 euro for a ticket and about 10 euro for a bag of popcorn and a drink, and there are queues out the door everynight, the reason is its location and the local amenities are few and far between.

With the right marketing campaign, and if the location is right and its well linked with transport it could work... theres probably too many 'ifs' and 'buts' though

Fattes

Mmmm_Lemony

Allot of stuff there price point €35 for a 90 minute session is approx €10 cheaper than what the domes in the UK charge,

Chill factore in Manchester relies on Council and goverment support to break even and it has a popultaion base of over 8 million.

Hemel is the only one that makes a large profit and it is based in London and its huge population.

Marketing and promontion isnt much help if the population are not there.

neil_purdy

Yeah i was very disappointed to hear the proposals were rejected.. I know i would defiantly use the facility on a fairly regular basis.. Once a month prob..

Hopefully they choose a new site and inject money and jobs into another community.. Fingal's loss is someones else's gain..

I_luv_2_ski!

i was thinking more along the lines that it would be a nice job!!! haha...but if i couldn't get a job i'd still go there!!! lol

Mmmm_Lemony

Fattes wrote: »

Mmmm_Lemony

Allot of stuff there price point €35 for a 90 minute session is approx €10 cheaper than what the domes in the UK charge,

Chill factore in Manchester relies on Council and goverment support to break even and it has a popultaion base of over 8 million.

Hemel is the only one that makes a large profit and it is based in London and its huge population.

Marketing and promontion isnt much help if the population are not there.

Thats a fair point about london, but if you look at whats available in ireland, there isnt alot here. For this reason I think it would work.

I never even heard of kilteernan until a polish friend put me onto it (Granted people on this forum might think I live in a dark cellar). They are a great bunch of people out there and no offense to the management staff and organisers but it hasn't exactly been well marketed. Its probably not making a whole lot of profit either, and for more reasons than location and the marketing. Having said that I would be out there once a week if it was next door to me, but its not that easy to get to...

If something like what is proposed was built in a well linked location and marketed well, I think it would get a huge flow of people at the start but after the initial interest, a steady flow of customers...certainly enough for the developers to get a return on their investment.

Mmmm_Lemony

Had an A4 snowboarding lesson on thursday. Was amazed to find how difficult it was!!!

I had one lesson before I went away last year and I was linking turns and doing boxes and a few little jumps here and there no bother on snow. Last thursday I could barely finish a turn! I had already picked up bad habits and incorrect technique. By the end of it I was starting to link turns again.

I'm heading off on the 26th now and can't wait but I'll probably get a B1 as soon as I come back. For anyone thinking of getting snowboarding lessons this is the place. I'd say 4/5 lessons up there before hitting the real stuff will build a great base technique that will stand to you for the rest of yuor snowboarding life...Highly recommend.