Stillorgan vs Kilternan

blue note

Do people have much of a preference between the two? I did 3 lessons in Stillorgan before I went on my first ski holiday last year and I found them brilliant. I took to it very quickly and I was able to skip the beginner group and jump into the low intermediate one because of what I'd learned. I loved that you got proper time on the slope (10 continuous minutes) to take your time and get the technique down.

However, objects aren't coming at you on it and you're not actually moving forward. When I got onto actual snow and the instructors asked us to ski somewhere to see what group to assign us into I panicked when I started moving (at what felt like 100mph, but was probably more like a walking pace). So I couldn't turn and ended up just tipping over to stop.

I think I might try Kilternan for a couple of lessons before I go this year, even just to see the difference. Do people here have any thoughts on either?

irlirishkev

blue note wrote: »

Do people have much of a preference between the two? I did 3 lessons in Stillorgan before I went on my first ski holiday last year and I found them brilliant. I took to it very quickly and I was able to skip the beginner group and jump into the low intermediate one because of what I'd learned. I loved that you got proper time on the slope (10 continuous minutes) to take your time and get the technique down.

However, objects aren't coming at you on it and you're not actually moving forward. When I got onto actual snow and the instructors asked us to ski somewhere to see what group to assign us into I panicked when I started moving (at what felt like 100mph, but was probably more like a walking pace). So I couldn't turn and ended up just tipping over to stop.

I think I might try Kilternan for a couple of lessons before I go this year, even just to see the difference. Do people here have any thoughts on either?

Hmm.. I did a week in Kilternan before ever skiing on snow. Basically learned to put on my skis etc, use a few of the drag lifts, and the snow plough basics.

Fast forward to years later and about 15 separate weeks of skiing experience - so pretty competent. No longer think of slopes in terms of colour really, and very competent (touch wood!). I got a free lesson on the carpet in Stillorgan. Couldn't ski on it at all. Felt weird, and got nothing from it. Wouldn't use it again.

So I think if I wanted to practice off-snow at this stage, I'd go for Kilternan. Doesn't feel like snow either, but at least you're moving / outdoors etc..

That said, I wouldn't be pushed to do either. I wish we had proper indoor ski slopes.

Just my own 2cents.

blue note

irlirishkev wrote: »

Hmm.. I did a week in Kilternan before ever skiing on snow. Basically learned to put on my skis etc, use a few of the drag lifts, and the snow plough basics.

Fast forward to years later and about 15 separate weeks of skiing experience - so pretty competent. No longer think of slopes in terms of colour really, and very competent (touch wood!). I got a free lesson on the carpet in Stillorgan. Couldn't ski on it at all. Felt weird, and got nothing from it. Wouldn't use it again.

So I think if I wanted to practice off-snow at this stage, I'd go for Kilternan. Doesn't feel like snow either, but at least you're moving / outdoors etc..

That said, I wouldn't be pushed to do either. I wish we had proper indoor ski slopes.

Just my own 2cents.

That's fair enough, but I'll definitely be going again. I'm hoping to start off at the level I left last year, so a couple of refresher lessons would be welcomed. Just to remind myself about the posture, weight transferring, all that sort of thing. The surface you're skiing on in Stillorgan is very different, but some of the other things will be the very same.

stevire

As a snowboarder I didn't like Stillorgan at all, just felt a little unnatural and slight difference in technique than is needed on snow. I do like Kilternan though, find you get a much better feel for it and better to gauge speed, turns etc. I learnt in Kilternan years ago and found it great for technique, it's very unforgiving but really pays off when you hit the snow.

My partner is a skier and she found the opposite, disliked Kilternan but loved Stillorgan and felt she could really work on areas of her technique, posture etc. The facing downhill vs sideways stance of snowboarder might be a factor in Stillorgan vs Kilternan. I've yet to find a snowboarder that would pick Stillorgan over Kilternan

accensi0n

First started snowboarding in Kilternan and it was a massive help for when I went snowboarding for real.

colly10

I've spent alot of time on both and still vist both. I think Sandyford is better for total beginners or early stages. Kilternan is better after that.

Sandyford Pro's
You're right beside the instructor and they can see your every move
Instructor can give feedback while you're in the middle of your turns
You can see in the mirror what you're doing
Safer, if you fall it's easier
While frustrating to ski on, if you can do something here you can do it anywhere (assuming you've spent 1 day on snow to feel speed)

Sandyford Cons
Very narrow slope
If there's 3 people on the slope it's tight if trying to carve, focus goes on maintaining position
Instructor controls the speed and it's constant, hard to get parallel or carve when moving slowly
Frustrating to train on unless you're a beginner, can pretty much do what I want on Kilternan but struggle to do what i could do 70 hours ago skiing ago in Kilternan
Can't feel speed

Kilternan Pro's
Feels more real
Much wider than Sandyford
Much easier to ski on than Sandyford
You control your speed
Practise sessions are cheaper (as far as i know) and much longer
You can try things here like spin down the slope or falling leaf, haven't seen similar in Sandyford and it would certainly be more difficult
More enjoyable to ski on

Kilternan Cons
Nastier falls on main slope
Slope can have dry patches near end of season
Less pure skiing time for the beginner
For lessons, instructor can't see you as well as Sandyford

One pro or con (depending on outlook) for Sandyford is you get away with nothing, if you're techniques not spot on you won't be able to complete what you're trying, Kilternan you can do things with poorer technique but it'll look smoother and can look on point if you're doing it at speed. I had to choose one, id get the first 3 or 4 lessons in Sandyford then move to Kilternan

psydereyes

I have used both and agree with most of the points Colly10 makes but with a different outcome

I feel Kilternan is best for begginers. The sensation of sliding down a slope and feeling the pull of gravity on a cold December night, the excitement/nervousness of taking your first drag lift and moving higher up the slopes as your lessons progress are much closer to the real thing than the inside of a wharehouse in Sandyford Industrial Estate. Those experiences are so beneficial to both adults and children alike when they move to lessons in a real mountain environment.

BUT if you are an experienced skier looking to work on your technique then skicentre is the way to go. You will not get away with anything. The ability of the instructor to be close to you and view you from all angles helps them figure out the cause of any issues you have and come up with a plan. The constant skiing means things can be tried, practised and revised in a short space of time.
With a good ski instructor SkiCentre would be easily worth the money.

Beginners to early parallel skiers = Kilternan
Intermediate and above = SkiCentre

blue note

I tried Kilternan last night. I'd be siding more with psydereyes - I think it's probably the better one when you're still learning. It does feel more like snow. And having the feeling of moving towards objects is a big difference. I'm wondering now if I went there instead of Stillorgan what sort of difference it would have made. I think I'd have started from a better point being honest, the biggest problem I had when I started on actual snow was that I was going towards things. And everything I had learned took a while to come back to me.

But as you progress, Kilternan looks very small to do any real practice on. And going up that button lift so often gets very frustrating!