Salomon 99.9

These blades are great fun. When on a full on skiing holiday tiredness can become a factor, sometimes, though hard to believe, there needs to be a little more fun. A bit like going on a log flume in a theme park, a little excursion from your real white knuckled reason for going!

I have used them on 2 holidays now as an alternative for a half day to my Salomon X-Wing Tornadoes (see separate review) They're great from revitalising the 'fun' in skiing. Ok so you can't glide on off piste powder like a fat base ski mostly because they'll trip you up because they're short and balance has to be spot on but on piste you can dance away to your hearts content. They are a good learning tool for those whose carving technique needs work as they allow you to use proper technique on a less cumbersome piece of equipment.

The non-release bindings are ok if you aren't a complete novice. They will not let your boot go if you fall which can be problematic if you don't know how to fall properly.

In short, they're perfect for a half day larking about but not for a whole holiday, they're not as versatile as full skis

Get out there and dance!

I purchased a pair of Salomon Salomon 99.9 Snowblades on the advice of a friend who has a pair who in turn bought them on the advice of someone at the last Ski Show. They are a cost effective alternative to skis as they cost about a third as much and also don't take you as much space thanks to their size (99.9 cm as the name suggests).

They're only suitable for people over 1m50cm due to the non release bindings but are great fun.

They are great for introducing yourself to the carving ski technique, their short length means the radius of turns is smaller and hence lets you keep to a manageable speed while practicing.

They are very sturdily built and take a beating on all sorts of terrain, I took them on and off piste and nothing felt loose or fell off.

The good edges are really noticeable in comparison with a pair of hired skis, this again makes learning to carve much easier.

The short length needn't worry you about using them on difficult slopes either, I took them down a few black runs without any difficulties, their small size makes them more manageable and hence easier to get out of trouble.

If you're looking for a pair of blades, and don't mind non-release bindings, I would certainly recommend getting a pair of these. If you're just looking for a fun alternative from a day on normal skis at £130 these are well worth a try.