The Skinny On Reviews.

Do you read gear reviews? All the ski mags have 'em; heck, I've even posted a few here myself. And there are loads of them on TheSkiDiva.com.

But before you rush off and buy the ski that a review says is best, here's something important to keep in mind:

Gear reviews are subjective. So much depends on the reviewers' ski level, the way they ski, their own personal likes and dislikes, snow conditions, bio-mechanics, ski length, even mood.

So please -- keep in mind that reviews are strictly the opinions of a specific skier. The best way to tell if a ski is right for you is to:

1) Learn as much as you can about the ski you're interested in -- which includes getting opinions from a variety of sources;

2) Assess you abilities honestly and fairly. You don't do yourself any favors getting a ski that's above or below your level;

3) Keep in mind the conditions under which you ordinarily ski. If you ordinarily ski under boilerplate conditions in the east, it may not do you any good to only look at powder skis;

4) Get out there and demo! You may find that a ski that gets awful reviews is one that suits you perfectly. Hey, they make tons of different skis for a reason. What's great for one person may be awful for you, and vice versa.

Reviews are a good place to start. Just keep in mind that they are only a small part of ski selection. The rest is up to you!

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.