Support Our Snow Shops #2: Paul's Ski Shop Wodonga

Paul Oberin has been running popular Paul’s Ski Shop in Wodonga for 43 years, so he must be doing a lot of things right. For 27 of those Paul’s has occupied the same handy location with a turn in just after the roundabout heading out towards Mt Beauty.

Experience counts and if you are spending big (or small!) on ski gear it helps to get seasoned advice from someone who has seen fads come and go and learnt what works and doesn’t.

After suffering chest pains while concreting a few months back (yep, concreting, this 70 year old puts a lot of younger husbands to shame in the DIY projects department) he had to have emergency heart bypass surgery.

So he’s planning to work a bit less and play more golf. Get into Paul’s Ski Shop soon before he decides golf is more fun than customers.

You won’t meet a more genuine character – he tells it like it is, and gives great gear advice. Take advantage of it soon.

The Albury-Wodonga region is blessed with quick access to two of Australia’s best mountains – Hotham and Falls Creek. So local skiers tend to be regulars who ski a lot. They need gear that will go the distance.

Which brings us to Paul’s first recommendation on great gear to buy this season.

“With Reusch down filled plus goretex gloves you can’t go wrong” he says, “they will go forever.”

Ditto that. A test pair we had from 5 years ago still look, feel and perform like new. You’ll find a great selection to choose from here.

On the ski front there’s a clear winner too, Paul says.

“The Volk Mantra M6 is a game changer. I can’t actually show you a pair because my first two shipments of them sold out before they got on the rack. The third shipment is also going quickly. Word has got around.”

“The tailored titanium as they call it is the game changer. Before the problem with titanal skis was they were great in longer lengths but in the shorter lengths they were too hard to drive for most skiers. Now the titanium sheet is tailored to each ski length so a lighter skier can crank a 170cm ski. At 96mm underfoot they are a great all-round width you can ski anywhere.”

Just be quick to get some – his 3rd shipment is selling strongly before it arrives too.

Paul has been a Snow Action stockist for 26 of the 27 years he’s had the shop at the current location. We dropped him a stack of copies as usual today on our way back from the Melbourne Snow Travel Expo. Get in and grab your free copy.

And keep supporting your local ski shops.