Your timing couldn't be better. But the best news is the price of new alpine equipment is lower than it has been in recent history. Five years after shaped skis first appeared, the revolution is won.
Shaped skis rule the slopes.
With their wide tips, narrow waists and wide tails they make skiing easier to learn for beginners, less bothersome to advance for intermediates and less fatiguing for accomplished skiers. In addition, no one looks bad skiing on shaped skis. Like any new toy, you should take instruction on how to ski the shaped skis. The technique is different than skiing traditional, straight skis. Even one class on skiing the shapes will go a long way to insuring skiing enjoyment.