There is no doubt that getting a few lessons before you hit the slopes on that expensive skiing holiday can really help get the most out of your time on the snow.

You can head to your nearest dry ski slope or even take a day out to the SnowDome. But all that messing around with short runs and ski lifts really eats into your lesson.

In steps Realli-Ski, piste left, with a super machine to solve your problems. The company operates a number of ski simulators that, rather than give you a Wii Balance Board experience, takes things to a whole new level with what is essentially a giant treadmill.

Hand-built in Kent, the Realli-Ski simulators feature a revolving "Realli-Snow" surface, safety bars and harness to keep the budding skier from falling over. The machine spins up and lo and behold, you’re skiing. The angle of the machine can also be changed to make the slope more aggressive.

Realli-Ski lessons are taught by BASI qualified instructors and the company claims that a 30-minute Realli-Ski lesson is the equivalent of 5 hours on a dry slope. All the kit you need is supplied but you can bring your own boots if you prefer.

We didn’t get to have a go, but they look Realli-Cool. The company has centres in Canterbury and Watford. Link below.

• Link - Realli-Ski website

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