Research is probably always best. And sometimes, it can be frustratingly dissuasive. I'm going to be in Aspen for Gay Ski Week this year, so I researched Aspen bottom providers on Rentmen, and of the two, only one seemed interesting to me, not that I have any fucking money these days at all.
I had time this morning so I dove a bit deeper on this Elite guy, and his twitter and films are just too sketchy for me. Eventually, I turned myself off by digging too deeply, and I'm not going to hire this trip (though the only way it seems you can reach him is through twitter).
My point is that if I hadn't researched, just reached out, who knows, maybe he would have been near Aspen when I was there and maybe I would have had a lovely wick-dipping, he does have two very good reviews. But, I looked a bit too much, and now, well, unless I hook up which NEVER happens anymore, it'll just be me and my hand after a good, hard day's snowboarding.