 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Next season I have 11 weeks in France to really improve my skiing.
I currently ski Atomic Advantage Alibis at 95 MM underfoot. They are fantastic for my 1/2 weeks a year but I have a feeling that I need something a bit more piste orientated to maximise my potential to improve all aspects of my skiing.
I would welcome views on suitable sks and width.
I wil be keeping the Alibis as a free ride ski for softer / off piste conditions.
Many thanks for your help.
Regards
James
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sorry, meant theory ski not alibi.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You can't go wrong with Head Titans for improving on piste and they are half decent off piste too, especially when you get better.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Welcome to snowHeads @eyregs 
IMO, the ultimate piste-only ski is a race ski. They also tend to be fairly unforgiving and so force U to up your game and ski better 
A few years back, I 'transitioned' to off-piste and as I did so my skis naturally got wider (and wider). I thought, at that time, that the piste was now something that no longer held interest to me.
Then someone lent me his brand new GS skis - wow! The edge, the grip, the resultant g-forces and the erm... stability at speed! The piste became a whole new playground
I figured though, GS would be fine, if I could rely on having the piste to myself but that's rarely the case so when acquiring my own piste skis for keeps, I went for some SL's.
Super turny, super grippy - stiff as u like - if there's one thing I can rely on it's that, if they're not holding an edge, it's my fault, not the skis  Hence, they train me to ski better. Being SL rather than GS, the turns are tighter and the speeds that bit lower hence more suited to places where the randonimities of the general public come into play.
As for specific models - I have a pair of Kneissl Whitestar SL's but they're not really available to buy at the moment. However, after testing all the mainstream brands' SL's at the SIGB ski test a couple of seasons ago, I rated the Atomic Redster SL way above the others and so also have a pair of those now.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I recommend Salomon xrace 175s with 15m radius or GS Nordkca for something for a bit more speed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| admin wrote: |
IMO, the ultimate piste-only ski is a race ski. They also tend to be fairly unforgiving and so force U to up your game and ski better
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I find full on race skis too much of a 1 trick pony for my liking. They're great if the piste is firm and there are no moguls and you're in the mood and not tired, but they certainly wouldn't be my choice for a 2 ski quiver. Personally I'd want something a bit more versatile and forgiving as an everyday ski. That's why I mentioned the Head Titans, they're almost standard issue among instructors and trainee instructors at our resort - but I have to admit that conditions are usually on the soft side, so a slightly wider piste oriented ski does help when the pistes get chopped up. I'd consider the Head Magnums too, but I wouldn't go any more racy than that myself.
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| spyderjon wrote: |
| Scott Black Magic |
Yeah, that's the kind of thing I'd go for too as a piste focused carving ski. From the description on Edge & Wax, they sound a lot like my Movement Le Fers.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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3 ski quiver
Firm conditions
General edgeable/variable
Big days
You seem to be missing both 1 and 3
I went for a borrowed Blizzard Magnum 8.0Ti for the firm. They held their own particularly bumping as I was probably running them a little short.
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Dynastar Powertrack or maybe one of the Dynastar Omeglass S Fluid or Omeglass Speed Fluid
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| spyderjon wrote: |
| Scott Black Magic |
Fell in love with these on the EoSB - brilliant skis
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@eyregs,
A. How well do you think you ski?
B. all the manufacturers make a race oriented range that's a bit softer, wider underfoot, more forgiving etc.
Something like that might work.
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| The OP wrote: |
| I have a feeling that I need something a bit more piste orientated to maximise my potential to improve all aspects of my skiing. |
Note: the recommendations that are specifically disagreeing with me are talking about skis that are 'versatile' or 'forgiving' - these are not traits that will maximise potential. I ski SL's on hardpack with ease and challenge myself to get it right on boilerplate. I was throwing them around like excited puppies in the 9AM ice=>10:30 soft=>Early PM shallow slush=>Late PM deep slush of the EoSB last week. I rode them down the cascades moguls too.
And best of all, when they weren't 'forgiving' enough for a particular situation, I had no option but to raise my game!
And if I ain't got game enough - I get a lesson
This IMHO is how to maximise potential - not by picking a mid-performance ski that will make life easy as long as you don't push it too hard.
What I've learnt on-piste on my SL's has transformed my off-piste skiing, without question!
Furthermore, IMV the "instructors' standard issue" argument counts for little wrt this spec - Instructors don't tend to ride around every day on skis that will maximise their potential. They use skis that will give them an easy ride while demoing technique at low speeds... different context.
True there are other types of ski that would suit most people far better because they are easier, more versatile, more forgiving, more relaxing etc. but taking the spec as it stands, that's not what the OP is asking for.
@under a new name's questions are valid though - depending on how you currently ski, an SL may be a step too far: an SC (or similar) may be more appropriate.
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You know it makes sense.
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Well he did actually say he needed something a bit more piste orientated to improve all aspects of his skiing so I'm sticking with my recommendation not to go for a full on race SL ski.
As for instructors using Head Titans, Magnums and the like (which are not exactly lacking in performance on piste IME) I've had quite a few conversations with various instructors about what type of ski to use for instructor training courses (CSIA L2) and these are invariably the sort of skis they recommend. They are far from just a ski to give an "easy ride" while demoing technique. Now if you are telling me you can over-power a pair of Head Titans and need something far more aggressive to "maximise your potential" then I take my hat off to you!
I guess we have a different idea about what "maximising your potential" actually means. If we're talking about race training then yes I'd agree with you 100%. But I didn't get the impression that was the OP's aim here. But anyway he now has 2 different opposing viewpoints to chew over.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@admin, we really must ski together next season!
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Poster: A snowHead
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.....
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Fri 29-04-16 9:49; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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No doubt SL skis are a hoot but they are the very opposite of versatile and while race clubs will happily train kids to ski anywhere on GD skis IMV for anyone not looking to prove a point will get more out of a ski you can pivot in bumps, release the tail occasionally etc.
And in the case of my diddy SL skis something lighter ( like a 2 m 120mm POW ski)
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| uktrailmonster wrote: |
| Now if you are telling me you can over-power a pair of Head Titans and need something far more aggressive to "maximise your potential" then I take my hat off to you! |
This x 1,000
I spent all of the EoSB on a new pair of Titans and was never disappointed. For comparison, I had been skiing my Kneissl Redstar RC earlier in the season, and I found the Titans to be much more versatile. I missed the Redstars when I was doing fast long turns on an empty groomed piste, but in all other circumstances I was happy with the Titans.
I also got my Titans cheap in the Ellis Brigham sale, so you might get lucky and find some at a good price.
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