 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just hit 50, been skiing for 25 years and reasonably decent red run skiier with occasional blacks. Due to being 110KG and 5ft9in I've had some very stiff Dynastar Outland 4x4's (190cm) for the last 6 years, unfortunately one of them snapped across the binding in Meribel 2 weeks ago.
The hire skis at 168cm were much easier to turn but very soft and twitchy for a big bloke. I suspect I need a fairly stiff cross-ski at about 165 and have been looking at the Atomic SX range (10 or 11) - the B5's are a bit expensive but some of the other Metrons look OK.
Need to feel safe and stable so a very firm base is important. Don't do much off piste or moguls but I suspect the length of the Dynastars has restricted me a bit. I like to be able to do big slidy turns especialy when it gets very steep but need to be able to ski all terrains, being a Brit you have to ski whats there when you go, can't chose to go only when its good.
Any advice? Particularly skis from other manufacturers? Will probably purchase in Canada at Easter but would like to have a short list of skis to test.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
ClaretKid, Volkl are worth looking at as they make stiffer and snappy skis that are good for heavier skiers. Volkl 724 EXP would be a good bet. They come in a 170 and a 177. You might want to try a 177 - depends how agressively and athletically you ski.
Also see if you can demo the Fischer RX8 - see ssh's review thread. Hard to find Fischer gear in this country but you should have more luck in Canada. They've been getting rave reviews and have won awards from US ski mags so I expect they'll be in big demand in the shops (I'm hoping to demo them in Whistler in a few weeks time)
oh and a warm welcome to snowHeads! (as the usual welcoming committee seem to be off for a cup of tea at the moment....) 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Thanks for the info. I had a look at the Dynastar Skicross 10's but there doesn't seem to be a modern version of the 4x4's.
Definately no expert but I do reckon that if you ski for 3 weeks a year you should go out at 9 and get the last chair up the hill at about 4-45! Oh and 45 mins for lunch.
Moguls were impossible with such big stiff skis so black runs in the US and Canada were a bit difficult - I would hope to end up with something a bit more managable without losing the stiffness at speed.
I had some rental skis and suffered the 'caught edge whilst going in a straight line' problem that I havent had since I bought the Dynastars. Painful. Though not as bad as the fall when the ski snapped, nor the 1.5 mile walk down the mountain to get some more!!
Thanks for the welcome.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
ClaretKid, Welcome to slushnuts, I'm about 2 in. shorter and about 25K lighter. A week and a bit skier recovering from serious surgery but I've just aquired the Atomic SX10s (160) and found them to be incredibly user friendly. Very easy to skid the tails or edge over into a tight carve and very very stable in a straight line, well at least at the geriatric speeds I'm capable of at the mo. They were very forgiving of my boarder habit of dropping my inside shoulder and looking up the hill (it's a safety thing and NOT just bad technique).
Give them a try in 170
(edited 'cos I can't spill worth a poop)
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 7-02-05 13:54; edited 2 times in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Masque wrote: |
| They were very forgiving of my boarder habit of dropping my inside shoulder and looking up the hill (it's a safety thing and NOT just bad technique). |
oh, I've never thought of that, some trainers have been been having a go at me about that, I never connected it was a hangover from boarding.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ClaretKid, welcome to snowHeads. Albeit it a skier of 9 weeks with some intensive instruction, I'm 5'10" and 98kg and tend to ski hard on reds and most blacks confidently. I recently tried the Head XRCi 800 (170s) which I found performed really well - good versatile ski, although not being a big off-piste skier (yet), they only got limited edge of piste exposure where they seemed OK.
Well worth a try out IMHO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Never got to grips with Boarding - had been skiing for about 10 yrs before boarding really took off, and couldn't cope with the pain (knees / bum) and not being able to go straight to the top of the mountain every morning.
Very grateful that my 3 kids have stuck to skis!! Couldn't cope with boarders in the family.
The SX10's look like they might do it for me but will check the Fischers and Heads as well. Seems I'm looking in broadly the right area though.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Claretkid, Dynastar Legends are the latest interation of 4x4s. I still use my 5 yr old 4x4s regularly, still one of the best all mountain skis IMO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ise, Yeah, I just can't get a comfortable feeling coming to a stop with my torso facing down the fall line. I want to know who's going to drive a ski onto the back of my head.
I've been hit in the past by people following me at speed and not anticipating my moves, so I always stop my board on my toe side, I have the chance of avoiding the plonkers. It's a hard habit to break without being very deliberate in my moves, plus I'm not yet even a two week skier, I've a long way to go and a lot of fear to overcome before I'll get it right most of the time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Masque, I need to think about that, I can't see knowing the root cause is going to help me 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
ClaretKid, the Volkl 724 PRO is stiffer than the 724 EXP, so you might want to try both (I'm saying this because I like the EXP but I'm 2 inches shorter, and 45kg lighter and a female!) The K2 Apache Crossfire and/or Recon might also be something to consider - I believe the crossfire is the softer of the two!? And the Nordica SUV 10 and 12. Just a few for you to think about. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atomic reckon that the Metron B5 is the stiffest of the Metron range (also happens to be the most expensive!) but not sure how they compare to the SX 11's and SX 10's.
Apparently there is an Atomic dealership about 10 miles from me in Otley - amazing, about as far away from a snow covered piste as you could imagine. I'm off to have a look tomorrow and see what I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
ClaretKid, if you call the Ellis Brigham shop at Castleford they let you have a try of various skis in the snow dome. Thay do Atomic, but not the B5 unfortunately.
Ask them what they have and get them to put a couple on one side for you to try.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Thanks for that. Have looked at a few in Glide & Slide and I think the SX B5's are going to be the ones.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
No problem at all finding Fischer gear in UK. Spent a week with the UK Fischer rep in Les Gets in January, testing RX8's and RX 6's. Based in Glasgow or Edinburgh, can't remember which, or maybe it's Perth.
If you want contact details, let me know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
)
