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who skied on skis > 120mm width last season?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
kitenski, haha nice videos. You would LOVE my Kuros in the Zinal Freeride and last one. They are perfect for that typical Euro mix of slightly crusty, heavy pow. Forget getting pushed into the back seat. Say goodbye to slow, little S's. They'll set you free.

2nd one looked a bit more like Spring snow where you weren't really breaking the surface? Rockers still fine but if you're not breaking the surface you won't get the benefit from the float.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Quote:
that a pic/video is better than a thousand words, look at these and let me know what skis would benefit me most.....


^ OK - seeing as you asked (and I have invested too much time following this topic as well!)

Your skiing well and in control...
Very tidy pole plants (the late Doug Coombs would be proud!).

However your clearly leaning back.
That may keeps tips out the snow... but it also causes other problems and balance issues.
And almost impossible to maintain any speed between turns.
Notice how the turns arent always symmetrical in shape ? And you scrub speed in the middle section.
Ideally you want to be going at the same speed in one smooth arc.

A longer ski (with soft to medium flex and subtle rocker?) would certainly allow you to become more centered / balanced on the ski.
You will then be able to drive the ski between turns properly and maintain some speed over longer radius turns.

I am guessing that is Gav / Parlor at 5.20 on the Annivers video ? He makes it look easy.
Watch how he manages to just stand on the skis, and effortlessly power through what looks like heavy-ish snow.
On 100-110mm ish skis ?

EDIT : hope this is useful and feedback you were after..... feel like a tw@t when commenting on other peoples technique!


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 13-09-10 17:23; edited 7 times in total
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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?
kitenski wrote:
DB, if I was going to stick around 90mm I was thinking I would just keep my current pair.....but that is an option!

My head says stick with what I've got, but new gear syndrome is saying get something to make your life easier in less than perfect conditions....

and there ain't many places to test in the UK, and I can't see the point of taking such a ski into a fridge!!


If I was in your position I'd take a trip to St Anton. I'd agree with a rental shop that I can try multiple pairs of skis a day and that there would be some discount if I decide to buy - then try many different skis (of various widths and stiffness) to see what worked best for me. You've got it easy touring skis are even more difficult to rent. the other thing I would do is visit an offpiste guide/instructor so he can tell me what I am doing wrong again.

PS Youtube is blocked from work so can't comment on your skiing.
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Haggis_Trap, yeh that's Gav I think he was on Faction 13s and it's interesting you think I lean back as I always thought I didn't, and no worries with the feedback, I did think the Missions were pulling me around quicker than I wanted to in the Annivers video.

Now digging out some stills and you could be right...



The one thing I have been working on is keeping up speed and a longer radius turn.....
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
kitenski, just watched the vids you posted up, love the music on the first one Toofy Grin

I guess as has been mentioned above, if you go reverse camber fatter skis then you give yourself more of an option to do the TGR thing as DB linked to. However if you stick with the style you have and want to improve what you are doing already then a good tip and tail rise rocker style ski rather than reverse camber under foot would help.

Hope that makes sense was trying not to say that you do quite a few turns down the hill, Whoops there you go I said it Blush wink

I have tried fatter skis in the fridges, as well as on real snow, and it can give you a pretty good idea of how these fatter skis behave but not as good as the real thing
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
kitenski,
Quote:

The one thing I have been working on is keeping up speed and a longer radius turn.....

whoops crossed postings, maybe you have answered the question I set
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Leaning back is the most common mistake for all standard of skier.
The above stance is ok, certainly not classic toilet seat - and it looks like tricky snow.
However bringing shoulders and hips forward (over your toes) would be better - so that your own center of gravity is over middle section of the ski.

As for skis - an extra 10cm length and tip rocker would certainly help make it easier to stand in the middle of the ski.
Though I personally wouldnt go all the way to 120mm underfoot before demo-ing them first in a variety of condtions.
Ski design is always about compromise and personal preference- no one ski is perfect for all conditions!


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Mon 13-09-10 19:42; edited 4 times in total
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I think the Anniviers clip linked to is fake, parlor appears to be doing some turns.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Haggis_Trap,
Quote:

no one ski is perfect for all conditions


I beg to differ. Nordica Dobermann SL-Rs seem to work everywhere for me... Twisted Evil Twisted Evil

ROFLOL, LMAH, SPIH...

But I am looking forward to testing Mantras/Gotamas and Kuros in early December assuming I can track them down.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Haggis_Trap, forget 120mm. In the conditions in those vide Kitenski would be better off on 130mm skis like Redeemers or Kuros. You've pointed out why in your analysis of his skiing!!!! Have you skied 130mm skis? If you're in Verbier this year be ready to change your mind!
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
^ The worst ski I have ever skied in my life was the Line Prophet 130.
Some people loved them... I personally hated them.

I obviously pointed out my thoughts on 120mm+ super fat skis in the other thread. (great in certain condtions but in my humble opinion lack the flexability to ski the whole mountain what ever the conditions - probably not best suited to most peeps based in the UK. basically its a quiver ski for people who live in the mountains to bring out on big days).

http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=66462&start=40

Ski selection is *always* a compromise. There is no right or wrong answer.
However a variety of opinions (i,e personal preference) is a good thing ?
Good technique is always more important than the fattest / burliest skis ?
Based on the videos I reckon what kitenski needs is a 185cm to 190cm ski, soft to medium flex, 100-110mm underfoot with some subtle tip rocker / early rise. But hey - I will shut up before this turns into a bun fight / religious war snowHead

Happy ski shopping - you have to let us know what you pick Cool
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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.
Been thinking more about the link I posted yesterday.
http://www.tetonat.com/2009/07/is-skiing-reverse-camberrocker-tips-skis-cheating/

Remember after trying the Rax skis from Tom which also allowed a "sitback" position once I got back on the piste I was totally in the back seat for the first few mins. Whatever skis make you smile more is better but I'm concerned making it easier in the powder/offpiste could screw up balance/technique in other areas. Bearing in mind that in ski touring I can start the descent at the top with dry power and go through everything (porridge, breakable crust, death cookies, moguls, ice, grass, stones etc) then across the board a normal cambered ski could well be better.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
ok so i only watched the first one... hardly waist deep angel dust..... give me something 90-95 under foot i like to ski in the powder not on it Toofy Grin (and if can't have that then a pair of oversize GS skis will do just fine
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
DB, I don't think comparing a Rax ski with a longer, wider off piste ski (perhaps with rocker) is a fair comparision!!

Also I am guessing you ski an awful lot more than me, so I want to enjoy my time on/in the snow as much as possible, anything that makes that easier is goodness as far as I am concerned!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DB, nice pic of offpisteskiing in that link!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
kitenski wrote:
DB, I don't think comparing a Rax ski with a longer, wider off piste ski (perhaps with rocker) is a fair comparision!!


Yes the skis themselves are very different but they both allow you to "cheat" which could adversly affect our performance elsewhere. I also suffer from backseating in difficult offpiste conditions - I'd rather fix the technique than buy a piece of kit that could hide the problem or make it worse. It's often hidden / masked underlying problems that keep a skier on a learning plateau.

kitenski wrote:
Also I am guessing you ski an awful lot more than me, so I want to enjoy my time on/in the snow as much as possible, anything that makes that easier is goodness as far as I am concerned!


Don't know I normally do around 20 to 40 days a year although with a couple of kids it's getting less now and as many of those days are day tours or skiing with kids I probably don't put in that many runs. Can't see your Youtube vids buts its possible you are a better skier than I. It's probably the engineer in me that makes me want to understand how these things we strap to our feet work. I want to enjoy my time in/on the snow too but would rather invest in technique and balance/fitness improvement than equipment. Long term in 20 to 25 years my pension money will probably go on other things that the latest "300mm wide ski with curly camber" my strength and fitness will probably have declined too. Technique and balance could keep me going if I develop it correctly. Once something is too easy it often loses it's attraction too. The skiers I admire on the hill are not the ones doing things because their equipment makes it easy but the ones doing what others of the same age/fitness couldn't do on the same equipment (this includes 65+ year old skiers ripping it up off piste and others skiing offpiste & moguls on race skis). But yeah we could get hit by a bus tomorrow so stuff it I'm gonna buy me a pair of 140mm reverse camber fatties. Wink (each to their own)
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DB, I read that TetonAT article you linked. IMV it's not cheating it's just changing the parameters of the game and the point is its just fun if you are prepared to play around with it. I had the pleasure of skiing with an top mogul skier one day last winter and we got into some fairly funky sun affected snow at which point he gave the group a brief lecture on rocker and told us we should try it as it was a game changer. He said he regularly changed skis 2 or 3 times a day depending on what he was doing. And for all the BS talked in the fat/rocker ski camp you should check the quivers of some of the masters racers and not a single one over 90mm.
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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?
fatbob,

Suppose it depends where you draw the line, some people believe carving skis (not straight skis) are cheating. Masters racers are piste racers aren't they? Why should they be on anything over 90mm. Puzzled
Lewis Hamiliton sometimes changes his tyres a few times a day too but I'm not in that leaugue either. Wink
Yes I will give reverse camber skis a try but I'm interested in being able to deal with all the conditions I'm likely to encounter on one ski tour with the only pair of skis I will have with me (maybe I need a ski caddy Wink). A good allround ski will help (with or without reverse camber) but not as much as great technique.
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DB wrote:
fatbob,

Masters racers are piste racers aren't they? Why should they be on anything over 90mm. Puzzled .


I meant that as an illustration of another group that has wealth, commitment to skiing and inclination to obsess about gear, in addition to their racing quiver they'll often have training skis, cruising skis, bump skis, performance piste skis and a fat powder ski (usuallly around Scott Mission size)
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DB wrote:
fatbob, maybe I need a ski caddy Wink


Carlsberg don't do great skiing accessory ideas, but if they did, it would be this ^.
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