Any recommended skis for a good ten year old?

A snowHead

Any suggestions for stiffer skis for my daughter (10 yrs old, 145 cms, 31 kgs)?

She skis all conditions well, bumps, deep snow in the trees, black runs on piste etc. Toofy Grin

It seems that a lot of brands bring out skis to look like Daddy's, but actually they are all equally floppy. She wants to keep up with her parents, but the skis she had last year (130cms Mizunos generic) flapped about as soon as they were pushed. Not knowing anything about racing, I don't know how to judge the junior racing stuff.

Anyone know anything about skis for children? Any advice gratefully received.

A snowHead

I am no expert, just a Dad so my 2d's worth:

I bought SP ( age 10 now ) the Atomic SL9 skis in a 140cm last season. From your description I would say he is around the same standard as your daughter but a little shorter and lighter. He loves the skis and skied really well on them in all conditions.

I did not notice any flapping about, but there again I wouldn't as I have trouble keeping up with him Very Happy

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Nogs, this doesn't answer your question directly but when I was in Tokyo (in 1994) I visited an extraordinary street full of ski shops. Can't remember the name of it. Don't know if you've discovered it but if you can't find them there you won't find them anywhere!

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Thanks CP, I have found some on the internet here for a 160 pounds or so (with bindings), and will give them a try. There also seem to be some GS 9s too, more expensive though.

Interesting what you say David, I remember huge ski shop areas from the late 80s. All gone now; the whole ski business collapsed in the late 90s, I hear. Much less variety, especially if you don't want to pay full price. The ski magazines full of tests have disappeared, too.

The fat ski trend has not been followed generally here, which is surprising, given the depth of snow; on the other hand, many people who buy carvers ski old-style on them.

Moved to Kyushu, must change my profile...

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Nogs and CP - your kids sound like little superstars getting that good by the age of 10!

I'm no expert either but have you thought of getting her adult women's skis? I think Salamon ones for example start at 144cm which might be a little long now but she would probably grow into them pretty quick.

I would be interested to hear if there is an advantage to getting kids skis over adult ones once you get into 144cmish lengths.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Well, she's a skinny little thing, I would think her weight would not bend a good adult ski that easily.

That is really the problem - she does not keep up with my 5 stars which generally like to go fast and I do not want her to get up to dangerous speeds. But, I would like her to have skis that will reward her for good technique.

Here in Japan, the issue of kid's versus adult skis is interesting the other way round. To be straight about it - some people are pretty small and skinny. I notice that the good children's skis are priced very high. My guess is that if they were not, some adults would be tempted to buy them as an alternative to grown-up skis.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

The SL9 is the entry level slalom ski for kids in the Atomic range followed by the SL 11 which is stiffer. The GS9 is entry level Giant Slalom ski again followed by the GS11. Both of my children have used the SL9 and now the SL11 and have been pleased with them.
In theory the SL's should at most be about chin height and the GS's head height. As the names suggest the SL's are designed for shorter turns.
My daughter is about 50 kilo and 153cm and races on plastic on 140 SL11's on snow she prefers a little longer.
As your daughter is light maybe the SL9's would be better suited at the moment and please make sure whoever sets the DIN on the bindings knows what they are doing.

After all it is free

Nogs, What do you mean by skied old-style ? Is that where you sort of throw your bum from side to side to turn instead of using the ski radius ?

Mike

Thanks for your input gsb - point taken about the DIN.

Mike - I hadn't noticed that particular technique, but I'll look out for it!

What I had in mind was rather more stylish - knees and boots locked together one behind the other, rather static upper body, a look of effortless control deriving from side slipping tails through the curve, the poles casually flicking the surface of the snow as weight is transferred to the stemmed out and soon to be downhill ski.

Looks good, but it's a waste of a carving ski.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Nogs, You've had plenty of good, sound advice. Very Happy

All these hot kids should come here at Easter when I have other, hot kids of around 8-12 years sll ski-ing with me. Laughing

We have loadsa fun, and it's often difficult for good British kids to find others to ski with at their level. Sad

Be warned though - Easter week is my first to get booked up. Embarassed

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

My daughters 11 and 13 both race on plastic and go fast on snow they ski 143cm Ficsher RC4 and Salomon 10 3v

snow reports

Sounds like fun, easiski - bit out of my way though.

Thanks Kevin. I have been attracted to the RC4. Unfortunately the top models, RC4 SL and GS (this includes yours, I gather from the 143 length) are not distributed in Japan. The next one down ("Competition" RC4 for intermediates, comes in the 140) is available however, and looks okay. There is also an entry level RC4, here, another softy.

The Equipe 10T 3v Powerplate is on sale here. How do you compare the two, Fischer and the Salomon, by the way?

Yes they are the SL. I would say that the RC4 is the more racer/slalom ski the Salomon is probably the better all round ski.
It's hard to get real feedback from my daughters other than my edges need sharpening or my ski's need waxing!

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Thanks very much Kevin and PG. That is very helpful indeed.

Two years ago, at Lake Louise, the instructor teaching my daughter said we really should try to get her into a race program, as she had reached the limits of children's lessons. Then we came to Japan, and we are now really too far from such programs (don't know if they even have them here). I want to do what I can so that when we do get out to the mountains, she at least enjoys herself to the full.

By the way, it is pretty good having daughters, isn't it.

A snowHead

Help!!

Any recommended skis for a good ten year old?

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