 Poster: A snowHead
|
I've read this comment often on here "My new skis made me a better skier".
Do they really or do they just make it easier for the skier to ski a certain condition(s)?
Discuss 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Absolutely, no question
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
I wish
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
DB, I've seen people on skis that they are not happy with resulting in them skiing less well than they otherwise could. I'm sure the opposite applies. If someone is happy and confident on their skis they are more likely to commit to the movements that make them ski well. Perhaps "the ski made me better" is more of a psychological improvement rather than a technical improvement?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Posting in a stealth fat skis are terribad thread. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
If a ski makes you improve a specific technique, then you can apply it on others, i.e. stiffer skis give grip and encourage bending the ski, longer skis make speed more comfortable, turny ones improve timing and reaction speeds, fat skis make powder much easier, with all of the above, once one is more comfortable, it will be easier with other skis,
skiing, no matter what type is built on a few basic building blocks
experience
confidence
balance
strength
timing
reactions
if a ski helps improve any of them then your overall skiing will improve, regardless of what plank is under your foot
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Oh and money, that ones really important
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
actually, it's probably the previous pair of skis that made you a better skier. they (probably) weren't as well adapted to the things you wanted to do as the new ones, so you had to rely on technique rather than kit. now you have some skis designed for the job at hand, everything seems easier
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
More seriously better than what? Better than the skier you were on different kit or better than some other skier? I think it's pretty common to get seduced by marketing and for people to buy skis that put themselves well outside their comfort zone. Likewise I think most people notice a big difference in having their own skis rather than just hiring even if just consistency.
Further skiing the right ski for the conditions means you can apply the skills you have more easily which definitely means you ski better. Skiing is a sport that requires technical equipment and as with other sports that also require technical equipment you can buy a performance increase, up to a point. So yes I think you can make yourself a better skier than you were by using appropriate gear.
Better than someone else? Who cares, skiing's about having fun and pushing yourself (at least for me).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You could also say, 'new skis make me ski better, rather than become a better skier' - err, if you know what I mean.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
... but isn't it like saying that new underpants will make me better between the sheets ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
DB, no but buying some Viagra might...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Absolutely!
New Undies = higher chance of getting laid = more experience and trying new things = better between sheets
New Skis = higher chance of getting laid (but thats not important here) = more experience and trying new things = better on the pistes
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Not really (all in my humble opinion, of course - I could be wrong, often am).
If you time machined a punter from the 80's on skinnys and stuck him on current skis, I'm pretty sure they'd show an immediate improvement of some sort.
Unless he was French with his ankles clamped together 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| dulcamara wrote: |
| New Skis = higher chance of getting laid |
Sadly not in my world!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
dulcamara,
Thank's for that, I've just realised why boarders wear their pants so low round their knees - ( it's a mating call ).
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
| dulcamara wrote: |
| New Skis = higher chance of getting laid |
Sadly not in my world! |
Just as well - you'd never get any time actually to use any of the skis! Law of diminishing returns. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Pedantica,
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
The most important thing for skis is that they have been waxed, have flat bases, good edges with the correct angle and still have some spring in them. New skis generally fulfill these criteria.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Arno wrote: |
| actually, it's probably the previous pair of skis that made you a better skier. they (probably) weren't as well adapted to the things you wanted to do as the new ones, so you had to rely on technique rather than kit. now you have some skis designed for the job at hand, everything seems easier |
So skis less suited to their purpose make you a better skier?
I've often wondered if having skis that enable you to ski a condition very easily stunts your technique advancement. e.g. Skiing super wide skis enables you to ski powder badly without falling over but may not advance your technique. Then again superwide skis probably don't improve your piste skiing either.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
DB, I think the biggest thing that stops people improving their technique is a lack of desire too rather than any kit they are using. Personally I think skiing on a ski appropriate to the conditions is probably best for learning technique as you're not constantly fighting to achieve what is being asked of you or what you are trying to do. Beyond that skiing something that has headroom for you to improve into is probably a good idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| AsterixTG wrote: |
Not really (all in my humble opinion, of course - I could be wrong, often am).
If you time machined a punter from the 80's on skinnys and stuck him on current skis, I'm pretty sure they'd show an immediate improvement of some sort.
Unless he was French with his ankles clamped together |
Disagree. Because... If you took a skier who had only learned modern technique on modern, deep sidecut skis and gave her my 201cms Rossi 7S (circa 1996) I think you would find she had a few, err, issues, especially in powder.
Do I ski better (?) on my modern skis. I don't necessarily think so. Do I ski better only because of my modern skis? Definitely not.
Do I find skiing more "fun"? Arguably, yes, and clearly equipment itself is better, can be used more efficiently, etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DB, my first pair of fat skis improved my piste skiing greatly - once I got used to carving on them, carving on piste skis was a breeze. mind you, they were 98mm underfoot so "all mountain" by today's standards!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Arno,
Yes I can see that working - I suppose it depends on the skier, the equipment and the conditions. e.g. a good skier who manages to carve "wide" skis on piste could improve whereas a lower level skier who trys to carve with the same skis probably won't achieve much or see a technique improvement.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
under a new name, I'm a tad confused - your first remark seems to agree with me but with a reverse example.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Arno, did they improve your technique or did they just make it easier to do what you wanted? And what had you skied on previously? If you move from older touring skis (which were much slower in "modernising" as far as I can see) to deep side cut albeit fatter skis, the sidecut is going to make all the difference, the underfoot width not so much.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
| Arno, did they improve your technique or did they just make it easier to do what you wanted? |
Isn't that two sides of the same coin?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rob@rar, i am thinking that a technique improvement is a lasting change that could be applied back on the prior kit?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
under a new name, OK, I understand. Perhaps that's a good way of looking at this issue. Will the improvement 'disappear' if you are on skis which are less suitable for the conditions you are skiing...?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
It really depends what you mean by "better skiier"
If you mean some up its self nivana of perfect technique and ski godliness then... No ski's won't make you any better.
If "better" means you are more able to ski a certain slope efficienctly, safely, more under control and maybe faster (while under control) then yes, the equipment you use will be a huge factor in how well you ski.
IMO people who suggest that using the most appropiate kit is somehow "cheating" are just being a bit snobby.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| Quote: |
IMO people who suggest that using the most appropiate kit is somehow "cheating" are just being a bit snobby.
|
+1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Flet©h, +2.
With the caveat that using inappropriate/"less appropriate" kit is sometimes fun too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| Flet©h wrote: |
It really depends what you mean by "better skiier"
If you mean some up its self nivana of perfect technique and ski godliness then... No ski's won't make you any better.
If "better" means you are more able to ski a certain slope efficienctly, safely, more under control and maybe faster (while under control) then yes, the equipment you use will be a huge factor in how well you ski.
IMO people who suggest that using the most appropiate kit is somehow "cheating" are just being a bit snobby. |
I would have interpreted "better skier" as meaning improving technique. Maybe the people who actually wrote "better skier" meant something else.
Can see that if a particular set of skis gave the skier more confidence it could actually result in a permanent improvement to the skiers technique. (e.g. less leaning back in powder) If however they were being used as a crutch there may not be an improvement in technique (The intermediate Fat Ski Plateau?) although they could be having much more fun (which is what it's all about).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
| Perhaps "the ski made me better" is more of a psychological improvement rather than a technical improvement? |
This. The 'right' skis inspire confidence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
under a new name, my piste skis (Atomic SX11s) were constant throughout this process. The fat skis were Dynastar Legend Pros, which were quite wide back in the day and had a 28m sidecut (IIRC) so not something you could just park and ride.
I think I was improving as a skier generally at the time (had a few lessons etc) but I do think learning to love carving on the LPs helped this aspect of my skiing generally
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| meh wrote: |
| Posting in a stealth fat skis are terribad thread. |
FTW.
My first pair of modern all mountain skis 10 year ago (the legendary Motherships) definitely made me a better skier as they lured me back off a snowboard and back into skiing all terrain, whereas my previous ski days had been focused on hardpack days.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DB wrote: |
| ... but isn't it like saying that new underpants will make me better between the sheets ? |
Surely it's about lucky pants rather than new ones?
.....roll on up you lucky, lucky ladies
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Flet©h +3
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Flet©h wrote: |
IMO people who suggest that using the most appropiate kit is somehow "cheating" are just being a bit snobby. |
Unless used ironically it's also a sign that they probably suck at some aspect of skiing but justify it by saying that it isn;t "proper" skiing. (obvious exceptions being if some grizzled vet on 118 year old Explosivs rocks up, don't call him on it)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| DB wrote: |
| If however they were being used as a crutch there may not be an improvement in technique (The intermediate Fat Ski Plateau?) although they could be having much more fun (which is what it's all about). |
Why is it always fat skis that come in for criticism? Why not piste carving skis? Both make some conditions easier than others. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
