 Poster: A snowHead
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As I paid top whack for hire skis, I thought I would try out different ones last week. I am aware from looking up reviews that all these appear to be from prior years' ranges - but they were all in tip top condition - perhaps bought as end of ranges?
1st up were Head, Myla 5 - which I was skiing on OK by lunchtime of my first day of the season and skiing well on second day - these had been described as for longer turns. They were about eye height.
Nevertheless, I thought I would try out something else and got a pair of K2 Supersmooth - which they also insisted on giving me at chin height when I have always skiied on eye height - indeed a couple of years ago a guide sent me back for longer skis when skiing with the big boys.
We went up the mountain and I found that I could not move the ***** things - I looked like a week 2 skier stuck on a red run rather than the confident on/off piste, comfortable in most conditions skier that I am normally. We tried about four runs and I only found any reasonable fluidity of movement on shallow groomed slopes - other than that I came down the hills 2-3 turns at a time, using huge amounts of emotional energy ( and swearing like a trooper).
So, back to the shop for Dynastar Exclusive Active - still only nose height - and back onto the mountain - and away ! The same red as in the morning and then the men's downhill at Val Gardena ......Skied without giving the skis a second thought - except neither the Myla nor the Exclusive felt quite as confidence giving as some skis I have skied in the past - eg loved the Scott Missions I skied an off piste week on last year.
So - is it me?
Does anyone else freeze up on the "wrong" skis for them?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Scrumpy, bad tuning ?
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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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Scrumpy, yes me, for the first time this year I felt I'd lost the ability to ski at all, found it really hard to turn, my legs ached, my ankles hurt, and I began losing confidence, day 3 lunchtime went back to the shop and swapped for different skis, same length, it was like having new legs and was great, the annoying thing being I never took note of the name, but am going armed with a list of what I want from a pair of skis next time, I never realised how different skis could feel?
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Nowadays the top suspect for me is a bad tune - though that's surprising from the same shop.
At the last EOSB, for a laugh, Elston and I swapped one ski and we both skied perfectly well on very mismatched pairs (80 mm 180 cm / 112 mm 191 cm). On the other hand, a pair of badly tuned new skis turned me into a poor intermediate on a blue run in St Anton.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sorry for sounding like an idiot, but what defines a badly tuned ski?
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Handy Turnip, My rock hoppers a very old pair of fischer kehuas had a base grind after i last used them 2 years ago, covered in storage wax and left them in the cave, then I had to use them at the start of this season. They were really horrible on the first day, really twitchy, especially on hard snow, fell over numerous times, much to my daughters amusement. Discovered there was no base edge angle, so quick hand tune on the bench in the evening, much better the next day, adjusted a bit more for a couple of evenings, now they are fine (ish!). I have another pair of rock hoppers as well, done by the same shop and on checking them it was the same, with a huge burr to boot.
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Thanks carroz 
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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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| feefee wrote: |
| Scrumpy, yes me, for the first time this year I felt I'd lost the ability to ski at all, found it really hard to turn, my legs ached, my ankles hurt, and I began losing confidence, day 3 lunchtime went back to the shop and swapped for different skis, same length, it was like having new legs and was great, the annoying thing being I never took note of the name, but am going armed with a list of what I want from a pair of skis next time, I never realised how different skis could feel? |
It's this sort of experience that's convincing me to buy my own skis. I'd rather know I'm skiing badly, rather than wondering if it's the skis.
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sugarmoma666,
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It's this sort of experience that's convincing me to buy my own skis. I'd rather know I'm skiing badly, rather than wondering if it's the skis.
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I have read on a few threads that a number of our fellow Snowheads are returning to rentals because of the cost of skis; initial outlay/service/carriage. But personally - hell'l freeze over before I go back 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Bad tune more than poss. Convinced that's why I thought a pair of Armadas I demoed at the MK test were so absolutely lifeless in sticky snow. No one could have designed a ski that bad.
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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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The Dynastar obviously suited your skiing. I once rented a pair of Rossignol bandits due to the rave revues, hated them and couldnt ski. Took them back and got a pair of Atomics and skied the best Id done for many a year, despite not wanting to like them I loved them.
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| mozwold wrote: |
sugarmoma666,
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It's this sort of experience that's convincing me to buy my own skis. I'd rather know I'm skiing badly, rather than wondering if it's the skis.
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I have read on a few threads that a number of our fellow Snowheads are returning to rentals because of the cost of skis; initial outlay/service/carriage. But personally - hell'l freeze over before I go back |
Apart from anything else I'm more than happy to pay for carriage to avoid the Saturday night ski shop experience.
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You know it makes sense.
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skitech, I remember loving Rossi Bandits!
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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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Scrumpy, skitech, so do I, mainly because I was on them yesterday 
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Poster: A snowHead
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FAQ
Came straight down and went straight back to the shop and put my old faithfuls back on 
