 Poster: A snowHead
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I bought my B2 in 2005 and I love them. I know they will always get me down the mountain. BUT they are coming to the end, thin bottoms apparently (no not mine the skis), so the time has come to check out skis.
Ski technology has changed since I bought my B2s. Skis have got longer again and the waists have got fatter and they have rockers. I am confused.
I am female, wrong side of 50. Average fitness. H 180cm, wt 81kg. On the inside out scale I would say I am 7/8. I can get down le face do belleverde in val d'isere but it scares the s**t out of me everytime.
I have spoken to a good ski shop guy who has suggested rossy temptation 82 or saffron 7. One thin waist one fatish. I have also been checking out nordica helles belles and K2 superbright 90.
I am worried about a fatter waist as ski manufacterors sold me on the ease of turning with thin waists and now they are telling me it's easier to turn on fat waists (very confused). They also sold me on chin length skis but now they tell me they should be longer.
I know you people are very knowledgeable. Can anyone help? I want independent advice not what the shop has in stock that is suitable. The I spoke to seemed good and had neither pairs of rossy in stock.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Don't be put off by fatter waists. I am a female skier (just the right side of 50 but not for much longer). I think my level is about an 8. I am getting into off piste more and more but still, as any alpine skier does, ski more on piste than off . My day to day ski is a 97mm underfoot twin tip- daft as it sounds, they turn really well with a radius of 16.5m and grip too (Nordica Soulriders-a bit random but I love em). I don't think you need to go that fat if you're not really into off piste, but a mid 80s underfoot will still ski and turn really well. I promise that, as long as you get skis with a radius around 17m or so, you will not find it a struggle. As you are taller than me, I think you probably need a ski at least 170cm long, but longer if they are a twin tip. I agree you should probably go longer than chin length for an un rockered ski. I am 5ft 5in tall/165cm. My Soulriders are 177 long- maybe a bit too long sometimes, but on piste they ski seriously shorter. My other skis-non rockered -Volkl Kenjas (which rarely see the light of day) are 163.
You might want to look at the Nordica Wild belle (84mm under foot) and also the Dynastar Cham 87w. I have tested both. The Nordica's I think are a tad stiffer, the Dynastars may suit a lighter weight skier and are a bit softer. While I admit I am a Nordica fan, I think they have the ability to build skis that grip like bu***ry and just make you feel confident. The Helles Belles also get rave reviews-I'd love to try them. I reckon you will be pleasantly surprised at how good new skis make you feel. I reckon you would find La Face a total doddle on any of the above.
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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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NE1, if you ski on the piste all the time; then stay with shorter narrower skis.
If you're looking to tackle anything off piste, then maybe go fatter and a bit longer.
But remember, if the ski has any rocker on it - it will ski like a shorter ski on pistes (so you can go a bit longer).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My husband says I undersell myself and am probably an 8/9........ My bandits are 166cm as was the fashion at the time. Both the hells bells and the k2 have 90 waists. The saffy 7 are and the temptation are 82.
Perty I don't think I will ever find le face a doddle.......it's all in the mind!
btw I am mainly a piste skier, but I want a ski that will get me through crud and ice and grass and bumps and powder on piste too. Not that I want everything 
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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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Sounds to me like you don't need wide at all - probably under 80mm. For everything bar the bumps I'd suggest something a bit stiffer than your B2s and probably a bit heavier. This'll help you crash through all the crud.
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I agree with everything Perty wrote - bar one thing - I think the Dynastar Chams (admittedly i have only tried the men's version) will be too tip flappy for a 7/8 let alone an 8/9 skier - great in light powder but that's it imo. I don't know the other skis she mentioned but it sounds very much like good advice to me. Rockered skis ski shorter - so you can gain some advantage in stability from the extra length. And I have some Blizzard Cochise that are 108 waist but carve better than my previous Dynastar Mythics that had an 88 or so waist. I am not suggesting you go that wide, if you mainly stay on piste, but don't be scared of a bit of width - ski technology has advanced a lot since 2005.
Best advice - try before you buy if you can!
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Thanks for the advice, the overriding advice seems to be try before you buy, but how do I know where rents out the skis I want to try without trawling all the shops. I have had own ski since 1995 and so am a bit out of the loop of renting. Can I request specific skis for trial? We will probably get into les meniures (reberty) about 2-3 pm so would have plenty of time to trawl the rental shops but I can't think of anything worse to have to do.
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I can't help specifically with what's available in shops in Reberty but I know Twinner Sports (I believe there is one on Reberty) advertise a "try before you buy" service. So may be a starting point? I would have thought this kind of service is less likely from the big rental boys e.g. Intersport/Sport 2000.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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NE1, in France you will almost certainly have lots of Rossignol choice (possibly Dynastar as well) from any shop. Worth having a look at general fleet appearance (new, well maintained, etc.). If someone offers a specific try before buy service, they'll possibly hold some of those back from "ordinary" rentals to keep them in better nick.
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FAQ
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