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ski advice needed for ex-racer that hasn't skied in 11 years.. volkl 6 star?
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead

Hi, I'm 6' 140lbs. I used to be a pretty serious racer that competed in the US in everything from slalom to downhill. But.. for various reasons I stopped skiing when I was about 14. It goes without saying that I enjoy fast, very steep runs, and always liked hitting huge jumps and dropping off small cliffs (never got out west for anything bigger)... I was never one for moguls. Oh and I'm in Quebec, so I don't need skis that are exceptionally good for powder...

Anyway, I'm now 25yrs old and have the opportunity to take-up skiing again. Everything has changed! Skis are completely different and I'm reading that shorter shapes skis do what longer straight skis used to do.

My favorite pair of skis was a pair of Volkl race skis (can't remember the model no.). I prefer a stiff ski that's stable at high speed and I prefer to make big gs or super g type turns. So naturally I'm looking at Volkls again and I'm thinking either the 6 star or the superspeed. Even though I prefer big turns and high speed, I do want a ski that's versatile, and I've been leaning towards the 6 star... Can anyone give me recommendations? Particularly in terms of length?

I'm buying all of my gear (except boots) online to save money so I won't really be able to try stuff before I buy, as all my gear is gonna come at once. I don't even have a ski suit yet.

And what about boots, is there anything in particular I should be looking at given what I've already mentionned? I don't need a race boot anymore, but I imagine I'd still like something that's racing inspired perhaps...

Thanks!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person

Welcome to snowHead

The 6* is a great ski, takes quite a lot of skiing but it sounds like you can handle it. If you still want to charge stuff then it will be worth sticking to something still like that . If you want to be able to relax at all on your skis then look for something a little more forgiving, like a 5*. Skier X and piste skis aren't really my thing, lots of people here will be able to give you more help on other skis to consider... It's a shame you can't test a few skis before you buy it could be a very expensive mistake not to, skis have come a long way since you last skied. To get the most out of them you will have to modify your technique a little (or not, just ski the hill like it was a GS course, only slower).

As for length, I don't know what length these Volkls come in. Most of the posters here will try and get you to ski quite a short ski, certainly much shorter than where you were. I for one, like my skis long but I love the stability of long skis at high speed and how they float off piste. Don't go to short, it'll limit what you can do with it...

Oh, and while I'm here... consider something wider underfoot. Not a fat ski, just something a little fun. Coming from your background you'd need a well built ski, consider a Volkl Explosive (now the Mantra) or Karma and have a look at some Movement skis. Twisted Evil

Good luck with it all. snowHead
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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?

jrs, Welcome

Considering your background you probably have a huge choice. I'd be looking at Volkl, Rossi, Dynamic etc GS skis Or check out Elan who are making very good skis at the moment. Not really my thing and I've only really skied the SL's and the detuned versions I've tried haven't been too demanding as an all day piste basher.
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I found the Head GS ski (RD version) to be very stiff and stable at high speeds, might be worth a look
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hi jrs

It is certainly worth hiring a few different skis to see what suits your personal style and that's what I did that the season before last. Having tried various skis I was given the Volkl 6* and I liked them so much that I bought them.

Whilst I'm way to self conscious to divulge my weight in open forum Embarassed , but suffice to say I did want a ski that was stable & solid under pressure- I'm pleased to say I've always felt totally confident on the Volkl 6*.

Height-wise mine are a couple of inches shorter than my 5' 9" and that suits me & seems pretty common (sorry haven't got the exact size as they're in the shop being waxed & edged for next week Very Happy .)

But just to repeat, all the skis do seem to have slightly different characteristics, so I'd strongly recommend trying before buying
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jrs, I second the idea that you should try before you buy. Buy your boots straight away (but at a shop, not online) and then try different skis out. It costs too much to buy the wrong ones. I would recommend the Fischer WC GS ski perhaps for you. They're very stable and turn pretty quick for a GS ski. Currently very popular on the WC circuit. You will find a huge difference in how to ski the ski, and I'd suggest an "updating" lesson to get to grips with the changes. On length, for a GS ski, probably your height or about 5 cms longer would be good. You don't need to go long unless you really only want to do open S's down the mountain. For Super G skis 10-15 above head height would be about right. This is a huge difference from when you last skied - also remember, you were a kid then, and you may find your focus changes now you're an adult. Certainly your strength-weight ration will have changed as well.

It's great you're coming back into ski-ing, I know you'll have loads of fun. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks for the opinions guys. I've actually decided to go with Fischer RX9s. I was talking to my cousin who's a coach out west and he thinks they'd be great for me, plus I can get them at significant discount which is important for me right now since I'm having to buy all new gear and none of this stuff was in the budget... Anyway, from what I've been reading I think they'll make a good transition ski so I'll go with those for this year and demo a bunch of otheres, including Volkl for next season.
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