 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello, I'm looking for some new ski's that are going to help me when I hit light powder...I currently have skied my first ski's Head Peak 73's for 4 years, they have served me well, however last year when I started to ventured a bit more off piste I had a sinking feeling... Now I fully accept my inexperience is just as much to blame for my lack of off piste awesomeness, some of the skiers I was with suggested I would get a helping hand by having a slightly greater width under foot and some rocker.
These Rosignols have caught my eye....has anyone got any specific feedback or recommendations?
http://www.ekosport.co.uk/rossignol-experience-84-ca-+-axm120-tpx-15-p-1-28346.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAh7WkBRCQj-_zwZvk52ISJADj7z8C4RRYloBjB-f5grlvMAvYgMEckQjxO0fLKXszA0VVIhoCC8Tw_wcB
I know the standard reply is rent and try as many different skis, but when time is so precious in resort I really don't want to spend half the week in the rental shop....I bought my head Peak skis with no knowledge what soever and they've done me proud...
FYI I'm 5'10 Probably level 6 aged 45 (but quite fit)...about 73kg
In a nutshell will this style of ski help me at all...I'm getting some more lessons, but I'm happy to take all the help I can get.
Thanks in advance.
Pete.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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They will help a little but why not go much wider for off piste and keep the heads for the piste.
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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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Should have gone to a snowHeads ski test!
Seriuosly, you definitely need to try before you buy. In the range of skis you are considering, the differences are huge and what you clip on will vary from the "added ski-potential" to the unskiable.
My own experiences might help you, though I am no sort of expert (as anyone who has seen me ski will agree!). I came to skiing late in life (47) and learnt at the Tamworth Snowdome. As a result, I am confident on flat hard stuff - even ice - but struggle with softer snow. After a ski test I bought Scott Missions and love them. They are agile and capable on piste and offer some float in softer stuff. This style of ski has been so successful that many other manufacturers offer a version of it. I recently tried some Nordica Energi 90s that were superb in the Snowdome and had width and rocker to make me think they would be great as a near all-mountain ski. I also tried some wide skis that made me think I couldn't ski at all!
To sum up, try before you buy is essential. Piste skis are very similar to each other (ish...) (stiffness make a huge difference) but what you are contemplating is a very different thing. The differences are huge.
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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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Thanks Chris for the feedback...I wish skis were as easy to choose as cars... 90% of reviews of cars tend to agree...every ski test seems to come down to personal choice...Those Nordica skis you mentioned certainly get some great reviews and they look great.
In an ideal world the answer is to try before you buy...but as said I really don't want to spend hours schlepping round the hire shops looking for the exact skis i'm after.
I've no aspirations to be the next ski world champion, I just want a pair of skis that will assist me in progressing to the next level.
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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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One of the easiest skiing skis I ever tried on hard snow, even ice, loose powder and semi-hard cruddy bumps are the K2 AMP Rictor 90 XTI (last year's version and this year's version are the same, save for the print). They are light, but stable and give great confidence. When conditions are bad (white-out, bumps at the end of the day, spring slush), these babies shine!
They have quite a bit of rocker, both in the tip and tail. So don't try/buy themtoo short!. I'm 1.82 m and 85 kg and I could only demo the 177. I would have bought the 184 blind after that demo. I didn't, though, because I fell in love with the Fischer Rangetr 88 TI instead. Also a true all-mountain ski with tip rocker. But a bit more camber and a full length sidewall, which gives them a bit more grip in hard/icy conditions. It has no real tail rocker, but a slight flick, so that the ski doesn't get hooky in loose or deep snow. I ski them right now in Serfaus, Austria, where there is 30 cm of powder on top of rock-solid man-made ice. They simply rock. They are a bit softer in flex than the K2's, but I love a flexible ski that gives me great confidence. That is a matter of preference and testing does get you in the right direction in getting to know what you like and what you don't like.
Tomorrow I'm going for an al-powder day and will ski on my Atomic Automatics (2013/2014). THat's a real powder ski, an entirly diffferent thing, but equally fun.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Pete................. As you already know, it's not the equipment always as much as it is the skier. In about 30 minutes I'm heading out for general cruising today - a relaxed day with about 4'' of new snow on top of similar over the past four days - deliberately on an old set of classic skis that I still get a kick out of whose underfoot width is 66mm. These classic skis were in their heyday one of the absolute hands down best and exceptional in powder, racking up many days both hardpack and powder with outstanding performance. They still do. It's still great fun to take them out even though their classic design has today been surpassed and I ski about 98% of the time on the new stuff which is clearly advanced and a great deal more fun.
While there is no ideal ski as an all-mountain ski beginning with brand, I can say that while I do not ski Rossignol, they have thankfully returned to the market as they should after several doldrum years via being bought and sold and your consideration of their EXP 84 is a sound one at that. If I may interject for your consideration.................... last March we were given a set of their 88's for three days and were candidly beyond impressed to put it mildly with the design and complete performance of their Experience model, again in their 88. The conditions were still packed powder with one day of roughly 16" of new snow. Their 88's were outstanding in everything - v. powerful and stable in all conditions, real versatile cruisers with great turnability and superb in powder - and I frankly would personally avoid regardless of brand anything wider per se. I am certain the 84's would be fantastic but if you are considering going to a wider platform overall to that of your excellent Head's and Rossignol have rightfully curried your interest, I candidly would not overlook what is now considered within their line-up a greater overall all-arounder in the 88. If you do get anything above all do not get too short a ski.
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sun 28-12-14 19:06; edited 3 times in total
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If you like your 73's try and get hold of a pair of Peak 82's, Ive had mine for 4 seasons and they have done me for the odd venture in deeper stuff and powder days on piste.
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Have you got any of the rest of the gear you need to ski off piste? If not, you are wasting your money on wider skis, you can rent them in any decent sized resort. You might not easily find transceivers, shovels or probes to hire.
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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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| Mistress Panda wrote: |
| Have you got any of the rest of the gear you need to ski off piste? If not, you are wasting your money on wider skis, you can rent them in any decent sized resort. You might not easily find transceivers, shovels or probes to hire. |
Sorry I'm talking nonsense...I don't want to go "off piste" per se...I just want to be able to cope with ungroomed situations that arise occasionally...last year when I was away there were a few mornings where it snowed heavily early in the morning and the groomed pistes weren't that groomed and the fresh powder really caused me some issues!
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| equinoxranch wrote: |
Pete................. As you already know, it's not the equipment always as much as it is the skier. In about 30 minutes I'm heading out for general cruising today - a relaxed day with about 4'' of new snow on top of similar over the past four days - deliberately on an old set of classic skis that I still get a kick out of whose underfoot width is 66mm. These classic skis were in their heyday one of the absolute hands down best and exceptional in powder, racking up many days both hardpack and powder with outstanding performance. They still do. It's still great fun to take them out even though their classic design has today been surpassed and I ski about 98% of the time on the new stuff which is clearly advanced and a great deal more fun.
While there is no ideal ski as an all-mountain ski beginning with brand, I can say that while I do not ski Rossignol, they have thankfully returned to the market as they should after several doldrum years via being bought and sold and your consideration of their EXP 84 is a sound one at that. If I may interject for your consideration.................... last March we were given a set of their 88's for three days and were candidly beyond impressed to put it mildly with the design and complete performance of their Experience model, again in their 88. The conditions were still packed powder with one day of roughly 16" of new snow. Their 88's were outstanding in everything - v. powerful and stable in all conditions, real versatile cruisers with great turnability and superb in powder - and I frankly would personally avoid regardless of brand anything wider per se. I am certain the 84's would be fantastic but if you are considering going to a wider platform overall to that of your excellent Head's and Rossignol have rightfully curried your interest, I candidly would not overlook what is now considered within their line-up a greater overall all-arounder in the 88. If you do get anything above all do not get too short a ski. |
Thanks for taking the time to reply... I too have heard great things about the experience 88's, but it's good to hear first hand from a real world skier.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| petesnap wrote: |
| Sorry I'm talking nonsense...I don't want to go "off piste" per se...I just want to be able to cope with ungroomed situations that arise occasionally...last year when I was away there were a few mornings where it snowed heavily early in the morning and the groomed pistes weren't that groomed and the fresh powder really caused me some issues! |
For those situations I think you're better off sticking with your ski lessons and keep improving your skills. I don't think you need anything wider than your Head Peaks if you want to stay on piste for the time being, even with a bit of fresh snow on top of the piste snow.
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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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| petesnap wrote: |
These Rosignols have caught my eye....has anyone got any specific feedback or recommendations?
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Hey Pete,
Funnily enough, I've just been recommended the Rossi Experience 84s for rental by a shop in Flaine, so will be trying them out in mid Jan. I've spent the past four years improving on some Rossi Alias 74 Carbons in a 176cm (iirc). I'm a heavy 185cm unit with a flaky knee and they're recommending that I go for the 178cm rather than the 186cm. Of course, it's possible that their recommendation may be biased towards what gives them the best return as opposed to what's best for me, but here's their reasoning, which I'm fully happy to accept:
Going for something a bit wider than the Alias 74 will be steadier on piste and easier off piste if you want to try some little runs when there is fresh snow. You shouldn't go wider than 88/90mm though, because it asks too much strength from the knees to carve and sideslip on piste.
We don't have everything on the list you gave me, which is quite long !
I don't recommend you the Cham 87 as they are mainly made for off piste; they are good on piste for their range but not designed for it and I think that's not what you're looking for. We have them to try anyway if you would like to.
My recommendation will be on the Rossignol Experience 84, they're quite powerful but easy to take on and not too demanding physically. They're really nice with their honeycomb structure in the tip, that makes them lighter and easier to pivot.
In the same style we have the Dynastar Powertrack 79 Carbon that you could try, or the Scott The Ski but they're a little bit too wide for what you're looking for (92mm)
I'm particularly interested to see if those honeycomb tips make it easier on the knees. Will report back, assuming they do actually have them when I turn up.
There's also a bunch of information and very helpful recommendations in a thread I started a month or two ago on here. Although we're of similar age and ability, I clearly got to the front of the pie queue before you, so some of these may be more relevant than others...
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2597601
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Consider Q90 from Salomon.Not aggressive,forgiving skis.Doing really well on groomers and off piste.I think it is really good compromise and good choice for first steps in deeper snow.
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