 Poster: A snowHead
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Am finally planning to update my 25-yr-old Salomon Verse Pros and Nordica boots. I know that is ancient, but I only ski a few days a year, and I've been nervous about changing. Anyway, will be skiing a lot more from now on, so time to get some modern kit. My current skis are 160cm (I'm 5' 7") and today I tried some Atomic Cloud 9s, which were 150cm. I loved them and felt much more confident - I am a very nervous skier. A neighbour here in Austria has offered me her 160cm Head Worldcup skis. They have liquidmetal and metal jacket technology, whatever the hell that means. The radius is 11.4 and the dimensions 115 62 99. They are in excellent condition, as she upgrades her skis regularly, and these have been sitting unused for 5 years. My only concern is that if she is a speedy, confident skier, are these likely to be suitable for a slow, anxious skier. She assures me that they are very easy to ski on! I will try them, of course, just wondered if anyone had any experience of 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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If you loved the Cloud 9s and you can afford them then I'd recommend you go with them. I'm sure the Heads will be good skis and it's a generous offer from your neighbour but they might well be a bit racier and less forgiving than the Atomics.
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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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Thank you
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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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I think you are right - I skied on the Heads today, and I didn't feel as confident - but I was back in my old boots, the snow was harder and it was crowded - there are just too many variables! Having ordered a new pair of boots, as my old ones are very uncomfortable, I just can't afford new skis as well. My current skis are Salomon Verse 10s, and the Heads are much more shaped than them, so I'm hoping will be easier to ski on. I will definitely get some shorter skis, but it might have to wait a year or two! What do you think of rockers v. carvers?
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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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Ski the Heads, they won't bite! A slalom ski has plenty of turn in it so you should feel in control. You probably won't use them too their full potential, but who cares? People sometimes drive gently around town in a Ferrari. But check that the DIN setting of the bindings is set correctly.
Rockered skis are good in soft snow and crud. If you are skiing on groomed pistes then a normal cambered ski like the Heads is fine.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The Head may be to unforgiving if you are nervous I would suggest wait till you have been out for a few full days in your new boots then give the Head a go on easier runs to start with. You will find the are more responsive, the edges bite and hold more but you can detune the edges a bit. If after trying them for a day or two, you find they are not to demanding go for it, they will give you hopefully the confidence to commit to the turn more and improve. You def will not out ski them.
Just no point trying with your old boots.
If they are borderline I would say go for them and buy some cheaper secondhand more forgiving skis which you can use when tired or conditions are bad. This will also allow you to keep the Head in great condition.
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Sadly my new boots won't be arriving for a few days, so I have to keep going in the old instruments of torture. What does 'de-tune the edges' mean? I rarely do anything harder than a red, unless a black is looking unusually inviting. I managed quite a horrible steep icy red in the Heads the other day - didn't enjoy it, but they got me down. Should I be finding them easier or harder the ski with than my ancient Salomon Verse 10 pilots?
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@LizAtk, It's basically slightly bluntening the tip and tail edges so that they slide more instead of biting in and gripping like they were designed to do. It means that they are easier to ski (i.e. less demanding of technique), but they will also have less grip when turning on icy pistes.
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Ah, ok - thank you. What a shame I can't find somewhere to swop them for a nice undemanding pair of 150cm carvers..... I'm sure they are too good for me.
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