Girls, Girls, Girls.

A snowHead

I'm currently putting together our range of skis for 2006-07 and want to include a range of Womens specific skis. Next year there is huge development in this area and i feel it's an important part of current technology changes. Due to the womens centre of gravity coming at the hips its important that the 'SWEET SPOT' of the ski is slightly further forward to help turn initiation, as with men is at shoulder level and therefore a longer ski with the 'SWEET SPOT' futher back has a similar turn initiation.

We do however have female clients whom consider it an insult to suggest they couldn't/shouldn't ski on a ski unisex/mens.

There is also graphical issue, with ladies skis being either too feminine or not. The K2 Phat Luv being a perfect example for us. By far the best ladies powder ski on the market, however wrapped in pukey pink flowers. Our lady clients accept the wonders of the ski and are desperate to buy it, however again can't part with their money to buy something that looks like Barbie's wallpaper. (No improvements for next year although a muted violet)

Check out the 'NANCY' from K2 next year, ladies of this ilk.

What do you ladies think? Little Angel

A snowHead

Shouldn't that be "Be-atches"?

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

SMALLZOOKEEPER, when womens specific skis came out I found it slightly patronising, assuming they'd be softer and for wimpy girly skiers (and designed by men). And the colours and graphics certainly didn't help. But after a couple of years of reading trials and info on them and having said I would never buy girls skis, I gave in this year and bought some Burning Luvs (I know they're not fat NehNeh

) and the graphics aren't pink, in fact the orange and yellow is quite cool, and they're great skis, and have definitely helped me ski better.

So I guess if I was somewhere where I needed fat skis and there were some Phat Luvs available to hire I'd definitely give them a go. After all, who can see the colour and graphics when they're under a foot of powder? snowHead

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RachelQ, Thanks, thats one for the Ladies Range. Little Angel

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DB, Yes.

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I want a pair that doesn't make my bum look big...!!!

After all it is free

I'd buy women's specific skis - and have, Volkl Supersport Gamma. The stars on them are pink which is bad enough, wouldn't go for the pink flowery unless I really wanted the skis.

I've got some Rossi's with flowers on too, but don't tell anyone!! Not pink though Embarassed

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Mrs P has Phat Luvs, when she bought them she was most disturbed to be buying the girly green flowery skis, she prefered the year before with it's slightly futuristic blue flowers. She's quite like a pink pair now, only having got over the 'barbie factor' by the fact that she rips on these skis so she doesn't care what they look like.

If they did this years Phat Luvs in a 198 I'd buy a pair for myself. Twisted Evil

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I have just ditched a pair of 2003 Salomon Womens XScream in favour of a shorter unisex pair of Volkl S1 Unlimited (142cm). At 5ft and 50K (see shorter, lighter women thread) I had never been supplied with anything less than 160s and having only started skiing in 1998 struggled! So eventually did my homework and found out about women specific skis. Bought the Salomons because at 152cm they were the shortest I could find, however they were still above head height. Big improvement but easiski suggested I might like to try something shorter and I did and the rest is history. I accept that at 10/11 weeks I am not an experienced skier but I reckon that the shortness of the ski helps me initiate turns better rather than the forward position of the binding. The Volkls also seem a stiffer ski because the bit in front of the bindings isn't as 'flippy floppy' and doesn't wibbly wobbly about as much as the Salomons (not being too technical am I!). Therefore I feel more in control of them! I think I might be right in saying that many of the manufacturers still don't make anything less that 150cm in womens skis and imho the shorta*** devils like me that would benefit the most aren't catered for.

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SMALLZOOKEEPER, I'd buy women's specific skis, I didn't even appreciate you could get them for technical reasons. In my ignorance I thought the manufacturers were just trying to sell them as a fashion statement when I saw some of the designs. It makes sense, in the last few years it has become so much easier for women to buy good quality wetsuits, harnesses, rigs etc for windsurfing and sailing and it really has helped to make these sports more accessible to me in terms of impoving my technique/style and being able to achieve more.

SMALLZOOKEEPER, My Zag Le Rouge is mentioned in their literature as being suitable for womean/light men and they're fine. OTOH my Fischer WC SCs are very heavy to carry (which is a pain). I really don't see the need for women's skis at all. Personally (although I've never been bothered by graphics on a ski) I WOULD NEVER BUY EITHER A PINK OR FLOWERY SKI - that's really insulting, and besides I hate the colour pink!!!! the suggestion that all women like pink and flowery is tantamount to saying we're all wibbly wobbly skiers who are too "fragile" or "feeble" to handle a proper ski!

Having had my little rant though, I'm sure the market is there, and you'll have success with the range. BTW I see K2 have a model that's black with pink flowers - marginally less offensive! Shocked

You know it makes sense.

SMALLZOOKEEPER,

I know, you know it.
Matching pink flowery boots is the future.
..... and if you call them "Ski Shoes" instead of "Ski Boots" they'll all buy at least 25 pairs each.

(ducks, runs and hides)

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Hmmmmmm .. a sudden outbreak of tiny pint syndrome going on there!

A snowHead

Pink mobile phones are the biggest sellers in the female market so maybe it would be the same with skis. I'm still looking for skis for myself with tanks, guns, knives, blood, mud and beer graphics on. I'm proberbly not comfortable with my sexuality though, having admitted that!- Chris, short for Christopher.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

SMALLZOOKEEPER, I have tried a couple of women's specific skis, and not been bowled over, and as for the paint jobs Shocked

. I have read that some unisex skis can have the bindings mounted slightly further forward for women skiers, myth or reality?

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SMALLZOOKEEPER, Yes we do want girlie skis - but without the girlie graphics. And girlie bindings, please, which are lighter to carry. Why do they have to go into DIN double figures anyway? Show me a women who needs a big, strong binding and I'll show you a women who wouldn't buy girlie skis anyway.

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I totally share Easiski's sentiments about the graphics!

When we were in Courchevel last week and our skis were in for service I wanted to try out some women's-specific skis that were more specifically ice-oriented than the iM72s. Above all I wanted to try the Head Fast Thang and the Fischer Vision 50. There wasn't one of either to be had in the whole of 1850, despite the best efforts of advance plannign by me and ringing round by our chalet manager (who I think was interested in finding me the skis for her own sake too Wink

). So those would go on the list.

One shop had been asked to let me try the Burnin Luv and gave me the Sweet Luv instead coz they didn't have the BL. Hardly equivalent. Did eventually finally find the BL and it was the best ski of the week for me but still didn't match up to the iM72. It was nice, but not one I couldn't go home without. Incidentally I'd have tried the Wild Thang when we bought ours if they'd had them in the shop.

Oh and for the record, in the end I didn't find a single ski of the 65-68 waist range I tried that handled the icy conditions *for me* better than the 72mm Monsters. (Subject to driver error, natch Wink

)

One general comment - which may be a generalisation and/or only apply to 1850: apart from the fact that I was shocked at how little rental/testing stock was actually 05-06 models, the women's models in the rental fleets all seem to be low end beginner skis and advancing and advanced women are not catered for. If you want a higher level ski, there's no choice but unisex so it would be worth stocking the higher ends of the women's ranges too, imo, especially if you're likely to have snowHead

as customers. My experience this winter is that it's easy enough to buy the higher end women's skis but practically impossible to try them out first.

After all it is free

Mrs Chris wouldn't want pink skis in fact she would prefer the skis with tank,guns, knives, mud, blood and beer graphics that I want. Not suprising for a 50 something lady who has mtb'ed the whole of the Luc Alpand ski run in the Serre Che! (downhill).

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maggi, I'm with you on this one, I like the skis, hate the flowers. My kids are amazed how light my skis are , and I'm usually first at the lift in the morning as they are so easy to carry. I am looking for a rpelacement though, so all suggestions gratefully received. Current Rossi Saphir Fun 150cm (1 or 2 not sure which), too soft and awful at speed.

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Helen Beaumont, Try the Volkl attiva 5's, was going to try them on the slope couple of weeks ago but chose the day the Fohn winds decended on Jungfrau region and did not have time after that!!!!

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Hee hee, i read this one with interest. I am not to bothered by the graphics, but wouldn't touch a womens ski with a barge pole, let alone a ski pole.

i will stick with what i have thanks, i love both my SX10's and my Guns.

(now, if either of those came in pink...)

Laughing

Robbie,

You know it makes sense.

Robbie,

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Neither i promise, but unfortunatly i dont weight less than 10 stone odd, and they definitley seem to be targeting the lighter end of the market. I am convinced they would have a very short shelf life under my feet.

Am not light and ski aggressively (not saying well, just aggressively!!), so worry they would die far too soon.

A snowHead

Robbie,

if you select the right ones then they are just as tough as the blokes (unisex )version

som e of the brands are spending serious amounts of money employing the very best female skiers in the world to develpoe these skis, so they are well worth a try, probably one of the best companies at this are K2 look the burnin luv if you spend time on the piste or the lotta luv if you like the deeper stuff, also worth a look is the Head Fast thang, a ladies slalom so not really aimed at the lightweight girlie market

well worth trying some if you get the chance !!

A snowHead

I tried the Head Cool Thang's in LDA. OK, but not brilliant.

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Robbie, The Gun is a girls ski....................... Twisted Evil

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eng_ch, they were Ok cos we were purely skiin on piste on the glacier, but I facny soemthing that I can go a bit faster on. my problem is keeping up with hubby and two teenage boys who don't really believe in turning or slowing down when Mum can't keep up. I barely have time to catch my breath and they're off again.

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SMALLZOOKEEPER, what do you think of the Nordica SUV's (x10 and x12)?

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After all it is free

have read this thread with interest - I am 5 "11 ish & more than 10 stone (!) not much more, she says quickly, but have ALWAYS skied on mens skis on this basis - I have skied since the age of 3, & ski fast & all day, but with loads of bad habits & untidy. I would love to think I could ski on womens skis, (though I hate the girly names), but always assumed too heavy/tall etc. question: if they are technically made for women and I am technically (save a few bits) built like a man, they are not for me are they??

rpft@rpft.co.uk,

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no I agree - ridiculous really, they could work harder on the look. my 2 daughters (6 & 3) like the pink ones as they are so overtly 'girly'.

I think I just like the idea of skiing on a 'girls' ski, because I have used mens skis, mens boots - & even hand me down ski clothes from brothers. Confused

Help!!

Girls, Girls, Girls.

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