 Poster: A snowHead
|
Facing a bit of a problem and would really appreciate your views.
I am a good intermediate skier aiming to become more advanced. With this in mind, I have rented a chalet for next season and I hope to be able to ski for around 3 months.
I have always thought it would be a great to have more than one pair of skiis so I can pick the right ski for the conditions.
I am a fan of Kastle skis. On a previous thread I explained I was looking to upgrade my MX78 as I thought I had the length too short (168cm). My weight is around 88kg and my height is 1.77cm. The conclusion of that thread resulted in me buying a pair of MX84's in the 176cm length.
I was then wondering about a ski which is narrower underfoot and whether that would be worth seeking out. On that basis, I have seen that Kastle are producing next year an MX67 which is only 67mm underfoot.
The dimensions are as follows;
Tip 120mm
Waist 67mm
Tail : 100mm
The turn radius for the lengths are as follows;
162cm 11.8m
170cm 13.2m
178cm 14.8
The comparative figures for the MX84s are a 128mm for the tip, 84mm at the waist, and 112mm at the tail. The turn radius on the MX84 in the 176cm length is 16.3m
My objective would to get a ski specifically which was excellent for short turns and would be noticeable more nimble and fun on a groomed hard piste than the MX84. Having said that I enjoy skiing the MX84 across a variety of pisted terrain, so I know that would be a high bar.
Then there is a length problem....I know people often get this type of ski in a shorter length to maximise the nimbleness. But having been burnt by getting skis a bit too short last time, I contacted Kastle in Austria to ask their opinion. They said they would get the MX67 in a 178cm length based on my height and weight.
However, this doesn't seem to give difference in terms of the turn radius to the MX84 (16.3m vs 14.8m). But I don't know enough about ski dimensions to know if the turn radius doesn't tell the full story about how the ski would feel.
Overall, I would like to get a ski which has a different performance envelope to the MX84. I certainly don't want to just get another pair of skis which are almost the same as the MX84 just with a different livery.
So there are two questions I am wondering about;
i) do you think it be worthwhile to get a pair of MX67s (in addition to my current MX84 skis)?
ii) if so, what length would you get?
Thanks for reading! Looking forward to reading your thoughts.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Or just get a used pair of Slalom skis from Ski Clinic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
You need to try them out.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| rjs wrote: |
| Or just get a used pair of Slalom skis from Ski Clinic. |
Out of interest, can I ask which of the skis on the link you mention do you think would be good match for me?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| eddiesteadygo wrote: |
| Out of interest, can I ask which of the skis on the link you mention do you think would be good match for me? |
Any SL in 165cm.
You wrote that you wanted something for short turns. You are doing a season, so want to get a lot better, I don't see the point in demoing something now when you are expecting to change how you ski.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@eddiesteadygo, you already have 2 excellent pairs of piste skis. Not sure another will add a whole lot more unless you are slalom racing. And you should be able to knock out some decent short turns on those 168 MX78´s. If you are doing a season you may want to explore the other end of the spectrum... maybe try the BMX range?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@eddiesteadygo, you are over thinking it all.
I learned on skis where the slalom version radius was a few light years, the GS version rather a few more.
Radius is a crap metric for performance,
You already have too many skis.
And too few skillz.
Concentrate on the latter.
Skiing at a recreational level is like driving. You won’t beat Lewis Hamilton by having a different stripe on your Fiesta.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| under a new name wrote: |
@eddiesteadygo
You already have too many skis.
And too few skillz.
|
Thanks for those kind words....
My objective isn't be Lewis Hamilton and the skis I mentioned are not akin to an F1 car.
But I suppose to use your car analogy, you might have a BMW 5 series for fast motorway cruising, a Lotus Elise for darty, agile handling and a 4x4 if you wanted to get good offroad performance. So my question is whether at my particularly level of ability it might be fun to have a ski with more slalom type dimensions.
I agree with you that I need to improve my skills - this is why I have committed my time and some money to renting a chalet for next season. But the question is whether the skis I mention might be fun or not, in the right conditions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| BobinCH wrote: |
| @eddiesteadygo, you already have 2 excellent pairs of piste skis. Not sure another will add a whole lot more unless you are slalom racing. And you should be able to knock out some decent short turns on those 168 MX78´s. If you are doing a season you may want to explore the other end of the spectrum... maybe try the BMX range? |
Definitely going to go for some off piste skis as well. I am mulling over your suggestion of the DPS wailer 112 (probably foundation as I am worried about the stiffness of the Alchemist). Or the Rossignol Soul 7 HD which you also suggested.
The question is whether a more narrow ski underfoot with more slalom measurement might be fun (which is basically what I am interested in) as at my age (43), I am not going to be winning any races 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@eddiesteadygo, I may have been a little harsh and I admire your upcoming seasonairrishness.
It will almost certainly do more good than any kit tweaks (well it did for me).
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
My point is that you already have skis that more or less satisfy your question. Two pairs in fact. Why would you want more?
If you are really overpowering the 78s which I doubt, use the 84s.
Ski more, try more skis, take more instruction.
Kit is not the solution.
P.S. in my first season, due crap snow, the ex Olympian who ran the shop we used said I could either use my own relatively new 203 race skis (it was 1988 after all) or he’d dismount the cable bindings from a pair of 175cms kids wooden skis with screw in edges and cable bindings and I was welcome to use those.
That was a learning experience...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
(i skied on them for two weeks)...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@eddiesteadygo Kastle are nice skis to ride, enjoy the one you have and while you are out there for a season, just beg and borrow stuff from your mates or local skishop.
till you find what you are looking for.
I had quite a surprise the other day at the EosB, renting from the Hotel Shop, I didnt see anything I really fancied so I grudging took a pair of skis ... I too wanted piste skis to make best use out of those frozen morning pistes.
They were a dull black and white pair of Salomon XMax X12...
You know that feeling of dressing up in something that looks dull? Thats how I felt about these ditch dull boards.
But as I put up with for the morning I realised these skis were not dull at all, in fact there were brilliant. Love em now.
They are still dull to look at, so I'll find them there when I come out of the apres ski bar.
I'm so grateful to the guy in the rental shop for recommending them.
I could have changed them through the week, but I had no urge to try anything else.
They are only 73mm under foot, but I found them quite adequate to dive into the so called off piste.
Easy to ski in an old school style in the slush and crap, then great fun to crank over for those carvey turns.
Sorry this is so gushing, I think I liked them.
So the moral is don't have any preconceived ideas on what your going to like as a ski.
I've got a list of skis I like and I've got a list I hate.
But I'm always ready to change it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| under a new name wrote: |
My point is that you already have skis that more or less satisfy your question. Two pairs in fact. Why would you want more?
If you are really overpowering the 78s which I doubt, use the 84s.
Ski more, try more skis, take more instruction.
Kit is not the solution.
P.S. in my first season, due crap snow, the ex Olympian who ran the shop we used said I could either use my own relatively new 203 race skis (it was 1988 after all) or he’d dismount the cable bindings from a pair of 175cms kids wooden skis with screw in edges and cable bindings and I was welcome to use those.
That was a learning experience... |
I don't disagree in many ways. Just to clarify, I am not aiming for world records or downhill times. My objective is to have fun.
To prove my point, I hired MX84s in April this year in a longer length than my MX78s. They were more stable at higher speeds, and I liked that (that was the reason I upgraded, not because I was 'overpowering' them). I was skiing what I thought was fairly fast (just over 80 kph). My 12 year son who is very pretty keen but was on much shorter rental skis was right behind on 76 kph. So I know kit doesn't equal "improved" performance. And to be honest I don't care.
The question is whether there are different sensations to be gained and enjoyed by buying a slightly narrower underfoot pair of skis .
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Really just ski more on the MX84, all mountain skis are just that, to be used all over the mountain. You just need to adjust your technique to suit the various conditions and it will all come good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
@eddiesteadygo, Sure there are different sensations - but are they different enough? (I don't think so).
Turn radius really, really doesn't give much of the story at all...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| under a new name wrote: |
@eddiesteadygo, Sure there are different sensations - but are they different enough? (I don't think so).
Turn radius really, really doesn't give much of the story at all... |
That is really what I was wondering about. I know people often start equipment threads basically trying to resolve problems in their technique by spending money on new gear. In this instance, that isn't my objective.
I'm thinking that many people would choose for example a wider ski with some rocker to work best in off piste conditions. So on a similar basis, would a ski with more slalom dimensions be sufficiently different from the MX84 to provide a sufficiently different feel. Like you, I was thinking possibly not, but I wasn't sure hence why I thought I would start a thread to canvas opinions
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
One of my favorite skis in recent years was the Kastle rx12.
70mm underfoot and à radius if 16.5 it did everything pretty well, was amazing on piste but not as hard on the legs as a full on slalom ski. I’m a similar size to you and I skied it in a 176 so you will be ok in a 178. I’d have that kastle ski back anytime.
These days I’m all about long skis. My daily teaching and all round ski is a head I GS RD 186 25m radius. Can still do decent short turns on it but the extra stability and smoothness you get from a long ski makes the day fairly effortless when compared to a short ski getting all twitchy as soon as you go fast.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
for an alternative view, get a proper piste ski < 70mm underfoot and a decent wide rockered off piste ski if you are going to be out so much next season and flog the MX84s
The on piste performance, performance short & long carving turns will be much better on a narrower ski. They will go from edge to edge much quicker, hold a cleaner line, be more stable and if there is a poor start to the season will be loads better on hard pack/ice/man made snow IMHO.
If short turns are your thing a decent slalom ski would absolutely be great fun and keep your on your toes piste skiing wise, ie sit too far back and it should let you know about it!
That would make your newly acquired MX84s redundant, so sensible answer is just ski these as a one ski quiver.
My goto ski is a 178cm Volkl Code Speedwall, 76mm underfoot with a turn radius about 16m I think, still is great fun on short turns, long turns and is good enough for occasional forays off piste.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@kitenski, also a valid argument.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
Or forget about the Kastle dream and just pick up a pair of racer's used training SL skis when you're out there if you want some cheap grippy thrills.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
i. Yes
ii. 178
Enjoy! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
No joke . . . the 84's .. . how much 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks guys for all of your comments.
I've decided to get the MX67s (and will keep the MX84's ...sorry!) I think it will be interesting to try and compare the two more piste focused skis over and longer period of time. That way I will be more certain about what I prefer.
At the end of next season I can reevaluate to see what I have enjoyed using the most and decide whether I should consolidate.
So the next step is to finalise the off piste skis I should get for myself and my wife... onto the next thread
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
@eddiesteadygo, rent.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
@eddiesteadygo, excellent! You can never have too many skis 🤣 Where are you renting your chalet? My wife, has the RX12’s in a 160 and may be interested in your MX78’s if you’re interested in offloading them? She is a big Kaestle fangirl!
Sounds like you’ve got a decent ski budget in which case I’d highly recommend the DPS Wailer 112 Alchemists, in a 184 length for you. Fabulous, light and very easy off piste ski that is perfect for advanced skiers wanting to improve
DPS Yvette’s for the wife. Even come in pink 😜
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
Yes, we can choose a ski to suit and flatter us for any condition, But that doesn't make us a better skier, just a sicophant to marketing. By all means purchase your next magic bullet and I'll be more than happy to pick up your leftovers . . .
