So after 20 years of 1 week a year (plus the odd additional weekend if I'm lucky), life and work have aligned and I've booked 4 weeks in Reberty next season!!!
So make the most of this I'm going to purchase my first set of skis at the ripe old age of 55.
I ski mainly on piste to I think a strong intermediate level, but given that I'll be in the mountain for 4 weeks, will be looking to ski a little more off piste (but mainly sticking to the side of pistes rather than anything more adventurous)
I don't want to spend too much money and there are some great deals on Glisshop who my son has used before and recommends. Given their availability and offers, I've narrowed it down to 3 skis, but am now stuck so would appreciate any comments before making a final decision:
1. Scott - The Ski
2. Salamon QST 92
3. Atomic Vantage 86 TI (my current favourite, but mainly due to having skied a pair of Redster G7's last winter and loving them)
Many thanks in advance
Phil
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
What length are you looking for?
ekosport have the K2 Pinnacle 88ti with bindings for £353. They are great skis. Good in chopped up lumpy snow because of the large tip rocker and brilliant carvers (according to write ups. I’ve yet to fully master it.). The 170cm skis have a turn radius of only 13.5m and the 177 are 15m. I absolutely love mine (170cm). My previous skis were 160cm, but I went longer with these because of the long tip rocker. They are very stable at high speeds, with no tip chatter.
They are reduced in price because they have been superseded this year by the new Mindbender range. So you can pick up some end of line bargains.
Pros:
1. Very versatile ski, that does everything - even Moguls.
2. Wide enough to be a decent Off Piste ski.
3. Stable On Piste up to moderately fast speeds.
4. Fun, playful and reactive.
5. Forgiving, but with good "headroom".
6. Decent edge hold.
Cons:
1. Extra width makes them slower edge to edge - so Short Turns are a little harder work.
2. Heavy skiers, who like a High Speed "Damp" ski, should look elsewhere.
3. I'd go a little longer for the extra stability.
4. If only occasionally going Off Piste and you like Short Turn performance (rather than GS), maybe look at a narrower option.
My stats:
- 5'10"
- 10 Stone
- Decent Piste Skier. SCGB Silver Std Off Piste.
- Ski moderate to fast
I went for the 180....but in a much Damper ski, I would be on a 170.
I've skied the Scotts and the QST 92s. Unlike many (most?) people, I didn't get on with the Scotts - IIRC I found them a little lacking in grip. Probably the Indian rather than the arrow, and I'd like to try them again now to see if I still felt the same. Fast forward 3 years, and I liked the QSTs a lot (tested on hard pistes only, early season in Åre). They were very predictable and forgiving, and performed pretty well for a ~90 mm ski in those conditions. I'd buy them, given your stated needs, with the caveat that I am relatively small, light and don't need really heavy/solid skis. (I didn't buy them, because I have other skis that fill that particular role)
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
What about the decathlon thread that’s on the go at moment
I've skied the Scotts and the QST 92s. Unlike many (most?) people, I didn't get on with the Scotts - IIRC I found them a little lacking in grip. Probably the Indian rather than the arrow, and I'd like to try them again now to see if I still felt the same. Fast forward 3 years, and I liked the QSTs a lot (tested on hard pistes only, early season in Åre). They were very predictable and forgiving, and performed pretty well for a ~90 mm ski in those conditions. I'd buy them, given your stated needs, with the caveat that I am relatively small, light and don't need really heavy/solid skis. (I didn't buy them, because I have other skis that fill that particular role)
Mine have a 1,3 (88 deg) edge tune - which gives very decent edge grip.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I also have the Scotts and tuned mine to 1,3 as well. No issues with edge grip and they ski nicely in many conditions.
I'll be adding a dedicated piste ski this year just for the shorts and girlfriend skiing, but could quite happily just stick with them. They are fine for the off piste I do in Europe, but I did rent some fat things when cat skiing in BC.
I'm 5'9 and around 85 kg when I've skied them, I have the 180.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@philstor,
If it was me...
You're there for 4 weeks.
Many / most / all (?) shops will 1. let you switch skis to try several out 2. offset the rental cost against the purchase price 3. depending on how early in the season, you may find bargains 4. many will have previous seasons skis at good prices...
So spend a week actually trying a few pairs and then 3 weeks skiing on things you really like.
Reviews are worthless as are opinions from people who you haven't skied with and even then they are often useless as well.
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.
under a new name wrote:
Reviews are worthless as are opinions from people who you haven't skied with and even then they are often useless as well.
IMO. This is a little hard. Reviews will give an indication of the characteristics of a ski. ie. You are unlikely to find a review that says the Blizzard Brahma is light and playful and the Scott The Ski is a high speed missile. What reviews won't necessarily tell you, is what ski you will prefer.
If you know the characteristics that you like, reviews can help with narrowing down what you might like.
Saying that, it's always better to try first - but I never have - and bar my first skis bought in the late 70s (Lange SLS), which was recommended by SCGB and I hated - I have been delighted with my choices: Volkl Renntiger/VP SLX; Salomon F9 3s/X Scream Series; Atomic 11.20/SL11 and now Scott The Ski.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 29-10-19 10:52; edited 1 time in total
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Old Fartbag, could've been the tune, but as they were demos from Spyderjon at an EoSB I suspect not. It seemed strange at the time, I was skiing with 2 other SHs who were also demoing the skis (and loved them) but I was just "meh". Not what I expected at all, given other reviews.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
mgrolf wrote:
@Old Fartbag, could've been the tune, but as they were demos from Spyderjon at an EoSB I suspect not. It seemed strange at the time, I was skiing with 2 other SHs who were also demoing the skis (and loved them) but I was just "meh". Not what I expected at all, given other reviews.
In that case, they probably weren't for you.
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 have tried the older versions of The ski I found it was on the soft side. A very easy and somewhat versatile ski, but not a ski to choose if you are a heavy skier, or an aggressive skier or if you like to ski on hardpack.
I would let the stiffest skis (Kendo, etc.) aside though and maybe go in the middle range. But if you are heavy skier and/or very fit and/or like to ski fast, they can be taken into account.
The ski I would recommend that I think is the new Elan Wingman Cti that was certainly the best surprise for 2020. I demoed it first at the pre-tests in Meribel and thought it was an excellent balance between easiness, versatility and performance. It has been fully reviewed later on in march by proskilab pro testers with excellent results.
It is not widely sold and not easy to find though.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Old Fartbag,
Quote:
This is a little hard
No, it's just a little true...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I tried in resort Nordica Navigator 84 - it was very powdery and it was quite fun to ski. It was well rated by ski club gb 2019 ski tests too. Quite light but still managed to push it fairly hard without getting too chatty
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
under a new name wrote:
@philstor,
Reviews are worthless as are opinions from people who you haven't skied with and even then they are often useless as well.
Well, anyone can have its own opinion about ski reviews.
As the organiser of the Proskilab.co.uk reviews, I of course have mine.
I test a lot of skis, discuss about skis with professional testers and read a lot of reviews. I would say that most ski reviews worldwide give a good overview of the market and good hints about that can be the best choice for a given skier.
You don't have to choose between reviews and demoing the skis. Ski reviews are available, you can use them or not. If you read reviews, it is of course better to demo the ski. In this case at least you what what to demo.
Besides, this equipment issue is relative. You don't need ski reviews or to have a full view of the market to be happy with your skis. I was happy with my Renault 4 before driving an Audi quattro.
So you can walk in the first shop, test a few skis among a very limited choice, buy a pair of skis from last year and enjoy your vacations.
Or you can spend 4 weeks testing all the skis from the shops around, if you are curious about skis. But in this case having a quick look on the ski reviews before would save you a lot of time !
The other thing that bring ski reviews is a better technical knowledge of the skis.
You may test/demo yourself a ski but you will do it with your own technical level. That means that you are going to choose a ski that fits to your present skiing skills, not a model that will help you to go one step beyond. For example, if you are an intermediate skier skiing using skidded turns you will not see how the ski reacts in carved turns. If you dont buy a ski that doesn't carve well enough, be ready to keep on skiddding for some time
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@proskilab,
Quote:
As the organiser of the Proskilab.co.uk reviews, I of course have mine
Well, you would, wouldn't you?
Perhaps I am being a little harsh, I often acquire one of the French mags for the ski tests, just so I know what's happening in the market (to the degree that that's possible).
But in my experience, reviews are very flawed. A case in point being last year's Mantra M5 which had very "marmite" reviews (the ones I read anyway). I have yet to have a shot on them myself. Maybe this year.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
under a new name wrote:
Perhaps I am being a little harsh
Which is all I said - not that you were wrong, per se.
Reviews and testing are not mutually exclusive...quite the opposite IMV.
I live in NI, where there are no Snow Domes and no (as far as I'm aware) chances to try a bunch of skis....and the good ski shops that I used, have closed down.
I get 6 days skiing per year - and trawling around ski shops trying to find half a dozen skis to try, is not how I want to spend my holiday. Reviews help me see what's out there and what I might like.
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?
Of the recent skis you've used were there any that stood out? For example I had some Blizzard Brahma's which I really liked. I then liked Volkl Mantra's (full rocker) and finally Nordica enforcers. When it came to buy some skis I could happily have plumped for one of these but I took note of what I liked about each aspect of those skis and then started to narrow down to what I felt were the key aspects. Rocker, camber, rocker profile, approx 90 underfoot, relatively stiff ski etc. Using that I built up a picture and found it very helpful when reading reviews.
@blacksheep, were you asking me? Anyway, both the Mrs and I had to replace our skis for season before last. And Bro in law is partner in one of the best Cham ski shops. So we were more or less limited to their range (not a chore).
We were replacing 2010 Mantras - not rockered, 98mm, etc. We tried:
Bonafide's (me in both 173 and 180) ((I went for 173s, Mrs felt them a tad too "dead")) - which the team reckoned I'd like best
90eights - which the team reckoned we'd both find a bit soft, although it is a very nice ski
Then Current Mantras (which Mrs went for, I could "feel" the rocker, just a little too twitchy) - which the team reckoned She'd like best
Ripstick 96s - which the team thought we'd find wayyyy too soft, which we did.
I really wanted to try the Enforcers (as I loved our Nordica SLs) but no-one handy in Chamonix or Champoluc had them that early in the season.
The interesting thing is that despite fairly similar profiles and reviews, while if each model had been the only ski available, it would have been fine, there were big differences in feel, such that it was an easy decision for both of us. I'd note that they'd all been prepped by the same person, so that ought to have been reasonably controlled for.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
