 Poster: A snowHead
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Kolkie (mrs horizon), seeing horizon jr's shiny new skis, and remembering her birthday is coming up, has indicated her wish for a new pair of skis.
Since we're going mid-Feb to Lech, she will most likely try a few pairs before she buys. But what should she try?
She currently owns Whitedot R.98 Carbonlites, with Dynafit Rotation bindings. She likes them and they will remain her touring skis. She also has a pair of Head Superjoy skis, which she likes less and will sell.
As she's getting more and more into offpiste, I suggested a wider ski, but one that maybe will be ok to ski when we are on piste too. It's not compulsory for them to be really light, since she has the Whitedots for that.
She skied the Volk Nanuq in Bariloche and liked them a lot...but they're quite similar in geometry with the Whitedots, and I think they're out of production. A DPS 112 is probably on the shortlist.
Any suggestions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nordica Santa Ana in whatever width she fancies.
Whitedot Altum in 104, or wider if she likes
Various Black Crows are popular around here, but I'm not sure which model would suit.
If she still wants them to be ok on piste, I probably wouldn't go much over 100, 90 would be better. You might manage a 112 ok, but @kolkie is smaller and the amount of work required on piste to make a ski that wide behave itself is tiring. I had my accident last week on 107s on a steep red run. I don't like to think it was a poor ski choice that contributed to it, but I'd certainly have had a better day on a narrower ski.
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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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@Scarlet, many thanks!
(and by the way, sorry about the accident, I've read your account of it but forgot to comment...hope you're healing well).
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@horizon, Salomon qst 99 defo lumen ( lighter skiers ) version available , great all mountain ski , or the 106 version if off piste in the majority
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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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I might go the opposite direction and look for something 90ish.
My logic is we used to ski powder just fine on 100mm skis ( look at the Original Seths or Motherships) which if you size down for lighter ladies points to 90. (Also the waust width of the first mass market "fat"ski the Pocket Rocket IIRC)
This has the advantage also of more grip in harder and piste conditions.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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^that's basically what I was getting at too. I might add something similar (Santa Ana 90 or somesuch) myself when the low DIN Shift binding comes out. I love powder skis for powder, but they are a miserable tool on a hard piste.
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@horizon, MrsH was eyeing the DPS’s last week, could be high up in her wish-list methinks....maybe look at the Scott range, I’m not big on new skis but they seem to be very popular and mrsmm29 certainly likes hers, they do a wideish yellow one..... 
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Whitedot Altum 94 (or 104)
Scott Slight 93 (or 100)
Scott Scrapper 95 (or 105)
Nordica Santa Ana 93 (or 100)
Volkl Secret 92 (or 102)
Blizzard Sheeva 9 (or 10)
Faction Dictator 2.0 (or 3.0)
Dynastar Legend 96 (or 106)
Be careful with binding selection to ensure boot sole compatibility etc.
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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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Can’t go wrong with a DPS Wailer. Millsy is raving about her Kastle FX96 (W) both on and off piste
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sat 1-02-20 14:11; edited 1 time in total
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| BobinCH wrote: |
| Can’t go wrong with a DPS Wailer...... |
But waaaay overpriced for their construction.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@spyderjon, the Scott scrappers look great, that’s the yellow one I was on about above....,was looking at them in Austria.
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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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@Markymark29, Almost bought a pair of Scrappers for touring (super light) but found a pair of Superguide 105 for £300 which will be better, Scrappers can be had for the same price (2019 model) and look a really good ski!
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| spyderjon wrote: |
| BobinCH wrote: |
| Can’t go wrong with a DPS Wailer...... |
But waaaay overpriced for their construction. |
For sure they are crazy expensive but I’ve not skied anything else as accessible/easy as the W112 for getting into off piste. And the A124 is still my favourite ski ever for fresh snow. What would you recommend as alternatives to try to these?
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You know it makes sense.
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Before the Wailer 112 my fave was Atomic Automatic 117, which has a very similar shape to the Wailer, still love them today!
They've been replaced by the Backland, so may be worth a look
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I‘d do it the other way round. Go into each shop in Lech, make a note of what skis they have in the all-mountain/freeriding range with a 90 to 110 mm waist in the right length for your better half then report back. Just tell the shop you are thinking of trying some skis later in the week and want to see what they have. This should prompt them to tell you about the skis they have but are already rented out.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks all for the comments!
@Dave of the Marmottes, maybe she should indeed also try something 90ish. Then if she likes and buys those, she can still get the powdersticks next season:)
@spyderjon, thanks for the list, lots of useful ideas there, let's see what they have in Lech to try. Arno has Scott Scrappers, I think.
On that note, @DB, the approach of seeing what's available makes a lot of sense.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@horizon, I think you’ll find Lech a brutally expensive place to buy skis. Strolz is a lovely shop but super expensive and most of the other shops aren’t much cheaper.
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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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Returning to this to give feedback after the holiday.
We looked to rent a few of the models suggested above, didn't have a lot of luck with finding them available, and separately we had some guided days when we toured, when she used her own skis.
What she tried:
- Atomic Bent Chetler 100, in 172 cm: didn't like them at all
- Armada Trace 98 in 172 cm: found them much better than the Atomics everywhere, and maybe slightly better than her Whitedot R.98 (167cm) offpiste, though worse onpiste. Overall, despite an attractive price, not enough wow factor to get them
- DPS Wailer 112, in 178 cm - tested because SportAlp had them on sale at €750 instead of €1300. She really liked them both offpiste and on, so we decided to buy them...but when we returned to the shop they had sold the last pair and didn't even want to return the rental / test cost. Rather unhappy with their customer service there.
Clearly, she seems to like a more playful / softer ski (the Whitedots are pretty flat hence easier to throw around sideways, the Armadas are soft, and the DPS Wailers have the huge rocker hence easy to turn). Hence probably trying a Kastle or Nordica wouldn't have been great. Goes to show how important it is to try skis for yourself...reviews only take you so far.
We decided that she can use the Whitedots for touring and piste, and get a proper powder / deep snow weapon, so I started looking for DPSs on sale...and after some internet sleuthing I found Yvettes 112 in 178 at a real US shop available for USD 750...so they are now on their way  , mounted with Shift bindings (her DIN recommendation is 6.5 so Shifts work).
Gotta add, her progress on offpiste runs is incredible considering how little experience she has. She may not ski fast in deeper snow, but she is solid when needed... to the extent that the guide decided to take us on the North Face of Valuga on Friday afternoon (second group that day, just as the light got better). The snow was good and the guide skied right in front of her for the first (and dangerous) part. However, she didn't falter (and didn't get scared) at all.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@horizon, there were lots of DPS at very good prices in St Anton at the end of last season. Not sure if you/Kolkie can wait until later to buy?
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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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@Arno, Jennewein or Alber? We always take the car with plenty space free for our summer MTB/ Hiking trip, the DPS's are always pretty well discounted in summer in Jennewein.
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@Arno, called Jennewein, they had them for 999 and didn’t want to budge. Since we found them in the US at a good price and kolkie is visiting my aunt in NY in March, we ordered them.
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@horizon,
Thanks for the feedback, glad you found and ordered Kolkie some skis (DPS Yvettes) in the end.
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@horizon, sounds like an excellent choice. Still worth trying an FX 96 (W) if you get a chance. Millsy does not ski fast or aggressive and absolutely loves them
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