 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all! I just made an account so I'm not sure how things work around here, but I had a question about ski sizing:
For some background: I was on ski team from when I was little up until freshman year of high school. (I was never really good or anything, it was just for fun). Even though I stopped racing then I still haven't been able to let go of skiing on race skis, especially for early mornings on groomers. The past 2 years I've been sticking on my 157 SL skis, which are great--but I'm yearning for the feeling of a GS ski and finally decided to take the plunge since school online has left me skiing a whole lot more!
BASICALLY: I'm a girl (17 y/o), 5'7, and 125 lbs trying to figure out what size GS skis I should get. I know that for these stats I would normally be looking at a 188, but because I'm not actually competing anymore I wonder if it would be a bad idea to go that long and if I should stick with 183 or even go down to something like 176. It's also been a good 3 years since I was seriously racing so I'm sure I'm much less aggressive than an actual racer, which also worries me about the 188. I've also found an amazing deal on a 176..so that might be swaying me as well haha.
If anyone has any thoughts, let me know!! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@strawberryfrogs, Welcome to snowHeads 
I'm a 6'0 bloke and about 180 lb. I've got a 183 cm pair of Womens ex-FIS skis (23 m radius) and they kick my ass! Go short!
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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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6'2", 200lb (male!). 177cm Head i.Speed. Very nice for morning blasts and I have to be going very fast to unsettle them - and even then, I just ease off the edges a bit and it's fine. The last time I went over 180cm on a piste ski was the Rossignol Hero LT and it was also fine but needed more space to work in. I think you would enjoy the 176's.
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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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Thank you both!!
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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'd say the same. I'm a fairly strong male skier who lives in the alps, 5'9" and 76 kg and I have a pair of GS sponsored race skis in 182cm (from a late teen racer). They are amazing but really hard work after a couple of hours. Unless you are hitting above 40kph you can't even feel much rebound in them, then they start to come to life. Great fun on an empty morning piste though. You sound like you will have much better technique than me but a shorter GS ski can be much better for general use.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@strawberryfrogs, slightly tricky. I'm ~132 lbs (60kgs in the real world) and I'm very happy on 183ish. Much lighter and I might be happy shorter. I don't find them hard work at all ...
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Dynastar masters ski. Easy to ski and loads of rebound
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I'd be inclined to go for a non FIS ski, something like a Blizzard Firebird Competition / Salomon S Race and the like.
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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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| under a new name wrote: |
| @strawberryfrogs, slightly tricky. I'm ~132 lbs (60kgs in the real world) and I'm very happy on 183ish. Much lighter and I might be happy shorter. I don't find them hard work at all ... |
Entirely possible you are just a much better skier!
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@JamesHJ, I would not like to say
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@strawberryfrogs, guessing from your descriptions in the opening post that you are in the US, one of the things that seems widely available over there is race product available to demo, might be a bit more limited this season with everything that is going on, but worth checking at your local hill and seeing if any of the brands are running a race demo, each brands ski will feel different, so you really want to find the one that works with your skiing style and go from there. there are also a number of stores that specialise in race product , Racestock sports in Vermont, or StartHaus in Truckee are the two big names that spring to mind
good luck in your quest
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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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| stewart woodward wrote: |
| Dynastar masters ski. Easy to ski and loads of rebound |
I was going to suggest a masters ski. I've been tempted with one but not pulled the trigger. They seem a sensible radius to use no an open piste. I'm a bit sceptical about a full fat FIS GS when there are other people about!
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@jedster, I have a very nice pair of Super Gs you can try next time you are out ... a doddle.
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You know it makes sense.
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@jedster, Most masters racers seem to be using 23-27m radius skis, all the brands have something in this range.
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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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For anyone with racer's background, I think it's pretty clear... get real race GS skis. If you are used to that, anything else will feel like overcooked spaghetti. Contrary to what people on forums (most without single day of race training) think, real race skis are perfectly fine on public slopes. 90% of my skiing on groomed tracks is on real men World cup stock race GS skis (rest is on SL). With your age and weight, and race background, you will do fine on real women GS ski. And it's gonna be way more fun, then trying to ski the way you are used to on some non race plank.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@primoz,
I'm not a racer so I wouldnt have the skills anyway but don't you find you have to dial everything back when the pistes get busy so that you cant ski FIS GS skis like they are mean to be skied? On something with more shape you can keep skiing the slow line fast in busier conditions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@jedster, true. But that's why I ski when it's empty I totally agree that's hard (or impossible) to do, when you are tied to booked 1 week of ski holidays during time when everyone have ski holidays, but I have luxury of picking any day between start of season and end of season, so during busy days I'm either on xc skis or ski touring. But even during busy days, you can still ski GS skis. Not full speed and it's certainly not that much fun, as when it's empty, but it can still be done.
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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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| primoz wrote: |
| For anyone with racer's background, I think it's pretty clear... get real race GS skis. If you are used to that, anything else will feel like overcooked spaghetti. Contrary to what people on forums (most without single day of race training) think, real race skis are perfectly fine on public slopes. 90% of my skiing on groomed tracks is on real men World cup stock race GS skis (rest is on SL). With your age and weight, and race background, you will do fine on real women GS ski. And it's gonna be way more fun, then trying to ski the way you are used to on some non race plank. |
My fave pair from my racing days were 210 Atomic SG, totally loved those red planks, utter joy to open them up, so smooth and so much control.
That said I personally wouldn't want to ski that or a FIS GS ski for free skiing now.
After a break from skiing I returned on a set of rentals, then purchased some Nordica Enforcer 93s which I find pretty lovely though have to admit to having an itch to get some piste orientated GSish planks for those cold fresh mornings.
There's definitely non FIS skis out there that will not be like over cooked spaghetti, Head World Cup Rebels i.Speed Pro Race springs to mind.
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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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| Quote: |
Head World Cup Rebels i.Speed Pro Race springs to mind.
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Nice 
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