Choosing the better used Skis

A snowHead

Needed to get off my older skis and embrace something newer.

I should now consider myself an Intermediate skier.

Choice between 7 year old:

Atomic Bode Miller 160cm - low/moderate use

Atomic Supercross sx5 158cm - R14, 107/65/94 - like new - I suppose these are "all mountain skis"

Unfortunately, I can't find good research / comparison on the types of skis/skiers these were best suited for older models.

I'm 5'8", 145lbs and hope to be taking my young kids up/down groomed mountains for the next 5 years and become a better technical skier at the same time.

Will I get much more out of buying new or something 1-2 seasons old?

Appreciate the advice. and a link to any resources to compare these things. I think I'm getting the supercross.

A snowHead

What is your budget?

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

The are both roughly the same price used where I found them online. Bode Miller model was 15% cheaper
I didn't want to spend more than $300 CDN on this set of skis and bindings and they are both less than $200.

If there's something better to spend ~$300 on I'm happy to hear.

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@beanman, are you sure they are only 7 years old? The Supercross series dates back longer than that I think. A ski with a 65 mm waist width is firmly in the on-piste category for me.

Personally I'd be looking for something a little newer (especially with the lack of information available about the skis) - you ought to be able to find a piste ski <5 years old within your budget.

Where do you ski?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@beanman, Supercross were a reasonable model at launch in 1938 but WW2 got in the way of their success.

Must be loads of better things out there. Bro in law has a nice pair of Mantra M5s about half used with bindings for €250 ...

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buy something newer if the budget runs to it. those are both OLD skis! id be worried about how much abuse they'd had also about the bindings, your better with a "lower" level but newer ski in my opinion. something like a Head V2 or Elan Element can be picked up in the uk brand new for about $350/$400 so there should be something in your budget a year or two old.
both of the skis you were looking at were "chargers" and really needed skiing hard and fast to get the best out of them, if your an improving skier, skiing with your kids at I don't thing they're for you.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thank you for the info - Appreciate it as a newbie to this forum (and buying my first new skis in over a decade)

If I am to trust the seller and his images, and I don't see why not yet. The seller is a ski instructor who used to "design skis" 30 years ago and he's selling a pair of his buddy's ski's which have been sitting for years.
His buddy developed a medical condition and couldn't ski after less than 5 uses. The pictures show the skis in great, like new, condition.

Where can I find a list of Atomic ski's by year, or similar, so I can verify that the SX5 was produced between 20XX and 20XY?

I work in online marketing and know how to search for things but I think this information is harder to find in one concise place.

The Bode Miller skis are gone so it's the supercross or back to the classifieds. He's offering it to me for $180 CAD

I ski in Ontario, Canada because I live here. I will try again to go to Whistler / Tremblant / Vermont annually now that my kids are learning to ski.

I don't see anyone telling me to just grab the skis at that price or that they skied on them themselves and who they are best for. The next price jump is to about $350 / 5 years oldbut I don't know what I'm looking for!

After all it is free

@beanman, doesn't a google take you to the relevant archived Ski magazine in Google books? Seriously the sx5s must be a good 15-20 years old.

Just found this:
https://www.ski-review.com/ski_reviews/review/atomic_sx_5_2007

So do I take it that the ski was only made in 2007 or that production started in 2007?

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Neither, it means that this was a review of the 2007 model of the ski.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Ask yourself what else you would take a punt on that's 15-20 years old with an unknow history.....???
buy cheap....buy twice! you need something with modern geometry and modern materials to make sure you a) enjoy them and b) get a good few years out of your purchase.
don't forget your also gambling your knee ligaments on this - buy as new as you can sensibly afford.

snow reports

I think the SX5s would have been pretty entry level. I had SX11s back in the day, which were great but I tried the model down (maybe SX7?) and didn't really rate them

You know it makes sense.

Not looking to buy cheap. But having trouble finding nothing (boots and bindings) in the $300 to $350 range

Would love to by last year's new or two years ago used, but realizing 5 years old may be the sweet spot.

Also realizing though that many skis would be "dead" after about 5 seasons.

So I'm not really sure where to go next. I have no reason not to trust the seller, a ski instructor, former ski designer, that the sky's don't have much use, but he did admit the sky's might be 10years old not seven.

Question is, what refinements inski technology will make it worth me finding something less that 5 years old with little use.

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

See Evo.com - who ship to Canada - with a handful of K2 and Rossi all-mountain options for $320-$335CAN.

A snowHead

Based in North America you'd probably get a better response from skitalk.com as regards what's available and pricing.

A snowHead

ski geometry has changed massively, you stated that you believed these to be "all mountain" at 65 underfoot - they are not. my piste skis are 84mm underfoot, my all mountain daily driver twin tips are 96mm and my fresh / off piste skis are 112mm.
materials have changed as well, lots of lightweight manmade as well as lightweight wood cores now in the new generation of skis making them much easier to use.
the neox binding on that ski is also not compatible with the new generation of gripwalk soles on ski boots
I have been ski testing for a UK shop for over 12 years and have never had these given to me to test, i have however skied them before being in the industry so they are around 15 years old, build in a product run and the design cycle and this is a 20yr old plus design.

forgive me but it seems that rather than taking advice from the forum you seem to be looking to validate purchasing these skis.
IMHO concentrate on getting a well fitted boot from a decent bootfitter 1st then if there's no budget to buy rent this year, try a couple of different models/manufacturers and then you'll be in a much better position to know what you want when your in a position to buy.

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

Misspoke in an earlier earlier post.
I said I was having trouble finding "boots and bindings" and I meant "skis with bindings" in the budget.
My boots are a couple of seasons old and I'm very happy with them.

I was having an issue determining the true age of these skis. They are no earlier than 2007 but I had hoped they were much newer. They are not and I will move on. I can certainly find newer for same or less cost.
Otherwise, yes, I was looking for validation.

I do appreciate the advice. Now on to a pair of 2018 renoun z90 I saw somewhere....

You need to Login to know who's really who.

@under a new name,

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

The trouble with skis that are fairly old is:

- Are the Bindings still indemnified by the manufacturer?
- Has the liveliness gone out of the skis?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

good luck with the hunt !!

Help!!

Choosing the better used Skis

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