 Poster: A snowHead
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While I love skiing groomed pistes, when there is fresh powder on them I have problems:
* I end up stopped in the powder
* It feels like the brakes are on lots of the time
* On shallow blues my skis judder (probably the same issue as the above)
I thought I needed to add a pair of powder skis, but having researched the internet they are for off-piste deep snow (which I am not personally interested in).
My skis are fairly narrow all-mountain - Salomon X-drive 8.0 FS, 124-80-109.
I service and wax them myself and know that they have only skied a week since I last waxed them.
I am right in thinking that getting another pair of all-mountain skis would help with much wider waist width (better flotation in the powder)? I am happy to buy a second pair specifically for the days when it has snowed.
If I do, is there a particular wax that is better for fresh powder?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Something around 100 underfoot would suit I think. I ski a K2 Poacher as an all mountain ski and I love it but plenty of options out there.
Anything over 100 starts to get hard work on the knees, maybe it's just me getting old! But also over 100 it can be hard work when that on piste powder becomes on piste moguls in the afternoon.
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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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@SkiingPete, doesn't sound like powder to me ... heavy wet fresh snow maybe. You don't need anything special on piste until it's deep enough that you can't feel the piste ...
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For editorial balance, something narrower to cut through the powder/crud and get you back on the lovely piste! Keep your speed up and ignore the soft snow.
The juddering sounds like more of a technique issue.
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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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Save the money of the skis and pay for some instruction, and explain what your problem is. I remember going off piste in powder and my instructor was on his kid’s piste skis … not just size that matters but the technique
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yes this ^^^.
I know because I have similar issues
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| SkiingPete wrote: |
While I love skiing groomed pistes, when there is fresh powder on them I have problems:
* I end up stopped in the powder
* It feels like the brakes are on lots of the time
* On shallow blues my skis judder (probably the same issue as the above) |
Without watching you ski, that sounds like a wax issue.
| SkiingPete wrote: |
...I service and wax them myself and know that they have only skied a week since I last waxed them.
... If I do, is there a particular wax that is better for fresh powder? |
Only? It depends what and how you used them, but I generally notice my wax fading after 3 or 4 days: I'd not expect my wax to last that long.
What temperature wax were you using and what was the ambient temperature?
There's no "powder specific" wax, but if you use the wrong temperature then you'd not expect it to work very well.
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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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I started using scotts “le ski” ..all mount skis.. covers me quite well, but if youre a all on off pister then get some fats
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your skis are fine for skiing on the piste, and with good technique off piste too - you do NOT need wider skis for piste skiing - whatever the snow.
they are wider throughout than the old Rossi Bandits that i have - these were (when i got them) considered a true all purpose ski and I have skiied them in most conditions OK
as mentioned above technique and/or wax issue.
ending up stopped - if this is on a reasonable slope you are not pointing down the fall line enough - confidence issue? - take the advice above and get some instruction
feels like brakes are on or juddering - a waxing / base issue? - a reasonably well prepped ski will slide in any conditions and mild slope - typically for me backwards as i shuffle on an slight upslope in the lift Q  .....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Juddering/braking is definitely a wax thing, I generally get it at the tail end of the week at the EoSB where the snow is abrasive and gets quite wet towards the end of the day. Might be that you're on the wrong wax or could be something in your tuning technique. The universal wax I got from Jon at The Piste Office seems to have been okay in most things from powder to slush, via ice (with the exception of sometimes needing a top up at the EoSB).
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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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What weight are you and what length are the skis?
I'm with those who say you don't need different skis.
IMO. This is mostly a wax issue and possibly a technique issue.
Up to fairly recently, I did everything on something 107-70-98, which was considered a Freeride Ski in the early 2000s.....and never experienced the issues you are talking about.
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Hi Pete,
IMHO your skis will be absolutely fine for skiing powder on piste, more likely a technique issue, do you have any videos of you where the issue occurs?
When you took your skis off did you notice if any snow was stuck to the bottom of the skis?
I've been away for 2 weeks on a course, skied hard every day and not re-waxed without any issues at all.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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@SkiingPete, My thoughts:
- Wet fresh snow is a whole different ballgame and requires wax for those conditions.
- As for technique - Maybe go as fast as is safe, with a fairly direct line. Ski it more like Off Piste, with weight more evenly distributed and even using a little banking/inclination to help with turning, if necessary. Look for bumps in the snow to turn on.
If there is a better way to cope when your skis are sticking in the snow, I'm sure someone will advise.
Your skis are certainly not too short for your weight.
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 6-01-22 19:06; edited 1 time in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@SkiingPete, based on what you said about the fresh snow yesterday and today, that sounds like the answer.
I/we ski off piste as much as conditions allow. I remember 3/4 years ago going into this very nice looking bit of fresh stash (reasonably steep) and it was like trying to ski in wet concrete. Could barely get out of the stuff.
That said your OP seemed to suggest you regularly have problems skiing fresh snow on a piste - and the wet concrete type snow I mentioned I haven't encountered very often - so that would give me pause for thought. But if today you had more fresh snow but no problems...
I don't think anyone could ski "wet concrete" with panache.
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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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Sometimes snow is sticky and it's not easy. In addition to @Old Fartbag's tips, I'd say don't get your weight too far forward - if your skis get stuck you have nowhere to go. It's a rare situation where being a little in the back seat may be a way of surviving it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If it’s true leg-breaking porridge there’s not much you can do to make it enjoyable. Unless everyone around you was skiing it fine then it might just have been very bad conditions.
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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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Ref. Finding the same conditions … the biggest gain I had from doing off piste skiing with instruction is in improving my ability to adapt to different conditions
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Don’t be all the gear no idea. It’s not about the bike
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| DavidYacht wrote: |
| Ref. Finding the same conditions … the biggest gain I had from doing off piste skiing with instruction is in improving my ability to adapt to different conditions |
Yup, I think "adapting" and being flexible, is the key. If something isn't working, experiment with something else.
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Carry some Zardoz Notwax with you?
On those rare occasions when wet new snow is particularly grabby, a quick once over with Zardoz often helps.
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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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There's no such thing as bad snow, only bad........ 
Down here in the South we've not been too blessed with the snow this season.
Prior to the holidays we were getting first lifts and skiing the corduroy, OH on Scott Scrappers 105 and I was using a Scott Sleight all be it with a touring boot.
Then after the holidays, pistes were not too good, and with no snow forecast we decided on a sacrifice, so we thought we'd actually buy some piste skis.
In the end, I kept with my six-year-old White Doctor FT8's as here in Serre Che, Bob the designer (RIP) was/is a true legend, and people still comment on the skis, and the guys in two shops said don't bother changing them!
Anyway, we had two or three days hooning around the pistes, and then yesterday we had 10cm of fresh, so I went back to the Scott Sleights, this time with Alpine boots, and as per the title of the thread, that was a damn good choice for skiing on-piste powder.
Overnight we had another 10cm and this time I used my Scott FreeTours 105 with touring boots and I said how I should have been back on the Sleights, but there was a chance with the strong winds that we might end up skinning where the lifts were closed.
What I found is that skiing hard with the Sleights and Alpine boots I did not get the slightest leg burn whereas with the FreeTours and touring boots the legs were complaining quite a bit today, though that was mainly keeping at bay some Scottish rippers half our age
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| Weathercam wrote: |
| There's no such thing as bad snow, only bad........ |
Internet advice?
| OP wrote: |
... I don't know off-hand what temperature the ski-wax says, but the temperature was around zero or -2C area.
.. I'm aware that there are different temperature waxes, but again I can't be changing the wax depending on temperature.
It should be something suitable for most European winters.
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The Piste Office's "Dominator Zoom Universal + Graphite Wax" claims:
The best universal wax on the market due to it's wide 0C to -12C snow temperature operating range making it great for UK based users who are waxing for unknown conditions & temperatures abroad.[sic]
If the conditions are at the extremes of that range or further out, obviously you're going to get worse performance
unless you change the wax. Many people will not notice or not care; those of us who do would get the wax fixed in a shop.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So sound slike it was heavy wet snow. In which case, good wax may help a little, but honestly? no, not so much.
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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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| Cacciatore wrote: |
Carry some Zardoz Notwax with you?
On those rare occasions when wet new snow is particularly grabby, a quick once over with Zardoz often helps. |
Good tip on the notwax.
Other thing to say is that in wet snow the drag is worst with the skis flat and lower with them on edge. So try to stay on edge!
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I got a free tin of notwax sent to me once. I always forgot I had it. Maybe it's just me.
Grabby snow is quite rare IME.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Layne, I've definitely noticed a difference using it but only for a couple of runs or so before I start noticing it again.
Think grabby snow very much depends on where/when you do your skiing, anyone who's generally at decent altitude through January/February probably isn't going to experience it, but I've definitely encountered it at either end of the season or when unseasonably warm.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
I got a free tin of notwax sent to me once. I always forgot I had it. Maybe it's just me.
Grabby snow is quite rare IME. |
Wet grabby snow is the only time I use it but it does make your day better in those conditions
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FAQ
), but if the local school had someone available it would be worth it.
Most importantly ... "enjoy" ! 