 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, I’ve recently taken up dry slope skiing following in the footsteps of my two daughters who both race on dry slope and snow. They have excellent gear and love their Dynastar Omeglass sl’s and it’s about time I had a similar standard of kit instead of them getting all the new stuff!!
I need/want to buy a pair of FIS 155 ski’s given the old pair of Salomon Powerline Lab skis from 10+ years ago are due for a change. 155 is the ideal length for me given they will be used mainly for dry slope. I had my eye on a pair of Atomic Redster FIS S9’s but also heard the Fischer RC4 World Cup SL MO-Platte FIS Women's Race may be better suit to my build (Male, 76 kgs 174 height) as they are slightly softer. Also I’ve not ruled out Dynastar but wanted 155 length.
I would love to hear from you if you have suggestions regarding ski selection/stiffness– or are all 155 FIS slalom skis broadly the same? Note, my investigation in to SL skis has started fairly recently and my experience of dry slope gate skiing is limited!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@rwilson, all much of a muchness apparently although my Volkl SuperGs are much easier to ski on than my mate's Nordicas, if that is at all relevant.
155s are womens' skis.
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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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yep - 165 FIS mens will be too much of a handful
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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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@rwilson, i'm very much in the early stages of dry slope racing, 3rd race this Saturday.
The impression I get from a lot of the guys I train and race with is you don't need a FIS ski on the dry slope, however some of them drop down to a 150 JR FIS, otherwise they use 155 non-FIS skis.
I'm on a pair of 157 Rossi ST Hero from about 2015, but I do need to get something a bit newer probably, and have one pair for training one for racing as the edges blunt so quickly.
Our best youngster has just bought a new pair of Fischers's, they no longer have the hole in the front and cut out at the back, so are a bit stiffer than the older design.
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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'm with those who have said that you don't need an FIS ski. The non FIS version (of your preferred brand) should have more than enough performance for ordinary mortals.
In the mid 2000s I had the Atomic SL11, which was a fantastic ski.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ok - interesting regarding non-FIS - Coach said i needed 155 FIS skis but I'll bend Ski Bartletts ear or Ski racing supplies etc for a bit of colour from them
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| rwilson wrote: |
| .....but I'll bend Ski Bartletts ear or Ski racing supplies etc for a bit of colour from them |
I think discussing it with Bartletts is a good idea. They should be able to talk you through the advantages/disadvantages of FIS vs Non FIS Racing skis.
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@rwilson, I’d have thought, on plastic, you’d want every Nm of torsional rigidity you could get, ergo, full bore FIS.
But it’s been a very long time since I was on plastic.
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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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Any excuse for me to buy FIS welcome!! Even if i cant quite ski them to their full capability!!
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| rwilson wrote: |
| Any excuse for me to buy FIS welcome!! Even if i cant quite ski them to their full capability!! |
What is your standard? How many weeks skiing are under your belt? How much race training have you done?
FIS skis will not imo improve your skiing, if you are not already at a decent Advanced Level and have done a fair amount of race training - They could even leave you struggling. This is why you need to talk it over with Bartletts and maybe have a further discussion with the Coach.
To be fair - nobody on here has enough facts/info to give you specific, definitive advice. We can though give general advice.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Plus yknow dryslope. Consider how seriously you're into racing vs how frequently the skis will get fecked.
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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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@Old Fartbag, it's dryslope. What could go wrong?
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| under a new name wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, it's dryslope. What could go wrong? |
I have only skied on plastic a few times - and that was so long ago it was on old school skis.... and I have never raced on it - so I am not talking from experience.
I am making the following assumptions, which may be wrong (hence why I have suggested speaking to Ski Bartlett and The Coach):
1. A ski which is "hard to ski", will still be hard to ski on a Dry Slope
2. A ski which takes considerable technical skill to ski, could be hard to handle well, even on a Dry Slope and thus possibly hinder progress
3. A Non FIS race ski should be cheaper to buy, be easier to ski thus boosting confidence - yet still have sufficient performance for amateur racing
4. Falling on plastic is damn painful (not an assumption) 
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You know it makes sense.
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On plastic you could run around the gates faster than skiing them. Buy some generic skis and invest all of your spare cash in research into which combo of floor polish/fairy liquid/wd40 will boost your performance.
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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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@Klamm Franzer, top tip, well, top expectation, WD-40 is a bit sticky and repels water so I don’t think it’s an ideal addition 
@Old Fartbag, hmmm,
1. Not necessarily and given the different surfaces I don’t *expect* so
2. Quite possibly, if 1. holds so might 2. but see 1.
3. Cheaper, maybe, I presume we are talking “previously cherished” so not necessarily. Not sure that much easier to ski is at all betterand ancient experience suggests that the more grip the better. Thinking about it, SL race skis aren’t difficult to ski, it’s more that the energies involved are a bit more than yer average skier is used to. Plus what makes them a bit of a handful on snow, the grip, just isn’t there on plastic.
4. Well yes, quite.
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Poster: A snowHead
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What is your standard?
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7/10
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How many weeks skiing are under your belt?
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Around 400 days but on snow - < 10 days on plastic
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how frequently the skis will get fecked
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Yep is a shame to destroy new skis on plastic but you have to treat them as disposable like a set of tyres, just need to keep buying new ones unfortunately - we have 18 pairs at last count (reminds me need to do an ebay sale)
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On plastic you could run around the gates faster than skiing them
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At this early stage it sometimes feels like it! Its a weird surface to ski on
Will keep you updated with what i buy following the helpful advice from all - will be over in FR soon so either off to the pro shop in Sallanches or get a delivery from ultrafun.fr
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@rwilson, would you not be better, ££ wise, buying used off ebay? one of the weird things where there's quite a good selection in good nick.
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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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yep been keeping my eyes open but not seen anything on ebay UK which suited - quite a lot of GS or Junior SL skis
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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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@rwilson, Ski Service in Cluses (if open in the summer) usually have 1-2 seasons old skis, usually raced on snow only, properly maintained for sale.
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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 can find Ski Clinic in Cluses which does a lot of race stuff - is that the one?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@rwilson, oops, yes, I couldn’t remember the name, yes, that’s it.
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Excellent - looks like perfect place to spend xxx euros 
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Do what your coach says who actually knows what he/she is talking about and has seen you ski, or you can listen to strangers on the internet who will tell you you shouldn't be on FIS skis even though they have never raced 
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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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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
4. Falling on plastic is damn painful (not an assumption) |
The huge bruise on the side of my right thigh would agree with this statement.
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| Quote: |
Do what your coach says who actually knows what he/she is talking about and has seen you ski
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Yep I will - he said 155 FIS and I'll a chat with him tonight when i'm skiing in 28+ degree temps 
I'm at Brentwood tomorrow with my daughters and I can have good look to see what other masters are on
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@rwilson, no, really, the advice of internet strangers will definitely be more fun. Well, interesting anyway 
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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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@rwilson, another place to look seeing as how you seem to go thru them, the bourse aux skis in Sallanches is big (mid-November-ish).
Often many tasty thing esp. as sponsored athletes offload there.
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| Quote: |
bourse aux skis in Sallanches
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I've heard of that sale - I think our ski club in FR flagged it last year but never been over there in November given 1/2 term is Oct etc and the next visit is December
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You know it makes sense.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Plus yknow dryslope. Consider how seriously you're into racing vs how frequently the skis will get fecked. |
My sons ski's haven't faired 'too' badly with dry slope use but I've been topping them up with datawax dryslope wax every few weeks, fair bit of effort though!
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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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@damanpunk When you apply that grade of wax you basically don't scrape any off after application but give it a light polish/brush over - is that correct?
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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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| rwilson wrote: |
@damanpunk When you apply that grade of wax you basically don't scrape any off after application but give it a light polish/brush over - is that correct? |
Light scrape while still warm. After 6 months of weekly use on the dry slope the bases still look pretty good, picked up a few gouges (likely from rocks at the Lecht) but no visible burn so must be doing something right.
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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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@rwilson, I am happy to accept purchasing commissions on at least the provisos that I have first dibs (tho I’d want 165s and I can’t guarantee to be around).
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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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It’s very good though - quite a few chums have walked out with nice e.g. Black Crows kit still in the plastic wrapper
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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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| rwilson wrote: |
| Quote: |
What is your standard?
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7/10
| Quote: |
How many weeks skiing are under your belt?
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Around 400 days but on snow - < 10 days on plastic
| Quote: |
how frequently the skis will get fecked
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Yep is a shame to destroy new skis on plastic but you have to treat them as disposable like a set of tyres, just need to keep buying new ones unfortunately - we have 18 pairs at last count (reminds me need to do an ebay sale)
| Quote: |
On plastic you could run around the gates faster than skiing them
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At this early stage it sometimes feels like it! Its a weird surface to ski on
Will keep you updated with what i buy following the helpful advice from all - will be over in FR soon so either off to the pro shop in Sallanches or get a delivery from ultrafun.fr |
No issues over standard then. Go with what your Coach advises.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rwilson wrote: |
| I would love to hear from you if you have suggestions regarding ski selection/stiffness– or are all 155 FIS slalom skis broadly the same? |
A few years ago (7 maybe?) I was on some FIS spec Kneisl White Stars which started to de-lam. They were happy to repair but I knew they'd be gone for longer than the estimated 2 weeks (and they were!) so I went to the UK industry test in Kuthai and tried every FIS spec SL I could get my hands on.
I thought they all felt very different from each other.
Personally, my favourite was the Atomic Redster by quite a long way, so I got a pair. They're nearly dead now but I still love em.
Seize any opportunity to test them side by side 
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@admin, yeah, I know they are all supposed to be very similar but I personally am not a big Atomic fan. I have liked Nordica, Elan, Stockli SLs, Rossi, Sockli and Volkl GSs (didn’t like yhe Atomic G S either) and prefer Volkl SG to Nordica.
But I think we are talking very small variations that I doubt one would perceive on plastic.
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@under a new name, you have a lot more experience of this sort of kit than I do and I think how big or small those variations seem depends quite a lot on skill level.
It's probably fair to say that, when I got those Atomics, I was pushing myself quite hard to ski FIS spec skis 'adequately'. As a result, those small differences between models felt quite dramatic and some I just didn't like at all.
In the intervening period, and with some expert intervention, my skill has evolved and what were once significant differences between my Atomics and Kneisls start to feel more like technicalities.
...although there was the time I leant the Atomics to someone with big feet and he shifted the toe piece without telling me - that weirded me out for a bit
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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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Personally I find that FIS SL skis are fairly similar, what DOES imv make em ski differently is the plate / bindings. For instance the Dynastar with R22 plate and SPX Rockerace binders feel very different to the non plated with rail bindings.
I have some Ali VIST plates I use on some masters GS skis and they really beef up the stiffness.
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@admin, yeah can see what you mean. Technicalities are important though!
@skimottaret, a very good point. My only reasonably recent direct comparison were the SGs where the Volkls had marker power piston spirit level things and the Nordicas had Vist very rigid things. Whether it was the plates or not …
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