 Poster: A snowHead
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There’s lots of fresh new snow, but it’s heavy. You want to ski low angled slopes (less than 30 degrees) and you want to maximise the fun by getting in lots of short turns and in the trees rather than long, fast super g turns. I guess the ski wants to be wide, light, softish and have lots of tip rocker. What would you recommend?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Rockered tail too to help not getting locked in at the end of a turn. Rockered funshape with a sub 20m underfoot radius or the old classic to be contrary the Icelantic Shaman if you can find a pair.
Or you could learn to ski like some BASI god and go for some SLs of course. Buying your turns would probably be cheaper though.
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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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Surely a technique question really..
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| Bob wrote: |
| Surely a technique question really.. |
Well yes ....and no... Look at those places that get a lot of heavy/moist "powder" - Whistler/Pac NW and Tahoe for instance - Sierra Cement/Cascade Concrete is definitely a thing. And look at the skis that locals from those areas have originated or choose for a clue - ON3P, Moment, Praxis, Prior, Foon etc - they want skis which perfom in the virgin first hour but also for subsequent laps when the tracked stuff gets more set up.
Take a Euro "all mountain" ski out on a big day in one of those places and you're going to be blown by by all sorts of local bros on more appropriate skis. Sometimes moving down a groomer with 40+ cm of "fresh" on it can be a challenge if the gradient isn't sufficient.
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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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| BertieG wrote: |
I guess the ski wants to be wide, light, softish and have lots of tip rocker.
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If the snow is heavy, I wouldn’t want a soft ski. I’d want a ski that has some burliness to it to cut through the heavy soup without being deflected unduly.
Not suer “light” has anything to do with it either. If you like a light ski, that’s fine. But it’s not necessary for skiing heavy powder.
Rockers, YES. Tip and tail.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 28-10-22 16:00; edited 1 time in total
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| Quote: |
you're going to be blown by by all sorts of local bros
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@Dave of the Marmottes, 'cos they can ski?
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| BertieG wrote: |
| There’s lots of fresh new snow, but it’s heavy. You want to ski low angled slopes (less than 30 degrees) and you want to maximise the fun by getting in lots of short turns and in the trees rather than long, fast super g turns. I guess the ski wants to be wide, light, softish and have lots of tip rocker. What would you recommend? |
Agree. The original DPS Wailer 112RP
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| under a new name wrote: |
| Quote: |
you're going to be blown by by all sorts of local bros
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@Dave of the Marmottes, 'cos they can ski? |
Well yeah but also it's what they ski and how they ski it. I always say there is nothing more humbling as a Euro skier than going somewhere like Red Mountain and realising that to be in the top half of skiers on the mountain is a fair achievement. And you won't even really realise the delta until you're poking around in the woods somewhere and get smoked by some kid like the trees aren't even there. I suppose the Euro analogue might be hanging on on some sketchy undulating traverse while a Norwegian guy blows by on teles switch.
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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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@Dave of the Marmottes, as you may know I have 2 pairs of Shamans  and was wondering if any more modern skis are better? There have been days when it’s been a struggle to get them moving.
@BobinCH, the Wailers have been on the radar for some time-really must try some.
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@Dave of the Marmottes, you know it was just my sense of humour at work.
IN fairness, though, there's a limit to what's going to be fun, at all. Ice cream snow can be lovely. Deep slush? Not so much.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@Dave of the Marmottes, you know it was just my sense of humour at work.
IN fairness, though, there's a limit to what's going to be fun, at all. Ice cream snow can be lovely. Deep slush? Not so much. |
Nothing wrong with slush, as long as you've got the right skis. 
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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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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| ... Nothing wrong with slush, as long as you've got the right skis. |
Which are a snowboard.
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@Chaletbeauroc, by that I meant deep freshly fallen concrete.
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You know it makes sense.
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| BertieG wrote: |
| There’s lots of fresh new snow, but it’s heavy. You want to ski low angled slopes (less than 30 degrees) and you want to maximise the fun by getting in lots of short turns and in the trees rather than long, fast super g turns. I guess the ski wants to be wide, light, softish and have lots of tip rocker. What would you recommend? |
I would disagree a bit with the light and soft; I think some heft helps reduce deflection in the really heavy stuff.
Definitely want either substantial tail rocker or full rocker, plus the contact points well down into the ski rather than at tip and tail. Basically everything to make the ski as easy to pivot, slash and smear as possible.
Dynastar M-Free 108, 4FRNT Hoji or Renegade and ON3P Billygoat, spring to mind.
Or go full reverse-reverse (like DPS 138 or Armada ARG) which will be the easiest/best in those conditions once off the piste and in the concrete, but truly terrible at everything else and especially the groomers to the off-piste.
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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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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| I always say there is nothing more humbling as a Euro skier than going somewhere like Red Mountain and realising that to be in the top half of skiers on the mountain is a fair achievement. And you won't even really realise the delta until you're poking around in the woods somewhere and get smoked by some kid like the trees aren't even there. |
Well said! This is verbatim what happened to me ... I love Red but it made me have to completely re-evaluate my skiing ..... downwards..... though I think Kicking Horse and Revelstoke are even worse!
BC powder highway is deffo my favourite place to ski, mainly on my Stormrider 102s
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Poster: A snowHead
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| BertieG wrote: |
@BobinCH, the Wailers have been on the radar for some time-really must try some. |
An incredibly versatile ski to enjoy in more or less all (non-icy) conditions, especially good for non hard charging « intermediate » off piste skiers as it makes things so easy. The Hybrid (now called Foundation) model is a bit heavier and more damped and would be better in heavy snow. It is also much cheaper. The Pure / Alchemist / Pagoda version is lighter, has more pop and is really hard to beat as an overall off piste ski if you can afford the high price.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I once made some silly comments about not needing wide skis for offpiste, which is relatively true if the powder is super light & fluffy & just gets out of the way of your legs but once the snow got heavier and my skinny skis were sinking into wet concrete slurping around my legs it had me scurrying back to the piste.
I upped from 67mm that I used all mountain to 95mm, now about to hit the button on some 110s
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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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| BertieG wrote: |
| There’s lots of fresh new snow, but it’s heavy. You want to ski low angled slopes (less than 30 degrees) and you want to maximise the fun by getting in lots of short turns and in the trees rather than long, fast super g turns. I guess the ski wants to be wide, light, softish and have lots of tip rocker. What would you recommend? |
I'm about to hit the button on some Nordica enforcer 110s for the following reasons
They are wider & have more front rocker than my current 95s which easily submarine in heavy offpiste uless I really keep the weight back.
For the width, they have about the shortest turn radius (16.5m @ 177) I'm hoping they will still carve a reasonably tight turn on piste.
At 90kg and 185cm tall, I would probably be recommended to go for the 185 but I'm going one size down to reduce the turn radius, make them easier in awkward spots when stepping down between rocks & trees and quicker to flick from edge to edge in the bumps.
I have found it very difficult to test skis before buying, there are often many models available to test but never the one you are specifically looking for.
I'm hoping that it will be like an all season tyre, not quite as good as a dedicated tool for the job but 90% better than a summer tyre/piste ski & still usable on piste
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Blister really liked the white dot Altum 104. It was in the year end quiver and highly rated. I have the 114 and have loved it in heavy slush snow. Prob wish I had the 104 instead as more versatile. Super fun ski though.
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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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@tangowaggon, When I go from from a 63 waist to a 92 waist, I have to adjust my timing as the bigger waist is noticeably slower edge to edge - which I'd be surprised if this is something you haven't noticed.
Short turns are harder work on the wider ski and the Front Rocker makes the tip harder to engage. The Enforcer has significant Tail Rocker, which will also affect the end of the turn On Piste.
I would expect that a 110 would be a bit slower again, but once you adjust, it shouldn't be an issue - as long as you don't expect catlike reflexes.....but this ski's main strength does not lie in the area of Piste Skiing (though it's better than many in this width), but powder - and its robustness will help in Crud.
Should be a great choice for a hard charging skier.
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| Old Fartbag wrote: |
| @tangowaggon, When I go from from a 63 waist to a 92 waist, I have to adjust my timing as the bigger waist is noticeably slower edge to edge - which I'd be surprised if this is something you haven't noticed. |
No, I haven't noticed the 95s being slower edge to edge, the reality is that my old 67mm/170 Head 1100s are my heaviest ski, my Head iRallys, 76mm/170 are next and the 95mm/181 Head venturis are the lightest.
The 1100s and iRallys are about 14m radius and the 16m radius of the venturis is noticable in that more speed is required to get them leant over fully.
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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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And of course the right wax helps massively!
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I dont mind a heavier ski for rough snow but it depends on crust, wetness I suppose. Mid-width at the waste and not a top of shape.
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