 Poster: A snowHead
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After a little advice. I'm a new skier (but an old snowboarder with multiple seasons under my belt). Vital stats 182cm (6') and about 80ish Kg. Size 10 boots (if that's relevant)...
I took dry slope lessons and learned to ski parallel on some beaten up 156s.
Did my first trip skiing a few weeks back. Rental place put me on a pair of 163cm Rossignol Exp 76 CI . By the end of the week I was as fast around the mountain on these as I am my snowboard. Skiing a mixture of short and long radius parallel turns and really feeling the edges transferring rather than muscling the turns. Comfortable on the reds.
Is there a logical progression for my next skis (rental or otherwise)? Wider waist? Longer ski? Any specific models to request if I can?
I enjoy cruising the groomers but would have preferred something that didn't dive so quickly in the powder on the edges of the piste. The 163s seemed to tank the second the hit anything soft. I also found they bounced around a lot on chunk and chunder piste.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Exp 76's are, rather cunningly 76mm at the waste so while an All Mountain ski they are at the more On Piste/slalom end of the the spectrum. It sounds like you'd prefer something more towards the Off Piste end of All Mountain so should be looking for something like Exp 82s or 86s (keeping it Rossignol just for convienience and amazingly 82mm and 86mm wastes respectivly).
In general the wider the ski the more it will float in the soft stuff (weight spread over a greater surface area) but the less forgiving they will be on piste (the edges are further apart so take more effort from roll from edge to edge).
First off don't be shy about telling the hire shop what sort of skiing you'll be doing when collecting your skis. Just say "I want some skis" and they'll assume you're a novice so give you something tame and friendly. Be more specific and they'll generally pay attention. Second, assuming you don't just go for the cheapest possible deal the hire shop won't object to the odd mid week swap. Don't like how your skis are performing by Tuesday, just pop back to the shop and, politely, say what you do/don't like about them and ask if you can swap and they won't normally bat an eyelid.
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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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@Lostdotfish, those are reasonably as expected (the skis so far) as it certainly allows confidence to build on piste, as you found.
Too long initially can feel cumbersome for some and just leech the confidence out of early development.
If you feel OK stepping up in size. Something around 85mm waist and 175~180cm long would give you decent scope into more soft condition without shifting too far from that you've experienced so far.
In that range you'd probably see more normalised support for your stats in softer piste edge etc, while still feeling you're fully in control of them.
As noted, hire would be initially the way to go and let you define your comfort boundaries in that size rather than commitment to purchase.
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Thanks both. This advice is in line with my own thinking. I notice Rossignol do an Exp 84, so I may try to get a go on a pair of those around 178cm.
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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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Sounds like a good place to start as valid comparison for you.
Love em or loathe them, it'll tell you something.
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| Lostdotfish wrote: |
| Thanks both. This advice is in line with my own thinking. I notice Rossignol do an Exp 84, so I may try to get a go on a pair of those around 178cm. |
I went from experience 80 in 163 to experience 88 in 180.
I’m only 5’9” but a rather heavy 107kg.
I’ve got an old pair of vokal 76 waist and 163 in the cave. I’m going to try them out next time to see the difference
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