 Poster: A snowHead
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I keep reading about new skis specifically designed for women and wondered if anyone out there had tried them. Do they really make a difference? How long do you think it likely before they hit ski hire shops? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Beverley, they've been in hire shops for 4 years+
I guess it depends what shops you go to - which resorts have you been looking in?
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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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Ok, bit slow and just seem to have picked up on them! 
I asked in Lech and in Les Arcs last season but the staff just looked blank. I'm off to Zermatt in Dec and thought I'd ask there as I'd like to try them.
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Wear The Fox Hat, to be fair, most of the women's skis in hire shops that I've seen (mostly France) have been at the low end of the range if available at all. Finding higher end women's skis to hire (as opposed simply to buy) was a challenge last season
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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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Beverley, probably worth e-mailing a few in advance
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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What have you skiied on before?
How/where do you like to ski?
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eng_ch, ah, I didn't realise they were so far behind the times 
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Beverley, Yes they make perfect sense and they should be at a rental shop near you.
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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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WTFH: How do I ski? An instructor once told me, "you won't ever be the fastest skier, but you will be technically good", this sums me up (though still working on the technically good bit!). I'm an intermediate with about 8 weeks experience who enjoys all runs but prefer a long cruisy red to a demanding black! Though strangely enough I enjoy skiing in white-outs mainly because my first few times I went that was all the weather we had so had to make do. I've had lessons in blizzards and really enjoyed them. Weird or what?! Swiss or Austrian skiing are my favourite places.
Never had a problem with hire skis and have had all sorts (though never remember what they are) I just go with what ever is recommended and its always been fine. I'm just curious about these girlie skis and would like to try some.
I'll email ahead ski hire shops in Zermatt to ask what they have.
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Beverley, I'd suggest K2 One Luvs or True Luvs might be worth looking at.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank you WTHF I shall make a note of this and ask around to try and get them in Zermatt. To be honest, I've never really paid much attention to what's attached to my ski boots (except last season when I had some great hippy flowery ones!).
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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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Oops! I meant WTFH !!
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Beverley, I bought some "women's" Volkl's for my wife for our last ski trip. Up until then she had skied on ordinary mid or high-range hire skis and as she had got (a bit) older (I can get away with saying this as she is not a  ) she had found them increasingly heavy - both to carry and to turn.
All I can say about her skis is that they transformed her skiing partly because she had confidence in them and partly because they were lighter. Since I nearly always ski with her and the previous year had spent a lot of time standing around waiting for her, the money was extremely well-spent as it enabled two skiers to enjoy their holiday a lot more.
Have praised "women's" skis since to lots of friends.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Beverley wrote: |
| great hippy flowery ones! |
Sounds like the K2s! 
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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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My wife's are red with no go-faster stripes - but she still goes faster
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Poster: A snowHead
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I have been skiing for 6 years now, and it never occured to me as to whether or not my ski's were mens or womens, I just happily trusted the hire shop to give me the appropriate skis. As I am hoping to try out some K2's myself this year, it'll be interesting to see if the local hire shop (in a very small resort) has any, and if I have previously been skiing on mens skis.
In Zell am See last year I was on Salomon Street Racers - I presume that these are either mens or unisex skis as my SO had the same skis. I know they were heavy to carry 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Beverley, I have just found the website of the shop that I hire my skis from, and have emailed them about the K2's, it might be worth your while trying this too.
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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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Thanks IncogSkiSno I'm going to email the ski hire shops in Zermatt, surely somewhere that size will have some?
I have booked a half day lesson with Stoked Ski School (as I'm going for 10 days I'd like a refresher on my second day and thought they were good), so I will also ask them what they think.
Its funny, as a rower I've recently spent ages studying the latest boat lights for nighttime rowing and specific types of new grips for blades, yet never given a thought to my skis!
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Beverley, You may not notice any major difference or advantage. They are mugh lighter, but if you're a rower I can't imagine that would make much difference. However for an intermediate skier they probably will help a bit. FWIW I've found most of the "ladies" skis seem to be very happy on medium radius turns, OK on long if you don't go toooooo fast (the light ones flap), but the only one that was agile and quick turning was the Dynastar Exclusive one. I think this says something about how they expect ladies to ski ....
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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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Thanks Easiski I must confess I'm not a 'girlie' skier (as in delicate or anything) and am fairly strong. Though all this is making me think a lot more about skis and I will be asking many questions at the shop counter. If you find yourself in a line stuck behind a woman asking a 1,000 questions, it could be me! so be patient!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Beverley, easiski, It has nothing to do with you ability or strength. It's about your centre of mass and turn initiation. 
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hi, I am new but saw you all were discussing women-specific skis. I am considering buying my wife for Christmas either the Atomic B:11 Metron or the B 9:7, both from the Balanze line of skis designed for women by Atomic. Does anyone know anything about either ski. My wife is a very competent skier, she prefers the groomed blue or blue/black runs. We ski vermont, usa exclusively. And her turns have a short radius. Anyone????
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Hi petetini, welcome to Snowheads!
Sorry I don't know anything about the specific skis that you mention, but as I previously stated, women-specific skis have benefited my wife.
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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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petetini, to my knowledge the B11 has been practically unavailable in Switzerland and France so you may get better responses on that from Epic.
As skis are such a personal thing, my suggestion would be to give her her Christmas present in an envelope - containing a voucher you have created yourself for a pair of skis of her choice. And then asap after Xmas take her somewhere where she can try out a few pairs and decide which she likes best.
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Beverley, I've always wondered whether it really makes a difference....getting the chance to try women specific and unisex side by side a Castleford I can reliably report "Yes it does". I found the womens version of the skis I tried much easier to turn and much more fun to ski on. But as for lighter....definitely not! The Head Wild Thang weighed just as much as the equivalent Monster!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank you all for your responses. I have a friend who is an Atomic rep so I am getting a deal and that is why I am specifically interested in the Balanze line. I think I might, as ENG CH suggests make it an envelope, but we ski over the holiday and it is always nice to have the nice boards strapped on for the first snows (or ice) as the case may be. Thanks again.
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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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Beverley, Sharon has a pair of K2 Tru Luvs and she's found them very good and have made a lot of difference
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SMALLZOOKEEPER, Rubbish! There are almost NO women specific skis designed for women who aren't "girlie" skiers. I thought the dynastar were OK and agile (the first ladies ski to actually like short radius that I've tried), but of course MK doesn't give you the chance to try them at any speed on their edges. If I'd tried the Misdemenor at MK, not doubt I wouldn't have had many reservations, but having tried GS turns on them ..... I'm looking forward to trying the Amplid Infrawhite on the glacier (assuming they bring them) as I found them good in the cut up stuff at MK, but I wouldn't like to hazzard a guess on hardpack or at speed ...
BTW, what did I like best at MK - the Nordica Speed Machine - wow - that is A SKI.
Beverley, You are/have been involved in another fairly serious sport - you won't be typical. The typical lady skier is not aggressive (don't actually think I am), and does not put much power through the ski. If the models I've tried are anything to go by, most of them like to do medium radius turns on medium slopes and not much else - OK rant over - bad day at the office!  You may, however, find it advantageous to try skis with rental bindings and play with the binding position, A bit forward of normal will help the turns.
homphomp, My Monsters weren't that heavy compared to the Fischers, but you don't feel it on your feet.
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You know it makes sense.
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| homphomp wrote: |
| But as for lighter....definitely not! The Head Wild Thang weighed just as much as the equivalent Monster! |
I've got 2004 Scott Aztecs with DIN 14 LOOK bindings on them and, much to my embarrassment, Mrs PhillipStanton decided that she liked exactly the same ski when she did an extensive demo last year.
Her's (fortunately, different graphics) have light-weight, women-specific bindings on them.
I don't know what the actual difference in weight is, but the subjective difference in the overall weight of the two sets of skis is staggering.
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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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homphomp, I have last years's Monster 72s with S810 bidings on and (not tried yet) last year's Fast Thang with the SLD 11? binding. The Fast Thang is definitely lighter than the Monster but the bindings account for about 3/4 of the weight, at a very rough guess
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Poster: A snowHead
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Beverley, I'm probably a similar skiing standard to you. I'm told that my technique is good, but I haven't been a particularly fast skier. I'd been skiing on lightweight 'ladies' Atomic C9s and was starting to find them inadequate as I tried to go faster,and inadequate in icy conditions. I ended up by Rossignol B1 skis - not the women's version. I can honestly say that I have a lot more confidence and I have speeded up tremendously. This could be that the C9s are more of a beginner ski, but I wouldn't go out of my way to look for a women's specific ski unless it was very highly recommended. However, I didn't get to try the Burnin' Luv which has had good reviews. I think the bindings make quite a difference - I've got a 'sporty' binding. Mind you, I might be talking out of the top of my head
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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 have see a big difference in the women specific ski technology in the past few years. K2 has been the leader in that department, but don't count out Volkl(of course partnered with K2) Their Attiva line is very good. You may like the Attiva AC2's.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| eng_ch wrote: |
| .... but the bindings account for about 3/4 of the weight, at a very rough guess |
Ah yes....I forgot to allow for the rental bindings that were on them. No doubt the real thing is lighter....I'll find out when I get to the mountains to try out and/or buy the real thing!
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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SnowHot, There sitting here waiting for some snow. 
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homphomp, there's that, but my other point is that when the bindings account for, say, 3/4 of the overall weight, the fact that a ladies' ski is itself quite a lot lighter doesn't have as much effect
Having said that the Fast THangs are noticeably lighter than the Monsters, even with bindings on, and both are significantly lighter than my old Crossmax's.
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eng_ch, I normally get light bindings, because I only ski on 5 or 6 anyway - no point in paying extra for expensive high range bindings!
SMALLZOOKEEPER, Short memory - I wrote a fairly long peice about the Missdemenor on this forum not very long ago. They really scared me. Have also tried the Phat Luv and found them soft. The Nordica I tried at MK was called the Conqueror I thought (blue-ish) an OK ski, but not terifically agile or quick. Felt as though it ought to hold - it was fairly fat - got all the stuff at home. Definitely didn't like short turns though.
You need to remember that it also depends on what you're used to skiing on. I've always preferred slalom skis, and only last year got a second, fatter pair for off piste - otherwise I've been doing it all on slaloms for years. I wouldn't actually consider myself a particularly strong or agressive skier (certainly not fast), but when I try to go on nice quick edge to edge, or tighten the arc when carving on nearly all women's skis that I've tried they break away. 
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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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easiski, yeah, I'm normally only on about a 5-5.5. With the skis I have now, though, it's just that the bindings rather than the ski itself account for the majority of the overall weight. I think the SLD 11s (?) are lighter than the S810s but I wouldn't swear to it
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eng_ch, Yes - you're right, but the Fischers are heavy to start with. I have light bindings on them and they're still as heavy as Spyderjon's Metrons! However it's only a problem for carrying - when a ski is on your feet you don't feel the weight unless you lift a ski up.
Apologies for the dreadful spelling and grammar in the last post - was in a hurry to leave work. 
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