Please help - do some skis have a specific Left and Right?

A snowHead

I have borrowed a pair to try befre going away for a few days and looking at them, they seem to be non-symmetric at the tips, so I assume there is a L and R? But which is which Puzzled

Should the tips curve in slightly or out slightly? They are Atomic Beta Race 10.22

A snowHead

Normally they would be used with the tips curving in. The tips can be removed quite easily and swapped if the need arises.

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NewSkier, the Herman Maier ski, you need to change your screen name!

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I am actually nervous of trying them cos they say "race" on them, but they're a free loan & I was told they're ok for a novice like me! Am worried race=brakes don't work"!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

NewSkier, they will be hard work for you, but there is no reason why you shouldn't give them a try. 'Race' skis as sold to the public are not really race skis, they only look like them, they are much less aggressive than the real thing. It's like the difference between buying a wrx subaru imprezza for £25,000 and a wrc rally subaru for £350,000 they look the same but there's a world of difference.
The curved tips are for deflecting the tip inside slalom poles if you hit them whilst racing.
The Atomic's will be best for short turns on hard snow. They have a lot of grip, but are quite unforgiving. Race = Big brakes.

brian

I used to have a pair of Blizzard skis with supposedly different densities on the inside and outside of the bases, so there was a left and right ski. What a load of old marketing cobblers. rolling eyes

Not bad skis though.

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My olds skis had specific left and right Tyrolia bindings, but they looked identical to me. Puzzled

After all it is free

My son was given kids ski's that had a clown on them the clowns face was split vertically down the middle with half on each ski - he would NOT let me put them on him unless the clown's face matched up OK - so yes, I'm sure wink

some skis have a left and a right

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Like Megamum's kids skis there are plenty where the graphics make up a picture when the skis are arranged left and right correctly, but under that graphic sheet there's nowt different between the two actual skis.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

NewSkier, go ahead and try them but I would plan on a different ski for lessons.

These are red, yes? With a chequer pattern and 'Titanium' somewhere on the top sheet? The bindings should have a number like 310, 412, 512, 614, 412, 1018?

I'm going to disagree with Spyderman on one point and say that those are best for -long- turns.

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Another thought.

You can create specific left and right skis if you have the bindings set differently on each, as done on my Other Half's ones.
Left has a lower DIN setting to give more protection to her left knee which has had ACL rebuild surgery done on it. Left ski is marked with a discreet sticker between front and rear binding.

jmdohanlon, a bit too much info for NewSkier at the moment, perhaps?

PS Take a look at a Fischer Radarc or a Scottybob sometime.

You know it makes sense.

jmdohanlon, comprex, says that it might be a bit too much info at the moment - it might well be - but it is a good point - you mentioned that last night - I find all this binding stuff fascinating and it would require that you knew which was which, and ideally quicker than checking the settings each time.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Megamum, shops will put a sticker on anyhow, just to mark which boot was used to test binding release in which binding.

A snowHead

Black Diamond Crossbow

A snowHead

A 2002 review used terms such as; limitless in their ability to cope with mega high speed; acceleration seemed to be never ending; would suit real speed freaks; a take no prisoners, super fast, serious piece of kit. GS only; It’s impossible to go slow on these skis! I bet they are pretty long too. Don't sound suitable for a NewSkier,

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Colin B, Atomic built their reputation on that ski with its muy fuerte, muy macho, burly banzaiman image, but I am willing to believe it is all sound and fury signifying advertising so long as NewSkier can get out of the bindings properly (i.e. they have a setting lower than 10).

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comprex, I'm sure you are right but that is from an independent test. What was the shortest they made them in? Near 180 I would think unless they are junior ones. Far too long.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Colin B, you're likely right, at least in shaped ski terms. In straight-ski terms with skills from 1990 the length is not objectionable so much as the stiffness in the forebody and mid-section with the Racecharger plate on them (it's hard to get and stay forward) and the really strong edge engagement with 1/3 bevels meaning they're not going to skid much (one's ankles might well be sore from trying).

Still, adventure is what this sport is all about, no?
(I'm still not entirely sure we ARE talking about those particular little beasties).

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Right - an update!! I've just tried them out at Cas this morning - last minute decision, as I suddenly realised school holidays are looming which means slopes full of anklebiters! Despite my fears they were GREAT! I manged some really nice controlled linked snowplough turns, both wide and quite narrow, on the lower half of the slope which for once didn't have the toboggan area roped off so was wider, and I felt really comfortable

The instructor who looked after me at L3 and L4 and (saw me through the gibbering wreck stage Embarassed

) noticed me and came and had a brief chat, watched a run and told me he thought they suited me and I was doing well - I felt so chuffed!

Colin B, they are not overlong - they are about the same length as the ones I normally get given, around 160. comprex, Yes they're red with a little bit of black/red chequer pattern near the tips on the inside, can't see the word Titanium though. The bindings were described to me as "rental bindings" bought to be easily adjustable and grow with my friends' kids whose skis they are. They were set to fit my boots, and at DIN 4 for me by my friend's husband who has always looked after them for the kids, and they seemed fine. Only thing is I can't see how you know what the rear DIN is cos I can ' see a scale! They are "Marker M52, dual direction technology".

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

NewSkier, juniors then, disregard the above doom & gloom. Could that be a 5.2? Big dial in the middle with numbers on it?

After all it is free

I was told by an instructor recently that I should always use a left and right ski and keep it that way. Have to say it was a new one to me and I didn't quite follow the reasoning which was all in French.

Yes if you are comfortable with them that is all that really matters.

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comprex, Yes big dial with ski boot lengths on it in middle - these bindings were selected to go with the skis. Incidentally the 'kids' to whom they belong aren't really kids, they're a 17 year old A level student, and a 19 year old Med student - I think I might have given the wrong impression earlier about them!

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NewSkier, but they were 10 and 12 when the skis were new, so the impression may not be that far off. . .

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comprex, I think they were only bought about 4 years ago, as an end of season bargain - old stock perhaps - and they had to choose what bindings to have put on them, so went for what would be ok to adjust for both a heavish teenage daughter and her younger brother. I'm about the same build as the daughter so their Mum thought they should be fine for me to borrow.

What do the numbers 10 and 22 refer to? Is the absence of the word "titanium" significant? You say they're probably "juniors" - how would I tell? I'm just really curious to learn more, as it's the first time I have really thought anything more about the long planks attached to my boots are rather than what length the ones rental desk handed to me were! Oh and I found the rear bindings scale - just had not looked properly before!

NewSkier, the numbers 10 and 22 are part of a model nomenclature Atomic no longer use, the rough idea was that, for the first number 7-8 were beginner skis, 9 was advanced short turning skis, 10 were GS boards. (There were 5,6, and 11 also). The second number could be used an indicator of the design turn radius in meters, the full designation of what Colin B and I thought you had was 10,22 titanium, Ti because that's what the tubes that ran underneath the Beta lobes were made out of. 'Junior' as in 'junior racing' as opposed to 'adult racing', it designates the range of body weights, speeds (and league rules) the designers were planning for. We can tell by the overall length and dimensions not matching adult sizes (and the lack of titanium topsheet tubes). The other reason I asked about the bindings : 'junior' bindings are actually designed to lock around a boot with smaller lugs than an adult boot has.

Hope that helps.

You know it makes sense.

Thanks. It's a lot more complicated than I ever thought! Shock

Although I have borrowed these skis & will be using them in Tignes, I assume that rental skis will generally be perfectly adequate for my needs as a recreational skier and cannot see any reason why I would ever need to acquire a pair myself. In our booking for Tignes we have been asked which of two types of rental ski we want - standard or advanced - and I'm told that's quite common. My other friend who is going says she always has 'advanced' but suspects it's all in the mind that they help her ski better! Is she right? What makes them 'advanced'?

As far as I can see logically, the main things that can differ about skis must be their shape and thus their optimum turning circle and their flexibility whilst turning, with lighter/less aggressive skiers requiring a material that flexes more readily. My guess is that standard rental skis would be about 'average' turning circle and stiffness, but 'advanced' would be stiffer, for those who want to ski more aggressively - is that about right?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

NewSkier, it's not really complicated, just that there is too much to absorb at once. Much like road signs and a new driver, in the end one always sorts out for oneself what is and isn't worth paying attention to.

The terms 'standard' and 'advanced' are gross oversimplifications of a number of factors. There are a number of reasons a hire shop would call a ski advanced, not excepting their purchase and maintenance cost.
Other factors might be stiffness as you say, turning circle out of the ordinary (extra short or extra long for the local expected average), width, behaviour in rough or off-piste terrain, other specialised uses. Is your friend right? I don't know as it depends on her and which ski she gets as 'advanced' and the conditions she uses them in.

Fortunately, most skis have very broad performance envelopes these days, so one rarely encounters an utterly unusable ski and most talk about 'who its for' is dispute over shades of suitability. You'll perceive that, unseen, the driver factor is such a huge unknown that most of these recommendations are either wild guesses, attempts to validate one's own choices by having someone confirm them, or professional gestalts with too many individual dots to point to just one significant one- (this is where artistry usually gets mentioned).

A snowHead

Spyderman,

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D G Orf, I know Bartletts stock RD skis, for club racers, but real race skis you don't buy, you get them given. If you're good enough to need real race skis, you're good enough to be sponsored and not pay for them.
The RD models sold buy the likes of S & R are more like a halfway house, a mass produced version of the handbuilt race skis.
I've skied on real race skis once, they were so stiff and had so much resin in them, you could hear them creeking and cracking as you skied them.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Spyderman, it's pointless for the general skiing public to waste a perfectly good word like 'race' to mean only manufacturer-sponsored elite competition. The over-exclusive rapidly becomes irrelevant. Reckon I'll just say "Bode's skis" or "Grandi's skis" if I need to.

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Spyderman, Yep mine are from Bartletts, Head GS RD and yes they are very stiff, an experienced Ski instructor and friend who's a former racer was well impressed that I was getting good performance out of them, but in fairness I'm so overweight that I need a good stiff ski to get the best enjoyment Embarassed

I'm not really fast enough to use them in anger but I'm good enough technique wise to get the best performance out of them at below race speed

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

D G Orf, Are you going to the EoSB. The guys at Titicaca are going to be there with demos of their big mountain race skis. Big Fat and the stiffest planks I've seen for a while.

They're designed for events like the Derby de la Mayt, le Grand Raid, Derby de la Meije, Derby du Pic Ombiere and those events where people die.

Haven't riden them yet but can wait to try them.

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Better than my other one. "get yer Titis out"

After all it is free

Race skis here in the states are referred to as 'Race Stock'. I assure you if aren't a racer/high upper level skier, you will not be able to ski them; much too stiff and almost always give A LOT of feedback..most of the times too overwhelming for a novice/intermediate and lower advanced skier. We have dedicated stores here that deal with a lot of racing programs especially if you're close to a major resort/mountain and you can get them through these dealers but most of the time, they're ordered pre-season in bulk (racers get some pro-form discount). The 'race' skis you do see are what the writer above said was akin to a WRX vs a WRC impreza. Also, this is unsubstantiated but certain elite skiers get custom hand built skis to suit their individual style/ flex pattern etc with a production topsheet thrown in ( for advertising purposes of course) and you would never see a similar ski on the market. You can ID a race stock ski as they all (with the exception to atomic who have gone cap construction) have a sandwich construction. The reason I've heard for this is that they are easier to produce an so if an athelete wants a certain modification done they can be produced easily ( a cap ski would require molds etc which is time and $$ consuming). finally, Dyanastar's omeglass /speed line of race de-tuned skis feature both cap and sandwich construx, the first to improve vibrational response at the tip and the latter to initiate a better sweetspot mid and aft foot + a stiffer ski.
sorry to hijack the thread...

in response to the orig. qn about right and left, No, there isn't. This also ensures there is even edge/ base wear on both sides. My bindings have canting strips installed and so have to be right and left foot specific. Well, after a seasons use (about 30-40 days this year), and with regular tuning every 2-3 days out, you can still see one edge wearing faster than the other. So....if you have no reason to use them on a specific foot, don't!

ruth, welcome to snowheads.

I think we've fairly established that she's on junior consumer 'race' skis. .

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ruth, yep mine are sandwich, quite different to the consumer version Cool

Help!!

Please help - do some skis have a specific Left and Right?

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