 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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Have a look in 'Snowbase' under 'equipment reviews' - 39 K2 reviews.
I own B2 and tried Crossfires at EOSB. That had been a best buy ski in 'Ski & Board'. I was not unduly impressed by them - but I am not you. Crossfire has probably changed since then as well.
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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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Latchigo, Thanks for that, embarrassed to admit I'd 'forgotten' about the snowbase reviews - doh!
Reading through the Recons seemed to wrok better for most folks. (Like Frosty) I am no lightweight  so maybe they'd work better for me than the Crossfires. Intend to try out both anyway, but a test at Xscape isn't the same as taking them out on a hill.
I also read Skimottarets interesting posts on the binding issues he's experienced. Does anyone know if K2 have fixed this problem? If not then it sounds like a bit of a showstopper!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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AxsMan, I cannot recommend Dynastar 8000s/8800s strongly enough either for the sort of skiing you have in mind. I skied on the Crossfires last year (2007 model) and while I thought they were decent skis, I was amazed at how expensive they were compared to other skis in the same ability range. However a friend says the 2008 model Crossfires are a new design so worth investigating. I owned B2s some years ago but prefer my Dynastars over any of my previous all-rounder skis. I'm 97kgs and have the Dynastar 8000s in their longest length (183cm I think).
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Actually, if you're only going to make the occasional foray into the off-piste, it's probably worth hiring somthing for those days. My favourite ski recommendations are probably not right for you as I ski almost entirely off-piste (except when racing); I would normally second enaikay78 though - I absolutely loved my Dynastar 8000s, until I killed them last year - but I think they are probably superceded now. I also had them in the longest length - officially 184, but they actually measure 180 from tip to tail in a straight line - but am now going for a 90mm+ ski for better offpiste performance. The 8800 I'd not recommend for on-piste use - they do work fine, but are noticeably compromised on the harder snow. If you want something to work say 50:50 (or probably more like 40:60) on:off-piste the Scott Missions are probably also worth a look - but from what you say about your skiing expectations I'd probably look for a more piste oriented ski (RX8 also seems to have a good rep - don't know anything about it myself), and get something else for the soft snow days. Lose the B2s.  .
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GrahamN, Hmm, RX8's always thought they were for people who could really ski  , would they work for a middlin (lardy) intermediate like me?
enaikay78, I'm definitely of a mind to go shorter rather than longer, as the slightly shorter B1's I tried last year felt great (on piste only).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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AxsMan, my two penneth,
the B2 skis soft for me and the K2's are significantly stiffer and more of an advanced ski to move up to. I seem to remember you are a fairly big stamp and the recons might suit you. I have skiied both the recons and crossfires a lot and the people i skiied with on the lighter end of the scale prefer the crossfires with slightly less stiffness and narrower under foot. I very much preferred the recons in a 174 at 96kg, had skiied the 181 but felt it turned like a battleship. Recon is great all round ski and IMO you shouldnt get too hung up on getting the longest skis as they will be much less responsive on piste and not buy you that much in terms of float on little near piste off piste type skiing...
The recons are fairly heavy but very stable at speed, turn well and blast through chopped up snow. I loved em but did have to return them due the bindings coming loose. K2 gave me a full refund after 8 weeks use so cant complain. The new 07/08 models have changed the interface to the bindings but be careful though as i saw some 07/08 labelled recons at EB that were still using the old system.
having said all that i now own Vokl karmas in a 177  due to them being a flat ski without an integral rail for binding attachment.
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brian
brian
Guest
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AxsMan, I reckon recons and crossfires are for people who can ski a bit as well. I have recons and really like them, a good 50/50 compromise ski. Off piste compromise is they're (only) 78 mm wide, which seems huge to an old schooler like me but is narrow in today's terms (gulp). They ski fine in deep snow but it is more tiring than being on fatties. On piste compromise is they won't really zip edge to edge short radius and obviously don't ski as well on artficial concrete as a proper piste ski would. I found them ideal for spring skiing, beefy in the slush but capable on hard morning snow.
Edit: I have 181s and am 6'3", just under 90 kg, I definitely wouldn't go shorter than that if you intend to use them off piste.
Last edited by brian on Thu 4-10-07 14:03; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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AxsMan, if your looking at keeping your B2's as well, I would deffo have a go of the RX8's, and possibly Elan Magfire 10's or 12's. While the Magfires are classed as an all mountain ski (76mm underfoot IIRC), I ditched my RX8's for a set of Magfire 8's which I found miles better on piste. Also give the Elan SpeedWave a go as well.
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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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AxsMan,
I don't get this. 100 kgs on a short ski of 167...??
The Recon at 174 will fly on piste if you put something into it but you may struggle to keep the tips up without compromising your stance in deeper stuff. I am 85kgs max and there is a limit to how much help the skis can be, IMV. Unless you have some whizzy skills the 181 Recon will be a butch-er ski and might cost you in nimblness but the 167....???????
I'd suggest the 184 XL ( Stockli) but that again will be a right handful unless you can turn the 100kgs into working the ski.
Maybe the RX8 is a good ski for you or an Elan. You are in a difficult zone, IMV...100kgs puts you on the longer lenghts through the weight alone..but then you need the skills to drive them ( the more expert oriented skis) at that lenght and some of them can be completely different animals at two lenghts.
I can't see you a sub-170 unless it is a stiff race type ski......
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JT, im with you 167 is too short but for an improving intermediate ( i think) who is mainly on piste 184 XL may be too butch..
Elan's might be a good idea, great turny ski on piste but fine for limited off piste. i would say upper 170's maybe 180 would be about right for the combination of skiing he is doing.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks all for the advice, surprised Frosty hasn't been on to give me the obvious advice (lose weight you fat g*t! ), Will give the RX8's a try, and also try the 174 Recons.
skimottaret, do you know if K2 have sorted the binding mounts problem you had - it looks like a good reason to leave them alone till it's fixed.
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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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AxsMan, Cheek  I love my RX8s in 175, but there again I bend them quite easily and dont "hammer" along (though am getting much quicker). The best ski I tried at recent ski tests wa the Elan Magfire 10s. They were delicious. Have a look here as admin has some selling for peanuts in 176 http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=27522&highlight=elan
At that price you can flog them on if you don't like them. They were Fall Line ski of the year.
EDIT: For a piste ski the new RX Fire 8 FTi is getting rave reviews. It is slightly different from the RX8
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Poster: A snowHead
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AxsMan, the newer Recons i saw had a much more beefy rail so i would say yes. K2's have always had a reputation as a very robust and strong ski.
What i think happened was that K2 bought marker bindings and tried to integrate the binding and rail system and IMO didnt get it right last year but the new ones look good.
cheap Magfires could be good, seem to tick all the boxes
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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AxsMan, no choice on length go for the 176, 168 is too short for you and what you want to do with it IMO
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skimottaret, Would you still feel that if I wanted a pure piste carver and decided I'd hire on powder days? (interestingly Elans site doesn't ask weight, only height, and puts me on a 168)? I'm also looking at the Speedwaves (since admin has them at a very attractive price  , any thoughts?
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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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AxsMan, yeah i would... but you are changing goal posts. Really though how many weeks skiing do you get in and how many days are you going to wake up and say "today is a pure powder day", as opposed to doing a mix of on and off piste. If you are on hols with a pair of your own skis do you really want to march down to the hire shop, find they dont have what you want, if they do have it it wont be tuned right, etc.... and then find you miss the best couple of hours of skiing after all the faffing about.... If you are talking about all day in the powder you should be thinking about transceivers and avalanche gear as well. If you do do an off piste course or day poweder adventure perhaps hire the gear but if it is you and your mates blasting around i would try to get something all round that helps you in the off piste but is piste friendly.
Elans site sucks then if it doesnt ask you weight, a ski doesnt know how tall you are but bends depending on your weight how aggressive you ski ie. how much pressure you apply and force you generate while turning. A friend who is a VERY strong expert skier but thin as a rail prefers crossfires to the recons. I am fattish and not as good as him but like the recons.
if you want to get a bit into the ungroomed stuff and at your weight a wider mid fat ski may be a better option than a pure on piste carver.
I personally like a shorter ski because i enjoy making short radius turns and have had 174 recons and now 177 karmas. Everyone tell me i should ski the longest available but i have more FUN on slightly shorter skis. I have 165 Fishcer race skis and they are VERY short for me hard to ski all day and a hand full in deeper snow, so you can go too short.
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I had mid-170 B2s to use as a 1 ski solution (for my 95kgs, skiing mainly on piste but wanting to do a bit round the edges). However after trying some purely on-piste skis at the tests last year I bought some 165 Rossi 9S, now I'm thinking of either replacing the B2s with a permanent pair of longer, fatter off piste skis or just taking the 9S's with me and hiring for the odd day I want to head off piste.
I'm leaning towards the hiring option rather than taking 2 pairs away each time, it won't be very often I'll need them.
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FenlandSkier, Do I understand you to be saying that the 165's are fine for you on piste?, (My weight isn't that much more than yours!)
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skimottaret, Thanks for the explanantion, I think the other factor is how aggressive I ski (not very!) So for on-piste, relatively gentle carving, I might get away with 168 (especially if I lose a bit of weight )
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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AxsMan, hmmmm soft 174 B2's traded for slightly stiffer 168 magfires, both a mid fat all round ski, what are you getting by changing to shorter other than a newer ski? I thought you were interested in some off piste skiing performance.....
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100kgs is a big guy and you will bully a ski too much unless it is stiff/long enough.
The reason people like shorter skis is because they can turn quicker...but that turn might be a skid..!! Nothing wrong in that in itself but ............ there is if that is not want you want to or are trying to do.
The thinking today is more about geting an exceptional (right) ski for 80 90% of what you do and the other 10-20% is a hire ski.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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AxsMan, I haved Magfire 8's in 168, and as you know am a bit of a porker Find these fine, altho I do tend to stay on the piste 99.9% of the time. I have found them MUCH better in deep stuff off to the side tho, or slushy pistes than the likes of the RX8's tho, just ploughs thru crud.
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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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The thing is..how deep... ? if the base is solid with just a topping then fine, the ski doesn't have much work to do..but when it is deep and you need to get those tips out of the snow..that is where you need the ski to float.... and hence need the surface area on your side.... unless you ski like my mate who just trawls his skis submerged..!!!!!
you need to make up your mind what you want from a ski...
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| Quote: |
The thinking today is more about geting an exceptional (right) ski for 80 90% of what you do and the other 10-20% is a hire ski.
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you need to make up your mind what you want from a ski...
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Both comments VERY good points
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You know it makes sense.
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also think on in spring snow/slush, a wider, longer ski will float over potentially breakable crust, and also smash thru slush etc better than a shorter ski....
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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| AxsMan wrote: |
| FenlandSkier, Do I understand you to be saying that the 165's are fine for you on piste?, (My weight isn't that much more than yours!) |
Yup, I've had no problems doing what I want to do on piste so far. I know they're going to struggle off piste but that doesn't feature highly on a typical day's skiing for me at the moment. That said though (with the exception of 1 time when they sank on a slow traverse) they didn't hold me back on Kramer's off piste tour at this year's EOSB). That was spring conditions, proper deep snow would be a different story.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My tupence worth. I’m 6’1” 19 stone and ski mainly red runs on piste (but more often than not the “piste” hasn’t seen a piste basher for a while) this sort of thing (on a good day):
I have Rossi Z5’s which I think suit me well. 74mm under foot and 176cm long.
I tested the Recons and Crossfires at Breahead Xscape this summer. The recons where my favourite ski I tested all evening and the Crossfires were my least favourite. 
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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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AxsMan, the Magfire's will GO when you want them to! They are equally at home pointed straight down the hill, or in a carved turn. To be honest, they have done absolute wonders for my skiing. Had a go on the 12's and Magma's at Cas, and while nice, they really needed to be pushed, not summat that I could do all day long. I would seriously consider the 10's if I were you.
Considering the reputation the RX8's have for edge hold on ice, found the Elans to be even better (still own a pair of RX8's). Also, with a 12-13m radius in the 168, they will also turn without thinking about it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Thanks guys, more useful suggestions. Think I'm coming to the decision that for off-piste I really need some big long fatties, but could get away with something a bit shorter and firmer on piste.
Thanks for the input
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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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Frosty the Snowman, Just looking at the spec for those, certainly sound good, would like to read some comparisons with the Magfire 10's (anyone there tried both - Charlatanefc, I guess you'd go with the magfires, ?)
And if anyone can reccomend a good pair with built in bar homing device, as well as a seat for the latter part of the day, they'll be just perfect
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FAQ
from my trusty but 3 year old B2's.
really big 
