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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Ok

I have Atomic SXB5s 158cm. I think I have made the mistake of not trying before I buy + lack of proper research as they were an amazing deal at the time. Since having them my skiing has gone backwards and I now find skiing on anything other than groomers a ball ache because the B5s can't hack it.

They are awesome on groomed runs. And I mean AWESOME as I love going fast. But they are such hard work on mogul fields and in powder. They are tiring me out and weigh a lot - and that's just the walk to the lift! (Joking aside, they are hard work on anything that isn't groomed.)
I'm going to be doing a season in the 3 Vallees and I'm thinking I need to change skis as groomed runs are few and far between in Europe.

I want something advanced/expert that's lighter than the B5 and perhaps with a bit more bounce in them. Something that's happy all mountain but will carve fast on groomed runs as I do ski a lot in the USA as well.

I'm a girl but girly graphics are out....
5ft8, 62kgs
Ski size 152 - 158

Have looked at X Wing range but only 170?

Open to all suggestions........ many thanks!
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
kneedeep wrote:
I'm going to be doing a season in the 3 Vallees and I'm thinking I need to change skis as groomed runs are few and far between in Europe.


Huh? Does not compute.... Welcome to snowHead btw
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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?
kneedeep, welcome to snowHeads Smile Last time I was in the 3 Vallees there seemed to be quite a lot of groomed runs, maybe more than any other resort in the world.

I have a pair of Volkl Karmas which are reasonably good when carving fast turns on piste, wide enough to provide a bit of extra float when off piste, OK in bumps and will even do shortish radius turns if you work them hard. And they're a good bit lighter than the Metron B5s I used to have!
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Quote:

groomed runs are few and far between in Europe.
welcome to Snoweads. snowHead As others have said, there's some mistake here. Loads of groomed runs and a very high percentage of European skiers never ski on anything else. Expert skiers (a group I don't belong to....) often complain about over-grooming, in fact. Having possibly made an error in buying skis without trying them, on the basis of other recommendations, don't do the same thing again! Why not wait till you are in the 3 Valleys, which is full of ski shops, as well as groomed runs, then you can follow local recommendation to the best shop, then hire skis with a view to buying when you find what you want - shops often do this, then your hire fees are refunded. You only have to look at the threads about skis here, or elsewhere, to find that one person will rave about a ski others find hopeless. If you have the chance, do try them first.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
kneedeep wrote:


I want something advanced/expert that's lighter than the B5 and perhaps with a bit more bounce in them. Something that's happy all mountain but will carve fast on groomed runs as I do ski a lot in the USA as well.

I'm a girl but girly graphics are out....
5ft8, 62kgs
Ski size 152 - 158

Have looked at X Wing range but only 170?

Open to all suggestions........ many thanks!


Suggest testing Dynastar Exclusive Legend Powder in 165 or 172. I spent 2 days on a 172 pair this autumn and found them to be light, manouverable, stable at speed, and could be pushed into much tighter turns than their profile suggested. Not sure if you could call them expert though. 2nd suggestion would be the Scott Aztec Maya in 165. Again quite stable, but a bit less ski than the Dynastar in terms of performance.
I'm 165cm tall and 65 kg.

Suggest going a bit longer with your skis, more choices.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
kneedeep, The SXB5's are a specifically designed piste/skicross ski & you're right in that they're very heavy, slightly heavier length for length than the Metron B5's Shocked

If you like the Atomic feel & edge grip then look at their new Nomad Sugar Mama which is the female version of the Nomad Crimson. Spec is 119-79-107 with a 16.5m turn radius. They're very light with a progressive flex & softer tip for bumps & off-piste but are still very torsionally stiff to give the usual great Atomic edge grip. At your light weight the width will give you plenty of float but they're still pretty quick edge to edge to piste use. Either the 157cm or 164cm would suit you but if you're a speed merchant then I'd suggest the 164. And no girly graphics either wink

To give you a weight comparison my 166cm SXB5's weighed 7.32kg (16.1lbs) per pair & my Nomad Crimsons weigh 6.4kg (14.1lbs) & they're a lot longer at 179cm. Notice that the Nomad is skied a lot longer than the SX hence my recomendation for the 164's.

BTW, on your SXB5's have you got your Neox bindings set to the forward position? If not I'd recommend adjusting them (I've a link on my website showing how) as they're quite rearward in the central position which can certainly increase fatigue & makes skiing bumps hard work.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I used SX11's for a week a few seasons ago (same ski as the SXB5) and agree they are awsome on groomed pistes, but VERY heavy and hard work in bumps and slopeside powder.

Go for some new mid-fat all mountain skis in a 165cm if I were you. Maybe wait till you're out there and demo some first? You may get a seasonaire's discount too. Toofy Grin
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
cheers guys. When i was in 3 vallees last year they weren't grooming that much and it was mogultastic pretty much everywhere. I went in mid-late march and it was quite slushy!

Can anyone recommened Zenith Z9/Z11 by Rossi? They seem to be a bit more all mountain yet still a carver.
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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.
Weclome to snowHeads kneedeep.

I've tried the Z9Ti and they were awesome. So awesome I had to take them back before I killed myself...

Excuse me for saying this, but I'd suggest that you're attaching too much importance to the level labelling of skis.

If your skiing is going backwards with the B5s then it suggests that, despite what your skiing level and what you can ski, then you can't drive the ski properly and they're too much of a ski for you. The Z9s are wider underfoot than the B5s, but your problem is almost certainly ski stiffness, rather than underfoot ski width. I skied on B5s two weeks ago and if they can take me off-piste at 20kg heavier than you then they can take you too - but at your weight then you'd really have to drive them.

As pam w says, get out there and try anything and everything - but move your expectation of ski level down a notch or two.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
The Dynastars as above... heard nothing but very good things about them....go verywhere ski which is what you will/should want in a season

Before you buy, get to know the local shops and if they think you might be or bring repeat business, they'll give you good stuff
cut a deal with the local shops, hire and buy, and you get local prices...

Otherwise look at Monsters and K2's....
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hi kneedeep,

I worked a season in Courchevel, er, rather a long time ago.

I'd take your current skis with you and take the opportunity to demo some other stuff out there. You may be able to get a discount and you'll certainly be able to experiment a bit more before buying.

I suspect that you should go for something a bit softer flexing, wider and longer - any decent ski shop in resort should be able to steer you to a few skis that would suit you. If you are a keen skier rather than a purely social skier then you will spend a lot of the season beside/between the pistes anyway. Given that you have a good piste ski (and you'll find a use for them when you have a dry spell), it makes sense to get a fairly forgiving ski which is a bit more off-piste oriented.

Have a great time,

J
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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.
Thanks for the suggestions.

Dumped the B5s in favour of something from a demo shop today - and things are looking a lot better. Tried some Volkl AC40s Carbon and they were a dream - longer, wider and more flex. They cut through everything I through at them this afternoon after a horrendously despondent morning on my B5s. My skiing has gone backwards since I've had them and I'm very tempted to see if the dude in the demo shop will take them off me! Or should I hang on to them? All I can say is: try before you buy!

Help and criticism duly taken on board and thanks everyone for your advice. I know everyone thinks they know best and everyone has different ski suggestions but hey, any advice is better than my advice at the moment! I shall bow down to my more experience superiors! snowHead


Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sun 23-12-07 3:54; edited 2 times in total
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
kneedeep,

If you ski better on the Volkl's why bother trying to go back to the B5's... and i doubt the B5 can do much more ..if at all, than the AC40's anywhere on the hill, so sell them, IMV
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
kneedeep - if you've not skied a range of skis then take the opportunity now.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Aztec Mayas vs Dynastar Exclusive or Legend

I'm female, 140lbs, 49 years old, just 5 foot 3" and not overly athletic but with strong legs.

I'm just back from 4 days on the snow where I skied a new set of the Aztec Mayas both on and off piste (but in just 10" powder). I found them dull, with no spring, and poor edging on piste. And they were terrrible on bumpy cruddy terraine. The only advantage was they were easy to hop jump!!

two questions:

1 Did i not like the Scotts because i'm heavy and took 165s?
2 I've got to buy some skis this year and am I'm thinking of the Dynastar exclusive Powder in 172. help please!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
wendyhewson, I've got the Scott Rosas and they're far from dull and edge like a dream. I wouldn't have said you were particularly heavy for height; I'm about half a stone heavier, 5'6" and ski the Rosas in a 168. Maybe there's a difference in the models, maybe you got a duff one, maybe you just don't like them

Having said that, I checked out a couple of Stöcklis last weekend as I wanted an idea of what I might look at when the Rosas die, given that they aren't made any more (other than heading straight for Missions) and if you want more rebound, it might be worth trying the Rotor 76.
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