 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello I'm looking to buy my first pair of ski's and would like some advice please.
I've been skiing for four seasons but have skied for just short of 6 weeks through out that time. I weigh 95kg and I'm 6ft3in, I do a lot of exercise rather than pie eating, and have been told that I have an aggressive skiing style. I'm hoping to do my first couple of half days off-piste with a guide in February and will probably only do a couple of days a week each time I go. In the future I will aim to ski for at least two weeks every year.
A number of different ski's have caught my eye and I've had varying advice from the staff of Snow and Rock and Ellis Brigham. I'm thinking of one of the following, but am open to other suggestions:
Nordica Hot Rod Eliminator
Head Monster iM78SW
K2 Apache Raider or Crossfire
Salomon X-Wing 10
I aim to spend around £440, although less would be better, and would like a ski that will help me improve me style (with the aid of instruction).
Many thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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One other point, I happily ski reds and can, albeit without much finesse, ski blacks. Bit rubbish on moguls at the moment.
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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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Are you looking more towards an off-piste or on-piste orientated ski? Presumably if you are looking at skiing with a guide, you want something more towards off piste. I am a bit heavier than you, and ski at a higher level but am very happy with my Volkl Gotamas. They are quite wide but as a relatively big guy they will give you stability. Not great for moguls/carving but you can do. I tend to use them for most conditions, and only use my thinner skis when it's really hard packed. I would suggest looking at a 190cm
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks for the advice, I'm expecting to ski for only a couple of days off-piste at the moment. I'll probably spend most of my time on piste.
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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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Can I tempt you with a second hair pair of Fischer AMC 79s last season's model (green) (182 length). I'm the same height and weight. they are a genuine all round ski. Skied 4 days only. I very much like the ski but as it was my off piste ski and I have a pair of fischer rx8s for on piste. So I've gone fatter with a pair of nomad crimsons. The 79s are super stable on piste including hard pack but more suited for GS turns rather than short slalom turns. Excellent in crud and slush not really tested in much powder. At our weight I think we need fatter to stay on top of powder, but if you are looking for an all rounder but having a ski that performs well on hard pack I can reccomend the ski whetehr you buy mine or not.
sure you can find reviews.
Even if you want to buy shiny new I would still reccomend the Fischer AMC79 or possibly 76 as all rounders or the RX8 as piste orientated ski.
PM if interested in mine as my asking price will leave you a fair chunk of your budget left to put towards holiday/ lessons/ lift pass etc. They've just been fully serviced and bases are immaculate. the The top of the skis are scuffed, but if you buy new skis they'll be scuffed in 2 days and you'll have spent alot more money. I 'll put them on ebay shortly but they're still in ski shop.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Let me know when they are on e-bay and I'll have a look but I'm thinking of buying new.
Cheers.
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gudo216, I am the same size but a little more experienced but i really like the K2 Recons which are a bit wider than the crossfires and for your weight i think would be a better bet for both on and off piste. I currently have Volkl Karmas and i find the recons much easier to ski on piste.
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| gudo216 wrote: |
Let me know when they are on e-bay and I'll have a look but I'm thinking of buying new.
Cheers. |
no worries. can't criticise you for buying new. well worth a look on the ski bilek website on ebay. Suspect you'll get a lot of ski for £440.
If you go for recons I've seen them at £270 on ebay new. Worth checking sport conrad websire as they were approx £220 new at end of last season
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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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gudo216 if it's mainly on piste with occasional trips off, last month took delivery of a pair of this years Fischer AMC76 purchased from ski bilek/e-bay for £180 inc bindings delivered to the uk!
used them for 8 days so far in varying conditions and they are great on the piste, have great edge hold and power through any crud
would suggest you consider these and you'll have cash left for a real pair of off piste skis as well in your budget!!!!
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A lot of people have suggested the Recons to me but I always considered them to be out of my budget.
I hadn't really considered buying from an online store or e-bay. Sport Conrad looks extremely good knocking over £100 off the Uk price, is it too good to be true?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Is it worth the trek from London to Milton Keynes to test a ski? Or trust reviews and advice.
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I've bought 4 pairs of skis and it was the one I tested in resort I eventually didn't like and then sold. In terms of the fischers. very good skis. I'm not an expert although I've 14/15 weeks skiing over last 15 years. One pair the RX8s I bought on reviews on here. They're my keeper. The AMcs I took a punt on and really lined but as I think I can go fatter I will sell on ebay and I've just the Atomic Nomad Crimson new on ebay for £245. as tehy're 86 under foot I suspect if I like them they'll be enough to stop me buying anymore skis. However I'm not buying at full price where you really don't want to get it wrong. If you're going to buy at full price I'd say test in the resort and have some fun rather than carry them out there. If you buy at cheaper price more margin for error. This has got to be the safest bet when you can trial a few pairs (my mistake) For your budget of £440 I bet you could new 2 nice sets of skis covering piste use and an all mountain/free ride ski for £440
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You know it makes sense.
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gudo216, not sure how good a test you can really give a ski at MK or Cas. If you want to test before buying then I'd hire in resort first. If you do decide to buy on-line have a look at XSPO.de I just bought a pair of RX8 Fires from them for £310 delivered. These are £465 at Ellis Brigham. HTH 
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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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Thanks for the advice guys, I reckon I'll buy from a German retailer. The majority of advice I've had has all pointed in the same direction so should be pretty safe.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I personally like the Head Monster range. I've got a pair of both iM72 and iM82s. I'm similar weight to you, but a lot more experienced. If you're skiing mainly on-piste and looking to improve technique I wouldn't rush into going for something too far on the fat side. My iM82s are good on piste, but only at high speed. For cruising around on the groomed stuff I still prefer the easier riding iM72. They're also significantly better in bumps. I haven't skied the new iM78, but that would be pretty high on my do-it-all list.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Someone else, outside of this forim, suggested the Dynastar Legend 8000. Anyone have an opinion on these?
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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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I haven't skied it. The legend 4800 was the ski I tested bought and then sold. I was never convinced about the 4800 on ice and at speed on hardpack,. I guess the 8000 will be better. If you are skiing mainly on piste I suspect you might like something with a shorter turn radius or something that will hold its own at speed on hardpack. People love this ski and I haven't skied it so take this opinion with a genuine pinch of salt
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gudo216, I had the Legend 8000s for about 3 years (about 12+ weeks skiing) and loved them as a general purpose ski. I'm yet another who's about the same weight (although more through pies than push-ups) and a bit more experienced (although probably only about twice as much under my belt as you when I first got them). I also do ski off-piste about 90% of the time, so have a very different pattern of use to you.
The Legends went pretty much anywhere for me, although probably could be beaten by a more specialised ski in any specific conditions. They're pretty much a direct competitor to the Recons - although possibly a bit lighter than them - and now the Atomic Sweet Daddy (which is also quite light). For a wide-ish ski (in their day) they were fairly good on piste, and would take a good turn of speed without too much hassle. Their main drawback was probably that their edge-hold on hardpack isn't their strongpoint (but still was way better than their other competitor, the Rossi B2). They also have quite a long sidecut radius (21m), so you do have to work them a little getting them to turn - but they do bend into those turns beautifully so with a bit of work they are hugely enjoyable in shorter radius turns. At your experience level, and if you are looking to move more into off-piste, I think they could be a good all-rounder you will grow into. They have probably now been superceded now by skis like the Scott Mission, fatter but with enough torsional stiffness to take an extreme sidecut, but those do take more conscious skiing.
My main reservation for you taking them off-piste though would be your weight; I've now gone to much fatter skis myself as the level of flotation wasn't really there in the soft stuff, so you'd have to be pretty on the ball to make a good job of that, and you'd certainly need them in 184. For better on-piste performance, with still a good degree of off-piste capability Stockli Stormriders would be a good choice there, although they are quite stiff so will be harder work off-piste and in softer snow.
You're actually in a quite difficult position here if you're trying for a do everything ski. For your weight you need to be on either long (e.g. 190) or fat (>85mm) skis for adequate support in deep snow, and shorter/fatter is the way things are going now. Fatter skis are harder though to get to perform on-piste, although with good technique modern skis do a great job. However, at 6 weeks experience that may be a bit of an ask - but not out of the question. If off-piste is really only an idle curiosity though, I'd suggest looking elsewhere for a narrower more piste oriented ski (say low-mid 70mm). Something like that though will be a nightmare off piste, so you should hire fatter skis for your off-piste days. Actually, I think you'd do better just hiring skis this year, work out where your main interest lies (cruising/tearing up the pistes/working your way through the more variable terrain of the off-piste), whether you're ready to take on the off-piste in those guided days. Road test a few different styles of ski in different conditions (and particularly see how they perform for you in the "wrong" conditions - i.e. a narrower ski off the sides of the pistes, and a fatter ski on harder surfaces - and see how you get on, where the compromise works best for you.
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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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GrahamN, many thanks a lot of good advice. I'm basically after a ski that will be mostly piste orientated but capable of a brief jaunt in the powder. I guess it's a lot easier if you are lighter because you can get a 50/50 ski and not worry about sinking when you go off-piste.
I'm not sure how reliable staff from the big name shops are but I was told that the new Legend 8000 is much easier to ski on-piste, which ties in with the Fall-Line Skiing Ultimate Gear Guide 2008 "A great ski last year and now it's been tweaked it's even better....Works at all speeds and stronger than before. Great fun on piste and super potent off. One of the best." Plus "Feels a lot better on piste this season and the graphics are a definite improvement." Quote Rhys? Fall-Line Skiing.
Now that I've found a pair for approx £350 including postage from Sport-Conrad.de I think I'm going to be skiing 8000's in Mayrhofen next month.
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I am in almost the same position as the poster same ability and ambition just about 10 KG lighter and I have be looking out for a pair of Atomic Metron 9 skis, so I was a bit surprised not to see any one mention them. Is there a reason why?
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FAQ
