 Poster: A snowHead
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OK: I'm toying with taking things to an extreme--in most people's books in the wrong direction I want extreme longitudanal floppiness/softness: We've all played with "full on" stiff as girder skis: they have their benefits--at speed.
So: If I wanted a modern "shaped" ski: that gives me... FIS slalom dimensions... but is floppy as a noodle; for me to play on piste; what would the softest ski I could buy be?
I am wanting to experiment with such a ski.. partly to see if I can do DIY stuff to it; to make it a "Frankenski" with better charactersitics. Stiffening a ski won't be difficult: just glue stuff on; but I can't make one softer than it comes out of the box... ! LOL Apart form anything else I wnat to play myself with skiing a really really floppy ski.. to relish in its good characteristics; as well as curse its bad ones: first hand.
I'm thinking I need to get a "ladies Novice" cheap and cheerful ski... perhaps a real cheapy form conrad for instance... Any persnal observations/ recomendations?
I should say I am 5'8" and weight 12.5 stones (so I'm not unduly big...) though of course; ironically for what I'm after I don't care what I weigh: in fact if I tuck into some pies; it'll make the ski appear floppier 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Before anyone warns me off-- I know I will be buying a ski which is bad at speed: chatters; lacking "bite" at tip and tale; however; it should turn in sweetly and be responsive... which is what I want to experience in spades; and contrast against its bad characteristics... Hence I'm after the floopiest ski currently on sale.
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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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jonnyhifi, Start with low level twin tips.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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jonnyhifi, I'm sure the cogniscenti will have sensible suggestions/qualifications ... but couldnt resist the ' PSB/MSB/EoSB-Lardy-post-1800hours ' in a very short length as a suggestion...... Many Apologies 
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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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It's just an idea, but would a worn out ski that had lost its spring fit the bill?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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jonnyhifi, be sure to read about the Flex Effect
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| Thick Lifters And Soft Skis -- But the problem could also be complicated by excessively thick lifters under the binding or a ski that is very soft under foot. If you feel you need lifters, you should consider binding models with a lifter function built-in, and if you are partial to really soft skis, your best bet may be a binding model with a band or bridge connecting toe and heel piece, designed to allow either toe or heel to float with respect to the ski. These free flexing models make flex/counter-flex much easier for the heel piece to handle. |
After you've tried LL TTs as per SZK, you can try junior skis too. For ideas on what to add on top look at Salomon , Fischer production from around '97-2001, all sorts of silly arms/binding & plate extensions. The next Pro Pulse?
EDIT: anyone remember a Fischer GS ski that had a plate extension almost tip to tail, looked like an aluminium heat sink flipped upside down?
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Just out of interest. Would any manufacturer develop a ski to FIS standards/dimensions that was super-floppy?
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Mmm that Fischer with alumnium heat sink sounds wild... what a talking point -- blinged up ski ! Anyone know it's name or know of a picture of it ?
>>>EDIT: anyone remember a Fischer GS ski that had a plate extension almost tip to tail, looked like an aluminium heat sink flipped upside down?
Thanks for the serious "heads up" safety issue re binginds and flex.
I love the idea of a "lardy" ski.. could it be the next thing in snow boarder lingo cross over into skiing ? LOL
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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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jonnyhifi I want to remember 'RC4 Race Carve Accelerator' but not sure.
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After a mere 2 pints, 3 small glasses of Apremont and a few Satsuki sushis I am already too pie eyed to have any idea as to why you'd want anything like this. Please elaborate.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| David Murdoch wrote: |
| After a mere 2 pints, 3 small glasses of Apremont and a few Satsuki sushis I am already too pie eyed to have any idea as to why you'd want anything like this. Please elaborate. |
Well from what I've read all over the web, of all the obvious charactersistics of skis; the more expert you are; the more you apparenlty agree with the consensus-- that you want a soft ski; all else being equal... i.e. for a given amount of damping; weight; wide cut etc; the softer the better.
Begginners feel the same; but the psychological perception I think is somewhat differnt.
I think it is the case that manufacturers have to not go too mad on softness or else the ski flaps around so much; it won't hold an edge.. the tip and tail simply "get out of the way" once loaded up.
I figured it would be fun to "expereince" an extreme floppy ski therefor; and mabe try stiffening it up by gluing some bits of.. wood perhaps ... ith some contact adhesive perhaps on the top; till i reduced the no holding characteristics till bearable; but the ease of turning characteristics maximised.. purely so i could understand the feeling as it progresses from "unskiable" to " ok..."
Otherwise I'm back to the thing of not knowing what I'm experiencing from skiing a ski bought commercially... How much of the sensations of the ski is down to side cut; binding etc... you can never really tell; you're simply biuying a complete set of charactersitics from the manufacturer. This was one characteristic I reckoned I could probably isolate; and experiment with-- and-- I've never knowingly skid on what apppears to be.... really floppy... so go on .. humour me... someone point me towards the floppiest ski out there... !
and I'm now intrigued... that RC4 race carve accelerator sadly didn't get me anywhere via google... anyone else remember the name ?
Cheers !
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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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ha ha.. true.. but the softness thing does seem to appear in places other than wiki....
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You know it makes sense.
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jonnyhifi, there's a pic looking down onto the ski here, Fischer #6 from top, no side view sorry.
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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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intersting... anyone ski the fischer ski and know what it was like ? (getting off my own topic here !) Presumbly it didnt do anything special or else their skis would still look like it...
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Poster: A snowHead
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jonnyhifi, nope. Still unclear. And thankfully no hangover (which is just as well as I'm off to see Monsieur le Dentist).
Nowhere AFAIK is there any consensus on stiffness, at least as it relates to skis.
I'm not even sure that there's a consensus on how stiffness (real) relates to stiffness (perceived).
If jonnyhifi, stiffness is really your thing, I am sure there are some fora, perhaps NQSSFVAW (not quite so suitable for viewing at work) that would sort you out?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Line Eric Pollard Pro. Might not be the dimensions you are after but pretty flexible.
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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 like a stiff one myself.
Fnar fnar 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm with David Murdoch on this and I haven't been drinking.....
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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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parlor, That won't work. its already a Fankenski (although a VERY nice frankenski)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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jonnyhifi, jonnyhifi, oh and just to make myself clear AFAIK no-one advocates "softness" as a benefit the better you get. No-one. Not Wiki. Not anyone else either.
You are a loon. But hey! Maybe you are on the cusp of a new ski revolution. Soft is the new stiff. You could call them "No Viagra needed".
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| David Murdoch wrote: |
| jonnyhifi, jonnyhifi, oh and just to make myself clear AFAIK no-one advocates "softness" as a benefit the better you get. No-one. Not Wiki. Not anyone else either. |
Have to agree with that. I think the policy of "as stiff as you can manage" rather than "as soft as you can manage" will better serve your skiing.
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Rossi B2 from 2005 or so....what dreadful floppy things they were
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| David Murdoch wrote: |
| jonnyhifi, jonnyhifi, oh and just to make myself clear AFAIK no-one advocates "softness" as a benefit the better you get. No-one. Not Wiki. Not anyone else either. |
Have to agree with that. I think the policy of "as stiff as you can manage" rather than "as soft as you can manage" will better serve your skiing. |
I think he's trying to create "only just as stiff as he needs" without having a preconceived idea of what that is.
The difference between "as stiff as he can manage" and "only just as stiff as he needs" would, in theory, be gobs of extra labour to accomplish the same task, that he'd have to get ready for through fitness training.
Sounds like he's having fun with it; more power to him I say.
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haha, loving this jonnyhifi! sod it, if theyre nice i'll chuck out all mine and buy yours....hmm try anold pair of head big easy's, donno what theyre called now, should give you a level playing field as all thats in them is foam.....hmm, a bit like the salomon 3v's....LOL!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Pocket Rockets
Here endeth this thread 
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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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FenlandSkier, I just clicked on this thread to suggest the same thing, maybe one that's seen a bit of use too.
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U can get Volkl Ledge or K2 Fujative pretty cheap off sport conrad.
From what I hear, theyre pretty soft.
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You know it makes sense.
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A friend suggested to me a pair of cheap "made for rental" skis... Anyone know anyhing about them; would htat be a good way to go ?
And yes: My idea is very much one of trying to "creep up on the mark" as oposed to backing off from the unskiable...
Also; tinkering around in the shed is far more fun than not doing anything ski related; whilst I wait to go away again.
As a slight aside: anyone else ever tried DIY mods to skis; beyond obvious servicing i.e. attempting to change their design characteristics for the hell of it?
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FAQ
