 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey guys, I come here seaking your wisdom as my girlfriend is currently looking to purchase her first set of ski's as we plan to ski alot. Renting isnt an option anymore.
She is a good skier and is confident enough that she is hitting the harder runs. Unfortuently she is lost in all the tech-babble and doesnt know what to be looking for. What do you reccomend?
Details:
- Intermediate skier with confidence.
- Plans to do alot of skiing in the future.
- We are heading to Japan at the end of the year, so they need to be able to be comfortably used in the powder (dont want skis which are 100% for powder)
- 167~ish cm tall
- Small build (60~kg)
- Rather buy a more advanced ski as it allows for her to grow more, as we plan to ski alot.
I hope this covers all bases. We are also happy to get gear from the USA (as we are based in the USA) as we are already organising to get 3/4 of our kits from over there.So feel free to provide links to any products from over there if a good price is offered.
Thank you,
Chris
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Prolly should add that she is lookingg more towards an all-mountain ski, as she doesnt ever plan to go into the park.
So far from the research I have done - it looks like she should go towards the Rossignol B3, Salomon Gun Lab, and some have even mentions to go towards stiffer twin tips such as the K2 Public Enemy.
Thanks again,
Chris
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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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Exclusive Legend
Sugar Mama
Supercharger Ignition
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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buhdlik, demo as many pairs as possible. What some skiers like, others hate.
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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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kiwi1, the Nomads were fantastic thanks......
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Atomic Hot or Royal Minx Mrs Ordhan bought a pair this year and is almost taking them to bed  Great all mountain skis, super grip on piste good in teh pow and very snice graphics which is important to the girlies
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buhdlik, to be honest, nothing anyone says will really help. Go try (rent) lots of pairs until she finds a pair she likes.
As an example, Ordhan, suggests that what he recommends has "super grip on piste". Well, that's all relative. There is just no way on this earth that they grip like my skis on piste (fairly full on race slalom skis). You have to try before you buy.
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She should definitely look at Elan.
I've just bought some Magfire 10's for £300 (retail was £380). Reviews suggest they ski as well as the £480 skis.
Tried them yesterday at Chill Factor, they seem superb, but I'll need to run em at Val Thorens for a proper review. They feel much more lively (wood core?) than my existing £230 retail K2 skis. In fact bit of a handful at first but got used to them within 30 minutes. Definitely much better where the snow is bumpy and uneven (as far as indoor slopes go), but as I say, you can't really judge a ski until it's done some proper runs on a mountain.
I've gone from 68mm waist on my K2 skis to 75mm waist and I much prefer the wider waist.
The womens Elan models are called Magic:
http://www.elanskis.com/defaultc.asp?xpath=/products/womenskis/magic&xpathid=&lang=eng
The Speed Magic retails at £370 - expect to pick it up now for £300 if you can find em.
At her height and build I'd recommend the 158cm version.
Demoing lots of skis is not exactly practical. Unless you can go to a demo day where they have lots of skis for you to try.
When I was in France a few weeks ago I rented a pair of Rossignol Z9 in very similar dimensions to the Elan's I ended up buying last week. They were 126mm on the nose and 74mm on the waist. I found them much better than my K2 ski's, even though I only stayed on piste.
I was ready to buy some of these when I got back but did some research and read lot's of reviews. The Elan Magfires I bought are 125mm on the nose and 75mm on the waist.
You are defintely right about buying a ski that is designed for people above her level. Who wants to buy new ski's every year?
When I started boarding I got an £80 Decathlon board. 2 months later I got a proper £380 board, aimed at so called "experts" and I was miles, miles, better on it. The same applies to skis - I ski better on skis designed for advanced intermediates even though I've only done a total of 7 days skiing.
EDITED to say: If I was a woman, I would buy the Magfire skis instead of the womens specific. They are perfectly suitable for both sexes. Easier to find as well. Seriously, when you hire out skis, are they female specific? Our group of 22 the other week had about 10 female skiiers, 8 of whom hired. They were all on Rossignol skis that were the same (albeit shorter) than the ones the men were hiring.
Selling here for £247!!!
www.filarinskis.co.uk
At that price they are worth trying and if she really doesn't like em, stick em on eBay.
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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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Bikeadnsnow: Great Suggestions have skied on the mens Magfires this year and thought they where amazing and it was a tough decision not to buy them over the Nordica's I picked up
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As an example, Ordhan, suggests that what he recommends has "super grip on piste". Well, that's all relative. There is just no way on this earth that they grip like my skis on piste
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Good point was just giving a general feedback on the ski it is all relative!
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- We are heading to Japan at the end of the year, so they need to be able to be comfortably used in the powder (dont want skis which are 100% for powder)
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The futher you go from Race skis (Atomic GS12 Salomon 3V) you will have less grip but how is the grip for that type of skis compared to its piers.Considering the above I wasnt going to recomend the 3v'S I ski the piste on
The try before you buy philosiphy is definatley the best way to go. I bought a pair of all mountain skis this year that where not even on my to try list after trying them as they where amazing.
There are alot of great skis out ther for women at the moment so you will have plenty of choic. Fall line has some good reviews of all skis geard towards woman. Happy shopping 
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K2 have their "Luv" range of women specific skis in lots of different widths and ability levels, which seem to be really popular.
Head also have their "Thang" range of women skis, again in various widths and ability levels. My wife has the Head Cool Thangs, which are a piste oriented carver. As a confident intermediate, she finds them really light and easy to ski, but struggles a bit with them in deeper snow and crud.
Your girlfriend should try to demo a few of those. As she only weighs 60kg, I would have thought the women specific models should be better suited. They're normally softer, lighter construction than the male equivalents.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| very snice graphics which is important to the girlies |
Ordhan, looking for trouble with that comment? Next you'll be saying that we buy cars by colour 
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| They're normally softer, lighter construction than the male equivalents. |
There are some exceptions - the women's Volkls weigh a ton (but ski like a dream in most conditions). Don't forget to carry them around a bit (with bindings on) as part of your testing!
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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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I'm surprised nobody's mentioned anything by Scott yet. The Aztec Pro (unisex) / Aztec Maya (I think - women's) are mid 70s underfoot IIRC and the Mission is about 86 underfoot in a 168
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You know it makes sense.
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RachelQ, Are yours the Scott Mission Aversion ?
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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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IncogSkiSno, yes, they are. But quite why they're called Aversion I don't know, they don't seem to dislike anything Actually, I don't think the name appears anywhere on the skis, I'lll have to have a proper look when I get home (they're in my hall, waiting for a service).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ordhan, Got to agree with Vetski about weight of Volkl Ladies skis ( my Better Half and she both ski Attiva 5s). They are heavier in a '150' than my Volkls in a 178 .. 
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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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RachelQ, my Rosas are 86 wide in the 168, the 178 was 89 wide; AIUI the Mission is 86 in 168, 89 in 178 and 91 in 183? It's all immaterial really, they're pretty much go anywhere do anything skis if they suit you and you like them.
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Any of you guys up on the "Luv" range - was thinking about getting burnin luv as reviews seem great but S&R have sale on the Lotta Luvs..
How do people get to demo all these ranges?
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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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aggyh, I have burnin' luvs - luv 'em, but in deep pow in tignes I needed fatter.
admin arranges demos in the summer at snowdomes and at there are often demos at the bashes. Otherwise you can demo in resort from hire shops or some brand have shops in resort.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yeah - well the Lotta Luvs seem to be fat enough and ?? would deal with the Pow but all the reviewers are going crazy over the burnin luvs - to tell you the truth I don't particularly like the graphics on the burnins but won't see em knee deep in pow!
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Also - anyone know if they'll be holding demos at the new place in Manchester - chill factor e ?? I only live 3 miles away....
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aggyh,
K2'as typically are heavy....and you'll feel it. Not a problem if you can hande it...but they'll likely be the heaviest thing in the rack...
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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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buhdlik, As eng_ch and RachelQ suggest, take a look at Scott for your girlfriend.
I have the Scott Rosa's which are the women's equivalent of the Scott Mission and they are fantastic. They are identical in every way geometry wise to the Missions but with different graphics to the Missions. I tried them on piste in Scotland the other week, I've not long bought them and am looking forward to trying them in off piste in Val D'Isere next week and see what they are like through the powder! Here's hoping there's plenty there.
The graphics on the Rosa are plain but classy looking IMO, the skis are white with swirly black Rosa writing on them so your girlfriend might like those if she's not into pink skis with flowers and things on them necessarily. Since the geometry was the same and I wasn't bothered about the weight difference of the skis I bought the Rosas instead of the Missions because I preferred the graphics on the Rosas. Check out the reviews online of the Missions and I can tell you they are brilliant on piste considering the width underfoot and like RachelQ says they have a nice short radius on them so will come around very easily. I think Backcountry sell them since you are in the US. I don't know if you'll be able to get a Rosa though as I found there weren't many about. A brill all mountain ski that she can use wherever pretty much.
However, also as the others say, your girlfriend needs to try some different makes and models to see what suits her best. Also, give each ski half a dozen runs or so. My Rosa's felt a bit awkward and very different to my piste skis for the first few runs, but once I had got into them they were fantastic! Good luck
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P.S Or Volkl. My piste skis are Volkl and they are fantastic too. Haven't tried any of their All Mountain/Off Piste skis though. Wooden cores are good from what I have gathered.
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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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VolklAttivaS5, you hadn't noticed the weight? Good Lord, are you bench-pressing Hereford bulls? I have 161 as well and I think they weigh a ton. Fine on the feet, and I think the extra weight lends stability, but carrying them - esp uphill - nearly killed me in Jan!
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vetski, er...no can't say I noticed them to be heavy to be honest! ust thought they would be the same as most other skis that length. Saying that I bought them in the April of 2007 and didn't try them until the December that year, and having had rental skis in the March a month prior to buying them then by time I got to the December I had probably forgotten how heavy skis are to carry! I did think my Scott's were heavier than my Volkls but put that down to them being wider and longer at a 168.
Oh well, perhaps I'm stronger than I thought then!
Yeah, they're great on snow as lovely and solid feeling. I don't know which pair to take with me next week now, I'll have to take both I'll miss my Volkls if I don't take them.
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You know it makes sense.
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VolklAttivaS5, on the plus side, the Attiva5's can be be rented now...so investigate which shops have them. In Wengen several of the Intersport concessions had them - so you might be able to get away with carrying only one pair!
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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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vetski, Thanks thats useful to know for the future. Ski carriage is included in the price on my flight on Sunday and I can get both pairs in my ski bag so I'll just take both I reckon to be on the safe side and save the hire cost. I can use Scotts first week for Off Piste course and then Volkls next week for cruising about on piste. What a wonderful combination. Have a nice time in Scotland by the way. Are you taking your Volkls up there or do you have another pair of something else?
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Poster: A snowHead
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My babies are coming with me, though if it's very powdery I might try something fat - I want to get some, but have never even tried any yet!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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When you go to the EoSB (I think you're going aren't you?) then you could try some of kiwi 1's Icelantic Nomads. I tried both the Pilgrims and the Nomads at the Nevis Ski Test when I was up there over Easter weekend. The Pilgrims were 90 under foot at a 169 and were quite similar to ski on to my Rosa's at 86 u/f on a 168 although I did prefer my Rosa's to be honest for on piste as they come around on a gnats whisker. I'm so happy with them. The Nomads were great fun and er....robust. They were very popular-a lot of people liked them for bashing through the crud. I think they were 105 u/f from memory. There should be quite a few skis there at the EoSB to try I should think.
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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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VolklAttivaS5, one of the pulling points of the EoSB for me is the ski test - I'm going to try as many pairs as I can get my hands on!
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vetski, Brill don't blame you, hope you all have a nice time. The ski tests are great I hadn't been to one before until Scotland the other week. I might give the EoSB a try myself next year.
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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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VolklAttivaS5, the Rosas, sadly, were only made last season so if you managed to lay your hands on a pair this year, lucky you! I really hope mine don't die any time soon.
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So narrowed down to:
Exclusive Legend
Sugar Mama
Supercharger Ignition
Nomads
Atomic Hot or Royal Minx
Magfire 10's
Luv" range of women specific skis --burnin' luvs esp
Aztec Pro (unisex) / Aztec Maya
Scott Mission
Volkl Ladies skis
That covers the market..
Best advice was contained in the fourth post...from Kiwi
Me I'd get the 10's 
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FAQ
