 Poster: A snowHead
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hi folks
could someone give me some suggestions for new (or new to me) skis?
i currently ski on 160cm head cross-lights, had them for a few years and felt last year that they don't do offpiste powder well enough. just splashed out on a week in verbier so hoping to get some serious powder this year and looking for something to use on it.
i am a good skier - gaining confidence at speed, pretty ok technique, not always confident initiating turns in powder and happy to buy last years stock or second hand (if not used much). don't necessarily need "ladies" skis but like the light weight of my heads so not wanting something too hefty.
5 foot 3ish, 10 1/2 stone ish.
all suggestions welcome, ones i've had so far are K2 lotta luv and salomon tornado.
cheers and thanks in advance
TB
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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TB, Afraid, I wouldn't have a clue... someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly. But in the meantime, Welcome to  s
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Heads womens range seems to be getting good reviews this year...Great one \ Wild one.. also Scott Maya
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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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TB, Hi and welcome to Snowheads!
My wife is at the exact same stage as you. She's been skiing on Head Cool Thangs (156 cm) for a couple of seasons and now wants something more suited to powder. So I've just bought her a pair of Movement Spicys, which are still very light for a mid-fat ski. They're 81 mm wide underfoot, so they should float nicely in powder (as she only weighs 55kg) and still give good performance on-piste. She hasn't tried them yet, but I doubt she'll be disappointed.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have a similar profile to you, just a smidge shorter, and i have line celebritys for off piste, very floaty and immense fun
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TB, I happen to have  a Movement Black Rose in Verbier that needs an owner! Brand new! This is the womans version of the Thunder.
Mrs P used to have a pair of K2 Phat Luvs (92mm underfoot) which she enjoyed for a while but reverted to a K2 Public Enemy (85mm) after two seasons and finds it has enough float in powder, blasts through crud and she carves it hard on piste too.
Other skis that would be worth a try would be a Volkl Aura - if you're aggressive - it's fattish and stiff, like the mens Mantra. Volkl Kiku would be awesome in powder - this is a womens version of the Gotama - a ski that lots of men use as a one quiver ski but it quite big.
Another potential ski would be the Scott Crusade, thinking about this for Mrs P.
When are you here? You might also be able to test a new ski called The Preacher from Whitedot Freeride, but this is a very big powder ski for the ladiez...
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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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TB,
If you haven't been off piste yet. Don't buy skis pay for good off piste lessons and hire skis suitable for the snow conditions ask the instructor what to hire. If you're buying off piste skis you should also be asking which transceiver, shovel, probe and back pack should you buy.
I have 50/50 piste/off piste skis. Last year I still had to hire fatter skis because the snow was so light and deep. The year before I had to hire skis with touring bindings and skins to get to the decent off piste. I do ski 50/50 on/off piste.
If you buy off piste skis and then spend most of your time on piste then you've not spent wisely.
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| welshflyer wrote: |
| If you buy off piste skis and then spend most of your time on piste then you've not spent wisely. |
Which is really begs the question as what you consider to be off piste skis?
Good all mountain skis, fattish underfoot, less sidecut rip all over the mountain and are only a compromise on piste if you like to wear Spyder ski outfits...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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parlor,
Exactly what are off piste skis? They vary a lot from skis you could use on a small aeroplane to ones "designed" for the occasional excursion off the side of the piste. Ideally you would take at least 3 pairs of skis with you to cope with the varying snow conditions. Most skis are a compromise design and are said to be best in these condtions or those conditions. We end up buying new skis every other year
If you're only using the pistes to get off piste then buy off piste skis. However off piste can be anything from soft powder up to your armpits or corrugated iron and everything in between. A lot of what what you see and hear about different skis is marketing.
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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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welshflyer, oi, I asked you first!
As far as I am aware there is no such thing as a "category" called off piste ski (if we must box them all together). So I stand by the comment that a good all mountain ski is barely a compromise on piste unless you like to ski on piste like you are skiing slalom.
Re-read my original post, my recommendations actually extend from 87mm underfoot (Black Rose) to 105mm (Kiku). Quite a difference but a few ideas for the OP to consider.
You don't need 3 pairs of skis to "cope with the varying snow conditions". I have a silly amount of skis, my piste skis (115mm) cope pretty well in powder / crud / ice... 
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TB, You should have seen Anne from Icelantic at the EoSB rip on 161 Icelantic Shamans. Great back country ski with dims of 160/110/130 and they handle the piste good also for a fattish ski due to the side cut (turn radius of 12m), torsional stiffness and 1;3 edge angles.
If you let me know what week you're in Verbier we could arrange to meet to you can demo them if you want.
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You know it makes sense.
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parlor,
I agree with you that there isn't a category now called "off piste" ski, that's probably the "old school" term which in "new school" is now called "all mountain", "freeride" or "back country". Those terms simply confuse most people, it helps manufacturers market their skis more easily because they are described in terms to which we aspire.
The fundamental point I'm trying to make to TB is that learning the skill of off piste skiing is the first priority. Then, when one gets more skilled in off piste then you'll be able to make a more informed decision on the coreect tool (ski) for the job.
TB has booked a week in Verbier. When she gets there the off piste may be fantastic powder snow, crud, ice, spring snow, whatever. I'm suggesting she sees what the conditions are and then hire skis for the conditions while she is in the earlier stages of learning to ski off piste.
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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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TB, Mrs Chris here. You want a ski for powder, K2 Phat Luvs will do nicely. Triffic in deep and ok on piste too. You'll be needing 168cm skis.
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Poster: A snowHead
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hi guys
wow, thanks for all that info and advice, will take some time to have a look around at your suggestions.
yes, i think it is a good suggestion to hire in resort so that skis more closely match conditions .... and one that i am considering but i was scouting round last years online sales and ebay for folk who are getting rid of gear as they upgrade so i thought it worth getting some suggestions from folk in the know.
i bought skis several years ago cos i live in scotland and it's worth having your own for those occasional days - not advisable to take new skis onto scottish snow (aka mud, ice, rock, sheep) tho!!!!
cheers for all advice - any more to come?
TB
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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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| parlor wrote: |
| I have a silly amount of skis, my piste skis (115mm) cope pretty well in powder / crud / ice... |
You're a bit extreme in your view. I very much doubt your average 5'3" 10.5 stone female really needs 100+ mm underfoot to learn to ski powder. Particularly not if the skis will be regularly used on-piste too. Your suggestion of the Black Rose is about as extreme as I would consider going from the OPs description of what she'll be skiing on them.
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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.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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parlor, Just pointing out to the OP that you're the King of fat skis and your recommended range of 87-105 mm might just be a bit excessive for the OP. In the interests of a balanced thread I would suggest 75-85 mm underfoot might be suitable too.
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