 Poster: A snowHead
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I have a great time carving about, skiing my new 5 stars on the groomed .
Last weekend I was in deep powder at the top of the black run in Happo One and noticed two things. First I do not seem to be able to ski down the bumps like I used to on my old style skis. It seems to be to do with the care one needs to take to release edges. I could do it, but it did not seem so much fun.
Also I lost it a few times in deep powder, each time when the skis decided to go in different directions. Still pretty painful turning my head. Apart from that problem, though the powder felt wonderful.
I have had lessons the last couple of years, so I tend to think that it is the character of the skis, rather than my technique - does that sound likely?
I wonder then what a second set of skis should be. I really want to improve my bump technique, but I read herein that fats are not much good for bumps. On the other hand I would also like to float on the wonderful powder that is everywhere in Japan at present.
Any recommendations how to bridge this gap? Does one need three pairs of skis now?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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> ...but I read herein that fats are not much good for bumps...
Unless one is competing in moguls (ie, zipper-lining a mogul run), IMHO, short fats (eg, under 170 cm, 10ex's through Explosivs for the heavier folks, softer fats for the lighter folks) are exactly what you want from new snow bumps to slush bumps, and are surprisingly manageable on everything else with the possible exception of rock hard icy bumps.
I hate to let my annoyance show, but I would ask anyone who says differently if they have any personal experience whatsoever with short fat skis, and, if so, have they even taken them out once in firm snow, in bumps, etc..
Tom / PM
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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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Thanks, Physicsman, for your sole reply.
I will have a chance in Feb to try out the Volkl range for next year at Happo, so I will try the explosiv, the karma, and expression at the 170 ish length (I am 5' 11," and 165 lbs - 12 stone-ish) . I can probably hire out a couple of Salomons too, pocket rocket and 1080.
I have never been on fat skiis before, and imagine they will take some getting used to. Any suggestions about how to ski them would be welcome.
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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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Nogs, I think that you're 5*s should be great in bumps! While taking the lessons, were you on your 5*s? My suspicion (sticking my neck out here, since I haven't seen you ski and you've not said much about your technique) is that you're "rushing" your turns, causing you to overturn in the moguls and get your skis going in divergent directions in softer snow.
As for fat skis, all of those that you mention are wonderful fat skis. You may also be interested in trying the Atomic Metron series (choose the ski based on your ability, but the M:11 or M:b5 would likely be good choices to try). The Fischer Big Stix and Elan 666 may also be worthwhile to try.
Hope this helps!
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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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Thank you ssh, it most certainly does help. I am very interested in what you say about how the 5 stars should be good on bumps. Much of my problem was speed control - perhaps inspired by fear! My wife says I looked okay and in control, but I felt that I had a choice between hurtling from bump to bump too fast (sometimes in the air) or scraping sideways down faces - nice and slow but hardly the real thing. The last bump lesson I had was on Intuitive 74s at Lake Louise last year, and in my memory it felt more elegant.
As to my skiing style - I've skied a lot in the 1980s and liked skiing all the runs, the blacker the better. I got going again in the last 5 years, and recently managed (after being repeatedly told to separate my knees and skis a shoulder's width and let my knees come up to my chest) to shift to the new style, getting fast long carves and short swinging on these new skis. This has been a great kick for me. It seems that I do best when I keep my body at a constant height and let my knees work to keep the skis at a steady pressure on the snow. This is what I try to do on the bumps, but I suspect that I am forcing my turns rather than letting them happen. "Rushing" sounds right. You don't actually carve bumps do you? I would think the acceleration would be scary.
By the way, what do you think about the role of fat skis? There is a lot of powder in Japan at present, creating soft, up-to-the-top-of-the-boot conditions even on intermediate runs. Would you use fats even in such places, or are they really just for the deep stuff, over 50 cms of powder, say?
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