 Poster: A snowHead
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So now returned from the weeks off piste in Val d'Isere with Alpine Experience and am slightly the wiser as a result but now know what I can't do and have some further queries.
1) Tried my K2 recons for the 1st 3 days and then switched to Salomon Lords, Big difference off piste but coped well in the afternoons when on piste. How much wider could I go without suffering too much on piste, they are 88 underfoot? Me = 5'11 77kg the Lords were 177 length.
2) Unlike this week there was no fresh powder when we were there so we were mainly skiing spring snow and assorted crud will the powder seem easier?
3)etiquette question- We had gone to Fornet and as a group of 3 plus instructor were doing the traverse from the Montets lift to do col de Pers and then the Gorge. The taverse was very icy as was the slope below, 1 of our group was a bit tentative and I was at the back of our group. I was giving my friend plent of room but did keep catching him so I backed off further. At that point I was caught up by an ESF instructor who kept urging me on even though I knew my pal was becoming anxious. He then tried to get me to undertake him even thogh there was no path below and the slope was heet ice. I just ignored him as best I could, but is it acceptable to suggest he should stick his poles where the sun doesn't shine in these circumstances?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1) Huge can of worms to be opened here, plenty of opinions saying you could go very wide (110mm++) and still be ok on piste....I'd say you need to try some out and make your own mind up
2) 'the powder' - There is no such thing IMHO, you'll be very lucky in Europe to get the superlight fluffy stuff that the Yanks enjoy and is easier to ski, you may get heavy powder, crust and all sorts of in between in a typical European day out, so your doing the right thing by getting as much experience in varied conditions as possible.
3) Instructor sounds like an back bottom. Sometimes you can wait until the person in front has got to a 'safe' point before you start your traverse.
Cheers,
Greg
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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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PsychoBabble, pretty much what kitenski says - except that you can get powder in Europe (as the participants of MSB 2007 can testify). But I agree it's not that common.
Just checked my Missions, which work adequately for me on piste, and their mid width is 89mm. I wouldn't be keen to change, but sypderjon has shown me some 110-wide skis that are stiff at the centre, yet flexible at the tip, which he thought would be good on piste. As kitenski says, find out what works for you.
I would have kept the gap between you and your mate, too, unless he had stopped at a 'safe' place as kitenski suggests. Firstly being close was making him nervous. Secondly, someone nervous on a traverse can inhibit a natural run for you and make the traverse yet more difficult.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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achilles, my point wasn't that you can't get powder in Europe, more that 'powder' can cover many different types of snow, usually not the light fluffy hero stuff 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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kitenski, ah, gotcha. Can't say I have had much (of the really, really, light stuff). All the more enjoyable when one finds it.
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My mate was getting even more nervous because he thought it was me talking to myself about how slowly he was going. Then paranoia kicked in when he thought I was using lots of different voices, it was the ESF instructor and his class!
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psychobabble,i am your height and weight and skied the 176 bandit b3's @ 83mm underfoot for 6 trips..liked them a lot but wanted something fatter this season so went for the 09 obsetheds 179s @ 105mm underfoot..i just think it is crucial to take full advantage of the pow when it comes,hence the obsetheds.. they actually perform better on the cordouroy than the b3s and obviously shred the pow on a whole different level..crud corn etc is easy peasy on these things too..stepping up from the lords to something around 105-110 would be wee buns for you..if you do step up make sure you clamp a set of quality bindings on too..ps..i am quite anal about etiquette on the slopes..that instructor is an ahole!
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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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snowpatrol, sorry for the delay (Aintree) wil give the Obsetheds a go (next season  )
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FAQ
I'd say, go as fat as you like, but it's a compromise. I've 104mm underfoot and they do carve on piste, but can be a handful on very hard snow (but that could just be me)
