Salomon X-Wing 8 or Storm?

A snowHead

I'm thinking of buying my own skis again this year. I had Axendo 9s in the time before children but have been renting for the last few years. I'm going for three weeks skiing this winter so reckon it's worth having my own again.

I'm a big, fit bloke (runner and mountain biker) who skis with more enthusiasm than technique. I ski mostly on the piste but enjoy venturing off into the powder when I get the chance. So I've come to the conclusion that I need an AllMountain ski.

Sadly I don't live in the Alps so I don't have the luxury of spending time testing skis. If I tried that I'd just about come to a conclusion by the end of the season just in time for a whole new set of skis to come out and confuse me. I've basically got to plump for a pair and enjoy them. Based on the fact that my local shop is a Salomon dealer that points me towards the X-wing 8 or the Storm.

So....
~ any views on the X-wing range generally?
~ should I stump up the extra for the Storm? If so, why?
~ I've discounted the X-wing 6 as it's a smidge narrower - have I been too hasty? (any money saved will be spent on lessons)

A snowHead

Higs, I haven't tried the Storms, but did hire X-Wing 8s after a recommendation from a rental shop owner (ex-racer). I thought they were excellent. Really grippy in the turn and very stable staight lining. I did some off-piste with an instructor and they seemed OK, but clearly a ski better suited for piste skiing, in my case anyway. I'm quite a large guy, not overly fit Embarassed

, but confident on most runs. Probably intermerdiate/advanced. I'd definitely hire again.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Higs, I would not go for either. They are not full woodcore. The X-wing Tornado may be a better bet. More expensive but a better ski. It wont be too much ski for you.
Its very nice on piste and can handle a bit of off. Its essentially slightly fatter piste ski.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Although....

I probably fall between the 168 and 176cm Storms so maybe a 173cm Tornado would be spot on?
Maybe.

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I'm skiing a 176 x-wing 8, used to DH MB'ing also, I'm 13 stone and 6'2''. Its only my 3rd week skiing, so don't take my views to seriously, but, jese do these skis make a difference, bumping over small moguls, going down slopes i never dreamed of, it my first day on them and i love them, I didn't fall over all day! thats how much more confidence they've given me. Oh I'm in kaprun and theres is powdery stuff everywhere, bring on tomorrow Very Happy

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Thanks Tom - enjoy your skiing today - I'll be in an office having meetings and answering email.

I'm erring towards the X-wing 8 unless anyone can tell me what difference I will feel in the Storm and Tornado based on material of construction when the geometry's basically the same?

What is it about the core of the Storm that would make £100 of difference?
What is it about the core of the Tornado that would make £150 of difference?

Maybe if I lived in the Alps I'd be tempted to go further up the range but (without a big lottery win) these will get used for two weeks a year average.

I guess the problem is that as I ratchet further up the range, the economic argument over renting decreases.

After all it is free

Higs, Add to the ecconomic argument how do you travel as the cost of ski carriage, if you fly, is close to that of ski hire. (Depends a bit who you fly with and what resort you rent kit in.)

Woodcores last longer and are more lively.

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I've been keeping an eye on Buy/Sell but haven't seen anything that fogs my goggles.

Same really with the Conrad site - the one or two discounted ones (that were the right kind of ski) were all the wrong size.

I could drop a line to the shop I use in the resort and see what they sell?

Always buy the best kit you can afford.

Get the Tornados.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

And I wasn't even looking at the Tornado to start with Puzzled

A snowHead

The XW8's are the real value for money choice - really very close to the Tornado in performance but significantly cheaper...

yw...

(I didn't like the Storms anyway, they were like skiing with bricks on your feet).

A snowHead

Thanks Fr0sty.

I think I may get some on Thursday (based on your recommendation).

I see the XW8s are 30g lighter than the Storm so that should get round the 'bricks on feet' thing.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I assume the XW8's are foam core? From my (very) limited knowledge of ski construction, they won't rebound out of the turn as well, probably won't be as damp, and will have a much reduced life expectancy (before the flex goes). There is a reason why probably over 90% of skis are woodcore, and why salomon is returning to woodcore (like the Tornado).

To put it simply, would you ratehr ski on a block of foam or a block of wood?

I would find the extra money for the Tornados - they also happen to be an excellent ski.

(PS I know that is extremely simplistic, but I don't really know much about ski construction. Doesn't seem anyone else has though either though as no-one has posted, just thought you should get some idea of the difference. Probably a good idea to go and research the difference in performance offered by different cores yourself in more depth).

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Is it really 'foam' though? My best road bike's plastic (well, carbon fibre composite) and that's a gorgeous ride better than any of my metal bikes.

Honestly I don't care what they're made of - I'm interested in how they perform.

I do know that the Tornado should be better than the Storm better than the 8 better than the 6 - it's a question of degree, I suppose.

It's almost like they design their ranges so you can sell your way up them from one to the next - happy with XW8 but for only a leetle bit more I could have Storm. Then for only a leetle bit more I might as well have the Tornado. So why not a leetle bit more and get the Tornado Ti. And then I might as well get the Furys and be done with it. And then I've got Mrs Higs why she's on rental skis when we could have bought two 'perfectly good' pairs for the same money!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

There is a difference in performance form the materials though - and often a very big one! It doesn't really translate the same way as with bikes though. I imagine your composite bike (like a composite whitewater kayak) would offer higher performance becasue it is lighter and stiffer (so less energy is lost via vibrations and it wobbling around), with a trade off that it is not as strong/impact resistant. With a foam core ski you have less durability but also worse performance.

I imagine 'foamcore' probably isn't your standard foam, but it must still be foam of some description.

Sounds like your pretty convinced though and if you're willing to take the tradeoff for less cash fair enough!

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Hi Higs,

Tried the XW8's at Castleford, courtesy of EB, and liked them best of all I tried that day. Didn't consider the Storms, cos stiffer, more expensive, and probably too much ski for me

Also picked up an EB catalogue on the way out of the shop - cos I'm a sucker for that sort of thing - and in there, they claim the Storms have a wood core, but don't give any details - see http://www.ellis-brigham.com/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi?prod_code_in=700902

Don't know if that helps at all?

Have fun making up your mind - and let everyone know what you end up with Very Happy

After all it is free

Higs, the Tornado is an excellent ski - I (and others) have mini reviews of it and other skis in the ski test thread within the equipment reviews here on Snowheads.

If you can't / wont spend the money, then there's no point debating its worth versus its cost as you're clearly not going to buy it. To be fair if you felt you needed it then you would probably be less hesitant anyway.

I like riding stiff skis, the Storms imo were not stiff skis they were just ugly to ski - hence bricks; heavy and cumbersome. Opinions vary of course.

Cheers!

Am a 3rd season Intermediate, 5' 9 and just under 14 stone. Recently tried the Storm, Tornado, Crossfire and Recons. The Storm was dreadful! Felt like they weren't waxed; sticky; hard to turn. Tornado was great - really zippy. Crossfire almost as good but the one that really stood out was the Recons. Went through everything and made me feel like I'd been skiing for years! Salesman said they were stiffer than others. Dunno if that is it but if this is anything to go by, don't get the Storm.

I picked these up ex demo c £400.

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How different is the X-Wing 'Tornado' to the X-Wing 'Fury'?

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Fr0sty - ta for pointing me at the 09/10 ski test thread - that's just the kind of comparative info I'm after (people actually who've skied both skis)

I really haven't already made my mind up, although it's true to say the Tornado itelf wasn't on my starting list (of XW6, XW8 and XW Storm). It's just how I seem to make decisions. I lurch from one thing to another and back again a number of times and then just plump for one of them. I tend to be happy with the choice once made though. Im not one for going back and thinking what if...

I think I might have discounted the Storm though - I think it could be down to the XW8 (best value for money) vs. Tornado (ultimately the better ski for me).... Tornado vs. XW8 and £150 of lessons? Once I've had the lessons (and had all my bad habits knocked out of me again) I'd probably really benefit from the Tornado :confused: I may be thinking about this too much!

And just to complicate things I've fired off an email to the shop I use in Le Grand Bornand asking them what they've got in this kind of ski - maybe I'll hold off buying before I go and get something there?

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Forwood are the recons really stiffer than the tornados?

Higs, clarky999, pretty much summed up the differences between foam and wood construction. In my experience these expectations are bourne out in the skiing.
I may not have made it clear that skied the 8 and Tornado. The 8s were well used and not very poppy (lively) I didnt hate them but they were at their best in bumps (uber forgiving when you hit em wrong which I do sometimes Embarassed

) the tips were soft probably due to their high millage.
Tornados in either 162 or 170 were much better on piste. Not a handful but a responsive rewarding ski. Their livelyness made them much more fun and my skiing improved whilst I had them. Their extra stiffness made them more grippy and also allowed them to power through crappy snow. They are a fattened up piste ski which gives em more versatility. I had them in powder at the sides of the piste they are a little hooky for powder skiing but had enough float to be fun.
A versatile all mountain ski with a piste bias.

Comparing new 8's with tornados there may be less of a difference but the Tornados will be good for longer.
they build so many models so there is a price point for everyone who wants their own skis.

You know it makes sense.

Higs, I am looking at the same ski's and think I am going to go for the X wing 8. I did a quick google search and found that Nevi Sport are doing the X wing 8' for £243 http://www.nevisport.com/catdetail-9-catdetail1_id-151-catdetail2_id-552-product_id-181050

compared to EB at £350 http://www.ellis-brigham.com/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi?prod_code_in=700903

The only thing is the Ski's in the pic's are slightly different but have the same title and description, does anyone now for sure if they are the same ski's but just with a different design?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

The ones at Nevis are last year's model. They've got some in my local shop too but only in the shorter sizes.

I have no idea whether there are more substantial differences than the graphics between the years.

A snowHead

Higs, a couple of years back I had a pretty similar decision to make - for me it was between X-Wing 'Tornados' or X-Wing 'Blasts' (cheesy name, eh?).

I don't think Salomon make the Blast anymore, but at the time the skis were pretty much identical apart from the graphics and the core material: The Tornados were wood, Blasts were foam. Having tested both, I actually ended up with the Blasts - mainly because they just felt a little easier to ski.

As others have said, the Tornados were definitely zippier / snappier - but the Blasts just felt a bit more managable for my skill-level.

As others have stated, it makes sense that wood will outlast foam. But from an enjoyment/suitability standpoint, I guess you really need to test them both to see which suits.

Hope this helps.

A snowHead

Higs, if you are going to rent your wifes ski's why don't you take up the Ski Republic offer of 2 for 1, they do the Tornado.

Help!!

Salomon X-Wing 8 or Storm?

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