Dead Volante skis, much mourned, need replacing

A snowHead

For the last 4 1/2 seasons I have been skiing on Volante Chubb skis. They are Heavy (about 6kg with bindings) stainless steel semi-fat skis with not much side-cut (122 - 85 - 100) and quite stiff. Fantastic to smash through breakable crust and crud and very stable at speed. Good in powder or on piste, though it is really an off-piste ski.
They are now delaminating for the second time and are completely flat having lost any trace of camber, so they urgently need replacing, especially as I am about (friday week) to go on an SCGB off-piste holiday moving from resort to resort around the Monte Rosa (Zermatt, Gressoney, Alagna, Saas Fee etc and back to Zermatt). I shall have to hire and hope I get the right pair, since I won't be able to change them.

Anyone got any advice? I normally ski pistes only to get to off-piste. I like to ski steep and deep and big fast turns, but also trees etc. (However I have to admit to being 56 and 12 stone and only fairly fit)
People have mentioned the Rossignol B3 (but also the B2) and the Dynastar 8800.
Also the Head Monster 1.M75 and Stockli Stormrider.

A snowHead

Funny, I know of a pair of Chubbs nearing retirement age as well (tips torn off and bent back!)

Atomic M:EX and Elan M777 (possibly their relatives M666, Stomp) would be my choices for what you propose, sized by lb weight in cm. Neither feel as silky damp as the Chubbs to my mind though.

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

If Zermatt's your first stop there won't be a problem but in some of the smaller Italian places (Gressoney in particular) there isn't a huge choice available and a lot of what there is may be older models.
Assuming you've got a good range to choose from you'll find plenty of good opinions of K2 Apache Recon, Salomon 1080 and Elan M666 (bit rare in Europe I think) to add to your list.

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Some great suggestions so far. There's a guy on Epicski who has been worshipping his Volants for the last 4+ years. He recently jumped ship and went for a pair of Atomics (M:9's I think). Add Dynastars Legend 8000 to your list (80mm waist), the wider Dynastar 8800 and Rossi B3 skis you mentioned might be a bit too wide for a mainly piste ski but should be good for an off-piste week as would the Mad Trix Mojos (not the "Jojos" or standard "Mad Trix").

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Ooops, forgot the 777 was US-only for a time, apologies! Embarassed

Fischer BigStik 8.6 may work in the same sizing, and it's been made for years.

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Thanks for all the ideas so far. As I said, I ski almost entirely off piste now, but its nice to have some grip on piste. I'll be hiring in Zermatt at the start of the holiday and will have to stick with whatever I get.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

snowball,

Can you contact the hire shop before to see which skis they stock? Probably best to pick a ski before and reserve the correct size for you where possible. Some skis are love/hate (e.g. not everybody likes the B2's or monsters) best to go with a ski most like.

After all it is free

snowball,

That's a relief because the Italian side is a bit short on quality shops altho' you can find B2s'

Zermatt should have a good supply of Stockli's which sound like the type of ski you are after

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

There is a thread on Epikski concerning Volants.
If what I read is true then just send them back to Volant who will replace them.
it seems that they are well aware that their manufacturing standards are not what they were (ie de-laminating problems and bending).

Might be worth a try, nothing to lose if they are knackered already?

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Snowball,

I dropped into Finches yesterday to replace my trashed glasses. They have got 3 pairs of the metal Volante's there that I saw. I didn't have chance for a very good look but I would estimate that the 3 pairs were in the region of 165, 175 and either 180 or 185. The prices were from £225 to £395 I think.

Their website is http://www.finches-ski.co.uk/ and they are in Forest Hill, SE London. Great, great shop!

B

snow reports

Thanks benjj, I don't know the shop but I gave them a call. The Volantes they have are Vertec and super S which I don't know, but talking to the staff don't sound like they are in the area of skis I am looking for.

Snowball,

Looking at the Volant website it says that the Vertex is 107-67-98 measurements. The 'Super S' is the older version of this with a similar set of dimensions.

B

You know it makes sense.

The only current Volants you can get with 'similar' (!) dimensions to the ones you've lost are the Genesis M-Silver (113-80-106)

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

Thanks, and they also said they are softer than my Chubbs.
The Genesis sounds very possible if I see any (but Volante are a rare ski in the Alps)

Someone suggested the Stockli Stormrider XL (116-75-102 so a very different shape and 1cm narrower under the foot)
Anyone know them? I'm unsure if they might be more a 50:50% - piste:off piste - ski rather than the more off-piste bias I'm looking for. The review I read was talking about how they were like a GS race ski!!

A snowHead

snowball, I think the Stormrider XL would be just perfect for your trip -except- for the tree skiing part. You'd get it appropriately longer, of course to make up for lost float, and jump turns among dense trees are very tiring.

When I first started looking for Chubb-replacements, I was fairly certain of a target waist size in 78-83 mm. To get the tree performance I did not exclude twin-tip skis such as the Blizzard Sigma Titan 8.2 , Volkl V Pro, Fischer BigStix 8.0, and I even thought about the K2 Public Enemy and (being comfortable with flowers) T:Nine Phat Luv.

A snowHead

http://www.matterhornsport.ch/winter/english.html

http://www.rhone.ch/perren-reinhold/shop.htm

http://ski-zermatt.com/mattnet/features/ski_hire.html

http://www.julensport.ch/ourshop_e.htm

http://www.hemizeus.ch/ski_rent_e.htm

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

Thanks comprex (andDB, for shops).
I'm getting different advice from different people (Perhaps not surprising - chacun a son fou). Atomic M:EX (or perhaps R:EX ?) from Comprex, K2 Apache Recon from the guide I was just skiing with, Stockli Stormrider XL from the guide I am about to ski with, B3 from the friend I ski with most...
Hard to make up my mind. (But all useful stuff)

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Did somebody mention B3's? Check out the Buy and Sell forum wink

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

snowball, I can vouch for the Apache Recon, having skiied with a couple of K2 sponsored pros who showed them off very well.
The B3s might be a good bet, but will be a softer beast than your Volants.
I skiied in Jungfrau with an instructor who was on Stockli Snakes. Now they had a weird flex pattern, but their performance was amazing.

You'll need to Register first of course.

I've never skied on a snake, but it makes sense the flex pattern would be weird Very Happy

(OK Alan)

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

snowball, I saw the guy doing crazy wheelies on their tails, yet when he opened them up, they ripped!
I also posted a response on Epic about Beans in Bicester. You may want to check them out, if you can get there before you leave.

After all it is free

Thanks Wear The Fox Hat,

Help!!

Dead Volante skis, much mourned, need replacing

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