 Poster: A snowHead
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Following a recent 3 year attempt to telemark, I decided that my refusal to forget my well honed alpine technique and lack of fitness since I stopping doing seasons some 10 years previous, meant that free heeling and me had had their day. I sold the teles and started looking for something else to give me pleasure on the mountain. After some deliberation and having never skied "fatties" before I decided that indulging in more in-bounds off piste was the way forward, so commenced with the daunting task of trawling the unknown world of powder skis.
I somehow came across the Icelantic Shaman 173 which I got lucky with and found a pair on ebay, drilled at the right length, with only 2 days skiing and for a snip. The seller although not of my "pure bred athletic stature" - (I am 6', nearly 16 stone and a 38 year old ex-instructor) had found them a little too long for him?
Having tried the skis indoors at X-scape "cas-vegas" and questioned my purchase I took then to Les Arcs for a real test.
The 1st morning arrived - we hit the slopes at just gone 9 am. The snow was a shade under bullet-proof as we headed to malgovert, hoping the shade and trees had prevented the melt/re-freeze scenario, but stay lucky - frozen bumps with frozen crud awaited. Having lost half my fillings, we cut around to 1600 where the snow had already softened. Still up until this point, I was actually missing telemark skiing and questioning why I had bought the skis. Then it happened - my Kundalini awakening! The skis came alive. The claimed 15M turn radius could be "carved" into insignifcance. Short, high speed turns were a breeze. Full on GS carves (up to a respectable speed) were smooth and effortless with the ski feeling stable enough
By the the afternoon we were sking spring snow, on and off piste and frankly able to tackle slopes that had last been seen in my youth. The ski off piste provides "snowboard-esk" floatation and total control over short or long radius turns. Around this point my mate who is significantly lighter than me tried the skis and I subsequently struggled to get them back off him. When i finally did, his 1st words were - I'm buying a pair of those.
The following day the melt/refreeze was more severe and lasted until around 11am. On Bullet-proof when you finally have the guts to lay the ski over enough to put it on edge, something strange happens on the frozen cordroys. The ski initiates the turn and starts to carve. Then due to the "flappyness" of the tips, the outside ski would then straighten, then re-initiate creating a perfect s-turn through the middle of 1 carve - Quite scary at speed.
In summary on all but bullet-proof, this is an amazing ski and has converted me to skiing something shaped so radically, allowing me to ski off-piste (or on) effortlessly and for longer. Given the choice of the spiritual feeling of telemarking or skiing the Shaman - The Shaman win ever time. Can't wait to try themin Powder rather than soft heavy spring snow.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ron maycock, Welcome to SnowHeads. Nice first post.
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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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Glad you like them, sick skis!!
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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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Anybody know how the Shaman's compare to the Nomads?
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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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ron maycock, very nice first post, welcome to the site!
I've just bought a pair of 179 Pilgrims - not quite as fat, but then, I'm only just starting to venture off-piste. Sounds like the Shamans behave as well on the piste as the Pilgrims though 
Oh and if you're wondering about the length - I'm 6'8" so 173 for a six-footer sounds right. Icelantic lengths are generally a little shorter than you're used to - I think it's the flex.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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ron maycock, you muppet! Icelandic Nomads with tele bindings . . . nirvana and better than sex at twice the price.
Whilst I have to empathise with you about age and lack of fitness your capitulation to both just marks you with with a big 'L'.
Get off the self pitying mewling and get back to skiing that requires you to be the 'driver' and not the passenger that so many are in 'alpine'
</rant>
nice skis . . . by the way 
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ron maycock, i used them for the whole of last season - just wait til you get them into some proper powder, they're so much fun it's just silly! the only negative is the amount of people who stop you to ask about them, i had a lifty stop the lift to ask me about them which was a bit weird...
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Love mine, 173s and am 5'11/75kg; perfect 1 ski quiver for a solid skier in European conditions. Personally find 'em too hooky and short to be a full on NA pow ski; I'll go elsewhere when it's all time, but as a day-to-day-do-everything-pretty-damn-well board they rock, absolutely.
And you're right, paul, attract attention like no other ski I've ever ridden... 
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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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| Quote: |
Then due to the "flappyness" of the tips, the outside ski would then straighten, then re-initiate creating a perfect s-turn through the middle of 1 carve - Quite scary at speed.
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Love my 184's, one of the all time classic skis IMO, never in 2 seasons on them came across that though, maybe check the tuning on those bad boys! As for the Nomads, definately a more rounded shape and a touch softer, another really nice ski I'd love to own. The Icelantic range rides really nice in longer lengths even though they have a "short board" heritage!
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Love my shamans, had a dude on Gs skis in Tignes tell me i was getting it all wrong with them for the powder, reckoned i needed thinner skis for 3d skiing to up/down/left/right, i wouldn't be able to sink in them, Tignes was wasted on him.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I still have a pair of Head magnums for 3-D powder skiing off the side of the piste - which is fine for a mornings skiing followed by a big lunch and a few "cheeky perkers". Unfortunately unless your doing a season the only way you can enjoy a full day off piste is to ski on top of the powder.
Bring on the fluffy stuff for the spritual awakening with the Shamans
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FAQ
