Poster: A snowHead
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I've been skiing on a pair of 2005 Volkl Energy Motion XTPs since 2006. I bought them in the 2005 end of season sale without any thought. Does anyone recall / have access to the relevant reference literature to tell me what these skis were designed for, and how out of date they are in terms of technology (nil points for anyone who replies "five years"...).
I was at a ski shop today and realised how behind the curve I am when it comes to ski equipment. I was on the brink of chucking £500 at a pair of Salomon X-Wing Tornado Ti's, but I'm not sure how much better these are than my existing skis and thought I'd find that out first.
I've been skiing for nearly 20 years, going between one and three times a year since then, so I'm a decent skier, but I haven't the space in my head to spend time learning about ski technology (and sorting out the marketing drivel from the facts). I just want a pair of skis that can go anywhere, fast.
Additionally, these Volkl's are hideous. Very out of date graphics and a colour that has been described as "Jewish racing gold". If the skis are worth keeping, is there any way I can update the look with my cack-handed craft skills (paint or transfers)?
thanks in advance for your help.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I'd suspect they are perfectly competent piste skis usuable anywhere. When you say "go anywhere fast" - couloirs, monstrous mogul fields, steep powder fields? There may be other skis that do the job better here but if you mean go anywhere on piste fast then I'd think they'd be fine.
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Fatenbread, weel I still own, and occasionally ski, a pair of Völkl P30's dating from around 1997. They have seen a lot ( and mean really a LOT ) of use, but are still excelent race carvers, and have not really lost any of their spring. In contrast I once made the mistake of buying a pair of Atomic 'all mountain' something or others, which were great for two seasons and then went dead; felt like having a pair of sponges strapped to your feet.
Your Völkl's are probably just fine, but what you really want to do is find an excuse for getting new skis! Don't touch Salomon though... A pair of Völkl Mantras is what you really want!
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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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fatbob wrote: |
I'd suspect they are perfectly competent piste skis usuable anywhere. When you say "go anywhere fast" - couloirs, monstrous mogul fields, steep powder fields? There may be other skis that do the job better here but if you mean go anywhere on piste fast then I'd think they'd be fine. |
I think they were billed as "expert carvers" when I bought them, but I hoped someone with a Volkl 04-05 catalogue or a 4 foot deep pile of Ski magazine next to the bog might know more, and be in a position to tell me where they sit in the current line-up of ski types.
They still seem OK, but when all my ski buddies are now on newer (and heavier) skis like Dynastar Legends, it's almost a struggle to keep up, desite being the resident hooligan in the group.
To clarify what I mean by "anywhere fast", I spend my time on the mountain going from A to B (usually for lunch) and back, by whatever means necessary. I'm probably on piste for 70% to 80% of the time, but frequently take "route 1" and go as the crow flies if it makes sense. I'd also spend the whole day on a particular slope if there was a mammoth powder dump, but as I ski mainly in Europe, those days are few and far between. Moguls do not interest me, I would never take my skis off and hike to get to a particular slope, and I've never jumped of a cliff that was higher than 6 feet - I am now too fat and old to enjoy falling over.
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Quote: |
I am now too fat and old to enjoy falling over.
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are you a lot fatter than when you bought them? What length are they?
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pam w wrote: |
Quote: |
I am now too fat and old to enjoy falling over.
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are you a lot fatter than when you bought them? What length are they? |
I've been between 13 and 14 stone (depending on squash / football activity and beer / pizza consumption) for several years now, before I bought the skis at least.
They are 177's.
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Fatenbread, we have some very similar skis, same size. They're in France so I can't check the details. My son, same kind of weight as you, and a very good skier, uses them on piste and enjoys them - he's not someone to complain about his tools, especially when he doesn't have to pay for them. But they wouldn't be his ski of choice and off-piste, certainly, he would always grab some longer skis if he could (when someone else is paying) though normally on powder days he'll go straight for the snowboard. I think when he did a season a couple of years ago he had some chunking great Dynastar Legend 8000 (does that make sense, I'm no ski guru?) from the hire shop and he quite liked those. He says he finds the Volkl Energy Motion skis "a bit skittish". We've had ours since long before 2005. Probably about 2000. They've not been skied a great deal - they're too long for me.
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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: |
some chunking great Dynastar Legend 8000 (does that make sense, I'm no ski guru?) from the hire shop and he quite liked those
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Well, chunking great is an unusual description for 80mm underfoot all mountain skis lol, but they are great skis. Not as good as the replacement Sultan 85s though, which the OP should definitely look into, as they would be perfect for what you describe.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sun 4-07-10 16:55; edited 1 time in total
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well, what I meant was that they were a fair bit longer and heavier than the Volkls.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Ah, fair enough. I wish mine hadn't broken
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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thanks. that tells me they are worth 2,000 Czech kronas second hand, but not what they are like, or how I can make them look super-awesome...
Anyhoo, having got them down from the loft (ready for their extreme makeover), I have learned the following from what is written upon them:
1770 mm length
19.0 m radius
105 mm tip (with "extended tip profile")
65 mm waist
93 mm tail
This seems thin compared to the 2009/2010 range. Is there a gear junkie who has bothered to read this far down my thread to tell me what it all means?
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You know it makes sense.
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Not a gear junkie, but I got the distinct impression that the extended tip profile is what the XTP acronym referred to, but you had probably already guessed that - why that should make a difference god only knows
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Megamum wrote: |
Not a gear junkie, but I got the distinct impression that the extended tip profile is what the XTP acronym referred to, but you had probably already guessed that - why that should make a difference god only knows |
I think so, based on googling and translating Swedish, Polish, Czech and French... Not apparent in which dimension the tip has been extended, or why however.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Fatenbread, what "number" are they? 320? 420? anyway, they're still punter piste skis. Possibly good ones, possibly not.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think that the "Energy Motion" was the top of the Energy xt range, ie ahead of the 320, 420 etc. They have the woodcore construstion with a titanium stiffener (again, according to what is written on them). Could be wrong however.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The shape is a typical piste ski shape of 5 or so years ago - now I'd guess Volkl have widened the tips and tails by 8-10mm or so and added a few mm in the waist. But so what? If you really have a problem with them you'll know, if you just "want" some new skis why not go demo some at a snowdome or in resort?
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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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altis, and that's helpful how exactly?
Fatenbread, no, there were a bunch of them. The number is important.
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under a new name wrote: |
altis, and that's helpful how exactly?
Fatenbread, no, there were a bunch of them. The number is important. |
I know what you are getting at - my wife has the "energy xt 320"'s of a similar vintage. However there are no markings at all on the ski other than "Energy Motion", "XTP" (which is on all extended tip Volkls) and "energy xt" which is the ski range. All original markings are still on the skis.
Volkl don't always use a consistent numbering protocol within a range - Current Unlimited range goes AC20, AC30 AC50, Grizzly. I know that "motion" is also the name of the Marker binding system that attaches to rails on the tops of the skis (which both my skis and my wife's have), but it appears as if this is the only name of this model.
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Fatenbread wrote: |
under a new name wrote: |
altis, and that's helpful how exactly?
Fatenbread, no, there were a bunch of them. The number is important. |
I know what you are getting at - my wife has the "energy xt 320"'s of a similar vintage. However there are no markings at all on the ski other than "Energy Motion", "XTP" (which is on all extended tip Volkls) and "energy xt" which is the ski range. All original markings are still on the skis.
Volkl don't always use a consistent numbering protocol within a range - Current Unlimited range goes AC20, AC30 AC50, Grizzly. I know that "motion" is also the name of the Marker binding system that attaches to rails on the tops of the skis (which both my skis and my wife's have), but it appears as if this is the only name of this model. |
I've also found a review site with the full Volkl range for 2001 - 2010, and it's not there! Maybe Snow and Rock have a sideline selling Taiwanese fakes in their end of season sales .
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