 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi there,
I'm an intermediate skier 5'11 and about 200lbs (rugby) who is looking to buy his first pair of skis, I've been on rentals up until now but I've been upgrading them each year and kind of feel like I really need my own kit. I've had my own boots for a few years now.
I'm confortable on nearly any run but quite slow in the moguls, I can carve a bit on the blues and am reasonably agressive at lower gradients, not nearly as agressive when its steeper and tend to skid my turns a bit. I'm not too confident in the powder either but do enjoy it, had a complete nightmare in two feet of it last year in Scotland of all places but I would like to get into some more this season.
I tried out a friend's 166cm prophet 80s last year and absolutely loved them, improved my skiing no end. I know on paper they are a bit short but the same friend (who is a cracking skier) says I should stay short for the moment or I'll have a nightmare in the moguls, on the flipside I'm worried that such a short ski won't support me at all in the powder, still if I'm not having any fun on piste due to huge skis that would be a problem as well.
I'm considering a pair of 168 Prophet 100s or 170 K2 silencers and just wondered what you guys though or if you had any other recommendations.
Thanks in advance
Zal
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Waaaaaaaaaaaaayyy to short!!! Remember twin tips ski 5cm shorter than the actual length. You should be on the 179 prophets.
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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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Zalkawe, Have a look at eh whitedotfreeride "ones"and suggest you try the 173 and the 180 before deciding, although I think you'd be better on the 180's. I tested botht he 2010 and 2011 versions this weekend at Hemel and will post a short review seperately. The softer, more responsive 2011 should easily make your short list! 
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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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as far as skiing the bumps, it's not the length, but the flex of the ski that will make most difference to you. As above, get something longer than your mate has said, especially at your weight!
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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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If you go for the Whitedots you need the 180s because they ski a lot shorter!!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| shoogly wrote: |
| as far as skiing the bumps, it's not the length, but the flex of the ski that will make most difference to you. As above, get something longer than your mate has said, especially at your weight! |
I don't look like a fatty so I think people forget that I weigh 15 stone I've definitely taken the length advice on board, when you say it's the flex rather than the length should I be going softer or harder?
The white dots look really nice and they are doing a big trial day at Glasgow snow dome soon and I'm pretty sure they were on the list for showing up so might well give them a go. I've also got my eye on a good deal I spotted on a 179 pair of last season's Prophet flites http://lineskis.com/skis/prophet-flite, what do people think about that?
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Zalkawe, hmmm. (Here we go) I am going to suggest that you go with what your friend suggested, particularly if you loved them. It SOUNDS as though you're doing well, but are still lacking some technical elements tha would make steep pistes, bumps and off piste easy.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
If I'm right, IMO, over 175 will set you back. Fat (100mm) will set you back. 2 ft of snow is not deep. And if you ski in Scotland, and are not a strong skier, you don't, excepting haggistrap and his mates who appear to be very strong indeed, need all mountain skis.
Just my 2p'orth.
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| under a new name wrote: |
Zalkawe, hmmm. (Here we go) I am going to suggest that you go with what your friend suggested, particularly if you loved them. It SOUNDS as though you're doing well, but are still lacking some technical elements tha would make steep pistes, bumps and off piste easy.
Correct me if I'm wrong.
If I'm right, IMO, over 175 will set you back. Fat (100mm) will set you back. 2 ft of snow is not deep. And if you ski in Scotland, and are not a strong skier, you don't, excepting haggistrap and his mates who appear to be very strong indeed, need all mountain skis.
Just my 2p'orth. |
The first bit is all correct however I rarely ski in Scotland and it was two feet of powder rather than two feet of snow, think we were up to around five feet by that point last year which is a lot for cairngorm.
I'm not sure if that changes your assessment at all, I am looking to get into all mountain continental stuff eventually but understand I might not be ready.
Balls you guys have given me a decision now 
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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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Zalkawe, 2ft of powder is really not deep! Scotland really did have an epic season last year though.
I still think you'd be better off on something that'll make learning easier. If you knew you were going to visit places where you knew you could rent decent kit, you might still be better of doing that for a couple more years.
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| under a new name wrote: |
Zalkawe, 2ft of powder is really not deep! Scotland really did have an epic season last year though.
I still think you'd be better off on something that'll make learning easier. If you knew you were going to visit places where you knew you could rent decent kit, you might still be better of doing that for a couple more years. |
Ok I'm hearing you,. Current thinking is I might hold bcck on buing new skis and see if I can pick up something second hand that I can get used to and learn on a bit more. Might leave the all mountain stuff for a couple of years yet.
The only thing that worrie me is that I'm going to struggle to even get started on powder without a ski that's big enough to support me.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Zalkawe, don't listen to them!!!!
buy skis... 2nd best thing you'll do. try some first though. where do you live? Eillis Brigham have their ski tests running at the moment which are based at various snow domes around the country. although it won't give you a chance to ski any sort of deep snow, it'll at least give you a measure of how well you do on "bigger" skis.
for what it's worth, i had a pair of K2 Xplorers up until last month and they've seen me right with my first ventures into the deep(er) unknown. Great skis but you'd need long ones.
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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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I have some High Society Freerides in a 179cm for sale. Most people on this forum who have tried them like them.
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Ahh decisions  My local ellis Brigham have a test day pretty soon, think I'm going to head down there and see how I do on longer skis in the Snowdome.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Zalkawe, Nahhh. Almost anything on the market these days if wide enough to give you enough support. Shoogly's snowdome idea might be a good one if there's one close enough? Definitely don't buy till you try though.
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you'll ski more and get better quicker
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uh? what's that all about? Not if you buy skis that hold you back you won't...
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Poster: A snowHead
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| under a new name wrote: |
Zalkawe, Nahhh. Almost anything on the market these days if wide enough to give you enough support. Shoogly's snowdome idea might be a good one if there's one close enough? Definitely don't buy till you try though.
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you'll ski more and get better quicker
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uh? what's that all about? Not if you buy skis that hold you back you won't... |
did i say that he was to buy skis that hold him back?
er... no!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shoogly, no, you didn't. Juat don't see the connection between owning your own skis, skiing more and learning quicker.
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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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because the more you do something, the better you get (well, if you have any natural ability you do) and having your own skis makes it easier to get out skiing than going once in a blue moon because you can't afford to keep on renting - this is especially true when talking about skiing in Scotland, where the rental skis can be pretty dam poor and are expensive enough to rent to put you off going skiing more than 2 or 3 times in a season.
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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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Calm down kids calm down, oh you did it on your own, wow this is quite different to a lot of the other forums I post on.
Shoogly you have the right of this I'm afraid, it's a nightmare hiring gear when you can only ski a few days and puts you off going more because it doubles the price. At the moment I must be splashing out about £200 a season in rental, it makes no sense at all. Under a New Name I can only feel jealous of your situation.
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