 Poster: A snowHead
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In the past few years I have had more and more people ploughing up to me telling me they are on the "real race skis" "the ones you can't normally buy", "the ones bode's got" etc.... Suddenly it seems everything is a race ski just some are super expensive (nice little earner for the companies one suspects) even snow and rock claim to sell Real Race skis!
So I've been out of the "scene" for what seems like ages now. Can anyone clue me in on the different ski grades? my old understanding was (i think, it's been a while):
Shop/stock ski - A race carver
Race stock ski - Recreational racer
Factory ski - FIS racer
Yellow Tape - EuropaCup
Blue Tape - WorldCup
Sound right.. or total BS?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dependent on manufacturer
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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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dulcamara, dependent on the manufacturer but pretty close, the tape colours are a fischer thing, but most are a similar grading...however some shops and even some reps will tell you that these levels do not exist
oh and when someone gets a pair of "Bodes skis" or similar, they may well be a pair he had. but he sure as hell didn't like them or they didn't work for him if they are being given to anyone else
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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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There's also a blur between race stock/race department/factory/FIS. These terms seem interchangeable to some but not to others.
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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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on the blue tape yellow tape thingy, i have heard it is more to do with matching the flex of the skis within a batch after they are made and ensuring they are graded by stiffness and each pair offers a really close match
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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So how would someone go abou getting a PROPER pair of race skis? Friends of race cub friends, or is there a proper channel to buy through? Can't see myself ever getting any, just curious!
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This is all far too confusing for me... is there no universal way to know what you're getting, maybe an estimate flex index type thing?
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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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clarky999, I always found it was completely different depending the country you are in. UK was always a little strict, show me your FIS points etc. though never had issues in Austria, just ask at a shop that sells race equipment and if the company has enough stock they can order them.
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problem is clarky999
1 availability, they do exist but need to be ordered now for next season
2 unless you ski at the level suggested ie blue tape..strong europa cup/world cup skier you ain't going to be turning them too often, so kind of pointless really
the second reason is the main reason they are not so available, the people who get these skis generally DO NOT pay for them, they are testing product with the factory techs and getting flexes based on timings and preferences
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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clarky999, in the UK I only know one company that regularly stock proper race skis in the UK that's Ski Bartlett though I'm sure there are probably others and even then they won't get many pairs, also certain manufacturers such as Head will produce a couple of similar looking skis and call both GS (as an example) there will be a regular version and a race version, there's a lot of difference between the two, to get reasonable performance out of the race version you usually need to be much fitter and definately need stronger leg muscles as the skis are significantly stiffer and less forgiving of mistakes, you don't have to be a racer to use them though.
In my case I've a pair of Head GS Race Department skis from the above mentioned Ski Bartlett and I'm no racer, in fact I actually use them in combination with soft ski boots, which any expert will tell you is a horrible combination and shouldn't work, however I have imensly strong legs (can leg press over 260kg on either leg no problem) and am also very overweight which means that for me the skis are just the right stiffness. I use them with a soft boot for two reasons, firstly I'm not racing so don't want to cram my feet into race boots and secondly they are the most comfortable boots I've ever owned and the best fitting as well so I just have to use my calf muscles a little harder, no problem 
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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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My only experience with factory race skis was a trip to the Dynastar factory in Sallanches with a mate to pick up his skis and boots for the season. All the skis had been paired up with comparative flex and were ranked form softest to stiffest (as were the boots). There was discussion as to height, weight, how they skied etc, then a appropriate pair of boots and skis were selected. There were no actual flex rating marked on the boots and both the skis and boots varied considerably in flex across the range.
When people get “factory race” skis for a shop, do they get to request the flex too? The other thing that struck me was how crude the boots looked; they appeared half finished compared to a standard shop boot.
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You can get FIS legal skis from (some) stores. They are (normally) same skis as WC races are won on. They are (normally) made in same batch as WC skis are, but for one or the other reason, they don't get picked by racers.
I have been to few race departments back in my days, and I still have a whole lot of friends who are in this business, but to be honest, I never heard of blue, yellow or whatsoever tapes (and back in my WC days, Fischer were skis I was skiing, and later on, skis I was taking care of). Procedure for picking skis is a bit different  Serviceman goes to company, picks skis, go and test them (together with racer of course), gives some skis back, and keeps the rest. Skis in race department are not marked with tapes etc. They are there, marked for different models, different flex etc., and if you know what you are doing, you pick right ones for your racer. If you are not good enough... well then you don't have that job anyway For someone like Bode, procedure is even more different then this. Skis are made especially for him, based on his/his serviceman demands... and they did build up to 8 pairs over night.... every night for 14 days in a row
In general, they don't sell used race skis. There might be pair or two from racer which "gets lost", but that's about it. Used (or the ones racer didn't like) ones go back to factory where they destroy them (with bindings included) or go to lower ranked racer. But considering they got grinded (few times) every time they changed "owner", there's not much of ski left after second or third racer returns them. So you might get skis noone liked (not really much of chances for those skis), or you might get skis, which noone even picked in first place, so they are brand new skis.
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You know it makes sense.
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primoz, thanks for your insight, makes things much clearer. It seems the only real and consistent distinction then is between non-FIS spec recreational race skis and FIS legal skis, though some rec skis will fulfil FIS regs.
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FAQ
Sorry mate, could resist!!! 
