 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi Folks,
I've fallen in love with a pair skis!
I tested the Atomic Blackeye Ti's (160cm) and Salomon Tornado Ti (159cm) whilst on holiday in February. After much trying to convince myself I should just keep skiing my old Volkl Supersport 5's (154cm) I've decided I want some new toys. The Blackeyes were brilliant, stable at speed and despite being longer and having a longer turn radius (15m versus 12.1m for my current skis) still easy to turn etc. For the first time in years I was overtaking the husband as I had the confidence to go faster without feeling unstable. The Tornados were good too but a bit harder work so the Blackeyes get the vote.
So, my dilema is as follows, I'm female, 5ft 2 (158cm) and about 9st 11/61kg. I'm an upper end of intermediate skier and will pretty much go down anything. On pistes I'm fairly fast and like going fast, off piste my performance ranges from reasonable to hilarious. I tested the 160cm Blackeyes and thought they were perfect, however, I'm aware they are also available in 167cm which I didn't test.
I'd like to use the Blackeyes mainly for pisted skiing but also for some off-piste. So, I'm wondering, would the 160's be okay off-piste? I didn't get a chance to take the test pair off-piste as the conditions weren't really suitable, although I did try them on some icy moguls etc and they seemed fine on those.
Fiona
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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've got a pair that I used for the season last year and love them. I'm 175cms and 75kg and have them in 164cms (2010). They're great for everything, wide fast carves, short radius, moguls. My off piste ability isn't great but I managed them ok, yeah they won't be as easy and float you like the 90cm+ planks some people run but you can ski the rest of the mountain on the same pair! The only negative I can think of is that due to the stiffness they're hard work to get carving at slow speeds but that's boring anyway and I'd rather have the stability at speed!
Your query about getting longer skis for off piste: Don't worry about it, powder days are few and far between and you'll be having too much fun carving tracks and hammering moguls! I'd stick to the length you'd use on piste. I'm no expert though, maybe wait for another couple of answers!
Enjoy
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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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properjob, I have the Blackeyes and agree with what you said. In the last 9 trips I have had 3 proper powder days, so unless you are into serious off piste, dont bother about the flotation!!! They will be fine in six inchs of fresh snow at the side of the piste.
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Depends how much time you spend/will spend/want to spend offpiste. 167 would without question be better offpiste, but tbh at your height/weight 160 would probably be better as an allrounder, which I'm assuming is what you 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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I've got the 2011 Blackeye Tis in 174cm length (184cm tall, 72kg) and would have thought that 160cm was the right length for you - and they'll still work brilliantly off-piste at that length if mine are anything to go by. I've just spent four weeks on them in every condition imaginable - see my review here:
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=74137
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Fiona,
Possible solution for you re the Blackeye Ti's. I am selling mine and wondered if you would be interested?
I bought them in January 2010 in Austria, they are the 2009-10 model in the 164cm length. Im not sure that they are identical to this seasons model in construction but are certainly not noticeably different. They the top sheet seems to be the same graphics in a different colour being red and black as opposed to this years green. They have the Atomic 6-14 bindings.
Been skied on for one day so more or less as new.
Absolutely nothing wrong with them, they are just too good a ski for my ability and style of skiing nowadays. I had a bad fall three years ago and have never quite got my confidence back completely. So, basically, they are wasted on me and I ended up taking my old Nordicas on this years trip.
I feel the best thing to do would be sell the Atomics. £350. PM me if you're interested?
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Hi Folks,
Sorry for the rather delayed response! I'd had no replies after a couple of days so gave up checking... I need to be more patient!
To answer a few of the questions. Outside Scotland, they'll mostly be used on piste unless I'm lucky enough to get lots of powder. In Scotland they'll need to deal with Scottish conditions thus need to deal with every type of snow imaginable plus be fast enough that I can turn / jump to avoid rocks, heather etc 
So based on the above posts I decided to go for the 160cm and got the chance to try them out on sticky sticky snow at Glenshee last Sunday. Very happy with them, they are nice and stable and easy to ski.
Cheers,
Fiona
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