Hi everyone, I am new forum-ite so thanks in advance for any help!
I am looking for a new pair of all mountain skis to replace my 2006 Rossignol B2s.
Having searched far and wide, I have picked out Blizzard Magnum 8.1s, Salomon XT800s and also the famous BBR 8.9s [and also the Dynastar Sultan 85s, but can't track them down to buy in England].
I have about 20 weeks on snow, mainly during a season a few years ago. I am almost entirely self taught, so I have no idea what my technique is actually like, though I can easily get down any slope with (blind?) confidence.
Mainly, I ski on-piste because of conditions, but when the snow is good will spend a fair amount of time off-piste.
What would your suggestions be!? If it helps, I'm 5'11 and about 12st 5.
Cheers guys!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Hi
I saw a pair on ebay from the guys i bought my used skis off, their ebay name is winter_shack, they mightnstill be there.
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?
sorry, I saw the Dynastars, didn't mention that in my first post.
Brill, thanks v. much for that - 300 euros for last years model is a great price!
Winter_shack have got the 80's in stock but not 85's and i read there is quite a difference..?
So.. now that the Sultans are a possibility, how do the skis compare?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Sultan 85's are wider and stiffer (they have metal), 80's are skinnier and floppier (= worse).
After all it is free
After all it is free
Legend and sultan are an awesome pair of all rounders...and sport Conrad is reliable and awesome in store!
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.
^^ I reckon the 85's are one of the best all mountain skis out there, with a slight piste bias. They float much better than their width would suggest, and carve trenches.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I dont know why you cant find them in England, I have quite a few pairs in stock, arrived last week!
That aside, the Sultan 85 is an awesome all rounder, without being too heavy. Wherever you get them from, go for the PX binding version, it is a few more quid than the NX binding but the PX binding in our opinion (And experience testing these every year) is superior and offers an easier entry too. Binding machine test results are consistently good with the PX and we have had some well 'loved' ones on our machine.
Dont want to sound like I am selling on here but we have a video review of it, but here is the youtube link rather than to our website so I dont get flamed:
It is hard to beat in the 80-90mm category, has a great blend of all-rounded-ness! I mention touring bindings as a possible on it and have seen that as it is so popular, but I feel it's still at home on pistes and off the sides. So easy to ski. As clarky999 says, they float, the shovel is pretty wide on there and it has a good surface area, but the traditional side wall consturction lets it carve, and the slight tip rocker lets it float.
Hope this helps. And don't get us started on the Legend 94, I am sure Tom here is sleeping with some. Hope his wife is OK with that. But that's more of an off-piste bias for sure, but surprisingly good on the piste.
ScottyDog
PS - If you do end up buying from us, don't miss out on the Edge and Wax discount to snowheads email subscribers
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Interesting, I remember google-shopping it with no results but now a repeat search shows many! Maybe i got my paths confused.
Scottydog, what size would you recommend for the Sultans, 5'11 and 175lb, I ski fairly aggressively. (and on the sly what is the discount?)
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.
Also, this is all very complimentary to the dynastars - does this mean they are better than the other skis I was thinking about - the Blizzard Magnum 8.1, Salomon endure XT800 & BBR 8.9?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Hi seamouse, for the discount just search on the forum, it was in the piste forum, and use our name. Have asked them to make it a sticky to no avail so far. you have to be a registered email subscriber. If you are the code will be waving back at you, if not, get subscribed I will ask again, and bump it. (admin hope thats OK)
Sizing chart is on the site on the ski page, just had a look and it hasnt got a crazy rocker so you could go 172cm. I ski that length as I am an out and out (attempting) carver, and heavier than you. if you were wanting to go full 50/50 with it then you could look at the 178cm but these measure true, so you may find that a little long. Depends what you normally go for too, but height (being a minor factor compared to weight and ability) would say the 172cm will be a good call. the video clip above, that is a 172cm as I had just skied it, I am 5'11 and a bit, I was on a downslope so it makes the ski look maybe 15mm longer, but to me that is a good length.
I am pretty aggressive skiing wise, which is why I have so many pins in me
As we always say, length is a personal thing.
Scottydog
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Sorry, I havent skied the Endure, or the BBR (Which is not comparing like for like I feel), the Blizzard Magnum is one of my favourite Blizzard skis, its a blast. We almost stocked it. I just think that the Legend 85 allows you to have lazy days as well as days when you want to unleash hell, it is that versatile. The Magnum 8.1 is a little more point and shoot, almost a bit more 'volkl' with less margin for error (read lazyness for me!) no bad thing, but I like a ski that allows you to have off days flatters you through them!
That is what I found.
ScottyDog
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
At 72kgs and 5 foot 9, I gave my 165 Sultan 85s to my Dad as they were too short to keep their intended place in my quiver (they were a warranty replacement of an older Dynastar ski). I think I would have kept them if they were a bit longer at 172. If the new one's have rocker, (and I were looking to fill that niche), there's no way I'd be going shorter than 178 at my size. However, Dynastar make aweosme skis that are absolutely bombproof (I use their Big Troubles as my everyday ski, replacing the Sultan 85), and feel that anything designed and tested to cope with the worst Mont Blanc can throw at it is good enough for me...
I haven't skied any of the others, but I dislike Salomon generally, and I honestly think I'd rather ski my own faeces (to put it politely) than the BBR...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I bought some Legend Sultan 85s from Edge & Wax a few months ago, fast delivery, well packaged, great price. Definitely worth it, use the SH discount to make it an even better deal and you won't be disappointed.
So far my tests have been confined to the fridges on the new skis, but I rented a pair for the day when it was really icy last Jan in Courchevel - they didn't like the ice particularly but they were more than good enough on the firm stuff for me to be happy with the trade-off to get some offpiste performance. When I asked in the rental shops a few of them didn't stock the 85s as rental skis, but the guys working there offered to rent me their own skis (they were quite visibly their own skis, not just old stock etc) which is a pretty good endorsement IMO, plus they were very complimentary about them when I asked their opinion.
I've not tried the other skis you are considering, so can't really help with comparison, but your description sounds a lot like me - albeit a few stone lighter, and perhaps you are a bit more confident than me on the steeper stuff - and they seem to be a good fit. I couldn't find much else that actually did a bit of everything without losing performance completely in one area in quite the same way.
For your height I reckon the 172 is probably ideal - I found these skis really do lay down train tracks when you lean them over, and can't see a particular need to go much longer (even though I am quite a bit heavier than you)
If you want to meet up and try mine at Hemel, they are 172 and I'd be happy to let you use them for an hour - ping me a PM if you are anywhere close to it and want to try before you buy. The deal I got from Edge & Wax on mine was good enough that I'm happy to help them by letting you try them before buying from them.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well I know many people who own them and tour and teach on them, they certainly do the job!
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?
Thanks for your advice guys! And monium, thank you for your offer (and advice too!) but I'm all the way in L-pool so think Hemel might be a bit tricky!
Also, was having another scout today, what do you guys think of the K2 AMP Aftershock? And for that matter its brethren the Rictor... They seemed quite interesting.
Apparently Salomon are doing an offer on the BBR's at the moment where if you buy them and hate them after skiing they will buy them back. Heard that in a ski shop the other day and was surprised by the confidence of that offer. That said in the flesh they look like a giant retro ski so you may have to break out the day- glo nevicas to feel comforatble skiing them.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
(and on the sly what is the discount?)
I will ask again, and bump it. (admin hope thats OK)
