Hello All
Can you help
I am baffled by the range, type, manufaturers of skis
I ski'ed for a week on Head ski's in Dec (paid for "Superior Skis"), they performed well considering my low technical level of performence.
see this video for an indication of my ability.....
http://youtube.com/v/_8HZtYE4ZNE
We are off to Meribel again in Feb....Yaaaay
I have booked Standard skis this time with the intention of upgrading in resort....thing is...
What skis should I ask for
I use 160cm, I have my own Salomon Evo 9.0 boots (not fitted or tweeked) which are too technical for me really, (but thats another thread), anyway
Question is: What are the best skis for me to ask for in the hire shop
I was told get "Fat" skis by the ESF instructor, but I've read that on piste carving skis are better for my quasi-intermediate level, & looking at the variations on offer is overload for a novice I appreciate that I aint buying them, but am sure I can have some input.
The hire staff seem to chuck skis at customers purely based on ski level & height I'm assured they are all this/last seasons kit
Can anyone simplify or shed some light on this issue for me, up until now I've taken what I have been given, will I notice a difference between different skis? I imagine all manufacturers try to produce all the types no? I will buy eventually but hope to use my hire time to try diffent types.
Is there a thread on this that I've missed anywhere?
Many Thanks
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You do not want "fat" skis to ski better on piste.
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?
under a new name wrote:
You do not want "fat" skis to ski better on piste.
Yep, fat skis are orientated towards powder and, IMV, not really what you want.
Another difference between skis is their stiffness. Unfortunately, this is not readily discernable from the ski - or even the manufacturer's information. However, the more "performance" orientated (read expensive) the ski the stiffer it will be. This may sound good but, at your stage, I think it is more likely to hinder progress. A softer ski will be more forgiving so that you are more likely to try out new things without being frightened of the reaction.
I'd just stick with the "standards".
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Cheers for that, seems a risky business then actually buying the right skis.
Just realised this should be in Equipment Section...Soz Admin
Feel free to delete or move
Looking at your vid you don't need top level (stiff) skis. Your poles look too long but it's hard to be sure as your hands spend most of the time by your waist and not out in front.
Quote:
Pole sizingThere are certain methods to getting the right ski pole. For alpine skiing, the pole is placed with the grip on the ground. The skier then grips the pole right under the basket. The skiers elbow should form a right angle. If the skier's elbow is in a smaller angle the pole is too long, and if the skiers elbow is at an angle larger than 90 degrees, the pole is too short.
There's not a lot of flexing in your legs, edging or angulation going on either, this could be hampered by your stiff ski boots. My first ski holiday as a complete beginner were spent in similar boots and they killed me.
Stiff equipment isn't going to help, spend the money on a private lesson instead.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
franzClammer, Can't see clearly but they looked like a pair of Head Supershape (not sure which one)
There are far better informed folks on here than me but I would advise you to hire skis that you are likely progress beyond, rather than these which are likely to be too stiff for you.
As advised spend the money on a private lesson(s) and learn to flex, angulate and edge your skis. Please do that on softer skis than the above though as when you master these techniques the Heads will fire you out of the turns at a speed you will struggle to handle, which in turn will dent your confidence and maybe set you back.
You will know when skis are too soft for you as they will start to feel unstable and flappy at speed, that's when to upgrade or purchase.
Good luck.
After all it is free
After all it is free
robboj,
Quote:
You will know when skis are too soft for you as they will start to feel unstable and flappy at speed,
I am not convinced that this is a perfect indicator. My full bore FIS slalom race skis "feel unstable and flappy at speed" in a straight line... and you don't get any stiffer.
I think a better symptom is when you can "feel" (what does this mean?, difficult to define...) yourself overpowering them in a turn. Don't please ask me for a closer definition than that!
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.
franzClammer wrote:
Question is: What are the best skis for me to ask for in the hire shop
You're not consistently parallel turning yet and are sitting on the backs of your skis. (We've all done it.)
So, it's skill, rather than skis that are determining your performance at the moment and, personally, more or less any intermediate ski will work for you.
Save the upgrade dosh and put it aside for when you're ready to invest in your own skis.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
robboj wrote:
... they looked like a pair of Head Supershape (not sure which one)
Magnums I think (green ones?).
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
under a new name, Maybe? But then would a race spec slalom ski be designed for flat out straight line speed? That might be why they are flapping?
You do have a point though, maybe I could describe it as a 'feeling of instability'
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.
robboj wrote:
under a new name, Maybe? But then would a race spec slalom ski be designed for flat out straight line speed? That might be why they are flapping?
You do have a point though, maybe I could describe it as a 'feeling of instability'
PS, not that I would know? I'm far too old for speed these days. In fact I'm thinking of getting a tweed pork pie hat and some driving gloves for my next trip
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
Quote:
But then would a race spec slalom ski be designed for flat out straight line speed?
No but that's the point, isn't it? A beginner doing a bit of a schuss could easily erroneously decide that he needed stiffer skis. It takes a fair bit of skill (and bottle) to "outski" a decent beginner ski of the right length, on its edges. The OP probably doesn't have to worry about that for a while.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I'm not a great skier at all and can quite clearly remember being at a similar stage to you. You need to be able to bend the skis, an instructor I had got me to do one turn at a time on a nice simple blue then to look at our tracks. We wanted then to look like a nice round J shape, coming back up the hill at the end of the turn, if you don't bend the skis the bottom of the J will not be rounded and be more of a diagonal straight line. If you can't get the bottom of the turn (J) to be rounded your skis are too stiff, get softer ones
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I'm not convinced that your standard British holiday skier can ever "overpower" a pair of skis. It takes a fair amount of hauling ass and dynamism (or weight) to make most modern skis go noodly, provided they are appropriately sized in the first place. Sitting on the tails and schussing doesn't count.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
for what it's worth, if i had my early years of skiing over agin but knowing what i know now, on Day 1 i woudl ask the shop for a "Soft" pair of skis and then see how i got on. To be honest after 3 or 4 years of ego and asking for expensive skis 9cos the hire cost then wasnt signfincatly different) i ended up with some very soft skis and had a skiing revolution.
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?
DB wrote:
This clip might help you ...
Some nice, clear demos in that clip, although parts of the commentary were incorrect: we don't flex at the end of a turn to create pressure, and most of the time we want to extend at the start of the turn to create pressure rather than release it.
Some nice, clear demos in that clip, although parts of the commentary were incorrect: we don't flex at the end of a turn to create pressure, and most of the time we want to extend at the start of the turn to create pressure rather than release it.
What commentary? (I really must get some of those small headphones for work - I was just going off what I could see ).
Strange that they said that as that is not what they were doing.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DB wrote:
Strange that they said that as that is not what they were doing.
Indeed. I'm guessing that the commentary was added separately from doing the demos.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I appreciate that I aint buying them, but am sure I can have some input.
I'm assured they are all this/last seasons kit
