 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi, i posted the other day about some ski's (Head Peak I 78, Titans) but after speaking to a few people on here & reading some more on various skis I've decided to go for a different model as i think the titans are going to be just a little bit much for my ability.
I'm deciding between the following:
Head Icon TT 500, Geometry:116/67/100 @ 170cm, Terrain: 100% Piste, Radius: 14.0 at 170cm.
Head X-Shape MTX, Geometry:125/72/109 @ 170cm, Terrain: 90% Piste/10% Off Piste, Radius:12.9m at 170cm
I've also a few questions about skis in general if anyone can answer?
-Why do a lot of people say go for a longer ski not to short? whats the pro's or cons of this, is long better for piste or off piste,speed or turns?
-Does a piste ski want to be stiffer or more flexible & what about off for piste?
-Does a stiffer ski only improve speed or turning also?
-Why do some piste skis have same size tail and tips but a narrower waist?
Based on the answers to the above may help me decide on which to pick as both seem similar in description but not in size spec.
After a re-think, I'm more likely to be skiing on piste in all conditions & not so focused on off piste. But would like a ski that can handle fresh powder which I've seen a lot of this year on & off the pistes.
My level is Intermediate to advanced, & I'm looking to progress all round, turning,carving moguls.
I'm 178cm & 78kg. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| ddan1275 wrote: |
| -Why do a lot of people say go for a longer ski not to short? |
Do they? If you're using your skis primarily for on-piste, (by which I don't mean ripping aggressive GS turns), then I'd suggest such advice is a bit of a macho hang-over from the days when you could bridge the grand canyon with a pair of skis... Personally, I'm about 176cm tall and weigh about 90kgs, and my usual on-piste skis are 160cm (though they are stiffer than Scott Quinnell forearm...)
As for the other questions. On stiffness... Well, it all depends on how you ski, and how much you weigh. If you ski aggressively, and you're a bit of a brute, something stiff might suit. As you say you want to work on carving, then I'd stay away from anything overly floppy (as a floppy ski will certainly not offer you much by way of help). At the other end of the spectrum, as you're not exactly a fat git (given your particulars), an overly stiff ski would require a lot of work to get the most out of (also, as I've experienced, not the greatest asset in moguls either).
Hopefully someone with more experience of helping people with ski choices will be along to add to, amend, or completely dismiss all of the above.
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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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Hi Skisimon, the comment on the ski length was only what I'd picked up & don't know if its true or not. I ski on 177cm now & personally would prefer something around 165-170 max as long as it doesn't cause any problems. If what your saying about the ski stiffness is correct I'm probably better aiming for meduim flex but as I'm not a big person but don't want a beginner ski thats really soft & flaps at the tips with speed.
I want a ski i can do a day 9-4 on & not feel like i've ran a marathon & i presume a stiffer ski might make it hard work.
Also if selecting a lower radius like a 13m, will this make it harder having to put in more turns constantly or does it help?
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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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ddan1275, ideally you need to give a fuller description of yourself in order for people to be able to offer useful recommendations about skis. For an example of what I mean, please look at my description of myself at the bottom of this ski review.
I agree with what skisimon wrote.
- Long is better for speed, heavy and/or aggressive skiers, off-piste and egos.
- A ski wants to be as stiff as its user requires it to be for their style of skiing and weight. So in general, soft flexing for beginners, medium for intermediates, stiffer for better skiers, very stiff for World Cup athletes.
- A stiffer ski will be capable of more precision & grip and have the power to accelerate out of carved turns (if the skier has the required skill level) but will be less forgiving in bumps and less relaxing to ski.
You asked: "Why do some piste skis have same size tail and tips but a narrower waist?" Since about 1996 all Alpine piste skis have had noticably narrower waists than their tips and tails. That difference between the waist and the tips/tails is what allows the ski to carve the turn radius when it is tipped over onto its edge.
Any piste ski will be able to handle fresh snowfall on the piste as long as the ski likes you, but you will only know whether a ski likes you by testing different models and lengths. 165-170 cm, with the right flex, should be good for you. A radius of 13-15 m is perfect for my style of skiing and is fine for the vast majority of English recreational piste skiers.
Here are a couple of quotations that you might find useful, from The All-Mountain Skier by R. Mark Elling:
"Remember, a too-long ski doesn't like to make your short turn and only seems to work well if you ski fast. A too-short ski feels overly pivotal and feels unstable at higher speeds. Find the happy medium."
"Shorter skis carve better at slower speeds because the skier's weight is distributed over a reduced edge-contact length: more pounds per inch along the edge equals more edge grip."
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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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Walter thans for your detailed reply, very helpful. Once again i forgot to tick the notify box so missed your reply. After taking on board yours and some others advice, my weight and skill level, I'm going with the Head Icon TT 500, 170cm. It's just been reduced by £100 so it's a great price & should be good for on piste. It has some flex so not to harsh but also not to flexible.
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