 Poster: A snowHead
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It feels like a bit of pot luck when you book hire skis, and I wasn't really expecting a pair of practically new skis for my €72 in San Cassiano last week, but I was fully expecting to be swapping the 160 Enduros after the first day purely because of the length (I'm only 164cm tall, and usually get handed something between 152 and 156).
I was so wrong. They were a bit of a revelation for me, but I'm still trying to understand why so that I have a better idea what to get in future, or when I buy my own. This is what I found:
* They were fast.
* They were really good on morning hardpack and scraped icy afternoon pistes.
* They seemed to grip really well on steep pistes.
* They sliced through slushy moguls no problem, though I struggled with harder (fresh snow) moguls, but I accept this may be down to technique.
* Did I mention how fast they were?
In the past I've always had "girly" skis - Salomon Mynx, something similar from Rossignol, Dynastar Exclusive Legends, and I got on well with the Legends but that was before I met the Enduros! I understand they are marketed as a "unisex" ski (I can't find the exact ones as I stupidly forgot the model no, but they were the same as these http://www.onthesnow.co.uk/gear/ski_reviews/2012/a/55/ except the graphics were light grey and they were 160 not 161 as advertised). Rental only model?
So is the improvement down to the increased length  or would these be stiffer, heavier or something else, more than what I've had before? What other skis can I look at that would be similar to the Enduros if I wanted to test some?
My stats: female, 164cm tall, 60kg ish if I stop looking at pies, ski on piste but quite fast and aggressively, any piste colour you like, I like it steep 
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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 would say there were these
http://www.salomon.com/uk/product/enduro-lx-750---l10.html
They are the mid range model of the Enduro, maybe you have just found a ski you like. THey are slightly rockered in the tip so your 160 is probably around a 157/158. The comfort at speed might be due to the extra length but then agin you could have just stepped up your technique.
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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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Fattes13, They didn't have any red or black on them, just white with pale grey graphics. Same graphic design though. I saw a couple of blokes with the same skis as me but the darker graphics I linked to, which is why I was wondering if mine were a more "girly" version?
What is the significance of the rocker? Easier to turn? I didn't find turning a problem, which is what I expected with the longer skis. Not sure if they were the "perfect" ski, but I did like them. Main problem was when I went off the piste in soft snow, and promptly sank like a lead balloon! Need to work on that...
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A couple of the guys on our trip last week had Enduro 750s. Graphic was pretty much all white with a bit of grey.
They both loved them. One changed from some narrower Rossignols that were more pure piste skis part way through the week and said they were far more stable at speed.
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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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These look/sound like the Enduro 800xt which are essentially the replacement for Salomon's X-Wing, I think. The ones you link to, I hired from the "male" on-line section from Ski Set, IIRC.
The rocker apparently gives them a bit of an all-mountain range - seems to be born out by some "expert" demo reviews.
I've hired them twice and really like the ski, especially on hard pack where they grip really well on-piste. Very assured when loading up at speed in a carve, they do snap back quite nicely when changing direction. Fun....and stable! I also took them (unintentionally) off piste into knee-deep fresh and, poor technique not withstanding, they were surprisingly good. None of the sinking mentioned, which I'd anticipated to be honest. Mind you I was on 175's and I'm 178 tall.
Honestly not sure what to compare them to - the rocker technology being a relative new thing to me.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Movement Jams were very impressive for me this year, coming from Enduros which I really, really liked.
Not too good on really short choppy turns, but then that could be because I'm not too good on really short choppy turns. 
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Chasseur, I think your description is better than mine, but yes, that's what I thought too. Interesting that your's were almost as tall as you too - maybe that is what's required to get the best out of them?
I can see I'll be upset next season when I inevitably end up back on floppy skis with flowers on 
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These look/sound like the Enduro 800xt which are essentially the replacement for Salomon's X-Wing, I think. The ones you link to, I hired from the "male" on-line section from Ski Set, IIRC.
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The Enduros are a range which replaced the x-wing range. There are two skis with similar white top sheets, but these are greatly different skis.
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I saw a couple of blokes with the same skis as me but the darker graphics I linked to, which is why I was wondering if mine were a more "girly" version?
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I guess the easiest way to tell is that the front of the skis is protected by either plastic or metal on the different models. Do you remember? the plastic lx750? are easier (and cheaper) then metal xt800.
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I can see I'll be upset next season when I inevitably end up back on floppy skis with flowers on
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Request similar skis, they are essentiallly unisex!
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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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kioksor, I don't honestly remember plastic or metal (I thought "enduro" would enough to remember, till I fount there are about 6 different skis in that name...), but I suspect they were 750s as I've found them in 160cm (under "men's" skis!) You say the others are greatly different skis - do you know how?
I understand that skis are generally unisex, flowers notwithstanding, but do hire shops see it this way? I ask because a friend I was with booked the same level skis from the same shop, but didn't notice the male/female selection button on the Skiset website. She gave her height, weight etc, but when she turned up to collect, they shook their heads and said "you have ordered men's skis". They dug around in the back, returning with a pair of (quite short) Volkl Estrellas, which are clearly not "men's" skis. Surely there must be other women who prefer a stiffer ski too?
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Light weight, forgiving All-Mountain ski with All Terrain Rocker & Ti reinforcement and a 75mm waist. For skiers who ski on-piste, but want some terrain options.
High-performance all-mountain ski combining Powerline for unrivaled stability and control with all mountain rocker for more terrain versatility. For skiers who ski 80% on-piste.
Those are the descriptions from the Salomon website
The xt 800 has a full woodcore with double titanium reinforcement which makes it quite a stiff ski, it also has a slightly wider waist (79mm) and more rocker on the tip.
They should give you what you ordered (within reason) if you explain the level that you ski at.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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