 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Impossible question time, so sorry. I'm still hunting but not yet buying my first skis....
I'm an intermediate OK on reds, wobbly on blacks, crap in big moguls. luckc to get out for 1 week a year.
looking for a single ski to be mostly on piste, but I have occasionally ventured on to unbashed pistes and snow to the side of the pistes. Also I sometimes play in the park for 1/2 hour at the end of the day - I'd like maybe to be able to ski switch.
I'm mostly out with a mix of snowboarders and skiers some fast, some slow.
I rented some atomic d2 vf 75 ski's last year - really likes how easy they were to ski and carve quickish turns. first time I got to going 50mph on ski's (according to my phones gps) I think that they might have been a bit too good for me.
166cm seemed fine (175cm tall, 80+ ish kilos depending on beer intake hopefully ~75kg by ski trip time, but xmas might stop that.)
The only problem I had with them was that they were relatively hard work to ski slowly* - but that's my missing technique and fitness telling probably and not the ski's. I guess softer ski's are easier to skid/smear turns ?
SO I think (?!) I'm looking for an all-mountain ski with say a 80mm-ish waist that can carve well and cope with the occational unpisted exploration.
I understand that a ski with a bit of a raised tail (not quite a twin tip) will be easier in moguls ? again shorter better ?
Question is how stiff a ski dare I risk ? I can't really test them before buying, as my budget is limited to 300-350ish so trying to get last seasons skis in a sale/clearance mailorder/online .
Would I be in more trouble with a too stiff ski thatn with a too soft ski ?
options, maybe the nordical firearrow 80 ti or 74 atmoic nomad blackeye (non ti? or ti?)
Sorry about the long post !
cheers All,
Gareth.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Try a Scott Aztec. I used them last season and loved them.
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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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Can't help you with the choice of ski but from what you've said about terrain, level etc. You'd be better off erring on the softer side, stiff skis can be great fun if your the sort that doesn't fight the mountain or you ski in short blasts but a "softer" ski will be kinder for all day messing around imv.
It's difficult to advise on stiffness as one persons stiff ski is another persons noodle!
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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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Unless your going to be driving to resort I would not bother buying skis for 1 week a year. By the time you have bought skis, had bindings mounted, paid for ski carriage and serviced your skis your going to have to keep them a long time to recoup the cost. Meanwhile technology and technique moves on... Maybe renting premium skis is a better deal for the one week a year skier?
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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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| Quote: |
I would not bother buying skis for 1 week a year.
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I wouldn't either. Rent skis, then you can swap and try different things. Lessons more important!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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fatgaz, Without doubt............ Nordica Speedmachine Mach 2 Power 178 cms!!!
Go checkout the Buy/Wanted/exchange listing on Snowheads................ there's one there waiting for you.! 
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I was advised to rent, but buying your own skis gives you the excuse to go skiing more often. I was a once a year, but you have to make them pay for themselves, so it`s a min of 3 times a year now !!. Test in resort this year, and buy in the summer in uk for half the price. 
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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
I would not bother buying skis for 1 week a year.
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I wouldn't either. Rent skis, then you can swap and try different things. Lessons more important! |
well, that was my position last year, pony up the extra for a better/higher performance ski rental; no point in buying if I fail to get out more than once (though I'd like to get out more, my friends don't seem to have the time anymore due to young kids etc.... I'm not one for going skiing on my own.)
the thing that has actually made me reconsider is that I've booked to go to St Anton this year and the ski rental is ridiculously expensive compared to various french resorts that i've been to in the last few years. also the rental price is suspiciously uniform across different online companies. 140 euro vs 75 euro - eek.
So I'm looking at getting my own skis and sod the hastle of hire shops and queueing and not knowning what ski's you might end up with (or what age). hire ski's do vary in quality, and you never know if you've found a good or crap hire shop untill you arrive !
BUT I can only realistically spend so much before it's not worth it. hence a tight budget and trying to find that bargain clearance ski. If I could find a second hand pair that were in reasonable nick, i'd go for that, but things goo for far too much on ebay, and ex-hire ski's on ebay seem ridiculously expensive too.
Thus trying to find that fun messabout / charge around / cruise around ski for not too much cash. may be impossible ?!
Maybe I just give up and allow St anton's hire shops to fleece me.
G.
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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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My story's very similar to yours (I'm maybe a year behind, 3cm shorter and a few kg lighter, and not really interested in the park), and I just bought my first pair of skis for exactly the same reasons as you - Salomon LX800, after trying them out at Milton Keynes.
The snowdome's still the only evidence I have, but in there they were like magic skis - I only had to think left or right and they'd turn
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Having looked though some resort reports, it seems the unusually identical (high) pricing* for hire ski's in St Anton has been there for at least a couple of years. and that the only reductions seems to have been if your accomodation/hotel/tour company has some kind of extra discount agreed with a particular shop. for similar skis i'd have to pay 50-60 euro more than in France.
OF course, buying my own skis means I also need a ski bag and poles and pay stupid fees to easyjet for carrying skis . (pity I don't live neared any airports that give me a choice of carrier.) this will come to much more that 60 euros (increased cost without yet buying any skis)
G.
* i'm not callling this a cartel, unlike other posters. anyone know any mafia dons in st anton who could give me a discount code ?
Contrast to France where rental co's have been bombarding my email inbox with special offers for months.
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