OT in some locations: New skis

(x-posted to ukrm in case no-one uses the ski groups any longer)

With great sadness I think I'm going to have to give up my old X-Screams.
The bases remain as indestructible as ever, but the gimmicky shock
absorbers on top are leaking some horrible sticky black substance.

I have taken no notice of current ski trends for several years, and I
have no idea what is on offer these days, so I'm looking for suggestions
to narrow the field.

I am 179cm and weigh 76kg. Ski style toute neige tout terrain - I enjoy
bumps, I like silly tricks on the piste (but I only jump in a straight
line, I'm too old for any more ski injuries), but mostly I ski off piste
in any conditions. I love steep couloirs when I'm in practice, but
anything is probably going to be shorter than what I have now anyway. The
skis will get Diamir bindings, so no silly modular stuff. Skins will only
be for occasional use for access and insurance against route finding
cock-ups (I have touring skis), but I'd still prefer the skis not be too
heavy. Obviously I don't need the latest fad, last year's classic would
be ideal, especially if I can pick them up cheap in the early season
sales (I live in the Alps, so I have plenty of shops to choose from).

So, what should I be looking at?

 

I went from my X-Screams to K2 Apache Recon a couple of years back
after mine started leaking the same goo

Very happy I am

 

Looks promising, except for what looks suspiciously like some silly
modular stuff to do with bindings. Can you put Diamirs on them?

OTOH, now I look at the K2 web site, they seem to have an entire range
designed for me. Unfortunately it's called "Backside".

 

Not much, it's true. Year on year it's been dropping. Only two
threads, four posts, since July. But I'm still here.

OK, let's stop you there. If this is the priority, then you need to be
looking at mid-fat or fat skis. But what you don't say is how hard you
ski. This is of utmost importance - if you glide gently and stylishly
over all types of terrain you'll want something very different than if
you blast at max speed wherever you are.

I used to tend towards the latter, but since the broken back have been
little more circumspect, so I've not fully embraced the big, long, fat
skis, sticking with my 3-y-o 177cm Foils. Seems that the current (well
last season's) Salomon equivalent is the Lord, which is somewhat
wider, but not excessively so. There are a number of skis by all
menufacturers in this category, and you could do worse than start by
looking at the tests on the skiclub site at
http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/membersonly/skitests/default.aspx

Oh, it's members only - you are a member, aren't you?

Well, I'll C&P their descriptions of the two types you'll most likely
be looking at, to get you started.

Big Mountain

"Last season the introduction of rockered skis from the big
manufacturers was the big new story. This year sees an evolution of
that, with more variations of full, semi and front-rockered fats
emerging. Many models have a rockered tip and tail, but a traditional
camber through the middle. To add to the confusion, classic
backcountry skis with a more traditional sidecut and flex are still
out there, and are still favoured by high-speed freeride specialists.
Because we were blessed with fresh, light, deep powder for most of the
week, this was a true test of the latest fat skis. So much choice can
be daunting for buyers. It’s hard to generalise with these fat skis,
but here are a few simple guidelines: Generally, rockered skis are
easier to pivot, and feel playful - while allowing you to be more
balanced over the middle of the ski. Classic fats with traditional
camber are more stable at speed, less twitchy and normally smoother
and grippier on the piste. In any type of ski, more width in the waist
makes for extra flotation and easier riding, but will make them slower
onto the edge and less responsive for shorter turns. There is still a
massive variation in performance between each model - more than in any
other category we test - so, if you can get the chance, try before you
buy."

Freeride:

"If you are really into your off piste, but also happy to rip around
on the groomed runs when the powder’s not happening, these are the
type of skis you need to check out. There is a massive choice and
variation in design, but essentially it’s about deciding what type of
skiing you’ll usually do. If you are obsessive about searching out
even the smallest powder stash, go for the more off-piste orientated
models. If you tend to be more of a 50/50 skier, and hack around on
the piste quite regularly, then it’s the models that offer a
good-quality piste performance. Generally the skis in this range have
got wider this year, but don’t let that deceive you: it’s now possible
to get good carving performance with anything up to 90mm of waist
width. A while back, this would have seemed crazy, but as always, the
manufacturers seem to be able to move the goalposts as new materials
and designs emerge."

 

As per subject - anyone been? Recommendations?

 

Can I get back to you in a couple of weeks? I'm sitting in the lounge
at LHR waiting for my flight to Buenos Aires, from where I'll be
joining my newly-BASI-level2-qulified wife at Bariloche (in Argentina)
and skiing both there and some of the Chilean resorts which are
apparently just a few hours away in a rental car.

I'll try and do a full write up when I get back. If anyone objects to
it being here, on RSREurope, well, I'll be very surprised, and not in
the least bit bothered ;-)

 

Ha! You lucky git.

Enjoy. I'll be picking your brains on your return!

 

You make your own luck.

Please do so. I confess to knowing almost nothing about where we're
going to ski, but in this I'm quite happy to leave the decision-making
to J, who will have the benfefit of local knowledge, having been there
for eight weeks now.

And she's not really 'lucky' to be there either. Sure, she's still
being paid as a full-time employee while she's there, but on the flip
side come December she's out of a job.

On the other flip side, she'll walk in to any number of consultancy
jobs, while doing the odd but of instructing in Engelberg and reaping
all the benefits thereof, like free lift pass and hyooge discounts on
everything.

Well, that's _my_ plan, anyway. Hers may be slightly different :-}

 

Feck 'em I say. Enjoy the hols and congrats to your better half !

 

Acherly, I realise the congrats are premature. Tomorrow's the last
day[1], so she should have passed by the time I get there. Looking
forward to a good passing-out party when I arrive.


[1] Although there's still another week for remedials[2], but from
what I can gather she'd not going to need any. 60-odd people on the
course, though, so a fair few may need it.
[2] Which also offers race-training and other stuff, in with which I'm
welcome to join. Shit. [3]
[3] Unfit, out-of-season, newly-passed instructors, mostly very young.
I'm likely to be severely embarrassed.

 

Hmmm, missed that part of the original post, I've got them with the
stock bindings on, so not sure if there's an alternative.

If you buy a pair of K2s, be wary of going to Colorado and leaving them
in a rack outside a restaurant, you'll come out and realise the racks
have all filled up with *exactly* the same skis as yours, then wish
you'd paid more attention to where you'd left them....

 

Whatever you decide, if you're in the Alps then you should definitely be
looking at http://achat-ski.com/ for some of the best deals.

I picked up a pair of previous season's Rossignol B3s at around 60-70%
discount - some real bargains to be had if you don't 'need' latest fad
graphics!

But you already knew that...

RM
www.mountainpassions.com - an Online Magazine with Altitude

 

: I went from my X-Screams to K2 Apache Recon a couple of years back
: after mine started leaking the same goo

: Very happy I am

I am also very happy with my Apache Recon's! Excellent skis!

 

No answers from me, just the observation that I'm also toying with the
idea of buying new, or secondhand skis too. I've got a reasonable pair
of Head carving skis but I had to hire something more off-piste
oriented last year after a couple of hints from my instructors.

If I do then they'll probably something like Rossignol Bandits or
whatever they call them this year (none of that twin-tip stuff for
me). Ideally good second-hand so I won't be so worried about losing or
damaging them.

Damn that ski club for getting me interested in off-piste!

 

Wife and I both lke our Bandits which we've had for a few years now.

If you live in the Alps, narrow it down to a few different skis and then
demo to see which ski you like best and in which length for the type of
skiing/conditions you'll most likely encounter. But you knew that right ?

Good luck

 

I think they were the ones I hired, actually. Seemd to carve well
enough and I didn't have any [ski related] problems off piste, other
than a nervous sense of "help, these aren't my usual skis!"

They carved a lot better than I expected, though I didn't really
manage the tight radius turns my Head skis could.

How well do they cope with hard-packed icy home runs?

I'd love to be able to do that. Sadly, round here is about as far form
Alpine a it's possible to get (I live close to the Cambrifgshire Fens,
in much the same way the Brighton is close to the sea). If the
exchange rate were better then I'd try out a few different types and
buy abroad, but it's probably not worth it at the moment.

I have seen what look like some good deals online, but I'm a little
unsure about that. Possibly just older models, but that wouldn't
bother me too much.

Ta.

 

I manage to do a complete on snow 360 on them - i.e. find a nice flat
wide piece of piste and hit it at one side at max. speed and then lay
them over as far as they can go - if you're going fast enough you can do
a complete circle

OK I guess, but I tend to avoid resorts like that

Ah, I was replying as much to the original poster who I think said he
lived near some mountains...

 

What this got to do with bikes?

A colleague at Oxford did sabbaticals at Bariloche. He probably skied
there.

I am on a waiting list for volunteers on research experiments which can
require skiing on the Chile/Bolivan border. Pay for fly down there? Ha.


Check the Reuter's book.