Hi all. Posting from the UK, so not everything will be available here, but after some general piste ski advice please. Preferably I will get some second hand skis on grounds of cost and trying them out without potentially throwing away a lot of cash on a chance; testing them is likely to be difficult before buying.
I have my old Elan Mag 4 skis (rad 11.2, wait 70, composite and wood cap construction) which I love and have had great fun on for many years, from intermediate to bit more advanced levels. They are damp (not bouncy anyway), I think forgiving, responsive, fast enough and generally a good all round piste carving ski; also very easy and quick to edge and quite easy when skiing agressively to get them in the air on short corridor or bumps turns. However, as I get better I feel that I need something better. They are described as an intermediate to advanced ski; I think that I need something a bit more advanced, something that will give me a bit better control and the ability to advance my technique. I find that I'm not getting the solid feel nor precise drive/control out of them that I now want and think that I am capable of getting and they're not inspiring my ability to improve (I can't explain why).
Can't really say what I need, though. Can say that I don't want anything particularly fast as such, and don't want anything 'lively': I tried Dynastars and they were bouncing all over the place. Ditto some of the women's Head 'Joy' range - too soft and light feeling. I like something which I can control and 'drive' to make it do what I want it to, but preferably not with too much muscle-tiring effort (and I am living with knees without ACLs so muscle effort - not necessarily the same as strength - is at a premium). I like 'feel' in a ski: a solid feel underfoot, yet something which responds to input and tells me what's going on in return. Ultimately, a ski is a technical tool to me and it is something which with appropriate techncial ability I can make it do what I want and to go where I want it to go.
I do seem to be able to pressure and over-steer or/or over-edge very easily on most skis, and I seem naturally to put skis on edge rather than pivot - at least, my current skis like reacting like that and aren't easy to pivot (though I can make them and other skis do it with varying degrees of ease and success).
My feeling is that I want a wood core, maybe a metal layer (?), probably proper sidewall construction and definitely lots of torsional stiffness; probably a stiffer ski in general. However, I might be a bit behind the times in my knowledge of ski construction. Lightness to carry would be an advantage. Can be a man's or women's ski; girly graphics and colours to be avoided if possible(!).
I ski mainly on hardpack to European 'crud'. I like carving but I'm not one for great long turns: more short turns, bumps and that kind of thing.
Length will be 150-155 I reckon (9 1/2 stone ish, and I don't want to go long with the knee issues). Radius ideally 10-13, waist between 70 and 75 ideally.
I have already some 155 Elan SLX slalom race skis ( 68 waist) and some Scottt Reverse 166s (tip/tail rocker, 85 waist, R14) - I want something inbetween. The Scotts are nice skis and surprisingly light and easy to ski but are just a bit too wide, don't react as fast or somehow just quite as I'd like and don't bite well in hardpack. The SLXs are just plain fast and narrow!
At the moment, let's be honest, I have lost a lot of confidence after my 'accident' and knee ligament injuries. So I also want a ski that will give me confidence and enable me to be a better technical skier, whilst coping with all piste and side of piste conditions and also bumps, crud, moguls etc. But something that won't tire out my muscles too much either...
Not too much to ask (??) - if any of it makes any sense anyway! I have heard recommendations for some of the Atomic Redster ranges (and Cloud 11?), Rossi Hero Elite range, Head iSupershape Magnums (or Titans or Rally?). A few K2 'luv' range skis also might be of interest maybe (74ti?). There's loads of others and, fundamentally, I don't know. And they all seem quite hard to get hold of 2nd hand and certainly not cheap(ish). Also interested in Elans, espectially the higher range ladies' skis if anyone knows them.
Basically, any advice, suggestions, feedback, comments etc welcome.
Thanks.
I have my old Elan Mag 4 skis (rad 11.2, wait 70, composite and wood cap construction) which I love and have had great fun on for many years, from intermediate to bit more advanced levels. They are damp (not bouncy anyway), I think forgiving, responsive, fast enough and generally a good all round piste carving ski; also very easy and quick to edge and quite easy when skiing agressively to get them in the air on short corridor or bumps turns. However, as I get better I feel that I need something better. They are described as an intermediate to advanced ski; I think that I need something a bit more advanced, something that will give me a bit better control and the ability to advance my technique. I find that I'm not getting the solid feel nor precise drive/control out of them that I now want and think that I am capable of getting and they're not inspiring my ability to improve (I can't explain why).
Can't really say what I need, though. Can say that I don't want anything particularly fast as such, and don't want anything 'lively': I tried Dynastars and they were bouncing all over the place. Ditto some of the women's Head 'Joy' range - too soft and light feeling. I like something which I can control and 'drive' to make it do what I want it to, but preferably not with too much muscle-tiring effort (and I am living with knees without ACLs so muscle effort - not necessarily the same as strength - is at a premium). I like 'feel' in a ski: a solid feel underfoot, yet something which responds to input and tells me what's going on in return. Ultimately, a ski is a technical tool to me and it is something which with appropriate techncial ability I can make it do what I want and to go where I want it to go.
I do seem to be able to pressure and over-steer or/or over-edge very easily on most skis, and I seem naturally to put skis on edge rather than pivot - at least, my current skis like reacting like that and aren't easy to pivot (though I can make them and other skis do it with varying degrees of ease and success).
My feeling is that I want a wood core, maybe a metal layer (?), probably proper sidewall construction and definitely lots of torsional stiffness; probably a stiffer ski in general. However, I might be a bit behind the times in my knowledge of ski construction. Lightness to carry would be an advantage. Can be a man's or women's ski; girly graphics and colours to be avoided if possible(!).
I ski mainly on hardpack to European 'crud'. I like carving but I'm not one for great long turns: more short turns, bumps and that kind of thing.
Length will be 150-155 I reckon (9 1/2 stone ish, and I don't want to go long with the knee issues). Radius ideally 10-13, waist between 70 and 75 ideally.
I have already some 155 Elan SLX slalom race skis ( 68 waist) and some Scottt Reverse 166s (tip/tail rocker, 85 waist, R14) - I want something inbetween. The Scotts are nice skis and surprisingly light and easy to ski but are just a bit too wide, don't react as fast or somehow just quite as I'd like and don't bite well in hardpack. The SLXs are just plain fast and narrow!
At the moment, let's be honest, I have lost a lot of confidence after my 'accident' and knee ligament injuries. So I also want a ski that will give me confidence and enable me to be a better technical skier, whilst coping with all piste and side of piste conditions and also bumps, crud, moguls etc. But something that won't tire out my muscles too much either...
Not too much to ask (??) - if any of it makes any sense anyway! I have heard recommendations for some of the Atomic Redster ranges (and Cloud 11?), Rossi Hero Elite range, Head iSupershape Magnums (or Titans or Rally?). A few K2 'luv' range skis also might be of interest maybe (74ti?). There's loads of others and, fundamentally, I don't know. And they all seem quite hard to get hold of 2nd hand and certainly not cheap(ish). Also interested in Elans, espectially the higher range ladies' skis if anyone knows them.
Basically, any advice, suggestions, feedback, comments etc welcome.
Thanks.
