Narrower longer skis for powder?

[floatingyardsale]

I ski my Elan Wildcat 86cx in nearly everything. I love their hold on groomers, and they do well in heavy snow and chopped up snow, but they are kind of a bad powder ski once it's over the boot, and I'm not great at deep powder, so it would be nice to have something a little more forgiving and floaty.

I can't really do a much wider ski. My knees didn't like it before I was down an ACL, and my Atomic Vantage 97s were a little much for me for an all-mountain ski. (I mean, I had 150 days on them, but a lot of Advil, too.)

So I'm wondering if there are better skis in the mid-80s for softer snow, and if I could make up for the lack of float with more length. Any other middie ski fans?

 

[contesstant]

I ski my Elan Wildcat 86cx in nearly everything. I love their hold on groomers, and they do well in heavy snow and chopped up snow, but they are kind of a bad powder ski once it's over the boot, and I'm not great at deep powder, so it would be nice to have something a little more forgiving and floaty.

I can't really do a much wider ski. My knees didn't like it before I was down an ACL, and my Atomic Vantage 97s were a little much for me for an all-mountain ski. (I mean, I had 150 days on them, but a lot of Advil, too.)

So I'm wondering if there are better skis in the mid-80s for softer snow, and if I could make up for the lack of float with more length. Any other middie ski fans?

Next year's Black Pearl 88 has a very intriguing shape for powder and crud. I didn't get it into any untracked powder, but did in some crud and it was fantastic. Very smooth ride, too. Another option would be a Santa Ana 88 (87 for 2025, which are available now) or 92. I always liked the Santa Ana series in powder and think the revamped versions will handle it even better with the increase in tail rocker.

 

[MissySki]

I am curious if you are on a wider ski strictly in powder/crud, is that an issue for your knees? Wondering only because we are wanting to use lower edge angles in these cases, so I’d imagine that putting less stress on knees than if you were really pushing it on a groomer with a wider ski, for example. Stress from a wide ski comes from tipping it over usually, I thought?

 

[Christy]

Next year's Black Pearl 88 has a very intriguing shape for powder and crud. I didn't get it into any untracked powder, but did in some crud and it was fantastic. Very smooth ride, too.

My favorite "powder skis" were my 88 BPs from 6 or 7 years ago that were too long for me otherwise (they were 166s). I did eventually sell those and get the 98 BPs from a few years ago. I would have hung on to them had I known that they would work better for me in deeper snow than my 98s (158 length) do.

 

[floatingyardsale]

I am curious if you are on a wider ski strictly in powder/crud, is that an issue for your knees? Wondering only because we are wanting to use lower edge angles in these cases, so I’d imagine that putting less stress on knees than if you were really pushing it on a groomer with a wider ski, for example. Stress from a wide ski comes from tipping it over usually, I thought?

Part of it is that I tend to edge a lot, and part of it is that I typically don't see a lot of deep powder for long, so any ski I have is going to wind up on steeper edges by the end of the day.

 

[Tori_j]

You could try the Coalition Snow Rebel. They call it "east coast powder ski". So it had a giant shovel tip but its in the 80's underfoot. I also believe they are doing their community sale right now.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Whatever ski you have now, but longer, will provide more flotation, but may also be harder to turn, especially releasing out of a turn.

If you do find a soft snow specific ski for powder that is still narrow underfoot it will likely be much softer and wider in the tip ans tail, so most likely you would need to go up a fair bit in length to maintain stability.

I would strongly encourage you take a lesson when there is powder snow. I think about much lower edge angles throughout my turns, less shaping or finishing of my turns, active pressure management with intentional bounce which are opposite to a carved groomer turn. Sometimes my legs are a tad closer together and ideally as the ski sinks the pressure is not against the edge but more evenly distributed underneath me entire foot thus reducing strain on my knees.

Personally, I would aim for 95 to 98 underfoot for a ski that can manage powder well but is still easy on the knees. Anything less and the knee strain reappears as a result if sinking more and having to move the ski against the snow.

 

[MissySki]

Part of it is that I tend to edge a lot, and part of it is that I typically don't see a lot of deep powder for long, so any ski I have is going to wind up on steeper edges by the end of the day.

Gotcha, I have the same issue with tending to edge a lot. I have really been focusing on dialing it back when in bumps and powder in general. It helped that I was just in two days of lessons during a bunch of the crazy snow we got last weekend.. overarching message was to be softer on our skis and flatter edges. It's fun when I can do it as it makes for much less work and fatigue.

 

[floatingyardsale]

Whatever ski you have now, but longer, will provide more flotation, but may also be harder to turn, especially releasing out of a turn.

If you do find a soft snow specific ski for powder that is still narrow underfoot it will likely be much softer and wider in the tip ans tail, so most likely you would need to go up a fair bit in length to maintain stability.

I would strongly encourage you take a lesson when there is powder snow. I think about much lower edge angles throughout my turns, less shaping or finishing of my turns, active pressure management with intentional bounce which are opposite to a carved groomer turn. Sometimes my legs are a tad closer together and ideally as the ski sinks the pressure is not against the edge but more evenly distributed underneath me entire foot thus reducing strain on my knees.

Personally, I would aim for 95 to 98 underfoot for a ski that can manage powder well but is still easy on the knees. Anything less and the knee strain reappears as a result if sinking more and having to move the ski against the snow.

I wound up with an inadvertent lesson this year as a storm blew in the day of!

Everything in powder is slower although I think a lot of the technique transfers -- it's less edging, with a bounce. But you make a good point -- keeping tips from diving is also hard on the knees -- so maybe a floaty mid-90s?

I just want something that I won't hate once everything is skied off, that's a little easier to ski than what I have.

 

[Trailside Trixie]

I ski mostly Vermont and like all my skis to know what to do with some hardpack because there's always some somewhere. I managed to find some last week in 30 inches of ungroomed powder.

Skis 85 to 95 underfoot that I have that are fun in soft snow but don't freak in hard pack are

Stockli Stormrider 85 motion
Volkl Blaze 86
Meier Quickdraw
Head Wild Joy
Renoun Z90
Nordica Santa Ana 93
Stockli Stormrider 95

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@floatingyardsale My personal approach has always been to love the potential powder ski on groomers. Meaning I test it out on days with maybe some crud left off piste, but take it into bumps and groomers as I need to like the ski in that type of situation, since as you said, that will be the second half of any powder day, or the bottom of the hill when the top only gets fresh snow.

 

[Trailside Trixie]

@floatingyardsale My personal approach has always been to love the potential powder ski on groomers. Meaning I test it out on days with maybe some crud left off piste, but take it into bumps and groomers as I need to like the ski in that type of situation, since as you said, that will be the second half of any powder day, or the bottom of the hill when the top only gets fresh snow.

Same. My approach has always been to demo a fatter ski on groomers, even full on hard pack. If they can hang there they can hang anywhere. Especially in Vermont where there is always ice and hard pack somewhere lol.

 

[floatingyardsale]

Okay maybe I do need a wider ski. What works in compacting powder? I had a blast today but it was more work than my legs wanted. (It was also an off day. No rhythm, no pop, slow but soft snow that was chopped up, skis with short turn radius didn't behave.)

 

[contesstant]

My Sheeva 9s handled today's conditions fantastically. Have you gotten out on your Atomics again to see if they are better on days like today?

 

[mustski]

I find my powder ski super easy on the knees… it is a 116 waist and I don’t have to edge in powder. I am a crappy powder skier and I bought it for the purpose of having fun in Sierra cement. I barely have to tip it and it changes direction. I chose the Volk One years ago because it is still strong when maneuvering west coast groomers. Everyone has to ski home at the end of the day. Would I take it on ice? Never! Slick chalk? Yes, I tested it on that and it was good enough. I have other skis for other days. These only come out if it’s more than 8” - then- whee! Totally worth the investment! All 6 times that I’ve skied them!

caveat … I suck in powder! I spent the last 20 years skiing SoCal which is hard and slick! - not ice but definitely not “packed powder.” On the bright side, I do excel in crud!

 

[santacruz skier]

I find my powder ski super easy on the knees… it is a 116 waist and I don’t have to edge in powder. I am a crappy powder skier and I bought it for the purpose of having fun in Sierra cement. I barely have to tip it and it changes direction. I chose the Volk One years ago because it is still strong when maneuvering west coast groomers. Everyone has to ski home at the end of the day. Would I take it on ice? Never! Slick chalk? Yes, I tested it on that and it was good enough. I have other skis for other days. These only come out if it’s more than 8” - then- whee! Totally worth the investment! All 6 times that I’ve skied them!

caveat … I suck in powder! I spent the last 20 years skiing SoCal which is hard and slick! - not ice but definitely not “packed powder.” On the bright side, I do excel in crud!

I'm hoping we'll get some fresh powder in a couple of weeks and I'll be able to take out my Sheeva 10's..... this season I seem to miss the powder storms as I'm either skiing before or after.....

 

[floatingyardsale]

My Sheeva 9s handled today's conditions fantastically. Have you gotten out on your Atomics again to see if they are better on days like today?

I didn't. I was totally expecting a more skied out mountain (didn't get up there until 1) so I grabbed the Wildcats.

 

[santacruz skier]

My Sheeva 9s handled today's conditions fantastically. Have you gotten out on your Atomics again to see if they are better on days like today?

I bet those new Sheeva 9's at 96mm underfoot are really fun in powder. The older Sheeva 9's are fun in everything but deep powder. They're just really a fun ski and with the Sheeva 10, I'm all set...... except have been thinking of a narrow ski (Blaze 86 haha) but now hearing mixed reactions.... I should demo those and the new SA 93 again just for fun.

 

[MissySki]

... except have been thinking of a narrow ski (Blaze 86 haha) but now hearing mixed reactions.... I should demo those and the new SA 93 again just for fun.

Every ski has mixed reviews. I don’t think there’s one that I can’t find people who love it and others who don’t. That’s why it’s good to take reviews with a grain of salt unless it’s from someone you know you ski similarly to and/or like the same skis as. You should definitely try them for yourself though!

 

[santacruz skier]

Every ski has mixed reviews. I don’t think there’s one that I can’t find people who love it and others who don’t. That’s why it’s good to take reviews with a grain of salt unless it’s from someone you know you ski similarly to and/or like the same skis as. You should definitely try them for yourself though!

Oh I know..... If you, @ride_ski , @lisamamot like them, I trust they are good. On a website today it described them as good for non aggressive or light skiers. Okay I fall into the light category, but I thought, wait, you guys are all good skiers and somewhat aggressive so trust you!