New to Total Joy: snowplowing????????

[Witsend]

Hello amazing divas,

I have a Ripstick 94W 154cm and wanted something narrower. Enter my brand new Head Total Joy in 153cm. Skiing with it for the first time, I am in a snowplow during turns *in green terrain*; neither I nor spouse watching this can figure it out. It is almost as if one leg/hip has no feedback about where the other leg and hip are. In blue terrain, same thing. I am flabbergasted.
The one thing I can think is that I have more effective edge in front and somehow my muscle memory is for a different weight/length distribution.

Any gleamer of guessing what could be up will be appreciated.

 

[SarahXC]

When I hear new ski + erratic unexpected performance I always think check the tune / base for flatness. Sometimes the factory misses it…

 

[elemmac]

Any gleamer of guessing what could be up will be appreciated.

Two gleamer guesses...

One: tune could be off. By the way you describe your problems I'm not sure if this is what I would jump to. Normally poor tunes result in someone either not being able to get on their edges (ski feel squirrely and unstable), or not being able to get off of their edges (often described as hooky). If your snowplow is a result of either of those, it's definitely worth getting a shop to look at the skis.

Two: exactly what you mention...the Total Joy will "ski longer" than the Ripstick in a similar size. Are you regularly on edge in full parallel turns when you're on the Ripsticks? If you're not getting up on edge with your parallel turns...it could be that the Ripsticks are compensating for a technique deficit; having a wider platform, less camber, and less effective edge can be more forgiving. Maybe hopping in a lesson to work with an instructor might be worth it?

It could also be a combination of the two ^^

 

[Trailside Trixie]

I had that happen with a bad tune once.... took the skis in to have them "fixed" and problem solved. Not saying that's it here but certainly a possibility.

 

[Jilly]

I'm with elemmac on this one. You've been skiing a rockered ski for some time. Now you're on a fully cambered ski. Lot more ski, ie a lot more ski up front, that you're used to.

Find a shallow slope and try roller blade turns. Or if you're not comfortable with those, try power plows. That way you can see how fast the ski goes on edge compared to the Ripsticks.

 

[contesstant]

I'm with elemmac on this one. You've been skiing a rockered ski for some time. Now you're on a fully cambered ski. Lot more ski, ie a lot more ski up front, that you're used to.

Find a shallow slope and try roller blade turns. Or if you're not comfortable with those, try power plows. That way you can see how fast the ski goes on edge compared to the Ripsticks.

I agree with this. The Ripstick is more forward mounted, too. I believe the Total Joy has a bit of tip rocker but not as much, and certainly not as much as the Ripstick.

I'd also look into binding delta which can contribute, although I believe the system binding that comes on the Total Joy is fairly neutral.

 

[Witsend]

When I hear new ski + erratic unexpected performance I always think check the tune / base for flatness. Sometimes the factory misses it…

I took the ski in, it was detuned and waxed for warm weather, things went significantly better.

 

[contesstant]

I took the ski in, it was detuned and waxed for warm weather, things went significantly better.

Have you been skiing spring slush? Because that alone can feel like skiing on felt and make ever significantly more difficult.

 

[mustski]

I would definitively start with getting the tune checked. It seems odd that a switch in ski would cause a drastic change in ability/skill. Different skis sometimes take some getting used to or are more work or prefer different types of ski, but to feel compelled to snowplow sound really odd to me. Sadly, it is pretty common for skis to come -straight from the manufacturer- with a bad tune.

 

[Witsend]

Two gleamer guesses...

One: tune could be off. By the way you describe your problems I'm not sure if this is what I would jump to. Normally poor tunes result in someone either not being able to get on their edges (ski feel squirrely and unstable), or not being able to get off of their edges (often described as hooky). If your snowplow is a result of either of those, it's definitely worth getting a shop to look at the skis.

Two: exactly what you mention...the Total Joy will "ski longer" than the Ripstick in a similar size. Are you regularly on edge in full parallel turns when you're on the Ripsticks? If you're not getting up on edge with your parallel turns...it could be that the Ripsticks are compensating for a technique deficit; having a wider platform, less camber, and less effective edge can be more forgiving. Maybe hopping in a lesson to work with an instructor might be worth it?

It could also be a combination of the two ^^

A bit of tunning was off, which got fixed. You are correct, I believe, in correcting form. I also have a foot problem related to my boot that is making power transfers when turning right more difficult and the Total Joy is uninterested in helping with that.

it was time for a better fitting boot, will let you know how tomorrow’s skiing goes.

 

[Witsend]

I had that happen with a bad tune once.... took the skis in to have them "fixed" and problem solved. Not saying that's it here but certainly a possibility.

I got them detuned and rewaxed— much better performance.

 

[Witsend]

I'm with elemmac on this one. You've been skiing a rockered ski for some time. Now you're on a fully cambered ski. Lot more ski, ie a lot more ski up front, that you're used to.

Find a shallow slope and try roller blade turns. Or if you're not comfortable with those, try power plows. That way you can see how fast the ski goes on edge compared to the Ripsticks.

What are rollerblade turns?

I would definitively start with getting the tune checked. It seems odd that a switch in ski would cause a drastic change in ability/skill. Different skis sometimes take some getting used to or are more work or prefer different types of ski, but to feel compelled to snowplow sound really odd to me. Sadly, it is pretty common for skis to come -straight from the manufacturer- with a bad tune.

Yeah, I’ve skied 10 different skis this year and this regression did not happen. Of course the Total Joy is the one I did not demo first ;)

Got ski detuned, got warm weather wax, much better. I do believe the Total Joy does not paper over technique, and I love that.

 

[AJM]

I demoed a pair of Fischer RC1's last year and due to the tune I had a ghastly time !! Didnt even feel confident snowploughing in them and literally limped down in possibly the worst form I've ever skied !! My son who's a patroller was with a colleague fixing some tower pads and saw me .... they were both dying with laughter at me I swear those ski's were trying to kill me !!! Even the guy who owns our local ski shop and is an absolute weapon on ski's had a dreadful time on the one's he tried ... a bad tune can really ruin your day.

 

[Trailside Trixie]

I got them detuned and rewaxed— much better performance.

Had this happen also with a brand new pair of Icelantic Maiden 91s. This time it a wasn't a bad tune as I bought them new. I had a terrible time skiing them down. Had the tips/tails detuned and so... much...better.... I talked to the store owner where I bought them and they apparently had to detune their entire fleet of Icelantic demos. This made me feel better.

Glad your skis were better after a mini spa trip

 

[mustski]

I just bought brand new Fischer Ranger 84s. I’m getting the bindings mounted today and told the tech there was a $20 tip in it if he would check the tune for me. Only in the ski industry can you sell a product that needs immediate tuning. Can you imagine if the auto industry did that?

 

[Witsend]

I just bought brand new Fischer Ranger 84s. I’m getting the bindings mounted today and told the tech there was a $20 tip in it if he would check the tune for me. Only in the ski industry can you sell a product that needs immediate tuning. Can you imagine if the auto industry did that?

I considered the skis you got and look forward to hearing how you like them!

After the Total Joy got detuned I recalled that when I bought the Ripstick the store did the detuning and waxing after installing the bindings.

 

[mustski]

The shop got them mounted, checked the tune, and waxed them (not requested) in AN HOUR. So I doubled the tip!

 

[TiffAlt]

The shop got them mounted, checked the tune, and waxed them (not requested) in AN HOUR. So I doubled the tip!

Wow, they sure were hungry for that tip - I reward good efforts too!

 

[Witsend]

Have you been skiing spring slush? Because that alone can feel like skiing on felt and make ever significantly more difficult.

I’m back to my ski mointain and today around noon I had my first experience of slush changing my speed. Ick! ( was one of those fast-slow-fast-slow downhill experiences, my brain going wtf when I fit slush and the ski slowed, then accelerated again)

 

[contesstant]

I’m back to my ski mointain and today around noon I had my first experience of slush changing my speed. Ick! ( was one of those fast-slow-fast-slow downhill experiences, my brain going wtf when I fit slush and the ski slowed, then accelerated again)

That's when I call it for the day. I have discovered that rubbing a warm weather wax on does help for a few runs, but it's only temporary.