C
CMCM
Guest
Salomon
Jewel Origins, 2008
Tested Length: 162
Dimensions: 124-74-106
Category: Seems to vary according to review...
Ski-review.com said: "Salomon's marquee female-specific 1-ski-quiver is a good performer, yet reasonably user friendly for strong skiers. One of the most versatile skis in the line." With their 1-5 rating system, they rated it as follows:
Clean carve: 5
Straight edge: 4
Straight run: 4
Stability: 4
Rebound: 4
Quickness: 4
Lightness: 4
Forgiveness: 4
Speed zones: all (i.e. 10, 20, race)
Ski-review.com had this to say:
"Unique & authentic feminine design meets technical superiority. Tantalizing design featuring hand placed flowers on a visible woodcore making each ski unique." The wider dimensions suggest "big mountain cruiser" but the Origins is right at home on steep icy pitches at smaller areas where short radius turns make each run more fun and keep you out of the lift line a bit longer. A real performance ski for skilled ladies that ski everywhere. Solid secure grip combined with a little stronger flex invite higher speeds, remembering of course that high performance skis with a lot of sidecut do not go straight. The Origins will go anywhere and blast thru almost anything you can throw at it. Some testers hailed its feel in moguls as well, which makes sense when one considers the amount of taper angle. Almost 2cm of taper deliver uncommon versatility and allows better skiers to charge turn shapes and release the tail at their discretion. Nice flex pattern combined with torsional rigidity for grip. A winner for advanced women."
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OK, my impressions, and first about me as a "tester."
I'm 58, 5'7", 145 lbs, only in my 3rd year of seriously skiing and trying to become "good". I doubt I will ever be or want to be an aggressive or super fast skier. I've pretty much stayed with groomers (greens and blues) and have been working on my confidence, turns, overall ability. I wasn't sure of my level, but recently did a private lesson with Squaw's top woman instructor (teaching since 1970!!) and she said I was a solid intermediate, so I'll take that.
I have been frustrated with reviews since they are virtually always done by advanced, long-time skiers who have forgotten what it's like to be a relative newbie to skiing.
I have only skied on my 2006 Nordica Serenitys (probably similar to the currrent Mint), 112-68-98, 150's. (before that, I was on an old rental pair of Rossignols, even shorter). The Nordicas served me well until now, but I started to suspect something wasn't quite optimum with them, which led to demo'ing the Origins. It was pure chance that I tried these, because I had (from reviews) pegged them as far too advanced for moi. As a lark, since my preferred demo were currently checked out, I tried the Origins to pass the time. They immediately blew me away!
Testing day conditions: Sunny, snow good in most places with some top fluff, solid underneath for some mush top stuff in places too. I tried a variety of terrain, although nothing too steep since again, I'm an intermediate and not an aggressive skier.
In just a few minutes while maneuvering around on the flats, getting off the lift, setting up for my first run, I was blown away by a new feeling of solidness and stability. Taking off on the first hill at the steepest part, I was amazed and how smooth, easy, perfect my turns suddenly became. It was easy to get on edge, and I suddenly realized what a swooping, perfect wide carve felt like. I had never achieved this with my Nordicas. I worred a bit about how this wider, longer ski would handle quick short turns, but when I had a sudden need to dodge a kidlet skier who crossed my path, I easily pulled off a very sharp, quick turn and hockey stop. On some packed, slippery parts the Origins gripped perfectly, and with the thicker mashed potatoes or crud areas the Origins just plowed thru them like they weren't there, with no drift such as I'd experienced with my Nordicas (this always led to an insecure feeling). The word which kept resonating in my head was STABILITY, also a new sense of solidness, easy maneuverability, yet the ski seems light enough weight wise. And it seems to have the perfectd flex for my ability.
The next day, conditions were horrible. Cold, overcast (storm coming in), extremely windy, all the top layer of snow blown off leaving often icy hard pack. The Origins weren't as fun as the day before, but they handled these lousy conditions wonderfully, no problems anywhere. I was still getting used to them compared to how I would deal with these conditions on my Nordicas, but once I felt more familiar with them, I can say they handled the dimished conditions MUCH better than I'd ever experienced. No surprises, just solid and predictible performace.
Using SkiDivas rating card on a 1-5 point system, I rate them as follows:
Short Turns: 5
Medium Turns: 5
Long Turns: 5
Rebound: 4
Stability: 5
Forgiveness: 4
Grip: 4
Steeps: (can't judge this)
Crud: 4
Powder: (can't judge this)
Ice: 4
Overall Impression: 4-5
Tested Length (162) felt: Just Right
Ski Sidecut felt: Just Right
Ski Felx Felt: Just Right
Best Described as: Balanced
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This ski was repeatedly described as for an aggressive, fast, advanced to expert skier, which I most assuredly am not.
I am still trying to improve and get more comfortable at higher speeds, but I am a moderate to slow speed skier. I can do perfect parallel turns with good crossover SOMETIMES, but not always. I am a careful skier....and I don't take chances. I stick to groomers and have no desire to go off piste or into heavy powder. You will probably never see me on the steeps. My goal is to achieve great and graceful form, and to be able to mosey down any hill I choose at whatever speed I choose, but enjoyably and safely. I had avoided this ski because it did not seem suited to my current ability level or to my ultimate goals. I would never have gone from my old 150's to 162 in length, and I figured the waist width was probably too wide since I wasn't interested in going off piste. WRONG!!!! DOUBLE WRONG!!! The extra length probably made a HUGE difference for me, and I think the extra 6cm waist length was helpful too.
This ski put me in a completely different place. I apparently DID need that length, because I think it provided a new sense of solidness under foot and stability I had never before felt on my squirrelly Nordcas, very short and with a narrow waist. My turns improved instantly....observing me, my husband saw a huge difference and said my turns were perfect. These skis gave me more confidence, and I was able to feel better at a higher speed (still not fast). These skis are not too difficult for me, although I'm sure I don't get everything out of them I could. But I can grow into them, all while feeling better, more secure, and safer on them. A winning combination in my opinion. THis just goes to show the various reviews and review assigned ski levels don't always fit, and I would say don't eliminate a ski because it perhaps seems too advanced! I think my previous skis were impeding my advancement due to a short length and perhaps too much flex, and the narrow waist combined with these things was keeping my confidence too low....I really reached a point where I wasn't progressing any further but didn't know why.
I now know I'll be able to reach a higher level with the Origins and will be able to stay with them for a long time if I want.
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Design: I initially didn't particularly like them (those flowers!!), but now they've actually grown on me. They are rather unique and very different looking for everything else out there! Now I like them!
