And you were TOTALLY right. I bit the bullet (and the price tag), got myself a pair of stiffer boots at last year’s end of season sales, and took them on their inaugural runs over Christmas week. My goodness, what a difference they made! They were responsive enough that I no longer had to crank my feet around, which meant I didn’t have to use my thighs and feet, which meant I could get more forward, which meant my stance widened (when appropriate) and narrowed (when appropriate) and I just rolled on my edges through my turns. By lunchtime the first day, I was able to discern that my skis needed some adjustments and and I took my them in for a sharper tune and a slicker wax.
And from there I was off to the races. I was able to trust my technique and carve on icy steeps with minimal exertion (and we were at Whiteface, where the ice is *ice*). And though the moguls were not big or icy enough to really be considered a test, moguls are my nemesis and I was able to hop through what moguls there were with ease.
I realized that some of the quirks in my skiing were not the result of habits developed in the straight-ski era that I wasn’t able to iron out when transitioning to shaped skis after a long hiatus, but rather the fault of my equipment. Amazing!
I’m now sort of curious to try racing boots, and I think I’ll be in the market for new skis by the end of this season. My gut tells me that mine are lighter and a little bit more flexible than would be ideal for me, and I suspect that I’ll be back here looking for ski recommendations soon.
But in the meantime, I wanted to thank all of you who have preached the importance of finding the right boot!
And from there I was off to the races. I was able to trust my technique and carve on icy steeps with minimal exertion (and we were at Whiteface, where the ice is *ice*). And though the moguls were not big or icy enough to really be considered a test, moguls are my nemesis and I was able to hop through what moguls there were with ease.
I realized that some of the quirks in my skiing were not the result of habits developed in the straight-ski era that I wasn’t able to iron out when transitioning to shaped skis after a long hiatus, but rather the fault of my equipment. Amazing!
I’m now sort of curious to try racing boots, and I think I’ll be in the market for new skis by the end of this season. My gut tells me that mine are lighter and a little bit more flexible than would be ideal for me, and I suspect that I’ll be back here looking for ski recommendations soon.
But in the meantime, I wanted to thank all of you who have preached the importance of finding the right boot!
