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Need help choosing East Coast Skis - Please?
- Thread starter Jen T.
- Start date
echo_VT
Angel Diva
nice @Jen T. you are local to me! i live in Brooklyn. Also i ski Hunter every weekend. i'm familiar with what they have to demo.
they have Nordica Santa Ana, Atomic Vantage and the Atomic Clouds altho i'm not sure which one, but i think it's the 11. they might have more than one Cloud. they also have a few others, such as K2, volkl, and a bunch more.
it's really steep to spend that for demos but i think you can apply the cost to the purchase of a ski.
i am going to wait for demo day. i've been researching skis and i really want to try black crows. i need a playful ski (otherwise i don't have fun skiing) and i find that frontside carvers are not my cup of tea.
coming from 64 waist. yikes - if you prefer a narrower waist, try the atomic clouds (altho i wasn't a fan) - i prefer a wider waist, nothing less than 85. 85-95 is pretty good for me.
good luck choosing a ski!
they have Nordica Santa Ana, Atomic Vantage and the Atomic Clouds altho i'm not sure which one, but i think it's the 11. they might have more than one Cloud. they also have a few others, such as K2, volkl, and a bunch more.
it's really steep to spend that for demos but i think you can apply the cost to the purchase of a ski.
i am going to wait for demo day. i've been researching skis and i really want to try black crows. i need a playful ski (otherwise i don't have fun skiing) and i find that frontside carvers are not my cup of tea.
coming from 64 waist. yikes - if you prefer a narrower waist, try the atomic clouds (altho i wasn't a fan) - i prefer a wider waist, nothing less than 85. 85-95 is pretty good for me.
good luck choosing a ski!
Hi echo_NY! Thank you for the info on what they have at Hunter and for your thoughts on waist size! I will keep that in mind as I try the demos. I am hoping to go this weekend if I can convince some friends to go with me (more fun that way). I live in Windsor Terrace neighborhood of Brooklyn, across from Prospect Park, but we have a small weekend place in Copake Falls, NY (which is why I ski Catamount).
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
sevensaes
Certified Ski Diva
I'm in your area too and just found out that Demo Day at Belleayre (Jimmy's Ski Shop) is this Saturday. They carry the Atomic Clouds and Volkl Flairs among others (all ones I'm interested in demo'ing too but won't make it this weekend). Please post your reviews as they'd be helpful for me!
echo_VT
Angel Diva
did you go to the demo day at Belleayre (via Jimmy's ski shop)? if you did, what did you try? what did you love? what did you hate? definitely want to know
echo_VT
Angel Diva
did you get to go this past weekend?
we were at Hunter, i didn't demo but i was on-hill each day.
sevensaes
Certified Ski Diva
did you go to the demo day at Belleayre (via Jimmy's ski shop)? if you did, what did you try? what did you love? what did you hate? definitely want to know
Nope didn't go as I found out too late...which was a good thing b/c as far as I can tell (from their Facebook page which seems to be the only info they keep up to date online), Demo Day was cancelled due to weather! They are saying they'll reschedule for Feb and reps should have next season stuff to bring.
kiki
Angel Diva
I am on the West coast so skiing quite different conditions, but i do ski the volkl flair 81s (in 156) which a few of you have mentioned, and love them. For the west coast they are a bit "skinny" i guess but i stick to groomers and my prior skis were in the 70's. They are really solid and i feel i can trust and depend on them. I've skid on them this season in ice, slush, crud, and fresh snow conditions and they seem to be able to deal with it all. I'm 5"2', 150 lb, early 40's.
Totally recommend demoing, buying and selling a series of unwanted skis is a lot of work (speaking from experience).
Totally recommend demoing, buying and selling a series of unwanted skis is a lot of work (speaking from experience).
I didn't get to demo any skis last weekend. The weather was just too crappy -- so much ice that it didn't seem worth it -- time and money (I am about 1 1/2 hours away from Belleayre and an hour from Hunter). But I am hoping at some point in early February to do it and I will definitely post my experiences. Thanks Kiki for the feedback on the Volkl Flairs!
Hi all -- I need one more bit of advice. I was not able to demo skis last spring and I need to get some skis now without getting to try them. I have narrowed it down to two, based on this thread last year and some additional research I have done -- but am getting conflicting information about what level skier they are designed for. I think they are probably both good skis and will certainly up my game a bit since I was skiing on 15 year old Atomics that have a very narrow waist (63) and were only 150 long.
Again, I am advanced intermediate, about to turn 50, 5'5" and about 155 lbs (wow, a lot of 5's in there!) I don't do moguls (never learned how to ski them and haven't been that interested in trying now) and I tend to stay on the blue trails. I want a ski that turns pretty easily and quickly and can deal with east coast conditions (sometimes we get patches of ice where I ski so I want a ski that will help me negotiate those moments). I also tend to like to ski on the faster side.
The skis I am considering:
Volkl Flair 76 or 78 (2018 model) -- 154's
Head either Absolute or Super Joy -- 153 or 158's
With the Flairs, I was told the main difference between the 76 and 78 is that the 78 is stiffer. I don't know if I should go for the stiffer skis or not. Also, various places say that the 76's are beginner to intermediate and some say intermediate to advanced. All say that the 78's are intermediate to advanced. I can get a good price on the 78's.
With the Head's -- someone told me that the Head's would be better because they are stiffer than the Volkls. I don't know if that is true and I don't know if that is better. And I am confused by which of the Joys are really the right ones for me.
At my local ski shop, they were pushing the Head's over the Volkls. But if the Volkl's was telling me to get the 76s.
Sorry for so much information - hoping the hive mind can help me figure out what I should do. Thanks!
Jen
Again, I am advanced intermediate, about to turn 50, 5'5" and about 155 lbs (wow, a lot of 5's in there!) I don't do moguls (never learned how to ski them and haven't been that interested in trying now) and I tend to stay on the blue trails. I want a ski that turns pretty easily and quickly and can deal with east coast conditions (sometimes we get patches of ice where I ski so I want a ski that will help me negotiate those moments). I also tend to like to ski on the faster side.
The skis I am considering:
Volkl Flair 76 or 78 (2018 model) -- 154's
Head either Absolute or Super Joy -- 153 or 158's
With the Flairs, I was told the main difference between the 76 and 78 is that the 78 is stiffer. I don't know if I should go for the stiffer skis or not. Also, various places say that the 76's are beginner to intermediate and some say intermediate to advanced. All say that the 78's are intermediate to advanced. I can get a good price on the 78's.
With the Head's -- someone told me that the Head's would be better because they are stiffer than the Volkls. I don't know if that is true and I don't know if that is better. And I am confused by which of the Joys are really the right ones for me.
At my local ski shop, they were pushing the Head's over the Volkls. But if the Volkl's was telling me to get the 76s.
Sorry for so much information - hoping the hive mind can help me figure out what I should do. Thanks!
Jen
marzNC
Angel Diva
Between the Absolut Joy and Super Joy, I suggest going with the AJ. The Super Joy really is designed for carving. I like the AJ better for general recreational skiing in the Mid-Atlantic or northeast since it's a bit wider underfoot. Better when I get lucky and there is fresh natural snow on the groomers. For what it's worth, I demo'd the 154 AJ but bought the shorter length. I'm 5'0", 112 lbs, advance but not aggressive. Quite happy with AJs @148, 78 underfoot.
No experience with the Volkl Flair.
Good luck with the purchase. Certainly worth making a change from your old skis.
No experience with the Volkl Flair.
5'5" is about 165 cm. I think that means 153cm puts skis at your nose while 158 is about forehead height. Given you are planning on skiing groomers and like speed, longer may be better.
Good luck with the purchase. Certainly worth making a change from your old skis.
Thank you for the suggestions! Really helpful! And yes, you are right -- the 153 is about at my nose and 158 at my forehead.
I worry that switching to such a wide ski after skiing on 63's might be a bit too much of a jump? Also, aren't wider skis better for more powder versus groomed or am I wrong about that?
KBee
Angel Diva
I'd get the Volkl 76s, or wait and get something like what you have, but a bit longer/stiffer. Our stats are similar. 5'5" 155, late 40s, fast on blues/ice. I got 156 Kenjas, and they feel like surfboards. Not sure how I feel about them yet. I am going to try a 169 icelantic SKNY this year.
Thanks! I hear that the 78's are stiffer than the 76's -- do you think based on that, I should get the 78's? A little wider but not by much and stiffer.
lisamamot
Angel Diva
Congratulations on your purchase! I am sure you will love the Volkl Flair and it is a great choice for you at this point especially coming off such a narrow ski.
Many skiers in New England, especially those looking to have only one pair of skis, choose an all mountain ski as opposed to a straight frontside carver. An all mountain ski (mid 80-mid 90) does everything well but doesn't excel at one thing. They carve, handle new snow, and tackle variable conditions well when things get chunked up, or in the spring when there are piles of mush. A true powder ski is over 100mm.
I have several pairs of skis; my narrowest is 81mm (2015 Blizzard Viva 810 ti) and a stiff, super stable ice biter, I also have an east coast soft snow/take west ski that is 100mm. If I can, I most often grab my daughter's 85mm since it is the most versatile ski we own. I ski my 81mm the least because they are quite stiff, not playful, and as such I find them to be a one trick pony - certainly wouldn't enjoy myself in the bumps or trees on them. If I didn't have my daughter's ski I would have sold them and gotten something more versatile. I keep them because if conditions are bullet proof and I am skiing with my groomer loving crowd, they are the best tool for the job. I have learned a lot over the years about what I like in a ski and likely would make different choices today than I made back in 2014. It has been a work in progress!
Please report back once you have had a chance to ski your new skis!
