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Another call for help!

ForeverIntermediate!

Diva in Training
Hello ski divas,
I ski mainly Australia n conditions (not much powder!) and tend to stick to groomers. I've been skiing a long time but I am a cautious skiier so - I think I'm destined to be an advanced intermediate forever. And I'm ok with that! Anyway, I have the opportunity to buy some k2 luvstruck (2016) for a song and am after some advice. I currently ski old Dynastar Eden's160, but I do find them heavy and a bit hard to turn sometimes.... possibly because I'm a slower skiier. I don't have great strength in my legs, am about 170cm tall and about 140 weight. My question is would these still be too beginner for me? I don't want to be left behind my family (any more than I already am!). They are 163cm - bit with k2 sizing I'm not sure if this means the actual ski will be longer. I was planning on going shorter this time round, but there is little choice in second hand skis in Oz so may have to compromise. Any advice gratefully received.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Dynastar Eden skis are old. I see several used ones for sale for less than $100. I can't find any review of the skis, I suspect because of their age, so can't comment on whether they are beginner skis or not.

Their age means their bindings are probably no longer indemnified because they are considered no longer safe.

You should probably avoid any skis labeled "beginner" because they will be too soft to help you control your turns. They will prohibit any advancement because under pressure they will let go of the snow. Leave the beginner skis to the beginners.

I'd stay away from those old Dynastars, no matter how little they cost, because of the age of the binding at least. Contemporary skis have many design advantages over skis that age.

Look for used demo skis for sale if you are on a budget. Find something that was new in the last four years or so. At this point in the season these will be getting dumped onto the used market everywhere.

If you post in this thread about where you are skiing and your preferred terrain, people here will be happy to give you recommendations of which skis would be a good choice.
 
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liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
OK, I just found there's another Dynastar ski named
Dynastar Legend Eden. Is that what you're looking at? Post a picture so we get this right.
 

Jenny

Angel Diva
Dynastar Eden skis are old. I see several used ones for sale for less than $100. I can't find any review of the skis, I suspect because of their age, so can't comment on whether they are beginner skis or not.

Their age means their bindings are probably no longer indemnified because they are considered no longer safe.

You should probably avoid any skis labeled "beginner" because they will be too soft to help you control your turns. They will prohibit any advancement because under pressure they will let go of the snow. Leave the beginner skis to the beginners.

I'd stay away from those old Dynastars, no matter how little they cost, because of the age of the binding at least. Contemporary skis have many design advantages over skis that age.

Look for used demo skis for sale if you are on a budget. Find something that was new in the last four years or so. At this point in the season these will be getting dumped onto the used market everywhere.

If you post in this thread about where you are skiing and your preferred terrain, people here will be happy to give you recommendations of which skis would be a good choice.
No, she's on the Dynastars now, asking about the Luvstruck.
 

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hello ski divas,
I ski mainly Australia n conditions (not much powder!) and tend to stick to groomers. I've been skiing a long time but I am a cautious skiier so - I think I'm destined to be an advanced intermediate forever. And I'm ok with that! Anyway, I have the opportunity to buy some k2 luvstruck (2016) for a song and am after some advice. I currently ski old Dynastar Eden's160, but I do find them heavy and a bit hard to turn sometimes.... possibly because I'm a slower skiier. I don't have great strength in my legs, am about 170cm tall and about 140 weight. My question is would these still be too beginner for me? I don't want to be left behind my family (any more than I already am!). They are 163cm - bit with k2 sizing I'm not sure if this means the actual ski will be longer. I was planning on going shorter this time round, but there is little choice in second hand skis in Oz so may have to compromise. Any advice gratefully received.


Hi Welcome to the forum! I found this review on the K2 LuvStrucks.
https://www.skis.com/2016-k2-luv-struck-80-ski-review/osvr-388427,default,pg.html

Skis have come so far in technology and design. What one person loves another hates!
these look like beginner skis to me.. but better than what you're on!

Sorry to hear skis are hard to come by- can you rent at the mt then buy online if find something? some shops sell off their demo fleets at end of year too.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
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ForeverIntermediate!

Diva in Training
Thanks so much for all the super fast replies! I have rented a few times but so much easier to just go straight to the mountain so am keen to buy my own. We just don't have the population in Australia so the second hand market is quite small.
I will read that thread on the luvstruck now. Thanks again
 

ForeverIntermediate!

Diva in Training
I've just read that thread about the Luvstruck 80's - and there is a bit of a mixed bag. Generally well liked but maybe a little limiting for me (although I can't help but feel I am what I am - and I may never get any better)...
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've just read that thread about the Luvstruck 80's - and there is a bit of a mixed bag. Generally well liked but maybe a little limiting for me (although I can't help but feel I am what I am - and I may never get any better)...
Of course you will get better. Stop that.
Aim higher than "beginner" when you buy skis (and boots); if they are listed as beginner, stay away. Get something listed for advancing intermediate.

Boots and skis are performance tools and for the performance to work the tool needs to work. Beginner gear is "forgiving." That means the gear assumes beginners will make movement mistakes that may turn them off to skiing, so the gear absorbs the mistakes rather than acting on them. To advance, once you can turn left and right and stop on green terrain, you need a more responsive ski -- and boot.
 
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vickie

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Around 2010, when I was looking to move into intermediate skis, the Volkl Luna had a reputation as almost the standard for intermediates. Is there a ski now that holds that position?
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Around 2010, when I was looking to move into intermediate skis, the Volkl Luna had a reputation as almost the standard for intermediates. Is there a ski now that holds that position?

Probably something in the Flair series, like the Flair 75? I'm not as up on skis as I was in the b/c past poor college student.

I had the Luna back in the day and used it for a couple seasons. I think it was good for where I was at the time. It was a solid intermediate, front-side ski. I demoed the Charisma back in the day too. Definitely a more advanced level ski and much stiffer, but more damp and stable than the Luna because of metal in it. I feel like the Charisma would probably be a more demanding ski than the OP's Edens, although I never tried the Eden myself.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
So the Dynastar Edens, were Maine Ski Lady's fav back in 2014. If I remember this was a heavy ski too. The K2's Luv Struck are 121-80-109. So an all mountain variety of ski. liquidfeet linked to a 2016, I found a 2018 still available here in Ontario.

I like @liquidfeet's idea of looking for a demo. But where you are, they should have been all picked up by last September.

Some suggetions: These are pre 2018
Rossi Temptation 78's
Atomic Vantage 74 or 78 (? can't remember for sure)
Atomic Cloud 8 or 9 (more groomer, than not)
Head - Absolute Joy
 

tinymoose

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I really enjoyed the Rossi Temptations I demoed back when I was an intermediate, although I think I tried the Temptation 82. Very easy, forgiving ski, but also nice and stable with plenty of room to grow for an advancing intermediate. They sorta reminded me of my Dynastar Idylls I had after the Lunas.
 

Iwannaski

Angel Diva
I am skiing the cloud 9 and love it. Bc of timing, I ended up with probably a shorter ski than I should have for more than another year... but it is a dream on harder, icier intermediate terrain (groomed and a little choppy)... because it’s an intermediate ski, I would guess the secondary market is poppin’
 

ForeverIntermediate!

Diva in Training
Thanks so much for all your suggestions, and you are right - I should aim high! I do want a lighter ski however, as I'm not very strong or athletic. I skied a lighter ski in Japan (Salomon but can't remember which) and I really noticed the difference.
Thanks all, will keep a look out for suggested options.
 

scandium

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Some thoughts from down under (we ski in New Zealand and I love demo days) in terms of skis you may wish to look at. I would say the K2s are the right width and 'type' of ski, but anything that is billed as a beginner-intermediate ski will not help you keep up with your family as it will likely get more unstable and chattery at speed, which will put you off even more.

I would personally try and get some demo rentals/demos under your belt prior to purchase if possible - I demo'd skis and also had higher-end rentals for 3 seasons to work out what I really liked in a ski because my previous reference point was generic beginner rental skis and early 2000s twin-tip Rossi Bandits. I'm short (157cm, and anywhere between 50-55kg) and an advanced intermediate trying to be advanced and often ski with my mother (163cm, around 50-53kg) who is a fairly cautious, advanced intermediate skier in her 60s (when I ski with her, we don't avoid any areas on the mountain, but technique certainly takes a back seat when it gets steeper...)

My mother has sold 2 pairs of skis because when she got back into skiing after 15+ years *not* skiing, she focussed too much on having 'light skis that were easy to turn', but sacrificed a lot of stability. She's had the Rossi Temptation 80s 152cm (I think they are now the Experience) back in 2016ish which I thought were noodly and awful, but helped progress her confidence. She then upgraded to 2019 Black Pearl 78, 156cm. With the BP 78s, she liked the easy flex and grip especially on more solid days, but struggled with tip chatter particularly once we had a week of private lessons and she was starting to ski more fluidly and faster. She first learned on straight skis, and I don't think she realised how much she valued having some dampness and stability as like you, she just wanted to get straight on the mountain.

We now have a shared quiver - the 2018 Volkl SC Flair Efficiency 155cm which are narrow carving/groomer skis, but relatively light, and 2019 Volkl Yumis 154cm (titanal band). She skis both fine, but takes the Yumis when it gets steeper as they're easier to turn. I personally like both pairs for different reasons - the Flair tips up on edge easily, but needs a bit of driving and is NOT a spring-conditions ski, the Yumis smear a turn, are very forgiving, and float better in the slush but don't grip as well on crusty mornings.

SO in terms of recommendations, I would think an all-mountain ski with groomer bias or a groomer ski is most likely to suit your needs, and I would look at widths 75-85mm. Here is a list of things I have either tried myself or found and thought the reviews/opinions/descriptions might fit your stated ability and needs. I have assumed that like my mother, you understate your ability somewhat but not your caution.

Rossi Temptation Experience 84 - demo'd this in 2019 and I think it skis similarly to my Yumis.
Volkl Yumi - the 'new Yumi' is supposedly a bit softer and more like the pre-titanal version and comes in both 80 and 84.
Nordica Astral - I actually think either the 78 or 84 would be okay. I demo'd the ??2018 Astral 78 in a length far too short for me on a late spring afternoon so a combination of refrozen slush in the shade, and slush. They were light, easy to ski, but also didn't make me feel like I would die if I went faster which is surprising given that I was on the 144cm length. 30% off the 2019 version here in 165cm.
Head Total Joy (85 under foot, 30% off in the 163cm length here) I believe Head specifically built this series to be lightweight, but have heard on this forum that they can be polarising!
Blizzard Black Pearl - probably the 82. Despite disliking the 78 and the older model of the 88 that I demo'd, these are definitely the Ski Of Choice for a huge number of people in NZ and I see the BP 82 and 88 on the mountain quite frequently. The newer versions are stiffer, which I haven't personally tried yet.
And one out-of-left-field-just-because-they're-cheap suggestion - ex-demo 2019 Atomic Vantage 86 C - they have a longer turn radius and are relatively long, so probably NOT what you want, but are half the price of every other suggestion I've made!
 

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