Help Needed: a ski dilemma that is keeping me up at night...

[m185]

I've been reading everything I can find on choosing skis! So much so that I have had insomnia as I just can't decide on what to do!! I would love to be able to demo them but that isn't going to happen!

I live in Hong Kong - the next time I ski is 7 months away and will be in New Zealand. I haven't been skiing long - (2007 was when I started) and I swore to myself that I'd stick to the blue runs but since I've been trying to keep up with my kids I am now working my way down the harder black runs.

Our next ski trip is going to be about 15 days on the slopes - with this much time I figure its time to consider buying. With the rentals somedays I got lucky and somedays I hated the skis I was using. We went to the boot fitters last year and I got a pair of Head ski boots. I'm pretty short (154cm) but heavy (130lbs) - so far rental places put me in as short as 140 and as long as 148cm. I've been reading reviews and like the sounds of most Rossignol attraxion skis but don't know the difference between a V or a VI or a XI and I loved the sounds of the Roxy Joyrider. I am looking for a ski that has a tight turn radius, will be easy on powder (hoping to ski in Japan this year), will be fine on ice (lots in NZ) and that is nimble, light and fun! Ski instructors say that I'm a solid level 5 skier and still need to work on precision before I can move to level 6. I want a ski that will help me improve my skiing! I ski about 35-40% of my time off piste and I would love to learn how to jump more (I fall alot when I try - my kids thinks its funny as they rarely miss a jump - I've actually never managed to land their favorite jump but I will keep trying).

I know I'm asking alot - but I need to figure out what to get as my family has decided that I am getting skis for my birthday (today) and I want to start sleeping again LOL - all I do every night is read ski reviews and the forums on this site!! Also I won't be skiing until July so will the 2009 models go on sale by them or should I look for 2008 models now?

So any recommendations on what kind of skis I should go for? I'm not a very agressive skier - I like speed but like control more...

Also another thing...as we were in Japan recently we bought skis & boots for my kids - nothing fancy but I think they might have sized the skis wrong (rentals were crazy expensive so we figured we'd buy & use them again in NZ). Are little kids skis done by height or weight? My boys are 6 year old twins and aren't more than 50lbs and are about 115cm tall - what size skis should they be in? Is it terrible if the skis are too long? I know that they had a hard time on them the first day then they seemed to figure it out and start skiing like the usually do.

Any advice you can share would be great!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Welcome, and happy birthday!
Hopefully, our Rossignol girl, Jilly, will see this and be able to advise on models of same.
Sounds like you are seeking what's referred to as an "all-mountain" ski, with a tilt to frontside carver (short turning radius/ice-gripping). I know someone who is about your size who just got some mid-140's Joyriders and had a blast on them in the trees - they are (according to her) very soft and tight-turning (she's usually on K2 Burnin' Luvs). Sounds like this is definitely a candidate!

What brands of skis are most available in your region? That would be a good point of departure for info for us here.

As to kids' ski lengths, I wouldn't worry about it too much if you've already invested. The one thing about kids that age: they GROW! Sometimes in LEAPS. Erring on the side of short is probably the better option, but if they are faring okay, that's the bottom line.

Good luck - let us know how you fare.

 

[Jilly]

Welcome to our world. And you have a definate case of skier addiction. Isn't it great.

Rossi skis - The attraxion series is their ladies line. The XI is the mutix binding ski. I'm not sure if this thing actually works. I didn't notice a different in the arms. I think if you're a level 5-6 you should look at the 3 or VI. The VI is stiffer than the 3. You might be able to handle the stiffer ski. The V is last years VI and not as stiff as the new one. And at 154cm (5' for our US diva's) a length of 145-148 should be OK.

I really don't know anything about the Roxy's, but there are a few Diva's on them. They will answer that question.

As for your kids - at our store we fit kids anywhere in the face. So the tip of the skis from chin to eyebrows. Better skier, longer skis. So 100-110cm length should be good. Actually there is not much less than that. But you can sell this length of ski very easily when they grow out of them.

 

[pinto]

... Are little kids skis done by height or weight? My boys are 6 year old twins and aren't more than 50lbs and are about 115cm tall - what size skis should they be in? Is it terrible if the skis are too long? I know that they had a hard time on them the first day then they seemed to figure it out and start skiing like the usually do.

Any advice you can share would be great!!

What size are the kids' skis? From 90 to 100 cm should be fine.

For us, we bought a new pair every two years, and went up about 10 cm each time. Generally speaking, the first day or two on the longer pair is an adjustment, and then they figure it out, as you said. So it sounds okay. My daughter is about 150 cm tall, and this year started on 143 skis (after 130s last season). It took her a couple of days, but now she's just fine.

Plus, as MSL said, they tend to grow rather than shrink.

 

[skimomma24]

Hi and welcome! I can't help you with your ski hunt unfortunately. But like the others have said, if the kids ski tips come to their chin/nose/eyes, they should be fine. I have (almost) 5yo twin girls that are 45lbs and about 46-47inches tall. Their skiis this year are 100cm length, and come to roughly their noses. This is their second year skiing and they are having no problems at all with the length of them. Last year they had 93cm length.

Good luck with your hunt for skiis!

 

[SkiMo]

I have the Roxy Bliss skis. They are a step down from the Joyrider and I love them. We have quite a bit of ice and crud where I ski and they are wonderful. The bits of powder I have been lucky enough to find on our hill were even better. They just seem to handle anything and are very forgiving. It's kind of like they are on autopilot sometimes and if I screw up or loose balance they just kind of keep me up anyway. I am about a level 5 skier as well, ski mostly blue stuff with a little bit of black thrown in when my family convinces me I can do it. I am 5'5 and 135lbs and I have the 154's. I could probably go longer but this was the size recommended for me.

I am definately not an expert...but I thought I would pitch in on the Roxy side. I almost didn't get them because I sort of thought they would be too youngish for me...but the price was so right that I overlooked that, and now every young girl I ski with has ski envy..lol!

 

[m185]

Hmmmm this might explain a few things...one of my guys is a better skier than I am - the other isn't quite as good! They put them in 110cm skis - and they seem to be harder to ski (the last ski they had in August 08 in NZ was 90something cm). Jake loved how fast he could go on them - but it took him a full day before he had any real control especially since this the kid who like moguls and jumps.

Josh never got the same level of control that he was used to on shorter skis...but we were on so much ice that skiing was pretty miserable where we were. Hopefully by the time we go this July - the kids will be bigger and the skis will be just about the right size!

 

[m185]

Thanks for the feedback! I have awhile before I actually need the skis but I really am impatient - plus I wanted to take advantage of my familys offer to chip on them before they forget!

Does anyone know when the 2009 models are likely to go on sale? Since I don't need skis till July - should I just wait and get 2009 models or should I shop for the 2008s now??

Thanks so much for all you help!

 

[m185]

What brands of skis are most available in your region? That would be a good point of departure for info for us here.

There really is nothing available here so I will have to source from Japan (where most brands are available) or find someone online who can ship internationally!

 

[Jillian]

In Australia, in April/May we receive the equipment that will be on sale the following season in the northern hemisphere. Should be the same in New Zealand, so in July you should be able to demo the 2010 models. The 2009 models are beginning to be discounted here.
Also, until recently, prices in Japan were far better than Australia but comes down to relative exchange rates.
As China has the fastest growing ski enterprise in the world ( many new resorts created in last few years ) they have to be getting their equipment from somewhere - a retail opportunity is unlikely to be overlooked on either the mainland or Hong Kong for long.

 

[m185]

No more sleepless nights - I made a decision...

Well I bit the bullet and bought!!! I'm super excited...now I just have to wait and see if they are actually willing to ship the skis to me here in Hong Kong!!

I really was in love with the Roxy Joyrider & was happy to have the 2008 or 2009 but couldn't find anyone with the right length that was willing to ship so I went with the Rossignol attraxion V from 2007/2008 and think that it should be fun!

So hopefully in a few short weeks my skis will arrive and then I just have to see how soon I can test them out! If we win the lottery any time soon I want to ski the powder in Japan (my brother was just there and said it was awesome ) but if not we are still planning a NZ ski trip this July!

Thanks for all your help - I will probably have serious ski envy of all the people I see with the joyriders - but if everything I read is right - the rossignol attraxion V & the joyriders by Roxy are pretty similar other than the top sheet.