mgmm
Diva in Training
Hi everyone, first time poster here
I started skiing last year for the first time as a 29-year old with my partner who is a lifetime skier and I am absolutely hooked. I'm an athletic petite person (154cm, 125-130lbs) and a level 6 skier in the PNW. I got season rentals this year after a miserable time with boots not designed to fit large calves. A guy at a local ski shop set me up with boots 2 sizes too large to accommodate my calves (I didn't know better at the time--I was just happy my calves weren't sad, y'know?) and Nordica Wild Belle 74 (138 cm). I got 6 very fun days in with this setup even though, and have worked up to carving and going down some black and off-piste runs. For now, about 80-20 groomers to off-piste on blue terrain and I'd like to venture more off-piste as I get more confident on skis. With end of season sales at local shops, I decided to go to a proper boot fitter and got magical boots that *actually* fit my flat, wide feet and wide calves.
Now, the obvious next step: skis. I'm looking for all-mountain skis for a one ski quiver that will last me ~10 years as I will likely only ski up to a dozen days a year and I'm a bit of a minimalist with limited storage space at home. I paid for demos at Crystal this past Saturday, and since it's so late in the season the only skis they had appropriate for my height and ability was an Armada Reliance 88 at 160cm (no typos here). Having never skied anything wider than 70s and longer than 144cm before, the first few minutes on the demos were interesting to say the least... but after getting a hang of it, I was able to get the skis on edge pretty effortlessly, maneuver the skis exactly where I wanted to on bumps, and I felt confident going faster on these on end-of-day choppy snow than the Wild Belle. Part of that might have more to do with the fact that my boots actually fit me. In any case, I had fun, but I felt like they were too stiff and not playful enough for me.
Prior to demoing the Armada, I'd been recommended the Elan Ripstick 94 w as well as Salomon QST Lux 92. After demoing, reading countless reviews, and poking around on soothski.com, I'm pretty convinced these lighter, flexible skis will be more my speed. I'm leaning toward the Ripsticks as I feel more excited about their potential versatility. (Side bar: I know in the back of my head that these two skis will be pretty similar in terms of flex/fun/versatility, and in theory, I should be able to ski any pair of skis in any condition with good enough technique.) Sadly, I can't demo either of them before the end of the season, and based on some quick number crunching, buying skis/bindings with the end of season sales is more cost effective than waiting to demo next season as resorts are sometimes not open before the sales ahead of the winter holidays... So I guess I'm here to ask for your thoughts and perhaps, affirmation: should I just go for the Elan Ripsticks?? And if yes, should I go for the 154cm or go even longer with 162cm? I read everything I could about ski mechanics and how specs affect stability, maneuverability, etc, and have read that the Ripsticks have a short effective edge, so that's why I ask about ski lengths even longer than the demos I tried. I'm also hoping the bit of length will make it a tad bit more stable and floaty in powder without compromising too much on nimbleness, especially given my weight.
Thanks in advance for your advice!
I started skiing last year for the first time as a 29-year old with my partner who is a lifetime skier and I am absolutely hooked. I'm an athletic petite person (154cm, 125-130lbs) and a level 6 skier in the PNW. I got season rentals this year after a miserable time with boots not designed to fit large calves. A guy at a local ski shop set me up with boots 2 sizes too large to accommodate my calves (I didn't know better at the time--I was just happy my calves weren't sad, y'know?) and Nordica Wild Belle 74 (138 cm). I got 6 very fun days in with this setup even though, and have worked up to carving and going down some black and off-piste runs. For now, about 80-20 groomers to off-piste on blue terrain and I'd like to venture more off-piste as I get more confident on skis. With end of season sales at local shops, I decided to go to a proper boot fitter and got magical boots that *actually* fit my flat, wide feet and wide calves.
Now, the obvious next step: skis. I'm looking for all-mountain skis for a one ski quiver that will last me ~10 years as I will likely only ski up to a dozen days a year and I'm a bit of a minimalist with limited storage space at home. I paid for demos at Crystal this past Saturday, and since it's so late in the season the only skis they had appropriate for my height and ability was an Armada Reliance 88 at 160cm (no typos here). Having never skied anything wider than 70s and longer than 144cm before, the first few minutes on the demos were interesting to say the least... but after getting a hang of it, I was able to get the skis on edge pretty effortlessly, maneuver the skis exactly where I wanted to on bumps, and I felt confident going faster on these on end-of-day choppy snow than the Wild Belle. Part of that might have more to do with the fact that my boots actually fit me. In any case, I had fun, but I felt like they were too stiff and not playful enough for me.
Prior to demoing the Armada, I'd been recommended the Elan Ripstick 94 w as well as Salomon QST Lux 92. After demoing, reading countless reviews, and poking around on soothski.com, I'm pretty convinced these lighter, flexible skis will be more my speed. I'm leaning toward the Ripsticks as I feel more excited about their potential versatility. (Side bar: I know in the back of my head that these two skis will be pretty similar in terms of flex/fun/versatility, and in theory, I should be able to ski any pair of skis in any condition with good enough technique.) Sadly, I can't demo either of them before the end of the season, and based on some quick number crunching, buying skis/bindings with the end of season sales is more cost effective than waiting to demo next season as resorts are sometimes not open before the sales ahead of the winter holidays... So I guess I'm here to ask for your thoughts and perhaps, affirmation: should I just go for the Elan Ripsticks?? And if yes, should I go for the 154cm or go even longer with 162cm? I read everything I could about ski mechanics and how specs affect stability, maneuverability, etc, and have read that the Ripsticks have a short effective edge, so that's why I ask about ski lengths even longer than the demos I tried. I'm also hoping the bit of length will make it a tad bit more stable and floaty in powder without compromising too much on nimbleness, especially given my weight.
Thanks in advance for your advice!