Five years ago, I joined Big Mountain's Ski School and discovered that I did not ski like a ski instructor. My turns were not up to the fluid little round turns that everyone else was making.
One of the ski instructors, who was very supportive of me in the beginning, told me that I needed some softer and shorter skis so that I could flex them properly and use the arc of the ski to finish my turns.
So, I bought my first pair of Elans. The shop where I was working at the time sold them---and the prices were usually about $100 less than Volkl or Atomic.
I bought my first woman's ski--the Whisper---and could not believe the difference!! I could initiate my turns so much easier--I called them my dancing skis because it felt like I was dancing as I came down the hill.
I ski over 100 days per year---and attend training clinincs every Thursday and Friday. Once they saw that I was serious, I got a lot of support from my school. I skied the Whisper for one year, then got the Elan S8---which had a narrow waist--68mm. I loved that ski too--and began making some cute little turns.
I skied the S8 for a year and one half and then got the Elan 666 which has a 76mm waist--which was very nice for our mountain. I used them to take (and pass) my Level II exam. Last year I skied a Magfire 8---and I still miss those skis---they were so easy to ski that I just floated down the mountain. I loved them in powder--the tip was so big 119, waist 76, tail 105. I skied them in a 152 and they took my skiing up a click---they might still be my most favoite skis.
Snowhot, the Magfire 8 or 10 is a unisex ski and they are awesome, there is lots of side cut and the turns just make themselves. There is a lot of float in powder and yet they carve beautifully on hardpack. I prefer a softer ski, so use the 8, but you might prefer the 10 which is a little stiffer. Just talking about them makes me miss them even more!! I might have to buy some!!!
This year, I am skiing the upper level woman's ski---the SpeedMagic---and wow--it makes me laugh. Every time I ski, I find myself laughing. The corregated top sheet makes the ski torsionally stiff--it is the most stable ski I have every skied---and yet, the flex is easy. I like the 69 waist since it is so easy to turn them. I am 5'4", weigh 155--I ski the 152. For the first time, I have angles out the window---yesterday on packed powder, my hip was two inches off the slope. Whooooie!! Today I skied them in 16 inches of new powder and I skied off groomed all day. The SpeedMagic is a little stiff for powder--but, I did ski all day. Ideally, I would have maybe liked a little softer ski more in the powder---wawa I want my Magfire 8's back!!! But the Speed Magic is just so much fun!!!
Yes, the Wave Magic is an interesting ski too. I skied the ski last spring and loved it---I thought I ordered it---but got the Speed Magic instead (my mistake--too much magic in my life). The wave Magic is a little softer flex, and the tail is 2mm smaller---which means it will release earlier to make the turn easier. The Speed Magic is an expert ski and the Wave Magic is an advanced ski. So, Snowhot, I challange you to find some and let me know if you have fun!!! Or come out to Big Mountain and I will let you use mine in 16 inches of new powder--and it is still snowing!!!
This is a long answer to a simple question, but I have loved my Elan skis for six years now and so admit freely that I am prejudiced. I make a point of skiing most of the women's skis at demo days and in the spring when the reps bring the new stuff out. I am known as GearGirl in Ski School---I love gear and do keep notes on all the skis that I try.
I really like this website--it is so much fun to talk gear with women!!
A good intermediate-advanced ski though. Speed limit on it that wasn't on the Black Perla. I would want to try it on the big hill though. 200 vertical isn't a place to try skis:D I been reading the French Dalbello book he gave me. I want to put these feet into those Storms and I don't care it they're going to brown with plaid
