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Going to a wider ski

Louisianagirl

Certified Ski Diva
I'm going into my 5th ski season 22/23 and I'm always trying to up my game. I've been skiing 2019 K2 Thrilluvit 85's (waist is 85) for the past two seasons and LOVE them! They're 156's, I'm 5'6" at 150. I gained confidence on them and was skiing more confidently than my wife until 21/22 when SHE got a new pair of skis. Now I can't keep up with her (though this has restored her confidence since she has been skiing 5x longer than I have....late bloomer here).

I've got my eye on two pair of skis right now and can't decide based on reviews and specs which direction I should go (or if I'm even on the right track) and would love some feedback from anyone willing. The top of the list is the Lib Tech Libstick 98 (waist 98) and second is the Lib Tech Libstick 88 (waist 88). I'm looking for more stability in crud and afternoon conditions, at higher speeds, and something that is as forgiving and fun as my K2s. I don't go near the parks and am quite content with staying grounded. I'm not a fan of moguls, but like most, find myself on them when following the family, so I CAN do them...but it ain't pretty. I guess you could say I'm a cruiser that loves to go fast, but only if it feels stable. I'd love to ski powder (if ever fortunate enough to stumble across it on a trip) but don't believe my K2's to be adept in those conditions. Any insight anyone can offer on the Lib Techs or making the jump to something as wide as a 98 is greatly appreciated. TYIA
 

AJM

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi !!! I'm you're height but around 55kgs (sorry I cant do the math to convert into pounds) and several ski's ago I switched from a 164cm 84 waist Dynastar Chams to a 159cm 88 waist Blizzard Black Pearl then this year to a 164cm 92 waist Blizzard Sheeva 9 (which I love!) . I'm thinking your current ski's are too short and a longer ski will feel a lot more stable. I dont know anything about the Lib Techs but the jump from an 85 to a 98 is a pretty big leap. There are great Divas that will be able to steer you in the right direction and good luck with your search x
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I'm going into my 5th ski season 22/23 and I'm always trying to up my game. I've been skiing 2019 K2 Thrilluvit 85's (waist is 85) for the past two seasons and LOVE them! They're 156's, I'm 5'6" at 150. I gained confidence on them and was skiing more confidently . . .
. . . guess you could say I'm a cruiser that loves to go fast, but only if it feels stable. . . .

Welcome! Sounds as if you took to skiing quickly. Several questions come to mind. How did you decide on the length of the K2 skis? Where do you ski most often? Are you using boots you bought as a beginner?

I don't have any experience with the particular skis you are considering. As for width, my all-mountain skis that I take on trips to big mountains in the Rockies are 85 underfoot. After several years of taking lessons after rehabbing a knee about a decade ago (not a skiing injury), my technique is strong enough to ski those skis in 8-10 inches of fluffy powder. My ski buddy was an advanced skier back in the days of narrow, straight skis so I knew that wide skis weren't necessary to enjoy powder for someone who knew what they were doing when they couldn't see their skis under a foot of snow. I didn't become an advanced skier until after age 50 because of a long hiatus. Having moved to North Carolina in high school was great for life in general but meant I didn't know anyone who skied on a regular basis for a long time.
 

scandium

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Your skis sound awfully short to me - I'm on stiff 156cm skis at 5'2" and 115lb (although it turns out with all my gear and boots on that adds another 10-12lb) and I suspect some of the stability you are wanting will be related to the length rather than the width. Generally with all other factors being equal, length gives more stability and width gives more float. I would be thinking that you should be looking at mid 160s at your height and weight.

More importantly, have you had a proper boot fitting and do you have your own boots?
 

Mudgirl630

Angel Diva
Since you are not wanting slalom specific skis, 156 seems too short for you. As Liquidfeet said, boots are EVERYTHING. Make sure they are fitting you near perfectly, if not perfectly. Skis are secondly. You can simply rent them even.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
I'd have to agree with everyone....your skis are too short. I'm an inch shorter, 10lb heavier and ski that length on a slalom. My wider skis are 167. Also they may be not stiff enough.

First boots as mentioned. Skis are the bling, boots are the most important piece of your equipment.
As for skis, I too don't know much about Lib tech. But there are so many option these days.

Your comment about crud, afternoon conditions and not moguls have me wondering about something. Skis can help, but technique would be better. Like @marzNC talks about her ski buddy, I too skied straight skis and spent 2 weeks in powder in Europe on them one season. That's not the ski, that's technique. So a couple of lessons might help.

If you're not sure, then demo some skis this season. But get something in the 165 range.
 

chasinghorizons

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm curious what put you on to Lib Tech - I think they were first a snowboard brand, and aren't well-known for their skis (a shop person once gave me the opinion that they should just stick to making snowboards - didn't think their skis were up to par). However I've never tried them myself.

Agree with everyone here that you should go longer. Mid-160s for now, but maybe 170s later once you get used to it or depending if the skis in question have a lot of rocker (for example, if you went with the Moment Sierra, I'd definitely recommend 172, but if you went with Volkl Secret 96, it's a bit more of a toss-up between the 163 and 170 due to the flat tail, more rearward mount point, and stiff flex... At your height, I'd probably still pick 170, but I like longer skis). I'm 5'1" / 115 and ski length 160-165 for all-mountain and 169-172 for powder. Going up in length was a revelation in stability. See this thread: https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/index.php?threads/ski-length-and-women.25734/
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
Lib tech did make snowboard first. Magna-traction was their big difference from the other boards. Not sure when they went into skis. I'm sure the skis do not have that technology. They would be so weird. You don't hear too much about them, here in the east.
 

Analisa

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'd skip the Lib Techs. I spent some time on the 98s, and they feel like a lesser attempt at a Blizzard Sheeva. I went to happy hour with their CEO and asked them about their mount point, since it felt very park-y (closest comparison to me was the K2 Midnight), yet that was the only part of the mountain they said it didn't serve in their marketing materials. I wanted to know if that was intentional or how that related to the mount points on their men's skis. He said that during his time at K2, Kim Reichhelm led some research and found that women liked their mount points 2cm further forward than men. That research is 20+ years old, and while it was a widespread design choice in the market at one time, every other brand has moved on and made mount points match men's - or if they bump them forward, only by 0.5-1cm. (The more forward a mount, the more maneuverable and less stable the ski gets).

Essentially, that's a lot of tech talk to say they're designing based on women's research that's decades old, and other brands seem to have a better grasp on what the market wants. They stand out for sustainability and ethical production, and do a fine job if that's your top priority.

To find your right ski, the first thing I'd decide is whether you want more forgiveness or more stability at speed. They work in opposition with each other. I'd probably get on a few demos that are a little longer with a range from more nimble to a little more demanding and see where you gravitate towards on that spectrum. (Happy to help make a list to get a solid representation of the market within 3-4 pairs)
 

Louisianagirl

Certified Ski Diva
Hi !!! I'm you're height but around 55kgs (sorry I cant do the math to convert into pounds) and several ski's ago I switched from a 164cm 84 waist Dynastar Chams to a 159cm 88 waist Blizzard Black Pearl then this year to a 164cm 92 waist Blizzard Sheeva 9 (which I love!) . I'm thinking your current ski's are too short and a longer ski will feel a lot more stable. I dont know anything about the Lib Techs but the jump from an 85 to a 98 is a pretty big leap. There are great Divas that will be able to steer you in the right direction and good luck with your search x
Thank you so much!!!! I was pretty happy with my current setup until my wife started smoking me!!!! Thanks for the feedback!
 

Louisianagirl

Certified Ski Diva
I'd skip the Lib Techs. I spent some time on the 98s, and they feel like a lesser attempt at a Blizzard Sheeva. I went to happy hour with their CEO and asked them about their mount point, since it felt very park-y (closest comparison to me was the K2 Midnight), yet that was the only part of the mountain they said it didn't serve in their marketing materials. I wanted to know if that was intentional or how that related to the mount points on their men's skis. He said that during his time at K2, Kim Reichhelm led some research and found that women liked their mount points 2cm further forward than men. That research is 20+ years old, and while it was a widespread design choice in the market at one time, every other brand has moved on and made mount points match men's - or if they bump them forward, only by 0.5-1cm. (The more forward a mount, the more maneuverable and less stable the ski gets).

Essentially, that's a lot of tech talk to say they're designing based on women's research that's decades old, and other brands seem to have a better grasp on what the market wants. They stand out for sustainability and ethical production, and do a fine job if that's your top priority.

To find your right ski, the first thing I'd decide is whether you want more forgiveness or more stability at speed. They work in opposition with each other. I'd probably get on a few demos that are a little longer with a range from more nimble to a little more demanding and see where you gravitate towards on that spectrum. (Happy to help make a list to get a solid representation of the market within 3-4 pairs)
That’s interesting insight! So much to learn hear. I believe I’m definitely leaning more towards stability and speed. The Blizzard Sheeva was recommended to me, but I’m also looking for something that is more esthetically interesting (I love the art on the Lib Techs previously mentioned, Atomic Chet Bentler’s, and Pandora’s just name a few).
@Louisianagirl, people are asking about your boots because the boots are more important than the skis you are on. Many skiers don't know this, so you'll hear a lot about boots when you ask about skis.

Boots determine how well you can control the skis.
 

Louisianagirl

Certified Ski Diva
That’s interesting insight! So much to learn hear. I believe I’m definitely leaning more towards stability and speed. The Blizzard Sheeva was recommended to me, but I’m also looking for something that is more esthetically interesting (I love the art on the Lib Techs previously mentioned, Atomic Chet Bentler’s, and Pandora’s just name a few).
I bought new boots last season and feel pretty good in those. They’re Nordica Speed Machine 85W
 

skigirl72

Certified Ski Diva
It’s already been said by others, but ill just add one more voice to the consensus re: ski length and boot fit. I am 5’-1” and 110 and I ski Volkl Yumi 84s in 154. My beginner skis were K2 potion 84s in 146 and I gained a lot of stability when I went to longer skis the same width.

Also, even if you have your own boots and they’ve been professionally fitted it might not be a bad idea to recheck that, especially if you’ve had the same ones for 3-5 years. When I bought my first boots, I was fitted by a well regarded local shop who told me I needed 24.5 but they didn’t have any boots that were soft enough in that size. I ended up ordering boots in a 23.5 because I just felt (not really knowing much with only one season under me) that the 24.5 seemed big. I’ve been in those boots for 4 seasons until finally last year I went to a shop in CO and got fitted again…. Into a size 20.5 and a much narrower last! And yeah when I bend my knees my toes don’t touch the fronts of those boots so you can imagine how I was slip sliding around in my 23.5s. The difference was night and day! I have so much more control now. So definitely look at boot fit if you’re struggling to get past a plateau

good luck!
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
When I bought my first boots, I was fitted by a well regarded local shop who told me I needed 24.5 but they didn’t have any boots that were soft enough in that size. I ended up ordering boots in a 23.5 because I just felt (not really knowing much with only one season under me) that the 24.5 seemed big. I’ve been in those boots for 4 seasons until finally last year I went to a shop in CO and got fitted again…. Into a size 20.5 and a much narrower last! And yeah when I bend my knees my toes don’t touch the fronts of those boots so you can imagine how I was slip sliding around in my 23.5s.
This is why we talk so much about boot fit here. To avoid this situation the buyer needs to be informed on how boots should fit.
 

Louisianagirl

Certified Ski Diva
It’s already been said by others, but ill just add one more voice to the consensus re: ski length and boot fit. I am 5’-1” and 110 and I ski Volkl Yumi 84s in 154. My beginner skis were K2 potion 84s in 146 and I gained a lot of stability when I went to longer skis the same width.

Also, even if you have your own boots and they’ve been professionally fitted it might not be a bad idea to recheck that, especially if you’ve had the same ones for 3-5 years. When I bought my first boots, I was fitted by a well regarded local shop who told me I needed 24.5 but they didn’t have any boots that were soft enough in that size. I ended up ordering boots in a 23.5 because I just felt (not really knowing much with only one season under me) that the 24.5 seemed big. I’ve been in those boots for 4 seasons until finally last year I went to a shop in CO and got fitted again…. Into a size 20.5 and a much narrower last! And yeah when I bend my knees my toes don’t touch the fronts of those boots so you can imagine how I was slip sliding around in my 23.5s. The difference was night and day! I have so much more control now. So definitely look at boot fit if you’re struggling to get past a plateau

good luck!
This will be my 3rd pair of boots. My 1st pair were great but I skied in them 3/4 seasons and it was time. The padding broke down and my foot started floating around. I went to a smaller boot and ended up with shin bruises so painful it ruined a trip. Traded those in for the previous size and I was back in business. Thanks for sharing and the insight
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
I have both Sheeva 9's and 10's and the top sheets are meh....... but the skis are really fun.
Try Moment Skis for great skis and nice top sheets. Such as...j
 

chasinghorizons

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I have both Sheeva 9's and 10's and the top sheets are meh....... but the skis are really fun.
Try Moment Skis for great skis and nice top sheets. Such as...j
The Sierra and the Hot Mess have the nicest topsheets this year :love:

Liberty, 4frnt, RMU, Faction also have nice topsheets. The Faction Dictator/Dancer might be up your alley if you prize going fast and feeling stable. I have the 2.0x and 3.0x and love them both. I also have the Liberty Genesis 101 and it is also a super fun, damp, & surfy ski. Although the 96 might be more your speed if you're looking for on-piste performance, or even the Evolv line.
 

chasinghorizons

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I also have mixed feelings on Line skis. I know some people have loved the Pandora line. However, my husband and I own/have owned skis from Rossignol, Faction, Blizzard, Liberty, Moment, 4frnt and Line. Of all these brands, the construction of the Line skis seems the worst. His Pescados have literally never been used, and yet they're the only skis whose edges rust just sitting on the wall. And the edges are uneven in thickness, as if someone in the factory did a poor job hand-finishing them. Both his and mine are also semi-cap construction, so very thin in tips and tails - these are not early season skis, one tiny rock hit feels like it'll be a coreshot - which also means that they will not be damp or great in crud. All this being said, I have the Sakana not the Pandora, and both our skis are 20/21, so they may have improved since then. I'm curious if anyone has any updates.
 

teppaz

Angel Diva
I have actual experience on Lib Tech skis, though probably not all that useful. I rented a pair in the low 100s on a trip to Brighton (not coincidentally perhaps, a hill with a strong snowboard culture) because there had been a nice storm and I wanted to try something wider than what I'd brought. I did two runs and returned them. It was several years ago so I don't remember exactly what the model and the issue were, but I really didn't gel with them.

You may want to look at Salomon's QST 98, which is a great unisex all-rounder (the equivalent women's model is the Lumen — there might be a small difference in construction). I'm on the earlier version, the QST 99, which I love. By all accounts the 98 is even better.
 

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