Question: How do you know when you outgrow your skis?

[allison1213]

Hi,
I'm just curious, how do you know when you outgrow your skis? I'm 36, 2nd year skiier but I go 2-4 times a week from the first open weekend until the last. Took it up at 34 and haven't looked back. The most life altering thing I've done save having children! People tell me I ski very well for someone so new to it (lessons helped!) and I feel like I was born to do this! I feel I am a strong intermediate skiier, who will try anything. I've gotten daring this year and have even spent time in the terrain park. On my to do list to take a park lesson! But I am even now trying some of the smaller jumps. I'm 5'6", 140 pounds. Right now I have a really sweet pair of Dalbello Krypton Storms I got last year that fit perfect, even more so after a custom foot bed. My skis are the Volkyl Luna's 156 from last year.
So far these skies have been able to do anything I have asked of them and given me a lot of confidence. I sky NJ/PA day trips mostly (sneaking in one weekend to VT). So the conditions are typical of this area, changing moment to moment! I even skiied them in a NJ storm where we had 4-6 inches of ungroomed powder over very hard pack. I zoomed while my husband and brother in law struggled at times! But my question is, how do I know when my skis are what is holding me back from getting to the next level?
I think the Luna's are serving me well, but I'm tempted to buy some twin tips in the off season because of how I like the park, but not sure if they are going to cause me trouble on the ice that is so prevalent here.
I think demos are tough because it seems like not many ski shops do them around here.
Any advice from you more experienced skiiers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Allison

 

[PowDiva85]

yes it sounds like twin tips might be a good idea if you see yourself in the park. I would look for ones with a narrower waist meant for the park versus a twin tip meant for powder. Unfortunately you will never get the edge hold out of a twin that you get on your lunas because the twins' soft tail will never hold you in the turn like the flat, stiffer tail of the luna. A couple recommendations that come to mind are the Broomstix from roxy, the Missdemenor from K2, Rossingnol scratch FS, i think its the shes trouble from Dynastar or the volkl pearl or cosmo. All of these are 80 ish waisted twin tips that might be good options. I would look for the ones that have a sidewall construction (most if not all of these should be) because those have better edge hold than cap construction skis plus if you gouge them you can fix the side wall but you cant fix cap construction skis.

 

[lucine]

I'd add the K2 Public Enemy as well, really fun ski -if you can stand the graphics.
And cheap!
I do see one problem here,
you need a quiver!

 

[PowDiva85]

the PE and the missdemenor are the same ski just womens and mens models so you can pick which graphics you like better! (personally i dont understand the angry squirrels on this years missys) :P

 

[volklgirl]

But my question is, how do I know when my skis are what is holding me back from getting to the next level?

You'll know you've outgrown them when you try to go faster and they just refuse, or they do it but get really scary. Chattering, wiggling, flapping, and skidding out are all signs that you're outskiing the skis.