How long do you keep your skis? And how old is your oldest pair?

[ski diva]

I've been demoing some new skis lately, even though I don't really need them. It's just a fun thing to do. And it got me to thinking about the age of my skis. Right now I have four pair: last year's Santa Ana 93's, a pair of Renoun Z-77's from 2017, a pair of Renoun Z-90's from 2018, and a pair of Head Supershape Rally's a friend gave me that I think are from 13/14. So aside from my Santa Ana's, which are a year old, my other skis are at least a few years old. They're all fine, though, and I'm happy with them. But it got me wondering: how long do you keep your skis? And hold old is your oldest pair?

 

[bsskier]

I've been demoing some new skis lately, even though I don't really need them. It's just a fun thing to do. And it got me to thinking about the age of my skis. Right now I have four pair: last year's Santa Ana 93's, a pair of Renoun Z-77's from 2017, a pair of Renoun Z-90's from 2018, and a pair of Head Supershape Rally's a friend gave me that I think are from 13/14. So aside from my Santa Ana's, which are a year old, my other skis are at least a few years old. They're all fine, though, and I'm happy with them. But it got me wondering: how long do you keep your skis? And hold old is your oldest pair?

Haha, you know I can’t answer this one because I don’t own skis, but it’ll be interesting to read the responses!

 

[Susan L]

I am such a ski hoarder (among other things), that I still have my old skis after retiring them! And I have absolutely no control in buying and I buy based on “want” and not “need”. Demoing is dangerous and I swear I will stay away...unless absolutely necessary...yeah right!
I started skiing (previously a snowboarder) in 2010. My first pair was the 2010 Salomon Origins Crystal. I retired those in 2013 with the Volkl Kenja and Volkl Aura. I was still learning so I didn’t know much about skis. I bought them because they were pretty! In 2014 I purchased the Rossi Saffron 7. I was happy with my quiver until 2018, when my mountain had a demo weekend in December. I was finally skillful enough to notice the differences between skis so I took advantage of the weekend. BIG MISTAKE! I ended up buying the Kastle MX89, Kastle MX Limited and the Stöckli Laser AX within a month and retired my Volkls. I demoed again later in the season after a huge storm and purchased the Kastle BMX105HP but changed my mind and returned them.
I swear I wasn’t going to demo again...but I did it again this season and ended up with the 2020 Kastle MX84 and FX96W. So I have 6 pairs of skis now that I actually use regularly. I did have to get an extra seasonal locker at the base so I can swap out my skis easily.
I am taking lessons next week with an instructor who owns the only shop in my state that carries Stöckli and I am worried I will end up demoing and buying another pair...yikes!

 

[Bonnie2617]

My first skis, the Head Absolut Joys are still going strong after 5 years. I ski about 15 days per season, so they don’t get abused too much. I do read up on new skis and do get the itch for a new pair once in a while, but haven’t come across any demo days so have been able to curb the need to buy a new pair.

As Susan mentioned above it sounds like it’s a slippery slope once you start demoing! I’m trying to hold off as long as I can.

 

[bsskier]

@Susan L your 2020 FX96W’s ... do they ski short or no? Kastle has kept me from approaching this ski with the 156 and 166 offering. I can’t do anything with those lengths!

 

[Kimmyt]

My daily drivers are 7 years old (I guess 6 because I got them at the end of the season) now and my AT skis which i only use a few times a year are 10 years old. I do not buy new skis often.

 

[Susan L]

@Susan L your 2020 FX96W’s ... do they ski short or no? Kastle has kept me from approaching this ski with the 156 and 166 offering. I can’t do anything with those lengths!

I feel they ski short but not by much. I have the 156 and they ski similar to my MX84 in 152. They are great in powder, soft bumps and trees but I find them too soft for groomers and cruds.

 

[bsskier]

I feel they ski short but not by much. I have the 156 and they ski similar to my MX84 in 152. They are great in powder, soft bumps and trees but I find them too soft for groomers and cruds.

Agreed. I skied the 157 2019 FX96 in Alta powder and really liked them off piste. Im hoping to get on your 2020’s this season. Will try 156. Thanks!

 

[marzNC]

Oldest pair of skis are the 2011 BPs (purple bull top sheet) bought from a Diva in 2012. Keeping them as rock skis for early or late season, now that they are treated with Phantom. Had a good time with them in warm (50s) weather at Alta last April. The pair of all-mountain skis before that I bought in new 2009 and sold to a Diva in 2014. I used those both in the southeast and out west.

Have had Head Absolut Joys for five years and they are still okay. Also treated with Phantom. Only put about 30 days on them starting Jan 2018. The AJs got used in the northeast for a few seasons, but mostly I used them in the southeast/mid-Alantic on 100% manmade snow.

When I bought Stöckli Stormrider 85 skis in 2017, my intention was to keep them for a long time. Meaning on the order of 10 years at least. They were twice as expensive than any other skis I've bought since starting to ski regularly around 2005. I only use them out west on soft snow, pretty much all natural snow since I don't do early season trips.

 

[MissySki]

Oldest pair of skis are the 2011 BPs (purple bull top sheet) bought from a Diva in 2012. Keeping them as rock skis for early or late season, now that they are treated with Phantom. Had a good time with them in warm (50s) weather at Alta last April. The pair of all-mountain skis before that I bought in new 2009 and sold to a Diva in 2014. I used those both in the southeast and out west.

Have had Head Absolut Joys for five years and they are still okay. Also treated with Phantom. Only put about 30 days on them starting Jan 2018. The AJs got used in the northeast for a few seasons, but mostly I used them in the southeast/mid-Alantic on 100% manmade snow.

When I bought Stöckli Stormrider 85 skis in 2017, my intention was to keep them for a long time. Meaning on the order of 10 years at least. They were twice as expensive than any other skis I've bought since starting to ski regularly around 2005. I only use them out west on soft snow, pretty much all natural snow since I don't do early season trips.

Interesting, why do you only use the Stocklis in the west? Do you just prefer other skis in the east? They were fantastic on very less than ideal eastern conditions when I demoed them back on Thanksgiving weekend.

 

[lisamamot]

I came back to skiing about 8 years ago after a nearly 25 year absence.

I let go of a couple pairs when I realized they weren’t right for me- the 2013 Belle to Belle 170 I never quite loved (other than the top sheet - GORGEOUS) and the 2014 Volkl Yumi 161 was way too short (I bought despite the top sheet, lol).

Currently have:
2015 Atomic Elysian (frame tour binding)
2016 Santa Ana 100 177 (no metal)
2016 Blizzard Viva 810ti 167
2017 Elan Ripstick 94 170
2019 Blizzard Sheeva 9 172

I bought the Ripstick without demoing and then fell in love with the Sheeva - there is definite overlap. Future plan is to put a hybrid binding on the Ripstick.
The Blizzard Viva is my hard snow ski, but I am looking to change that one up. I am going to demo some more in the 76-85mm waist width and see what I think. I have skied 27 days so far this season and a lot have been on the Viva. I think it is time!

Santa Ana 100 is my powder ski. When I fall in love with something else a bit shorter and beefier I will trade this in. I am very happy with it, but it is long in tight spots and when things get cut up I feel like I would like something a bit stronger.

I demo every year....a dangerous event, lol!

 

[ski diva]

Looking over @lisamamot 's list reminded me -- I still have the 2014 Atomic Elysian's, too. What a fun ski!

 

[MissySki]

I came back to skiing about 8 years ago after a nearly 25 year absence.

I let go of a couple pairs when I realized they weren’t right for me- the 2013 Belle to Belle 170 I never quite loved (other than the top sheet - GORGEOUS) and the 2014 Volkl Yumi 161 was way too short (I bought despite the top sheet, lol).

Currently have:
2015 Atomic Elysian (frame tour binding)
2016 Santa Ana 100 177 (no metal)
2016 Blizzard Viva 810ti 167
2017 Elan Ripstick 94 170
2019 Blizzard Sheeva 9 172

I bought the Ripstick without demoing and then fell in love with the Sheeva - there is definite overlap. Future plan is to put a hybrid binding on the Ripstick.
The Blizzard Viva is my hard snow ski, but I am looking to change that one up. I am going to demo some more in the 76-85mm waist width and see what I think. I have skied 27 days so far this season and a lot have been on the Viva. I think it is time!

Santa Ana 100 is my powder ski. When I fall in love with something else a bit shorter and beefier I will trade this in. I am very happy with it, but it is long in tight spots and when things get cut up I feel like I would like something a bit stronger.

I demo every year....a dangerous event, lol!

I have 24 days and haven’t been on the Vivas once yet lol. I think I’ve somehow gotten way more of the warm days and pretty much missed the freeze ups this season!

 

[marzNC]

Interesting, why do you only use the Stocklis in the west? Do you just prefer other skis in the east? They were fantastic on very less than ideal eastern conditions when I demoed them back on Thanksgiving weekend.

For skiing in the east, I just put the Absolut Joys in the minivan. I was sampling skiing in the northeast the past 6 years when my daughter was in school in NY/MA. Before that and going forward, I'll be skiing in the southeast and mid-Atlantic where ski areas are very small. I sometimes also took the old Black Pearls to New England, but rarely used them unless I was skiing soft spring snow. Saw no reason to put wear on the Stormriders (bought 2017). Especially after I treated the AJs with Phantom (Jan 2018), which meant I didn't have to deal with periodic waxing.

First time I demo'd the Stormrider 85 was in PA. Took two runs at Whitetail at a Jan 2017 demo day with brand tents, about 2 min each. I bought the demo skis I checked out in Taos later that season . . . after the second day skiing them. Couldn't hesitate because Le Ski Mastery only had one pair in my size left. My impression is that Stöckli inventory always sells out before the end of the season.

 

[marzNC]

Oldest pair of skis are the 2011 BPs (purple bull top sheet) bought from a Diva in 2012. Keeping them as rock skis for early or late season, now that they are treated with Phantom. Had a good time with them in warm (50s) weather at Alta last April. The pair of all-mountain skis before that I bought in new 2009 and sold to a Diva in 2014. I used those both in the southeast and out west.

I bought my first pair of good skis in 2008. It was the only pair I bought without demo'ing. Picked a model from a brand I liked during my first ever demo day (at Sugar in NC) as an intermediate. Bought an all-mountain ski from a different brand a couple summers later after demo'ing during a trip out west. Those were 75 underfoot and I used them in the southeast and out west. I retired the first pair because I'd learned they really weren't the best fit for me after I did more demo days.

 

[ski diva]

I have 24 days and haven’t been on the Vivas once yet lol. I think I’ve somehow gotten way more of the warm days and pretty much missed the freeze ups this season!

I actually sold mine and use the Renoun-77's for those type of conditions.

 

[Jenny]

I only have one pair of skis at a time, so, after the swaps this year my oldest pair is still a baby - less than one year.

Although I did hang onto the first skis I loved for a few years, for nostalgia, I guess. And then there was an overlap between buying my current skis and selling the prior one, but that was only until ski swap season started, so it doesn’t count!

The oldest ones were a 2010 model. Then a 2016. Those both sold in the swaps. I plan too keep this pair for a while. Now that I've tested out the longer length on two different sets and know that I prefer to go a bit shorter, I can stop playing around with others.

 

[SnowSeeker]

There are some very enviable ski collections here! I have three pairs of skis currently in use, but I still haven’t found “the one”. I don’t love my 2015 black pearls; my 2013 Blizzard 8.0s are not a lot of fun; and I have a fickle relationship with my 2020 Kenjas. I’m hoping to add something in between the BP and Kenja plus a backcountry/AT set up within the next year.

I have two questions related to this topic: Do you get heat from friends (or spouses) who think one set of skis is enough? My husband, plus a ski buddy or two, subscribe to the “one ski, one pair of pants, one pair of goggles...” line of thinking and I just can’t buy into that “love the one you’re with” kind of ski life!

More pressing question: What do you do with your old skis? We have at least 5 pairs of skis sitting in the garage that don’t have much value. Anyone know someone in the northeast who can make a bench out of them? Other creative ideas to keep them from the landfill?

 

[santacruz skier]

2011 Volkl Kenja 149 - haven't skied in years - talk about a pretty top sheet - would sell cheap if any interest?
2014 Blizzard Samba 152 - still ski - Great Tahoe ski - damp 98 underfoot
2017 Black Crows 156 - go to ski - have it here in Taos - 96 underfoot

2015 Rossi Saffron 7 in 162 - sold to someone who really wanted it. I wasn't overjoyed but liked the Samba so much better. I like a damp ski .

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

2010 Volkl Sol--these were my first skis. I still have and use them in the east through about mid March, as these are my carvers.
2012 Blizzard Black Pearl---got these because I wanted something a bit softer and wider. Still like them but I may be selling them as they overlap my . . .
2018 K2 Thrilluvit--even though these overlap the Black Pearls I bought them because I found them very confidence inspiring for off piste---plus I got them cheap and the fact that they are very light make them great travel skis.
2020 Blizzard Sheeva 9--just got these because I was looking for something a bit wider to experiment with. They are a bit stiffer than the K2s but still have a playful feel. I also went a bit longer with these and they feel a bit more stable.

@lisamamot since you have both the Ripstick 94 and the Sheeva 9, do you think that one out performs the other on firmer conditions? I tried both and absolutely loved the Ripstick but didn't get to sample either ski on harder snow. I had a feeling the Sheeva might do just a hair better in those firmer conditions but not sure--and maybe the Ripstick would be surfier/slarvier in spring slush? I'm still coveting the Ripstick though even though there is overlap there. Clearly looking for a way to add a Ripstick to my list---maybe the 102 if not the 94!