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CMCM
Guest
OMIGOSH, my message to anyone looking for skis is to DEMO DEMO DEMO!!! 
You know I've been agonizing over various skis, and trying to figure out what to demo, and reluctant to buy (again) without demoing the ski I would buy. So I went to Squaw today and they have a demo shop where you can demo as many skis as you want. Well, I had waited so long to do this, most of the interesting demo skis were sold and gone as they are gradually selling them off about now. I wanted to try the Nordica Victory since it is said to be somewhat similar to the Drive which I'd been targeting (but couldn't find a demo for anywhere), only the Victory is a bit stiffer and more advanced. The Victory was out at the time, so I said what the heck, I'll try the Salomon Origins....only available in the 162 length (way too long I thought--I was after about 154), but I decided to go ahead and try it anyway. Long story short, I LOVE THEM!
I could not believe how fabulous these skis are!!! And I NEVER would have gone for 162's, but they're perfect!!! I knew within 2 minutes on these skis that they were a gazillion times better for me than my old Nordicas.
My Nordicas were 119-68-98, 150 in length. The Salomons are 124-75-106, 162 length, and when I read about them in Ski Press magazine I didn't even consider them because they had placed them in their "Multi-Condition High Performance" category.....which said the skier type was expert women who do tough blues and blacks. SO NOT ME!!! But I love them, I can ski them, and the first thing I noticed was their beautiful and wonderful stability and smoothness. They're great in all sorts of turns including quick short ones. My hubby was watching me and he saw an immediate change for the better in my skiing....suddenly everything looked effortless and smooth. I felt that too, and was happy that it was actually visible.
I did several runs, then went back and the Nordica Victory's were back in....they only had a 154, but I took them for a run. Didn't like them at all. Perhaps it was the length, which wasn't much more than my old Nordicas. The other measurements were similar to the Salomons, so I'm thinking it's all about length! But I wanted to get rid of them and get back to the Salomons!
I went back and took out the Salomons again for a few more runs, and sigh of relief, they really were wonderful. I had them on steeper runs, on soft mush, on hard packed powder and icy spots, they were superb on everything. The stability on straight runs is incredible (my Nordicas were always squirrelly and they made me nervous). I'm just so impressed with them. Perhaps if I tried a bunch of skis in the longer lengths I'd find others I like too, but this was just such a revelation to me, and NO ONE had ever suggested that I try such a long length. I was actually nervous about it, but after one swooping, graceful, effortless turn I was hooked. They make it EASY!!!
I almost bought the demos, but decided to spend $100 more for new ones which were 40% off at this point. I can't wait to go out on them tomorrow! I will NEVER get back on those Nordicas again...I really can't bear the thought of it!! They were SOOOOO wrong for me at this point, totally wrong, and I see they were holding me back, probably due to the way too short length and also their relative softness. I never felt stable on them, either. Only bad thing: they are pretty darn ugly! Flowers! Yuck! But I'm not buying looks, so....I guess one way to look at it is that no one would steal them!!!
So I'm happy as a clam at this point. AND.....I will never ever consider buying a ski I have not demoed!!
You know I've been agonizing over various skis, and trying to figure out what to demo, and reluctant to buy (again) without demoing the ski I would buy. So I went to Squaw today and they have a demo shop where you can demo as many skis as you want. Well, I had waited so long to do this, most of the interesting demo skis were sold and gone as they are gradually selling them off about now. I wanted to try the Nordica Victory since it is said to be somewhat similar to the Drive which I'd been targeting (but couldn't find a demo for anywhere), only the Victory is a bit stiffer and more advanced. The Victory was out at the time, so I said what the heck, I'll try the Salomon Origins....only available in the 162 length (way too long I thought--I was after about 154), but I decided to go ahead and try it anyway. Long story short, I LOVE THEM!
I could not believe how fabulous these skis are!!! And I NEVER would have gone for 162's, but they're perfect!!! I knew within 2 minutes on these skis that they were a gazillion times better for me than my old Nordicas. My Nordicas were 119-68-98, 150 in length. The Salomons are 124-75-106, 162 length, and when I read about them in Ski Press magazine I didn't even consider them because they had placed them in their "Multi-Condition High Performance" category.....which said the skier type was expert women who do tough blues and blacks. SO NOT ME!!! But I love them, I can ski them, and the first thing I noticed was their beautiful and wonderful stability and smoothness. They're great in all sorts of turns including quick short ones. My hubby was watching me and he saw an immediate change for the better in my skiing....suddenly everything looked effortless and smooth. I felt that too, and was happy that it was actually visible.
I did several runs, then went back and the Nordica Victory's were back in....they only had a 154, but I took them for a run. Didn't like them at all. Perhaps it was the length, which wasn't much more than my old Nordicas. The other measurements were similar to the Salomons, so I'm thinking it's all about length! But I wanted to get rid of them and get back to the Salomons!
I went back and took out the Salomons again for a few more runs, and sigh of relief, they really were wonderful. I had them on steeper runs, on soft mush, on hard packed powder and icy spots, they were superb on everything. The stability on straight runs is incredible (my Nordicas were always squirrelly and they made me nervous). I'm just so impressed with them. Perhaps if I tried a bunch of skis in the longer lengths I'd find others I like too, but this was just such a revelation to me, and NO ONE had ever suggested that I try such a long length. I was actually nervous about it, but after one swooping, graceful, effortless turn I was hooked. They make it EASY!!!
I almost bought the demos, but decided to spend $100 more for new ones which were 40% off at this point. I can't wait to go out on them tomorrow! I will NEVER get back on those Nordicas again...I really can't bear the thought of it!! They were SOOOOO wrong for me at this point, totally wrong, and I see they were holding me back, probably due to the way too short length and also their relative softness. I never felt stable on them, either. Only bad thing: they are pretty darn ugly! Flowers! Yuck! But I'm not buying looks, so....I guess one way to look at it is that no one would steal them!!!
So I'm happy as a clam at this point. AND.....I will never ever consider buying a ski I have not demoed!!
A Diva can't have too many skis 
