Question: Interpretation clarification

[Karlyboogy]

I'm reading a lot of reviews lately, and most of them are American. Well, I ski in Europe, and sometimes I find it hard how to interpret what they're saying.

Which area in the US is comparable to the (French) Alps? I thought the East, but now I'm not sure.

Furthermore I'm looking for skis in the 88-ish range, and many people say they (BPs, HBs, Kenjas) are excellent carvers. Do they mean in comparison to other 88-ish skis, or compared to other carving skis?

And is it correct that people mean long (carving) turns when they say they're "opening them up"?

 

[Jilly]

Karlyboogy - we have nothing that compares with the Alps!! If I could take the whole Lake Louise/Banff area.... maybe.

As for the 88's. I ski the Temptation 88. Yes you can carve on them, but they really like loose snow because of their width underfoot. I also have carvers that are 74 underfoot. They all have their place. Go try some!!

 

[Lilywhite]

Karlyboogy, I do most of my skiing in Europe too, truth is our weather varies so much you could ski pretty much every condition in the same week! If you can't find a demo to try out some skis in that category then rent your skis somewhere on mountain or as close to it as possible and take a different pair out each day so you can get a feel for what you really want.
FWIW, I learned on K2 Truluvs, love the Blizzard Bushwacker(unisex version of black pearl) and on a powder day would willingly rent BBRs and spend the day giggling.
You don't mention what level skier you are, for comparison purposes I tend to ski all blue/red slopes and will ski blacks when conditions are good but if it is icy I ignore them completely.

 

[Karlyboogy]

Thank you for your answers. I have been skiing since I was six (but only one week a year) the past few years it's three weeks (so over 20 weeks in total). I'm a technical finesse skier, taking a lesson now and then to improve myself. I'm 5'6 and 140 lbs. Not very agressive, but fast. I ski mostly groomers and want to go more off-piste, and I want a ski that says: "come on, to the powder, you!"

Now I don't see many people in Europe skiing (and reviewing) skis wider than about 75 and I'm still a little hesitated to try the 88-ish skis, afraid to loose something on piste abilities. Now I'm skiing Elan Pure Magics (78 under foot) which are also not really racecarvers or something, and I can carve great on them! And what is one centimeter, right? I love making long carveturns and really put them on their edges, and with my Pure Magics I was stunned about the loose snow/crud/powder performance. So I think I will love wider skis with a frontside-biased character (like the Temptation 88, Head Mya 8, and so on?), but maybe I'm put off by the American reviews and would be better of with skis with a waist around 80?

It also looks like the wider the ski under foot, the higher level it gets. I want to get more out of my skis than I do now with my Pure Magics, and thinking for example the Temptation 82 will not be a great difference (besides the rocker and maybe more rebound?).

My thoughts are just throwing me around, it's driving me crazy (also because I want to ski NOW, but I can't untill next year)!Hope you divas can make it clear for me.

 

[Perty]

Another Alpine based skier here. I have Kenjas and find them perfectly easy to ski on piste, though this season in the Alps, I've rather ignored them (well...in fact totally ignored them) and have been zooming about on 97mm underfoot twin tips. I think there are such great improvements in ski technology that these days you can get on a wide ski and find they still have decent edge grip and turn so easily. As long as you get skis with a turn radius that is not dissimilar to a sub 80mm ski (Maybe 17m or less in a 165cm ski), you will have the best of both worlds. I tried the Black Pearls earlier in the season and thought they were great too. Another ski I tested which isn't quite as fat, was the men's Nordica Burner-84mm underfoot. Carved like a dream-the womens' version-if you can track it down-is the Nordica Wild Belle. I am a total Nordica ski fan, it's just a shame they are so hard to find in the UK.

I have only skied in North America twice, both times in Whistler which is huge by NA standards but not really by European standards. Much more tree lined skiing which is nice, and I think that applied across the board in NA-while here in europe we are more used to skiing up in "the Alpine" as our American and Canadian contributors would call it. The impression I get is that mostly in NA peaks just aren't as "peaky" or dramatic! But that they get more snow at or below the tree line-which is so much better for off piste and on bad vis days. Plus you get the patrolled in bounds off piste too-a good way to cut your teeth in a relatively risk free way.

 

[SkiMoose]

I'll second the Temptation 88. I went from a softer frontside carving ski that was ~68mm underfoot to the Temptation 88. I think it has helped my skiing tremendously. It holds an edge like a carving ski, but it has more stability off-piste. I ski in Vermont, so I wanted a ski that would be great in icy conditions rather than 10" of fresh powder, but I also wanted to ski bumps and off-piste easily. I think 88cm underfoot is a good compromise.

You might also like the Attraxion 8s, which will have a different name next season (Do you know what it is Jilly?). This was an amazing carver. I found they bounced me around a bit in crud and ungroomed conditions, but you're a bit bigger than I am, so that might not be an issue for you. They are 75mm underfoot, so they might not be as good in deep powder. I don't know how much you get in the Alps.

If you get the chance demo as many skis as you can! Then you'll find what you do and don't like in a ski.

 

[Jilly]

You might also like the Attraxion 8s, which will have a different name next season (Do you know what it is Jilly?)

Unique - but more like the Pursuit (unisex) line than the Attraxion. Might be a mistake on Rossi part. Had my 88's today in spring mash potatoes, corn, butter...Fantastic!!

 

[mustski]

I love my Volkl Auras in all conditions. Lately, I have been skiing them on rock hard, teeth chattering corduroy. Other than the strange titanium sound they make, the edges hold fantastically and I have been going FAST! That is my definition of opening them up! I am in SoCal so we move through various conditions in one day. These are versatile skis. Last year, I skied them in thigh deep powder and they floated beautifully. They have a 98 waist but I can get them way up on edge when I want to carve; soft stuff no problem, hard pack excellent, patchy ice - glide across, mashed potatos - I go home. They do well in crud; I don't but then I just apologize to my skis and move on!

 

[Karlyboogy]

Great to hear your stories, thanks! I just read something about the Temptations on this website:

https://www.skinet.com/ski/galleries/gear-year-2013?i=55583289&s=6

What do they mean by "It’s so smooth, in fact, that it doesn’t so much carve as sculpt"? I know what sculpt means, but I don't see how you can ski like that

 

[MaineSkiLady]

What do they mean by "It’s so smooth, in fact, thatit doesn’t so much carve as sculpt"? I know what sculpt means, but I don't see how you can ski like that

Indeed - interesting choice of “syntax,” eh? Edges just really dig in well - and smoothly. I didn’t quite understand until I tried these. I do now. It’s a lovely and versatile ski, I totally enjoyed it - and put it through some major paces. The one condition that (amazingly) was not available that day was ice/hard pack. But I’ve not had a bit of trouble in these conditions (i.e., today!) with my 85 width (Dynastar Eden). That’s as much a function of tune and edge condition, at least for me.

Loved the Temptation’s swing weight, had them in some heady bumps - and then opened them up to cruising speed - and they railed. Major winner. Agree 100% with this ski’s placement in the “gold medal” category.

 

[Jilly]

Well SkiBam had me in the "ice cubes" today. Normally some nice bumps, but things are a little cool......those suckers were hard today, no other way to call it. The Temptations performed much like my Attraxion's would have. In fact SkiBam and I we're discussing about me looking for a race type craver when I have these skis. One of the reasons why I took them out today. Not spring slush, no new snow, packed powder and icy spots. They did basically the same as my Attraxion 8's! So decisions, decisions.....

And as for "opening them up", I got a warning from the speed police in WB on them....So they can go too!

 

[SkiBam]

Yup, Jilly (on her 88s) looked totally on top of all the conditions we encountered today. After each run (especially if there were icy patches), I quizzed her on how the skis were performing as I demoed this ski out west and think I want some! (But really, the "ice cubes" weren't as bad as she claimed - you just had to hunt a bit for the snow!)

 

[MaineSkiLady]

you just had to hunt a bit for the snow!

Same conditions here. "When Edges Count!" It was all edgable, sort of. What we fought all day was WIND. It did make for some nice little stashes here and there, though. But mostly--SCOURED stuff.

 

[abc]

Now I don't see many people in Europe skiing (and reviewing) skis wider than about 75

Perhaps one of the biggest reason you don't see people with wider than 75 in Europe is you've looking only on piste?

I'm still a little hesitated to try the 88-ish skis, afraid to loose something on piste abilities.

Frankly, I don't see much reason to isist on anything beyond 75 for groomer only (or mostly) skiing. There're wider planks that perform almost AS WELL on piste. Still, it's for deep soft snow the width comes in handy.

In North America, we have very different resort set up. On piste and off-piste happens within sight of each other. So you would see people skiing wide planks on piste. But really, they're just on their way to the powder stash round the next bend!

That's not typically the case in the Alps. A lot of the time, the off-piste happens away from the chair and they're gone for the whole day with the guide. Many people just hire a different ski on a guided day. So a "compromise" ski that does equally well on and off piste is in less demand.

If you're in the habit of going off-piste on your own near the piste, it would then be worthwhile to look into the wider planks that still performs well on piste.

 

[HeidiInTheAlps]

Because I know you ski Verbier L4V's... and I have skied there, and I've skied the U.S.... I can tell you this.

Skiing off the Tram at Snowbird, is like skiing off the Tram at Mt. Fort. In the Verbier area, there is pretty much 1, maybe two groomed pistes per ski lift. In the states, you're likely to see 4-6 maintained pistes per lift, sometimes more. I think there is less 'next' to the piste skiing in the states, as you know it in Verbier. I actually had a bit of culture shock the first day I skied there, also because visibility sucked, so I couldn't see much outside the groomed bit. As soon as the visibility improved, I started to enjoy what a cool place Verbier is to ski, but before then, I was like... "What did I get into???".

Because where you ski, thinking Verbier and the others with a lot of not maintained or groomed in and around the piste bit, you should go for the wider waist. That's why I did it.

It looks like you're smaller than me, don't know your boot size, but if you're still on for a little pre season road trip to Solden, I will let you try my Hells Belles.... if you can manage to get them out of my hands LOL!!!

 

[Karlyboogy]

Yeahh wow that would be awesome!! My stats: 5'6 (168 cm), 140 lbs (65 kg) and my outside boot (BSL) is 295 mm. Hehe, do they fit? I would love to ski with you anyway, Sölden in November is certainly on me and my boyfriend's list. He (Cheizz) is thinking of arranging an Epicski gathering for 2014 in Europe, and all SkiDivas have to come too, of course! To compensate for all the Barking Bears..

Thread: https://www.epicski.com/t/119464/epicski-gathering-in-europe-next-winter
Poll: https://www.epicski.com/t/119749/where-and-when-to-go-in-europe-next-winter

 

[HeidiInTheAlps]

Just posted on Epic ski.

Probably a DIN adjustment would be necessary on the bindings. I'm 176 and 90 kg. And would have to check the boot size, but I'm a 39. And we are on for November! I can drive, my car is big enough to carry long ski's and everyone can sit comfortably...only thing is, it is expensive in gas. A round trip to the Alps usually costs 500 EUR in gas... but then everyone is sitting comfortably, and I do self catering, also enough room for shopping, and just pop in the oven meals... sort of compensates for spending 500 in gas.

 

[SkiMoose]

Well SkiBam had me in the "ice cubes" today. Normally some nice bumps, but things are a little cool......those suckers were hard today, no other way to call it. The Temptations performed much like my Attraxion's would have. In fact SkiBam and I we're discussing about me looking for a race type craver when I have these skis. One of the reasons why I took them out today. Not spring slush, no new snow, packed powder and icy spots. They did basically the same as my Attraxion 8's! So decisions, decisions.....

And as for "opening them up", I got a warning from the speed police in WB on them....So they can go too!

I've never had a ski with such good edge grip on ice than my Temptation 88s. A few weeks ago, we were skiing some double blacks right after a big rain storm and refreeze. I was expecting to slide down the hill more than across it when I tried to turn, but my 88s held an edge as well as they would on freshly made corduroy! In fact, I haven't skied anything that they aren't amazing on. They are really a great one ski quiver.

 

[litterbug]

I should have checked this thread before because you answered one of my questions about the 88s--can they haul, um, butt? Apparently the answer is yes, which is, well, very nice. Still have to see how the Hell's Belles do tomorrow, though.