Looking for a ski for warmer days/spring skiing east coast

[MissySki]

Oh my, the Volkl 90eights are Red!!! I know I shouldn't care but red is so not my favorite. Ok, be a big girl here and do NOT worry about the color....

If you love them you could always try to find a pair from another season as the topsheet might be different

 

[mustski]

Oh my, the Volkl 90eights are Red!!! I know I shouldn't care but red is so not my favorite. Ok, be a big girl here and do NOT worry about the color....

Look for a previous season. They came in both pink and blue. One is men's and one is women's; they are identical so don't worry about that. This pair is from 2017, but brand new. They only have a 163 though. I don't want length you would want.
https://www.wildernessx.com/90eight...CtBh2Fqw-KEAQYAyABEgIABvD_BwE#92=376&167=2591

or these ones in grey and black (same length)
https://www.backcountry.com/volkl-90eight-ski?CMP_SKU=VKL007D&MER=0406&skid=VKL007D-ONECOL-S163CM&mr:trackingCode=A16CCBEA-60D8-E811-8108-005056944E17&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&CMP_ID=PLA_GOc001&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&k_clickid=_k_EAIaIQobChMIwZ_x4Nva4AIVkyCtBh2Fqw-KEAQYBSABEgJH3_D_BwE_k_&rmatt=tsid:1042790|cid:213418717|agid:13362837877|tid:pla-410833969849|crid:92885920717|nw:g|rnd:148297405491944261|dvc:c|adp:2o5|mt:|loc:9031422&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwZ_x4Nva4AIVkyCtBh2Fqw-KEAQYBSABEgJH3_D_BwE

Here they are in a 170
https://www.untracked.com/p6299c11b...90eight_98_all_mountain_skis.html#chsku559689

I am skiing a "men's" model. Don't worry about it - just the graphic is different.

 

[marzNC]

Thanks for your input. I will look into both of these also. And the wax!

Just remember that DPS Phantom is a base treatment that is NOT wax.

I put my notes about Phantom Version 2.0 in this thread:
Want to Avoid Waxing Your Skis? Consider DPS Phantom 2.0 If Keeping Skis 3+ Years

 

[marzNC]

@marzNC I’m in northeast PA. Pocono mountains primarily.

There are free demo days in that region of PA during early season. Usually get listed in the regional thread. Here's the thread for 2018-29:
https://www.theskidiva.com/forums/i...kiing-pa-nj-dc-md-va-wv-nc-for-2018-19.23010/

 

[Ski Around Sue]

@mustski thanks for all of your google efforts!

While the Volkl 90eight is a possible choice, it just seems so wide for Pocono skiing. But I am intrigued by the comments that it can handle any type of snow.

I'm also intrigued by the Rossignol Experience Ti88 W and the Volkl Secret.

 

[Pequenita]

So first thing I think is you need to learn how to handle this crap.

Agree. I've found that turning more, rather than trying to straightline anything, is helpful in spring conditions.

OP, how do you handle fresh and cut up snow? Whatever you'd ski when there's like 4" to 6" of cut up snow would be similar to what you'd want in spring conditions. Too much rocker/no camber and the ski will be useless on hardpack.

 

[Ski Around Sue]

OP, how do you handle fresh and cut up snow? Whatever you'd ski when there's like 4" to 6" of cut up snow would be similar to what you'd want in spring conditions. Too much rocker/no camber and the ski will be useless on hardpack.

I never see fresh snow. By the time I make it to the mountain, its always very groomed. Besides, we hardly seem to have fresh snow, just rain this year and man made snow. The only time its cut up is if it's warm. So I really have no experience with it. Maybe I'll take a look at the forums relates to actual skiing and get some tips.

I know when I was in Vermont for a couple of days last spring, people loved the soft snow while my whole family was struggling. I'll bet some of it's in my head also. I see the snow and it triggers a fear reaction because I know I'm going to struggle and then it becomes a wicked cycle.

 

[HikenSki]

I know when I was in Vermont for a couple of days last spring, people loved the soft snow while my whole family was struggling. I'll bet some of it's in my head also. I see the snow and it triggers a fear reaction because I know I'm going to struggle and then it becomes a wicked cycle.

See if you can take a lesson or watch some videos on how to ski some powder/chopped up crud. Helped me a lot when it came to skiing the stuff, particularly about keeping skis closer together with not as much weight on the downhill ski and letting the skis take their natural turn/arc through the snow. Let the tails follow the tips with flow, no quick turns. Funny how when I figured this out I was like, "So that's it! Wow, that was much easier!" My husband would struggle through a chopped up mess of a section of trail and nearly eat it trying to turn abruptly and putting too much weight on the downhill ski. I'd come upon it and tell myself "easy turns, follow where the skis naturally want to go" and my husband would stand there wondering how I made it look so easy.
Having wider skis with rocker helps a lot to keep them up on the surface a bit more. A stiffer ski I have found helps to mow down the piles in the way too. I find it too much work and not much fun to use my narrower skis in those conditions.

 

[marzNC]

I know when I was in Vermont for a couple of days last spring, people loved the soft snow while my whole family was struggling. I'll bet some of it's in my head also. I see the snow and it triggers a fear reaction because I know I'm going to struggle and then it becomes a wicked cycle.

When was the last time you had a lesson? During the multi-week program at Massanutten a few years ago (for advanced skiers), there was a major warm spell. We got tips about how to handle soft and potentially sticky snow that can be typical during late season. Definitely was helpful. Not the same as chopped up cold snow for sure.

The fear I had of hitting a patch of sticky snow was the reason I used my Phantom-treated AJs in May 2018 at Bachelor and Mammoth. Still had to make technique adjustments, but there was less fear about an unexpected stop that would throw me forward.

 

[mustski]

I don't think it's the same as powder. I can ski crud like there's no tomorrow because I have WAY too much practice in it. But in powder, I struggle. In crud, you want the be nimble and either smear it or you can get up high on edge and cut right through it.

 

[SallyCat]

What I've learned so far this year from getting a little bored* on groomers and skiing ungroomed snow when I can find low-angle intermediate trails to practice on:

1. Wider skis with rocker make a huge difference
2. Stance is the same, or for me, attempts at good stance, but there's more constant effort required to maintain a forward position. Or, the varied terrain reveals my slovenly habits more clearly, so I have to focus more intentionally on staying centered.
3. Don't try to carve. Same as @HikenSki 's advice above: patient turns, with more attention to pivoting feet than when carving groomers.
4. Play around with naturally-forming bumps. Turn on top of them, ski in between them and use them to check speed, use them like little jumps, etc. FUN!
5. If it's really soft, get a good spring wax and a puck of Zardoz to apply at lunch.

Magic mountain is a great place to find intermediate and beginner ungroomed trails, as long as there's reasonably decent snow.

*Not bored because I'm rad, just sort of fell into a rut; wanted something more interesting.

 

[SallyCat]

Oh, and in eastern PA, skiing the granular sand-dunes that get pushed to the side of otherwise icy trails is really good practice. You might get some funny looks bringing out fat skis on a glare-ice day, but the granular piles are way more fun than the ice.

 

[Ski Around Sue]

See if you can take a lesson or watch some videos on how to ski some powder/chopped up crud. Helped me a lot when it came to skiing the stuff, particularly about keeping skis closer together with not as much weight on the downhill ski and letting the skis take their natural turn/arc through the snow. Let the tails follow the tips with flow, no quick turns.
Having wider skis with rocker helps a lot to keep them up on the surface a bit more. A stiffer ski I have found helps to mow down the piles in the way too. I find it too much work and not much fun to use my narrower skis in those conditions.

Great advice. Thanks!

 

[Ski Around Sue]

@SallyCat Thanks for you advice also. Very helpful.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

For whatever it's worth, I'm planning to use Atomic Vantage 95C as my spring/crud/soft snow ski. It seems to plow through everything - with the bonus of holding an edge on harder snow. Nice ski. Some good deals around on it also.

 

[Jilly]

Me too!!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Me too!!

NICE darn ski.

 

[Serafina]

Mid-fat twintips is how I roll with that stuff. I've use K2 Kung Fujas with a 102 waist, and Mr. S. rolls on Rossi S3s with a 98 waist. The fat waist keeps you floating on the slush, and the rockered tips and tails keep you from hanging up in the piles. Beauty is that they also work for western powder (although not the really deep stuff where you want a waterski to float).

Consider checking out park skis for this purpose.

 

[Ski Around Sue]

@MaineSkiLady
@Jilly

Thanks for the Vantage thoughts. There are some instructors near me who love the Atomic Vantage 77 as their main ski for carving.
What do you think about the Vantage 90 as opposed to the 95? That seems like it may be more useful for me here in Pa.

 

[Jilly]

I tried both and found the 90 too stiff. The 95 has the carbon mesh, but the 90 has Ti.