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Question: Looking for new skis

KillingtonSkier1

Diva in Training
I am 59 years old, 5 ft 8 inches and 135-140 lbs. I have skied since childhood and ski almost everything, although I really struggle on ice and am less confident on really steep terrain. I am not a fast skier, I love bumps and I like making lots of tight turns. I mostly ski at Killington, VT, but I am currently at Snowmass, demoing skis. I am looking to replace my K2 Burning Luvs, which I adore. I tried Blizzard Black Pearls, but they just didn't work for me. I demoed K2 Luvit yesterday and I really liked them, but it looks like they are a beginner to intermediate ski and I am wondering if they would be a poor choice for that reason ( but also wondering if my ski style is such that I will be most suited to an intermediate ski). The Volkl Kenya was recommended, but I think they may be too wide underfoot for me, although I will probably try them. Any advice would be most welcome.
 

Powgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
If you are a K2 fan (I am), you might want to try either the Luv Sick or Oooh La Luv...both have some metal, and very short turn radius...and, the width and ski construction is very manageable, while giving you the edge/ice grip too.
 

Little Lightning

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
What width in the Luv it did you demo? My friend, also on the Burnin Luv, demoed the Luvit 88 last week and became a "monster" on it. My friend is in her 60's, had a hard time regaining her confidence after ACL surgery a few years ago and would freak out with a couple of inches of powder. She would ski nothing but groomers. She enjoyed most of the skis she demoed but she really blossomed on the Luvit. At the bottom of the list were the Volkl Kenja, and the Blizzard Black Pearl.

Apparently the Luvit comes in different widths. I don't get the sense that the Luvit 88 is a beginner/ intermediate ski. For her the width was perfect. She's now trying bumps, non groomed runs, whatever the rest of us skis, she's willing to try it.
 

Jenny0928

Certified Ski Diva
Try the Kenjas! I skied on Black Pearls for about a week earlier in the season and they didn't do it for me. I felt terrible on my skis. Then I switched to volkl kenja and immediately felt like I could handle anything. Ski is stiff but feels so stable on steeps, slicing through crud, nimble in bumps and trees too. I'm a bit of a lightweight at @112 lbs and 5'4 and thought these would be too much for me to handle, but I love them! I ski in Colorado so 90 waist feels perfect for me. Good luck and have fun in Aspen.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I demoed K2 Luvit yesterday and I really liked them, but it looks like they are a beginner to intermediate ski and I am wondering if they would be a poor choice for that reason ( but also wondering if my ski style is such that I will be most suited to an intermediate ski).

I hate that skis get designated as intermediate, expert, etc. It's possible that they compliment your ski style. "I really liked them" is all the information you need.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Er, complement. I think.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
And the ski ability guidelines can vary quite a bit depending where you look. Take the Absolut Joy for example. Skis.com has it as beginner thru advanced intermediate. Evo.com has it as intermediate- advanced. So which is it?
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
I am 59 years old, 5 ft 8 inches and 135-140 lbs. I have skied since childhood and ski almost everything, although I really struggle on ice and am less confident on really steep terrain. I am not a fast skier, I love bumps and I like making lots of tight turns. I mostly ski at Killington, VT, but I am currently at Snowmass, demoing skis. I am looking to replace my K2 Burning Luvs, which I adore. I tried Blizzard Black Pearls, but they just didn't work for me. I demoed K2 Luvit yesterday and I really liked them, but it looks like they are a beginner to intermediate ski and I am wondering if they would be a poor choice for that reason ( but also wondering if my ski style is such that I will be most suited to an intermediate ski). The Volkl Kenya was recommended, but I think they may be too wide underfoot for me, although I will probably try them. Any advice would be most welcome.

From what I gather from looking online the K2 Luv line comes in many different waist widths (https://en-us.k2skis.com/skis/womens), but the Luvit is the 76mm, and it is a pretty soft ski. The softness of the ski could make fun in bumps, but it would likely fall down for you in edge grip in New England, and in its stability at any sort of speed. Although you mentioned you are not a fast skier, I expect you are too strong of a skier for this ski in the long run. I researched a bit and your Burnin Luvs are even narrower (70mm?) and stiffer; as such they probably hold a much better edge. Back in New England firm conditions you may find you over power the K2 Luvit 76.

Are you looking to stay narrow, or are you looking to find something a bit more all mountain? What length have you been demoing?
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
And the ski ability guidelines can vary quite a bit depending where you look. Take the Absolut Joy for example. Skis.com has it as beginner thru advanced intermediate. Evo.com has it as intermediate- advanced. So which is it?

As a rule, soft to med flex skis are rated somewhere in the beginner to intermediate range....med stiff to stiff intermediate-advanced, and very stiff advanced-expert. Width of ski also comes into play in the equation. Where width is a standard measure, flex is not as easy to define, hence the variability from site to site.

I find skiers can happily ski a ski that is marked at or above their ability, but are not generally happy on a ski marked below their ability. As such, I would never tell an intermediate skier they should not try an advanced ski, but I would caution them if they get a beginner-intermediate ski it may be a very short term investment.
 

NewEnglandSkier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
To continue on the K2 train--there is also the Luv Machine. It's narrower at 74 under foot but it has metal in it so will be stiffer than the models that lack metal, so will probably hold an edge better in New England conditions.
 

KillingtonSkier1

Diva in Training
What width in the Luv it did you demo? My friend, also on the Burnin Luv, demoed the Luvit 88 last week and became a "monster" on it. My friend is in her 60's, had a hard time regaining her confidence after ACL surgery a few years ago and would freak out with a couple of inches of powder. She would ski nothing but groomers. She enjoyed most of the skis she demoed but she really blossomed on the Luvit. At the bottom of the list were the Volkl Kenja, and the Blizzard Black Pearl.

Apparently the Luvit comes in different widths. I don't get the sense that the Luvit 88 is a beginner/ intermediate ski. For her the width was perfect. She's now trying bumps, non groomed runs, whatever the rest of us skis, she's willing to try it.
I'm pretty sure mine had a width of 76, since they were called "Luvit76". The guy I was skiing with told me I might want to keep the width at 80 or less. He is a very good skier and seemed knowledgeable, but I have no idea whether I should follow his advice ( friend of a friend that I just may while here).
 

KillingtonSkier1

Diva in Training
If you are a K2 fan (I am), you might want to try either the Luv Sick or Oooh La Luv...both have some metal, and very short turn radius...and, the width and ski construction is very manageable, while giving you the edge/ice grip too.
Thanks, I'm thinking of trying another K2, so I will look into those.
 

KillingtonSkier1

Diva in Training
From what I gather from looking online the K2 Luv line comes in many different waist widths (https://en-us.k2skis.com/skis/womens), but the Luvit is the 76mm, and it is a pretty soft ski. The softness of the ski could make fun in bumps, but it would likely fall down for you in edge grip in New England, and in its stability at any sort of speed. Although you mentioned you are not a fast skier, I expect you are too strong of a skier for this ski in the long run. I researched a bit and your Burnin Luvs are even narrower (70mm?) and stiffer; as such they probably hold a much better edge. Back in New England firm conditions you may find you over power the K2 Luvit 76.

Are you looking to stay narrow, or are you looking to find something a bit more all mountain? What length have you been demoing?
The length I demoed was 156 cm. And I think you are correct that this is probably not the ski I'm really looking for- the front tips are too wide for me to keep my skis as close together as I like, they don't feel especially stable at my "high speed" ( I have been skiing with a group, so I have to pick up my speed on the easy groomers so no one has to wait for me; on the bumps and steeps, I can go my preferred speed and still be one of the first ones down) and although there is no ice at all here, they don't even hold an edge very well on the few slick spots I have encountered.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Tight turns...
Try the Head Super Joy, 163.
Turn radius is 12-something.
Good ice ski also.
 

KillingtonSkier1

Diva in Training
The length I demoed was 156 cm. And I think you are correct that this is probably not the ski I'm really looking for- the front tips are too wide for me to keep my skis as close together as I like, they don't feel especially stable at my "high speed" ( I have been skiing with a group, so I have to pick up my speed on the easy groomers so no one has to wait for me; on the bumps and steeps, I can go my preferred speed and still be one of the first ones down) and although there is no ice at all here, they don't even hold an edge very well on the few slick spots I have encountered.
In regard to whether I am looking to stay narrow, I was so discouraged by the Black Pearls (I felt like a beginner on them and couldn't handle anything- couldn't make the quick turns I love and really struggled in the bumps) I'm wondering if my ski style is such that I really won't be able to ski anything but a narrow width unless I completely change my skiing style.
 

MaineSkiLady

Angel Diva
Head Super Joy is 75 wide. Narrowest skis I've had in about 8-9 years.
 

nopoleskier

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I love my atomic cloud 11's the 2018 they are cloud 12 yes to tight turns I like because they are traditional style ski with tiny bit of rocker in tips yes they hold ice. Carve cruise bumps. My old knees need fatter in deep snow but on everything else they excel imho I am an eastern skier. Just at killington yesterday. . Enjoy snowmass don't miss sneaky and powerline glades...
 

lisamamot

Angel Diva
The length I demoed was 156 cm. And I think you are correct that this is probably not the ski I'm really looking for- the front tips are too wide for me to keep my skis as close together as I like, they don't feel especially stable at my "high speed" ( I have been skiing with a group, so I have to pick up my speed on the easy groomers so no one has to wait for me; on the bumps and steeps, I can go my preferred speed and still be one of the first ones down) and although there is no ice at all here, they don't even hold an edge very well on the few slick spots I have encountered.

As a 50 something skier who grew up skiing in VT with my feet glued together, yes, the wider skis definitely require a change in style! I have adapted to that well, but even recently I demoed a couple 95 mm+ skis with wide surfy tips and had to adjust my stance even further as my tips were meeting and greeting, lol.

Going straight from a narrow 70ish carver to a free ride all mountain ski like the Black Pearl would be quite a jump to accomplish with grace on the first day. A ski like the Volkl Yumi may have been a better stepping stone if you wanted to try an all mountain.

If you love short turns and bumps, stick with a ski that has a short turn radius, and a narrowish waist, but I expect you will want something stiffer than the K2 Luvit. The Head Joy or the Volkl Flair series are both worth a try.

No matter what you choose, I would recommend you branch out in length to at least the low-mid 160s. A 156 is a very short ski for your specs and years of skiing, and I believe you will find the added length gives so much more stability and confidence. For reference my specs are nearly identical to yours and I ski a high 160s-mid 170s.
 

Powgirl

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
In regard to whether I am looking to stay narrow, I was so discouraged by the Black Pearls (I felt like a beginner on them and couldn't handle anything- couldn't make the quick turns I love and really struggled in the bumps) I'm wondering if my ski style is such that I really won't be able to ski anything but a narrow width unless I completely change my skiing style.

The Black Pearl is not designed to make quick turns and I hated mine in the bumps...it's a very different ski from what you are used to...I don't think you need to change your skiing style....Find a ski that suits your style!

If you ski mostly in the east, and mostly groomers, then I agree with your friend to not go over 80 underfoot.

Along with turn radius and stiffness, take some time to decide if you want wood vs composite, sidewall vs cap construction...And demo those skis.
 

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