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Looking for new skis

Shenry

Diva in Training
Hey ladies!

A little background: I'm 41, 5'4, 150lbs. I'm going into my 4th season as a skier, I go at least once a week. Up until the middle of last season I was stuck on greens, but my skiing elevated quite a bit after a weeklong trip to Montana, with my ski instructor sister, last winter. When I came back to my home mountain, Crystal Mountain, I found the blues to no longer be as challenging as they had been, in fact many felt rather easy. When I purchased my skis at the end of my first season, I erred on the side of getting them short and went with 152(3?) Blizzard Black Pearl 88's. I like skiing fast, but these vibrate under me when at ~30mph. At this point, they don't feel like enough ski.

My plan was to stick with the BP 88, or maybe go up to the 97's at 159 (we can get some pretty heavy powder days). After speaking with someone on curated and two guys at local shops, they were all recommending I go with a different ski, such as the Santa Ana 93, the Volkl Secret 92, the Sheeva 10, or the Mindbender 98; one of them even recommended I move up to 165 instead of 159 To say the least, this has my head on a swivel. I feel even more directionless than I did when I was debating between the BP 88 & 97 at a length of 159.

I'm not sure what else I need to add, as I'm relatively new to skiing, so I don't know how to describe different snow qualities... I know that in an ideal world I should demo before purchasing, but the cost of demoing and then buying on top of it is slightly cost prohibitive. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 

MissySki

Angel Diva
I’m 5’4” and ~120 lbs, my ideal length is usually in the mid 160s. I own skis between 161cm and 168cm in length.

If you’re feeling too much chatter at speed it’s not bad advice for you to increase your length at this point. Or at least demoing to see if you feel a positive difference. Are there any demo days around you? Usually there are a couple near me that are free with a pass or extremely cheap. Also, if you demo from somewhere you’d likely buy from, the price of the demo can often be used towards purchase for some length of time afterward. Just ask what that is specifically so you are aware of it.
 

AJM

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Hi there, I'm 5'5" and ski the BP 88 at 159 and feel no chatter or vibration at all. I'm no longer in love with them due to agility and playfulness but they have always been a damp and stable ski for me so perhaps go up in length. I have skied them in chop and heavy pow and although I've needed to be a little more energetic they've made it through x
 

Analisa

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@Shenry The new BP88 is a bit more stout than pre-2021 years. And the 97 got a lot burlier when it got its facelift from the pre-2021 BP 98. At this point, it's one of the heaviest and burliest women's skis on the market.

In terms of the right next ski, I think one of the biggest decision factors is whether you want to start venturing off piste in the next season or two if blues are starting to feel easy and there aren't tons of ungroomed blacks at Crystal. Whether you do or don't will make a big difference in the right ski for you.

On piste, it sounds like you need more capacity for speed & force. That's easy to achieve with a longer ski, since brands thicken the core of the ski for longer sizes. Adding a metal laminate ups the ante even more.

Off piste, you want soft tips and shovels with a lot of rocker to help plane on top of powder and help you stay afloat. A lot of women in western WA (I'm a Stevens skier, but have done a few seasons at Crystal) also like a ski that's relatively nimble and quick since our resorts are pretty steep and the snow can be a little challenging at times.

There are a few skis that do both. I think the Sheeva 10 is a fantastic ski for WA skiers venturing off piste. Extremely nimble and easy to turn. Soft tips plane very well. There's a partial sheet of metal underfoot that dampens out vibrations and helps it hold an edge on groomers. Definitely go 164 since it skis short. I'd also add the Salomon Lumen 99, Santa Ana 98 or 104 Free, and Rossignol Black Ops Rallybird (both the regular 102 and 102 Ti that's a little stiffer) to that list.

If you think you'll be spending more time on blue & black groomers and want to handle the days where there's fresh on top or the snow gets wet and manky by midday, I'd go for the 90ish skis on the heavier side of the spectrum - the Secret 92, Santa Ana 88 or 93, new BP88, Salomon Stance 94, Mindbender 88Ti, Armada Reliance 92Ti. This segment of the market has gotten much more crowded over the last decade. They totally rip on the frontside, and have some all mountain versatility for the PNW. Now, for drier locales, they're a true all-mountain ski. In drier snowpacks, it's okay to sit in the snow more vs floating on top. In cascade concrete, the fact that they're heavier skis without as much rocker means you can feel a little "stuck in cement" on wetter days.

I'd zero in on what your goals are first, then which ski & the proper length. And for demos, Crystal will have demos this year and has an unlimited "Quiver Pass" option where you can get unlimited access to their demo fleet and test a bunch of skis in all different sizes.
 

contesstant

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
^^Can't add much more than what @Analisa has said. The BP 97 is definitely much more ski in this newest version, and both the 88 and 97 ski longer than in the past.

The Sheeva 10 is SO playful--I fell between sizes with that ski at 5'5" where a 169 would have been about perfect as it does ski really short. I owned the 164 and sold it, tried the 172 and it was just a bit more ski than I like to have to maneuver in shorter turns.

I now own the Santa Ana 98 in a 165 for powder and leftover powder days and I love it. Stable, playful, it just slithers through stuff.

Lots of great options--demoing is the best way to figure out what you like. Try to demo on a typical conditions day at your home mountain, and make note of the bindings on the skis (especially if you have small feet.)
 

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