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Looking for suggestions to demo in powder

Susan L

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
It looks like my home mountain, Taos, is finally going to get some decent snow this weekend. I am planning to demo skis and would like to get some suggestions on what could be good options to complete my quiver.

I am 5’3”, 135lbs. Aggressive driver on groomers, a little more cautious in powder and moguls. I mainly ski Taos, plus a trip or 2 to Colorado, averaging 45 days a season.

I have been skiing the following for the last 4 years:
2014 Volkl Kenja (87mm) 156
2014 Volkl Aura (96mm) 156
2016 Rossignol Saffron 7 (98mm) 162

This year my husband decided to upgrade my skis and so far, I have replaced the Kenja with the following for carving and all mountain:
2019 Kastle MX89 164
2018 Kastle MX Limited (84mm) 160
2019 Stöckli Laser AX (78mm) 154

I can add one more pair to my quiver and I’d like something that can handle deeper than a few inches of snow. So, for ladies who ski powder, what would you recommend?
 

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Volkl 100Eight W. At least try them. I think the rocker will increase confidence in powder. My daily driver is a 2013 Kenja in 156, but I’m a lot lighter than you, so I like that you are going longer.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
My go to powder skis when I rent at Alta for more than 10 inches are DPS skis. But didn't notice any in the Taos shops. Usually I get the Nina 99 but I've also enjoyed the Zelda 106 and even the Yvette 112 in really deep snow. Wouldn't buy anything wider than 100 underfoot at my size, 5'0", 112 lbs, older, advanced.

I suggest you demo skis that are 100-110 underfoot. With tip and tail rocker, makes sense to try up to 10cm longer than your narrower skis. The Saffron 7 @162 seems a bit short for you for deep snow, considering I had fun with that length when I demo'd it at Alta back in 2015.

Have fun in the fresh snow!
 

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@Pequenita I was a lot lighter a few years ago when I got those skis...aging sucks :mad2: Ok, just added the Volkl 100Eight on the list. So should I try the 165 or 173?

Maybe my weight gain will coincide with when I need new skis! :becky:

I’d get the demo person’s opinion. I am not great in powder and tried the 157 last week. Because of the rocker, it skis short, but for myself, that was not bad thing.
 

Susan L

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@marzNC This storm only has 10% bust potential so I am looking forward to it! I am planning to stay in Taos for the next 3 weeks and forecast shows another round of snow moving in next week too!
I was inexperienced in choosing skis before - hubby picked all of those for me. I only started demoing this season and realized I could actually feel the difference! I will call around town (abq/sf/taos) to see if anyone has DPS skis!
So why 100-110 over those in the 90s?
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I only started demoing this season and realized I could actually feel the difference! I will call around town (abq/sf/taos) to see if anyone has DPS skis!
So why 100-110 over those in the 90s?
I only suggested demo'ing a bit wider because you've already been on skis that are in the mid to high 90s. Your Kastle MX89 should be good in up to 5-6 inches of powder with a bit more work on technique. Remember that I learn a lot from skis that I don't like or are okay but not optimal. So I tend to use demo opportunities to test the limits.

For instance, after a major powder dump at Alta/Snowbird, I took out the Yvette that's 112 underfoot in the morning even though I knew skis around 100 would've been fine. I took out the K2 LuvBoat in the afternoon. The next day I took out the Zelda 106 when we went to Snowbird. What I was checking was how the Zelda would do on the Snowbird groomers because I'm not really that likely to be skiing 95% on powder as a resort skier. I rent on mountain when demo'ing powder skis at Alta. Almost always switch out at lunch, even if what I had in the morning was fun.

When I started skiing more regularly with my ski buddy, Bill, he used the RTM 84 most of the time. He had very good old-style feet-together technique. Even so, he could ski and have a great time in knee deep powder. Has since moved to the Nordica NRGY 90. The lessons in recent years, including three Taos Ski Weeks in the last three years, means that he has a far more efficient stance and better pole usage. He rarely bothers to bring his powder skis (White Dot, 100 underfoot) that he bought after demo'ing at Big Sky the first time we went in 2012.
 

santacruz skier

Angel Diva
Blizzard Sheeva 10 is a fun powder ski at 102 underfoot.. I'm 5'1 <105 so demoed in Tahoe in a 156. It does ski short so you might try the next size up.....
 

Susan L

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
@WaterGirl That’s what my husband has in mind. He reserved the BMX105 and FX95. I overheard him asking for the MX74 too, which I don’t want to try because I already have enough skis but he is obsessed with the MX line. He also has Stöckli Stormrider on my list too.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
@WaterGirl That’s what my husband has in mind. He reserved the BMX105 and FX95. I overheard him asking for the MX74 too, which I don’t want to try because I already have enough skis but he is obsessed with the MX line. He also has Stöckli Stormrider on my list too.
Guess he expects you to be developing solid fundamentals. Kastle and Stöckli are great skis, but my impression is that they aren't that forgiving.

Here's a review of the 2017 FX95. At the end: "If you're an aggressive advanced or expert skier looking for one pair of skis you can confidently ski the entire mountain on, you've found your match."
https://www.skiessentials.com/2017-kastle-fx-95-hp-skis.html

You might try a softer powder ski for comparison. Perhaps K2 or Rossi.

I had a great time with my Stormrider 85 skis in deep powder last week. But that's after 5+ years of gaining experience and technique skiing deep powder (mostly at Alta). I used to rent powder skis for more than about six inches of fresh snow, then changed to ten inches.
 

SquidWeaselYay

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I tried out the Saloman Lumen 99 in JH and that was a pretty neat ski. It is stiffer, like the kenjas though, so I'm not sure how it would do in powder. I did see quite a few ladies on it. The rossi soul HD also seemed popular.
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think we need someone to try the new K2 Mindbender Alliance series for us. Say maybe the 98, the 106, and the 115?
 

Susan L

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I already have the solid skills to drive and enjoy the MX and AX on piste. The MX are pure carving skis. It needs to be driven and it needs speed, so once you have the skills to take charge, you will understand and fully appreciate what they can do. The AX also needs speed and the right driver to bring out the life and playfullness in them. They give me what the MX doesn’t, shorter radius turns with a pop. I find them to be my perfect all-mountain skis - great for carving, bumps, and light powder. I don’t think I can find any other skis that are more perfect than these 2 for me!
I am not as strong a skier on powder and did not really have the chance/experience to ski anything deep since there hasn’t been much snow until this year. I was going to wait until next year to demo powder skis, but with the fresh snow we got/is on the way, I cannot miss the opportunity. I will be taking a private ski week starting this Sunday while demoing, so I have no excuse to not get out of my comfort zone! I am really excited to try out as many suggestions as possible!:ski::ski::ski:
 

snoWYmonkey

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My go to work beast for powder days, if skiing some but minimal groomers may be involved, is the Stella QST 106. Not horrible on groomers, and tons of fun in powder. I also have the new mantra 96 underfoot in a 170 length and that truly is my do everything ski as it schmears like a dream on green groomers and handles off piste and most pow just fine. I am five foot five and weight 135. Demo demo demo, on a groomer day for a powder ski and make sure you can ski it that way, and don't go too short and it should ski well on a powder day. That has been my personal approach for the past ten years. Good luck!
 

Scribble

Angel Diva
I am not great in powder and tried the 157 last week. Because of the rocker, it skis short, but for myself, that was not bad thing.
I tried the 100 eight's today in 157, it was all the shop had. They were an absolute blast! I had been demoing the Shiva 9's at 163, but in soft snow they just weren't working well for me. The 100eights just plowed right over, through and around everything I pointed them at. My bad knee definitely appreciated the shorter length and rocker. My only complaint is that the width made them hard to get on edge unless I was carrying some speed.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I am not as strong a skier on powder and did not really have the chance/experience to ski anything deep since there hasn’t been much snow until this year. I was going to wait until next year to demo powder skis, but with the fresh snow we got/is on the way, I cannot miss the opportunity. I will be taking a private ski week starting this Sunday while demoing, so I have no excuse to not get out of my comfort zone!
Who are you going to work with for the Ski Week?

My take is that powder skiing takes more finesse than strength. Plus patience to wait for the skis to actually start turning. Especially if the snow is deep enough that you can't see the tips at all.

Have fun!
 

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