xkissmekatex
Diva in Training
Hello all, sorry if this is in the wrong location!
Background/ Stats
I am 45 yrs old, 5feet 8inches ( 172.72 cm), 120lbs (54.4kg)
Ski 2-3 times per year in Utah/ Colorado (4-6 days at a time)
Been skiing for 6years, never had a lesson, I am pretty athletic (rollerblading for 27yrs/aggressive)
I ski blue/ easy black, mostly without issue (I don't find insanely steep verticles "fun", prefer a mix of steep then somewhat flat, etc.; likely bc I need a break due to health issues), don't mind if I go fast, no interest in moguls unless they come across my path, not really interested in the tree's too much
Health issue: I do have MS and would say my depth perception isn't the best hence my noninterest in moguls/ trees, so unlikely I will ever want to master these.
I just came back from vail; loved it, it's like skiing alone, those bowels and some front runs are so wide, I felt super comfortable
Prefer to make long wide turns vs short quick moves.
No idea what I would call myself in terms of skill, I just like to get out there and have fun
Intermediate / somewhat aggressive (not sure what that even means to be honest), more cautious when it is narrow or super verticle
I own and rent; am looking to add a general all-mountain and need your help
Skis I own
The first pair of skis I bought in a 153: K2 SuperBurnin (2014) https://www.skimag.com/gear/k2-superburnin-2014
I find them a bit short now and I don't like them if I hit crud or actual snow. Love them on hardpack!
I would describe them as zippy, stable unless there is a ton of crud or a big snowbank in my way, can get on edge super easy especially in ice and hardpack and get good speed despite being a bit short for me. Wish they were longer
I then purchased Saffron 7 in 162 https://www.skis.com/Rossignol-Saffron-7-Womens-Skis/350617P,default,pd.html
Love them in snow, could go longer now that I am better. No complaints unless it is hardpack
I feel that they are light, stable and super easy to edge unless icy. Love how they float
My problem.
Both of those skis to me at least are so snow/ condition-specific
Maybe it is bad luck, but I am never in Utah or Colorado when it snows, nor is it Wisconsin icy (where I live) so I end up demoing all-mountain a lot.
I dislike not having my own "all-mountain", relying on whatever is available at the shops, so am looking to purchase something in-between
Ski's I do not like
Black pearl 88. I tried them multiple years, different lengths. I find them slow/ sluggish and I actually don't edge the greatest. I really don't like them for whatever reason.
I tried the Rossignol Temptation one year and also found them equally unimpressive: https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/rossignol-temptation-84-womens
In vail this year I demoed Santa Ana 93. I was not a fan. They were slow, I couldn't edge as much as I wanted. Felt unstable. I just wasn't a fan overall.
Ski's I liked a lot
Loved Kenja in a 166 in 2015 https://www.skis.com/Volkl-Kenja-Womens-Skis-2015/362661P,default,pd.html
I remember them as smooth, stable, fast. I want to kick myself for not buying them that year.
I tried 2016 https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/volkl-kenja-womens-2016 and for whatever reason didn't like them as much.
Loved the men's Bhrama 88 this year https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/bli...TsheOtbCuX3Un4EsKtxuvx0BEo2vFdlhoCi7sQAvD_BwE
They are a bit too heavy/ tiring maybe for 6-8hours of skiing, but they are smooth, plow through anything, I felt super stable on them, no problem edging
I loved the Santa Ana in 88 last week in Vail, but only was able to demo 153. I wanted to try the 165.
I was ready to buy, but my only complaint is when I am really going fast and hit too much crud or a large snowdrift that is a bit icy, I felt a bit unstable, or even like I was going to be bucked off. I was thinking maybe this was due to the shorter length than I wanted, but have read a few reviews saying they are not the greatest in crud. Sigh. I thought I had found my ski.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I am really looking for in a ski?
Thank you so much in advance,
Katie
Background/ Stats
I am 45 yrs old, 5feet 8inches ( 172.72 cm), 120lbs (54.4kg)
Ski 2-3 times per year in Utah/ Colorado (4-6 days at a time)
Been skiing for 6years, never had a lesson, I am pretty athletic (rollerblading for 27yrs/aggressive)
I ski blue/ easy black, mostly without issue (I don't find insanely steep verticles "fun", prefer a mix of steep then somewhat flat, etc.; likely bc I need a break due to health issues), don't mind if I go fast, no interest in moguls unless they come across my path, not really interested in the tree's too much
Health issue: I do have MS and would say my depth perception isn't the best hence my noninterest in moguls/ trees, so unlikely I will ever want to master these.
I just came back from vail; loved it, it's like skiing alone, those bowels and some front runs are so wide, I felt super comfortable
Prefer to make long wide turns vs short quick moves.
No idea what I would call myself in terms of skill, I just like to get out there and have fun
Intermediate / somewhat aggressive (not sure what that even means to be honest), more cautious when it is narrow or super verticle I own and rent; am looking to add a general all-mountain and need your help
Skis I own
The first pair of skis I bought in a 153: K2 SuperBurnin (2014) https://www.skimag.com/gear/k2-superburnin-2014
I find them a bit short now and I don't like them if I hit crud or actual snow. Love them on hardpack!
I would describe them as zippy, stable unless there is a ton of crud or a big snowbank in my way, can get on edge super easy especially in ice and hardpack and get good speed despite being a bit short for me. Wish they were longer
I then purchased Saffron 7 in 162 https://www.skis.com/Rossignol-Saffron-7-Womens-Skis/350617P,default,pd.html
Love them in snow, could go longer now that I am better. No complaints unless it is hardpack
I feel that they are light, stable and super easy to edge unless icy. Love how they float
My problem.
Both of those skis to me at least are so snow/ condition-specific
Maybe it is bad luck, but I am never in Utah or Colorado when it snows, nor is it Wisconsin icy (where I live) so I end up demoing all-mountain a lot.
I dislike not having my own "all-mountain", relying on whatever is available at the shops, so am looking to purchase something in-between
Ski's I do not like
Black pearl 88. I tried them multiple years, different lengths. I find them slow/ sluggish and I actually don't edge the greatest. I really don't like them for whatever reason.
I tried the Rossignol Temptation one year and also found them equally unimpressive: https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/rossignol-temptation-84-womens
In vail this year I demoed Santa Ana 93. I was not a fan. They were slow, I couldn't edge as much as I wanted. Felt unstable. I just wasn't a fan overall.
Ski's I liked a lot
Loved Kenja in a 166 in 2015 https://www.skis.com/Volkl-Kenja-Womens-Skis-2015/362661P,default,pd.html
I remember them as smooth, stable, fast. I want to kick myself for not buying them that year.
I tried 2016 https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/volkl-kenja-womens-2016 and for whatever reason didn't like them as much.
Loved the men's Bhrama 88 this year https://www.evo.com/outlet/skis/bli...TsheOtbCuX3Un4EsKtxuvx0BEo2vFdlhoCi7sQAvD_BwE
They are a bit too heavy/ tiring maybe for 6-8hours of skiing, but they are smooth, plow through anything, I felt super stable on them, no problem edging
I loved the Santa Ana in 88 last week in Vail, but only was able to demo 153. I wanted to try the 165.
I was ready to buy, but my only complaint is when I am really going fast and hit too much crud or a large snowdrift that is a bit icy, I felt a bit unstable, or even like I was going to be bucked off. I was thinking maybe this was due to the shorter length than I wanted, but have read a few reviews saying they are not the greatest in crud. Sigh. I thought I had found my ski.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I am really looking for in a ski?
Thank you so much in advance,
Katie
. Even a 165 could be considered a tad short for you BUT it will be much more stable. That being said, I bolded above because you're going to feel unstable in that kind of snow on any ski, but some skis will definitely handle it better than others. I'm an unabashed HUGE fan of the Santa Ana 88, and have skied mine well over 100 days since last season and even after testing out several other brands last winter and this, they are STILL my favorite skis. Whomever says they are not great in crud is not skiing the crud I am skiing--I think they ROCK in crud, better than any ski I've ever owned, including the 2016 Kenja. I skied them in coral reef covered by two inches of cream cheese in flat light this past weekend and they were unflappable. I like that they can slow down in the crud and make short turns, or I can hit the gas on them in it and make bigger turns and they're still smooth and stable. They lack the "carbon-y" feel that so many skis possess these days, too, which is not a feeling I care for and perhaps why you didn't like the Black Pearls. 
