Help Needed: My Short List of Comeback Skis

[skibum4ever]

Good morning all.

Well...I got my second Prolia shot yesterday. This has been my benchmark for returning to skiing. Yes, I know that a mere two shots are not enough to make a significant difference in my bones. But I feel that it's time to give skiing a shot. If I decide that I'm actually not ready, I will continue to heal over the summer and go out again when conditions get decent next season.

My endocrinologist commended my forbearance in waiting this long and agrees with my decision. I intend to use an ACL brace, a thigh brace and my Bracelayer bottoms. And I plan to take a lesson to ease the transition.

Though rental skis will be included in my lesson, I would prefer to use a pair of well tuned skis of my own. Of course I don't intend to purchase a new pair of skis at this point, so I'm looking for a pair of used skis that I think will work. My current quiver is 90-102 wide and 160-162 long. I think I should try a narrower shorter ski. Maybe in the low 150's and low 80's underfoot and very easy turning, very forgiving.

For reference, I am 5'0" and about 130 lb. I have never been comfortable with narrow short skis so I hope to stay in my comfort zone. I am a Nordica gal but certainly willing to try other brands.

Here's my short list:

- Volkl Yumi 84
- Nordica Astral 84
- Head Total Joy 85
- Rossignol Experience 84
- Nordica Wild Belle 84
- Nordica Santa Ana 84

Seeking advice and recommendations. TY.

Sorry about the length of this post.

 

[TiffAlt]

I'm very new to the sport just this year, so any advice I have is of very limited value, but as a petite lower intermediate looking to progress, the Volkl Yumis really hit the spot for me. I actually just bought the Volkl Yumi I demo'ed last weekend.

Volkl Yumi Summary: I felt they were very forgiving, allowing me to change my turn radius easily at both slow and fast speeds. They are a very light ski, though still reasonably stable at speed. I didn't get any chatter, but I don't go that fast right now. I demoed and bought the 154 which at 5'1.5, I was worried would be too long, but the length didn't bother me at all. They have a very long tip rocker, so ski on the shorter side. They were great in bumps too, which I really appreciated as while I haven't injured my knees, they aren't what they used to be.

@tinymoose @SkiBam and @marzNC have all owned and loved these. If you want to read more about my demo experience on them, it's here:

Buying demo skis...

Love this - not just a sticker, this is ART! Aldo less chance of people just grabbing your skis thinking it's theirs. *Cough* It feels like everyone has the BP 88 *cough*

www.theskidiva.com

The best of luck to you on your comeback and I very much admire your forebearance as well as your fortitude. I think your comeback will be fabulous with your attitude and level head!

 

[Knitjenious]

My bodytype could not be more different than yours, but I have indeed tried the Nordica Astral 84, Wild Belle 84, and Santa Ana 84 in the past calendar year. Of all those, the Astral felt the most friendly and forgiving to me, and very turny. The Belles felt the stiffest (anecdotally -- maybe they aren't stiff!) and the Santa Anas I just hated (but the conditions were poor and also the demo was too short for me.)

After demoing this year, I decided I am NOT a Nordica gal -- but if you know Nordica has been good for you, that might add an element of predictability. Even if it's a placebo effect, the confidence boost might be worthwhile!

Also welcome back to skiing!!!

 

[ilovepugs]

The Black Pearl 82 needs to be on your list!

 

[Pequenita]

No suggestions, but I am rooting for you @skibum4ever !!

 

[tinymoose]

My bodytype could not be more different than yours, but I have indeed tried the Nordica Astral 84, Wild Belle 84, and Santa Ana 84 in the past calendar year. Of all those, the Astral felt the most friendly and forgiving to me, and very turny. The Belles felt the stiffest (anecdotally -- maybe they aren't stiff!) and the Santa Anas I just hated (but the conditions were poor and also the demo was too short for me.)

After demoing this year, I decided I am NOT a Nordica gal -- but if you know Nordica has been good for you, that might add an element of predictability. Even if it's a placebo effect, the confidence boost might be worthwhile!

Also welcome back to skiing!!!

Interesting. I was gonna rec the Wild Belle. lol It's funny all the different things we all get out of the same ski. I demoed it last year along with the Yumi and Ripstick, and found it super turny and easy to ski. I don't remember it feeling particularly stiff or demanding.

 

[Knitjenious]

Interesting. I was gonna rec the Wild Belle. lol It's funny all the different things we all get out of the same ski. I demoed it last year along with the Yumi and Ripstick, and found it super turny and easy to ski. I don't remember it feeling particularly stiff or demanding.

Hard to really compare apples to apples for me, since my experience on the Astrals was late last season and my experience on the Wild Belles and Santa Anas were this year at a clinic on two consecutive days. I tried the Belles after lunch, so may have just been more tired that day! After several demo days, I ended up on a Ripstick myself that I am very happy with. I just never felt super stable on the Astral or Santa Ana (but with the amount of rocker, the 165s i tried in each were short for my 5'7", 215 lbs frame!), and the Wild Belle just wore me out the day I tried them. Despite the lack of stability though, I did find the Astrals to be fun and they initiated turns easily.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

I have been on the Yumi, Total Joy, have an older version of Wild Belle. All great choices.

 

[marzNC]

Here's my short list:

- Volkl Yumi 84
- Nordica Astral 84
- Head Total Joy 85
- Rossignol Experience 84
- Nordica Wild Belle 84
- Nordica Santa Ana 84

All good choices based on my demo experience of related models from a few years ago that were in the 84-88 range underfoot. Never tried the Rossi Experience but that's mostly because I always like Rossi skis. My impression of Nordica skis is that they are more forgiving than Volkl or the Head Joy line, although I like the Yumi from a few years ago and the Total Joy.

After my knee rehab, I was on skis bought used that were 5mm and 5cm shorter than the all-mountain skis I'd bought a couple years before. I was skiing 80% groomers back then during trips to big mountains out west.

Wishing you good luck and safe skiing!

 

[marzNC]

The Black Pearl 82 needs to be on your list!

I did enjoy the BP82 on a groomer first thing in the morning at the Alta Demo Day last April. I took out the same length as my all-mountain skis that are 85 underfoot.

Also took out the BP97 at the same length. Mostly to see if I could carve them on groomers, which I could without extra work. Turn radius of the BP97 was 14.0, compared to 12.5 for the BP82.

The Total Joy that was fun was essentially the same length, with Turn Radius 12.0. Since I took those out in the afternoon, I had fun in soft bumps as well as on the groomers. I'd taken out the Total Joy at a shorter length earlier in the day, and didn't like them on steeper terrain.

 

[TheGreenOne]

For reference, I am 5'0" and about 130 lb. I have never been comfortable with narrow short skis so I hope to stay in my comfort zone. I am a Nordica gal but certainly willing to try other brands.

Here's my short list:

- Volkl Yumi 84
- Nordica Astral 84
- Head Total Joy 85
- Rossignol Experience 84
- Nordica Wild Belle 84
- Nordica Santa Ana 84

Seeking advice and recommendations. TY.

Sorry about the length of this post.

Are there Rossi experience 84s in the current years' models for women?

There's 82 and 86 CMs, both available in Basalt and Titanium, the current model has been in rotation since for two seasons, so they may cycle out this year. My local ski shop guy said manufacturers are, and have been recycling one design for at lest two years, so if they don't return the same models for third year; the Rossi's experience should go on sale.

I have the 82s in Basalt at 159cm, and though I don't have much demo experiences with non-rentals (only did one demo, on a powder day, so were wider skis) to compare, I've found the 82 basalt to be very responsive for me—similar height/weight as you, and still a beginner. Prior to the basalt, I had tried a narrower and shorter experience—72 or 76cm wide(too soft and chatter) and trixie - 80cm wide (tween ski, lots of chatter though easier to control), both in the upper 140s and the basalts feels more stable, smooth and responsive than the other two. I have the one with the LOOK system binding; I tend to buy system binding to increase the resell potential because I have a tiny feet; I don't want to buy flat, mount and limit the future owner range :D

 

[contesstant]

Good morning all.

Well...I got my second Prolia shot yesterday. This has been my benchmark for returning to skiing. Yes, I know that a mere two shots are not enough to make a significant difference in my bones. But I feel that it's time to give skiing a shot. If I decide that I'm actually not ready, I will continue to heal over the summer and go out again when conditions get decent next season.

My endocrinologist commended my forbearance in waiting this long and agrees with my decision. I intend to use an ACL brace, a thigh brace and my Bracelayer bottoms. And I plan to take a lesson to ease the transition.

Though rental skis will be included in my lesson, I would prefer to use a pair of well tuned skis of my own. Of course I don't intend to purchase a new pair of skis at this point, so I'm looking for a pair of used skis that I think will work. My current quiver is 90-102 wide and 160-162 long. I think I should try a narrower shorter ski. Maybe in the low 150's and low 80's underfoot and very easy turning, very forgiving.

For reference, I am 5'0" and about 130 lb. I have never been comfortable with narrow short skis so I hope to stay in my comfort zone. I am a Nordica gal but certainly willing to try other brands.

Here's my short list:

- Volkl Yumi 84
- Nordica Astral 84
- Head Total Joy 85
- Rossignol Experience 84
- Nordica Wild Belle 84
- Nordica Santa Ana 84

Seeking advice and recommendations. TY.

Sorry about the length of this post.

I think any of these would be suitable. So glad you are going to be back out there again soon!

 

[mustski]

I demoed the experience 82 basalt in Taos. It was very friendly and easy to ski. I want to try the TI version because the basalt was lacking a fun factor for me.

 

[Soujan]

I would add the Armada Reliance 82 Ti to your list. I bought a used demo pair. Fun ski, easy to turn and forgiving. DH complains that sometimes I look too lazy on them.

 

[skibum4ever]

I would add the Armada Reliance 82 Ti to your list. I bought a used demo pair. Fun ski, easy to turn and forgiving. DH complains that sometimes I look too lazy on them.

That sounds like my kind of ski.

 

[TiffAlt]

That sounds like my kind of ski.

I thought @contesstant skied those and said they felt like a tank... maybe I'm not remembering it correctly.

 

[TiffAlt]

Nevermind me @skibum4ever and @contesstant. I found the post and she was talking about the 106.

Alta Demo Reqs

Hi All, I'm going to be at Alta next week and I'm considering demoing powder skis at least some of the days, as it looks like they'll be getting even more snow this week and next and conditions should be pretty fluffy. I would love some advice on which ones to seek out. I don't intend to buy...

www.theskidiva.com

 

[beane]

I'm hoping to "comeback" on my Elan Wildcat 86s. They have a few widths and are quite fun.

 

[contesstant]

I thought @contesstant skied those and said they felt like a tank... maybe I'm not remembering it correctly.

I skied the 92s. But yes, I felt them to be very cumbersome.