Hello ladies! So happy to have found this community. I was an intermediate skier before utterly destroying my acl and meniscus and am now post-surgery and cleared to ski again. But I'm very anxious out there. I feel like I'm back to snowplow turns and just trying to stay as slow as possible. As soon as I get a bit of speed I freeze and my brain starts to yell at me. I'm looking for a new pair of skis that aren't my Kastles which just feel too long and hard to maneuver. I'm looking for short and flexy and something that I will grow out of and sell at the end of the season - I'm 179cm and 170 lbs. There aren't any long-term rentals near me or demo's right now, so don't mind buying. I'm looking at the K2 Mindbender 90C/163cm or Atomic Maven 86/161cm, but open to any recommendations! We live in interior BC. Thanks for any help!
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Question: Post surgery newbie skis
- Thread starter Josie88
- Start date
Iwannaski
Angel Diva
As an intermediate … I would like to put in a plug for Renouns. They wouldn’t be one year skis - but hear me out. The technology allows the ski to have variable vibration characteristics and behave differently at different speeds. They’re also SUPER light so you’re not carrying all the weight on your knee when you’re on the lift. I’m a heavier skier, but my skis weigh almost the same as my daughter’s kid skis… and substantially less than the dude skis in our household. I used to ski on Cloud 9s that were a bit short (so a super easy to ski ski) and the stability I feel on these in a variety of conditions is unreal. I’ve skied them in 8 inches of fresh snow all the way down to boilerplate. I have the Earhart 88 from the 21/22 season.
Ah yes - I forgot about the Blaze. Thank you!
shadoj
Angel Diva
Hi! Welcome, glad you found us 
@Scribble -- great point on the system bindings!
Haven't personally read it, but "A Conversation With Fear" (by the excellent skier Mermer Blakeslee) gets mentioned here frequently.
Brains are funny. We first have to fool ourselves to downhill ski, throwing away self-preservation by falling (yes, falling) down the hill. We then trust our skills, our equipment to catch us. Repeat.
This is by no means natural -- much like learning (relearning) to walk, then run. An injury tends to remind the brain that this is *not* natural -- that we're not supposed to fall, *ever*, even if it's controlled. We lock up, widen our base and brace, hoping that nothing will tip us over. That, of course, does not lead to fluid, dynamic skiing, which tends to reinforce the fear of (or actual) falling over, and the cycle repeats.
How can we break your cycle?
How do you loosen up to ski, before even taking a run? Do you ever hop (a little) up and down on your skis on the flats to get those ankles and knees bending? Do some stretches while clicked in? Stand on one foot, then the other? Shuffle your feet back & forth? Silly dance (yes, I'm guilty)?
@Scribble -- great point on the system bindings!
Haven't personally read it, but "A Conversation With Fear" (by the excellent skier Mermer Blakeslee) gets mentioned here frequently.
Brains are funny. We first have to fool ourselves to downhill ski, throwing away self-preservation by falling (yes, falling) down the hill. We then trust our skills, our equipment to catch us. Repeat.
This is by no means natural -- much like learning (relearning) to walk, then run. An injury tends to remind the brain that this is *not* natural -- that we're not supposed to fall, *ever*, even if it's controlled. We lock up, widen our base and brace, hoping that nothing will tip us over. That, of course, does not lead to fluid, dynamic skiing, which tends to reinforce the fear of (or actual) falling over, and the cycle repeats.
How can we break your cycle?
How do you loosen up to ski, before even taking a run? Do you ever hop (a little) up and down on your skis on the flats to get those ankles and knees bending? Do some stretches while clicked in? Stand on one foot, then the other? Shuffle your feet back & forth? Silly dance (yes, I'm guilty)?
That's a very helpful reminder to do more pre-ski. I'm usually just sending the kids off on the gondola and then trying to brave up and take the chair up a green which I haven't made it down without crying yet. (it's quite a scene) We are at the hill 5 days a week with the kids racing and I really want to not be at the base all season like last year. That book is a great rec thanks for that!Hi! Welcome, glad you found us
@Scribble -- great point on the system bindings!
Haven't personally read it, but "A Conversation With Fear" (by the excellent skier Mermer Blakeslee) gets mentioned here frequently.
Brains are funny. We first have to fool ourselves to downhill ski, throwing away self-preservation by falling (yes, falling) down the hill. We then trust our skills, our equipment to catch us. Repeat.
This is by no means natural -- much like learning (relearning) to walk, then run. An injury tends to remind the brain that this is *not* natural -- that we're not supposed to fall, *ever*, even if it's controlled. We lock up, widen our base and brace, hoping that nothing will tip us over. That, of course, does not lead to fluid, dynamic skiing, which tends to reinforce the fear of (or actual) falling over, and the cycle repeats.
How can we break your cycle?
How do you loosen up to ski, before even taking a run? Do you ever hop (a little) up and down on your skis on the flats to get those ankles and knees bending? Do some stretches while clicked in? Stand on one foot, then the other? Shuffle your feet back & forth? Silly dance (yes, I'm guilty)?
I have knee issues and prefer a narrower ski. I have the Santa Anna 88's for my west ski. I know one of the race coaches at Sun Peaks and he prefers a 78mm. I think something in between those 2 would be good.
Also while the kids are training is there a seasonal lesson program you could get into? My ladies night group one year was all race kid Mom's.
Also while the kids are training is there a seasonal lesson program you could get into? My ladies night group one year was all race kid Mom's.
Idahoskier
Diva in Training
I’m the odd duck out here. I ski a ridiculously wide, super soft, fully rockered (full reverse camber) ski that is technically “toor short” at 169cm. While it is ridiculous it is the easiest ski I have ever skied. If you have some skiing skill you can get them up on edge (see my profile picture). I have found a fully rockered ski to be the easiest to ski and initiate turns. The wide platform I’m on is easier on my knee for stability and it blasts through crud without a second thought. I have skied ice with them but I am in the Bitterroots and Rockies where we get pretty dry snow and nothing compared to east coast ice.
My first year back I was on 105 under foot Liberty skis with tip and tail rocker, they worked well. I skied VERY cautious and stayed off any of the harder runs. I was slow and easy until I got my confidence back. When I finally found a pair of K2 Hellbents I bought them and now ski like I did pre injury. An old Jackson pro patroller who also heli patrolled in the BC Rockies and Alaska turned me onto these skis. I always though they were too wide until I tried them. It’s too bad K2 no longer makes them, they are fat, heavy, ridiculous and the easiest ski you will ever ski. If I couldn’t find Hellbents (I own 2 pair) I would look for something fully rockered and fat. I think the JJ/VJJ is still fully rockered/reverse camber. I believe the Mindbender is K2’s “new” Hellbent. While not as fat or as rockered I believe it’s as close as you can get from K2.
For reference, at 45 I DESTROYED my entire right knee (every ligament, medial and lateral meniscus, cracked my tibia, etc) in a non skiing related accident (dirt bike). I’m 52 now and skiing better than I have in years. It takes time to get your confidence back. Once you find your Zen skis you will be skiing as well or better than pre injury. I am still more cautious than when I was younger but, some of that comes with age too. ;)
Attached some pics of our crew on Bents. We are even teaching our new snowboard patroller how to ski the Bents.
My first year back I was on 105 under foot Liberty skis with tip and tail rocker, they worked well. I skied VERY cautious and stayed off any of the harder runs. I was slow and easy until I got my confidence back. When I finally found a pair of K2 Hellbents I bought them and now ski like I did pre injury. An old Jackson pro patroller who also heli patrolled in the BC Rockies and Alaska turned me onto these skis. I always though they were too wide until I tried them. It’s too bad K2 no longer makes them, they are fat, heavy, ridiculous and the easiest ski you will ever ski. If I couldn’t find Hellbents (I own 2 pair) I would look for something fully rockered and fat. I think the JJ/VJJ is still fully rockered/reverse camber. I believe the Mindbender is K2’s “new” Hellbent. While not as fat or as rockered I believe it’s as close as you can get from K2.
For reference, at 45 I DESTROYED my entire right knee (every ligament, medial and lateral meniscus, cracked my tibia, etc) in a non skiing related accident (dirt bike). I’m 52 now and skiing better than I have in years. It takes time to get your confidence back. Once you find your Zen skis you will be skiing as well or better than pre injury. I am still more cautious than when I was younger but, some of that comes with age too. ;)
Attached some pics of our crew on Bents. We are even teaching our new snowboard patroller how to ski the Bents.
Attachments
marzNC
Angel Diva
For context, what level skier were you before the knee injury? The OP was an "intermediate" before injury although that means different things in different regions.
I was an adventurous intermediate over 50 before popping off an ACL (not a skiing injury) a decade ago. I chose to become a "coper" and didn't have surgery. I invested time and money into lessons, which paid off after a few seasons. The initial lessons were at my home hill in the southeast, where all trails were groomed and took less than 3 min to finish. I've continued to have lessons as an advanced skier and don't ever intend to stop learning more about skiing efficiently. The first couple seasons I used skis that were 5-10cm shorter as well as narrower than my all-mountain skis that I had been using at big mountains in the Rockies. Improving technique was easier on narrower skis. When I started lessons in 2013 I didn't know how to do railroad tracks properly, so getting any skis on a high edge wasn't ever happening. A decade later, I'm comfortable skiing my all-mountain skis (85 underfoot) in a foot of fresh fluffy powder or using my powder skis in bumps and trees.
skibum4ever
Angel Diva
Following.
Idahoskier
Diva in Training
I was an intermediate skier pre accident. Sucked in powder, hated trees but could bomb groomers at speed. I would consider myself a much better skier today than pre-accident, strong intermediate to low expert today. I “can” ski anything on the mountain but I choose to stick to blues, single blacks and no moguls. I am not supposed to be in powder due to the extent of my knee injury but I do go into the powder for a little bit when we get a fresh dump. I does however make my knee REALLY tired.
Railroad tracks were one of the very first drills I worked on when coming back post accident. We just took one of the “kids” (early 30’s), that patrols on a snowboard and skied when she was younger, and put her through the railroad tracks drill on Hellbents. It’s a good refresher at the beginning of every season.
I think the most important thing is getting into a workout routine to keep your quads strong and working on good ski technique. Skiing efficient is much easier than bad habits. Also listening to your body and knee, stop when you get tired. When I start to get into the backseat I know I’m tired and I’m done. I ski a lot more 1/2 and 3/4 days than full days now. But at least I’m out skiing.
I demo’d a number of skis and bought the Liberty skis. I didn’t go to Hellbents until I found a pair of 169’s and ski them exclusively now.
marzNC
Angel Diva
From my observation of PSIA Level 3 instructors when they are free skiing, they do RR tracks on cat tracks all the time. Doesn't matter if it's early season or mid-season.
Agree that learning to ski efficiently is well worth while. Respectfully disagree that focusing on quad strength is key. My focus during pre-season as someone over 60 is on full body flexibility, dynamic balance (fore/aft, side-to-side), core strength, hamstrings and adductors/abductors for knee support, with cardio and general leg strength as useful but lower priority. I do 1-leg balance work all year. Even if only for a few minutes a day when standing around the house or waiting in line at the grocery store. For cardio, I used HIIT routines. Most of my skiing is lift-served and that's not likely to change.
Good for you on getting back out there! What's your favorite mountain?
My primary ski buddies and I were lucky enough to have a semi-private powder lesson at Wolf Creek a couple weeks ago. It was a followup to a full-day lesson with the same instructor the day before. When possible, we like to do that as an early season "tune-up." The focus during the second lesson was on ankles and very subtle movements. Was very cool when I could feel the difference on mellow pitches with 6-10 inches of fresh snow that was fairly dry.
Idahoskier
Diva in Training
Let’s see if I can figure out multi quote replies, I’ve not done that in a LONG time.
Agree. I ski with Patrollers so we are always working on something.
Agree completely. I didn’t say that well. I workout 5 days a week with a structured plan to include strength, flexibility and cardio. I have to keep my quads strong, IT bands not tight, work hip flexors, etc to support my knee.
For affordability and accommodating all of the ski family, Ski Lookout. Lookout is a small mountain but they have great snow! Favorite mountain close is Schweitzer but it’s expensive. Favorite semi local mountain is Brundage.
Ankles are sooooo overlooked and so important. I wouldn’t mind taking a good powder lesson, IMO lessons with any sport should be ongoing. There is always something to learn or improve on.
Idahoskier
Diva in Training
The west is big for sure. Revy and the BC Rockies in general are AMAZING!! For the most part you are going to get nice light snow. You will be back at it in no time. The ice skills you have will probably make our soft NW Rockies groomers easy peasy.
