Reasons to consider narrower skis (<=80cm)

[MissySki]

I actually really like my Atomic Redster X9 WB in the bumps! I haven't taken them in the trees but I'd imagine they'd be fun when conditions are firm. For deeper conditions I would rather take my Sheevas. They are 75mm underfoot and pure camber. They turn on a dime and grip the icy bumps incredibly well.

Thanks, this especially makes me happy to hear as a Sheeva fan myself! I will put it on my list to try.

What size are you on compared to the Sheeva? I assume I'd want to try the 160? 152 seems uber short, but my Sheevas are 164 with a lot of rocker so..

 

[santacruz skier]

Are you looking for skis to ski eastern bumps? Can't help you there.
In Tahoe, except for now it hasn't snowed in a month, usually bumps are soft on top and maybe get icier in the troughs. Your Sheeva 9's would be fine in those bumps. Often in the sierras bumps get really skied over after a big storm and are slightly covered by the heavy snow and chop. You would not want narrow skis in that terrain.

 

[MissySki]

Are you looking for skis to ski eastern bumps? Can't help you there.
In Tahoe, except for now it hasn't snowed in a month, usually bumps are soft on top and maybe get icier in the troughs. Your Sheeva 9's would be fine in those bumps. Often in the sierras bumps get really skied over after a big storm and are slightly covered by the heavy snow and chop. You would not want narrow skis in that terrain.

Yes, definitely for the East. Sometimes there is no soft snow to be found on bumps here at all but I still want to ski them, or everything is great on most and then suddenly even the shoulders of a bump or two are super slick etc. The troughs are almost always super slick here so I try to stay out of those most of the time.

 

[kmb5662]

Thanks, this especially makes me happy to hear as a Sheeva fan myself! I will put it on my list to try.

What size are you on compared to the Sheeva? I assume I'd want to try the 160? 152 seems uber short, but my Sheevas are 164 with a lot of rocker so..

I am 5' 2" and ski the 157 Sheeva and the 152 Redster. The Redsters honestly ski as long as my Sheevas given the amount of rocker the Sheeva has.

 

[santacruz skier]

Yes, definitely for the East. Sometimes there is no soft snow to be found on bumps here at all but I still want to ski them, or everything is great on most and then suddenly even the shoulders of a bump or two are super slick etc. The troughs are almost always super slick here so I try to stay out of those most of the time.

Didn't the Head Joy series have a narrower ski that would work in the bumps? Super Joy? Maybe @MaineSkiLady had them?

 

[liquidfeet]

I have a pair of Super Joys that need a tune because I let them sit wet for a couple of weeks when Covid hit. I forgot to dry them. One full tune will fix this.

They are 163 in length. I used them one season.
Anybody want to buy them? PM me if yes.

 

[Pequenita]

What are some narrower skis (less than say 80mm) that Divas are loving?

Not for bumps, but I’m on Volkl Racetiger SL skis a lot. I think they’re like 67mm underfoot and 12m radius. One of my favorite pastimes is taking them on a 3 mile run and counting how many turns I make (it’s around 140 turns, I think. Or 120. Something like that.). I highly recommend everyone own a pair of SL cheater skis — they’re really good for training yourself what it’s like to go edge to edge quickly.

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

I've always wanted to try SL skis---are you supposed to go even shorter with SL than normal carvers though? So if I'd normally get like a 156-158cm, would somewhere like 155 be the "correct" slalom length?

 

[tinymoose]

I ski my SLs in the same basic length range as my other skis, but I don't know if that's the correct thing to do? My SLs are 150s, while my Yumis are 147.

 

[tinymoose]

Not for bumps, but I’m on Volkl Racetiger SL skis a lot. I think they’re like 67mm underfoot and 12m radius. One of my favorite pastimes is taking them on a 3 mile run and counting how many turns I make (it’s around 140 turns, I think. Or 120. Something like that.). I highly recommend everyone own a pair of SL cheater skis — they’re really good for training yourself what it’s like to go edge to edge quickly.

So prior to owning my SLs, I never considered any of my 80-something width skis wide. But after having had the SLs for a few years and having skied them quite a bit, my Yumis now feel kinda wide, planky, and slow to respond. I actually find it sort of frustrating how much more difficult I find it to get them up on edge. I'm sure a good deal of it is my technique and skill level, but the SLs make it infinitely easier.

 

[liquidfeet]

So prior to owning my SLs, I never considered any of my 80-something width skis wide. But after having had the SLs for a few years and having skied them quite a bit, my Yumis now feel kinda wide, planky, and slow to respond. I actually find it sort of frustrating how much more difficult I find it to get them up on edge. I'm sure a good deal of it is my technique and skill level, but the SLs make it infinitely easier.

Worth repeating. Should be required reading for skill-seeking skiers in the east and mid-west.

 

[Bookworm]

I just ordered a pair of Blossom AM77 for skiing groomers and bumps. I won't have them in time for Taos, but I will be able to ski them at Winter Park the week of Feb 20. I'll let you know.
I got them in 164, the same length as my Kastle FXHP95 which are heavy and fast and fun, but they wear me out.
The Blossoms are fairly new to the US market, but they sound like something I will love based on others reviews. I'm not worried about resale if I don't like them.
I'll report back here.

PS. Plate bindings are suggested, but I want something a bit more pliant, so I'm putting some Look SPXs on them.

 

[Pequenita]

I've always wanted to try SL skis---are you supposed to go even shorter with SL than normal carvers though? So if I'd normally get like a 156-158cm, would somewhere like 155 be the "correct" slalom length?

I’m not sure how to size them to be honest, but I am on a 156 unrockered 88mm regular ski, and my SL skis are 150.

 

[kmb5662]

I've always wanted to try SL skis---are you supposed to go even shorter with SL than normal carvers though? So if I'd normally get like a 156-158cm, would somewhere like 155 be the "correct" slalom length?

Outside of racing, I don't think there is any right or wrong. Just a matter of personal preference. However, SL skis have a very short turning radius and are designed to make quick short turns which is obviously much easier on a shorter ski. Another thing to keep in mind is that most if not all SL/race oriented skis are pure camber and therefore will ski their true stated length unlike most other skis you find today, which almost always have some degree of rocker.

 

[MissySki]

Worth repeating. Should be required reading for skill-seeking skiers in the east and mid-west.

Would you also specify this for skill seekers off piste? I know that your normal groomer skiing plays into issues in bumps etc.. but what about for rotary versus edging skills as a focus? Do narrower skis help in that regard too? I've gotten high praise this year from the instructors in my seasonal program regarding edge angles and edge change speed etc that we've worked on a lot with the lack of off piste terrain available. My edging feels really good to me when skiing as well. I've been having a harder time getting OFF of my edges now that we are focusing more in bumps and trees again though. Which is quite annoying because I used to have the opposite problem where I'd smear my turns too much.

 

[liquidfeet]

Would you also specify this for skill seekers off piste? I know that your normal groomer skiing plays into issues in bumps etc.. but what about for rotary versus edging skills as a focus? Do narrower skis help in that regard too? I've gotten high praise this year from the instructors in my seasonal program regarding edge angles and edge change speed etc that we've worked on a lot with the lack of off piste terrain available. My edging feels really good to me when skiing as well. I've been having a harder time getting OFF of my edges now that we are focusing more in bumps and trees again though. Which is quite annoying because I used to have the opposite problem where I'd smear my turns too much.

Do narrower skis make it easier to rotate them when skiing bumps? Sure.
I'm talking about eastern bumps. They are hard, polished, and smallish.
Rotating skis on the spine or shoulders is easier if the skis are narrow.

How are your pivot slips on groomers on your daily drivers? Do the edges catch? Can you travel staright down the fall line?

 

[MissySki]

Do narrower skis make it easier to rotate them when skiing bumps? Sure.
I'm talking about eastern bumps. They are hard, polished, and smallish.
Rotating skis on the spine or shoulders is easier if the skis are narrow.

How are your pivot slips on groomers on your daily drivers? Do the edges catch? Can you travel staright down the fall line?

I can travel pretty straight down the fall line in a pivot slip, but I've been having a hard time keeping it smooth without catching my edges some on groomers when doing it. My base edge is now set to a 0.5 degree and I wonder if this is making it harder than I've found it in the past. Is this possible? Or is it just me not fully being able to pivot at the appropriate point? I've been having a harder time on hard snow, and am actually bringing in my skis today to have my edges looked at because I've roughed them up a bit and they seem to be catching weirdly. Feels great in soft snow, but on hard snow they've been acting less predictably, especially one of them which has made me only skiing them on specific feet currently which feels somewhat better.

 

[liquidfeet]

I can travel pretty straight down the fall line in a pivot slip, but I've been having a hard time keeping it smooth without catching my edges some on groomers when doing it. My base edge is now set to a 0.5 degree and I wonder if this is making it harder than I've found it in the past. Is this possible? Or is it just me not fully being able to pivot at the appropriate point? I've been having a harder time on hard snow, and am actually bringing in my skis today to have my edges looked at because I've roughed them up a bit and they seem to be catching weirdly. Feels great in soft snow, but on hard snow they've been acting less predictably, especially one of them which has made me only skiing them on specific feet currently which feels somewhat better.

Yes, that 0.5 base edge requires your feet to be very precise in adjusting the edging. But wait -- isn't that a good thing to shoot for? People will disagree. And they have a point. 1 and 2 will not require as much precision in pivot slips as 0.5 and 3. A limp noodle of a ski will not require as much precision in pivot slips as a stiff one. A long radius ski won't require as much precision as a short radius one.

My base edge on my daily drivers is 0.5. I can do pivot slips with them. I can do pivot slips with my extremely stiff FIS Atomic Redster slaloms. But, it took years.....

Many things about your skis can make pivot slips difficult. And on a flattened groomer pivot slips will be harder than on a bump, because on the bump the tip and tail are in the air. They won't catch.

On the groomer, tip and tail are on the snow and the skier needs to be precise in keeping the skis flat enough to get them to continue slipping rather than gripping.

Report back what the techs in the shop say about your edges. You may have burrs.

 

[tinymoose]

I've definitely had trouble getting off my edges on my SLs b/c they're tuned .5 and 3. Far less forgiving of my inadequacies than my Yumis at 1 and 2. This is the first year I've managed to pull a 180 on the SLs ever without catching the tail or other edge.

ETA: I do think it's funny I spent years worrying about getting on edge without ever asking myself if I could get my skis flat. lol

 

[MissySki]

Yes, that 0.5 base edge requires your feet to be very precise in adjusting the edging. But wait -- isn't that a good thing to shoot for? People will disagree. And they have a point. 1 and 2 will not require as much precision in pivot slips as 0.5 and 3. A limp noodle of a ski will not require as much precision in pivot slips as a stiff one. A long radius ski won't require as much precision as a short radius one.

My base edge on my daily drivers is 0.5. I can do pivot slips with them. I can do pivot slips with my extremely stiff FIS Atomic Redster slaloms. But, it took years.....

Many things about your skis can make pivot slips difficult. And on a flattened groomer pivot slips will be harder than on a bump, because on the bump the tip and tail are in the air. They won't catch.

On the groomer, tip and tail are on the snow and the skier needs to be precise in keeping the skis flat enough to get them to continue slipping rather than gripping.

Report back what the techs in the shop say about your edges. You may have burrs.

I just dropped them off at SkiMD and he confirmed that I have burrs galore and need some side edge work.

I do think it’d be great to be more precise with de-edging, so will definitely keep working to get my skis flatter in pivot slips etc.! I don’t really have a choice on the edge angles using SkiMD since he tunes them all that way. It’s such a good tune though, that I’d rather learn to work with it.