Review Request

[Kano]

Okay, I'm starting over. First try felt too wordy and like it didn't get where I wanted it to go.

I'm guessing that I'm not alone in this question --

As an intermediate-advanced skier who's pretty sure she has NO sort of qualifications to say what makes a ski good or bad, and generally has the confidence to be SURE it's me not the ski or the snow when things aren't going well, I'd LOVE to see reviews of skis geared toward "me" by people who understand the equipment well enough to know if it's going to be good/helpful equipment for me.

Does this make sense?

Most of the reviews I'm reading seem like they're from upper level skiers who get lots of opportunity to try different skis, and mostly they sound like they're happiest on high level skis. I've read on the forum that top end skis aren't necessarily right for us mid-range skiers, as potentially inhibiting improvement because we're not ready for them.

The reviews I've read of the mid-range stuff seems to be less than enthusiastic, maybe? Perhaps that's because the reviewer is beyond the ski, which is understandable, but I'd like to offer a challenge to those of you who seem to have lots of technical knowlege and appear get lots of opportunity to test-drive skis.

Could you be me, please, when you ski some of them?

Call it level 7 with a HUGE lack of confidence, pretty happy with groomers and cruddy groomers (when visibility is good so I can see what I'm about to hit), as long as it's blue, testing easier blacks but intimidated by the steepness (linking a couple of turns here and there on those spooky runs) and struggling with powder. "Form" isn't necessarily all that good. I'm still thinking about where my parts are almost constantly, and "pointing my pointers" as my mother-in-law used to say about bowling.

That "Steeps" thread that's currently running is SO me!

Kano

 

[jnmcarroll]

Hey Kano,
From reading the steeps thread it sounds like we are in a similiar place with our skiing ability. I am definately not an expert on choosing skiis, but I just wanted to encourage you that the new skiis I got a few weeks ago have made a HUGE:D difference in my ability to ski steep black diamond powder runs. I still have practicing to do, but I feel a lot more confident on my new skiis. I did some research and ended up getting the '08 K2 Lotta Luvs. They float through the powder and I don't get thrown off balance like I used to with my old skis. They still seem to carve fine on the runs as well. I never believed the ski salesmans pitch on new skiis improving your skiing, now I wish I would have bought them years ago. Good luck in your new ski hunt and report back what you end up with!

 

[ski now work later]

As an intermediate-advanced skier who's pretty sure she has NO sort of qualifications to say what makes a ski good or bad, and generally has the confidence to be SURE it's me not the ski or the snow when things aren't going well, I'd LOVE to see reviews of skis geared toward "me" by people who understand the equipment well enough to know if it's going to be good/helpful equipment for me.

I, too, am an intermediate level skier. I admit to being a bit of a gear head, but I posted two reviews lately that were hopefully not too technical. Your comment actually made me feel better about my reviews, because I was concerned that my reviews didn't follow the exact format as I was not confident that I could properly rate according to that format. Anyway, here they are: Solomon Mynx and Solomon Scarlet.

Hope you find them useful....

 

[lil mountain girl]

kano, no matter what kind of review you read, you won't know the skis is "you" unless YOU try it.

i'm not sure if you have the opportunity to demo skis, but you can demoing is a wonderfull and very "educational" experience.

only then will you know whether or not a ski is for you.

AND REMEMBER:
any level of skier can demo skis -- it's not an elite club or anything!

for example, you might really like a certain quality in a ski, no matter what your level might be, and the only way to find out what that may be is to try some skis out and ask lots of questions!

then tell all of us divas the details of your adventures!

have fun and good luck!

 

[SnownyNorth]

Hi Kano, what I have noticed is that most demos of higher end skis actually improved the person's skiing. I am searching for the perfect ski that will give me control at my level, but push me into the next.
I also didn't realise until this forum that ski conditions varied so much in different parts of the country. I have only skiied the Rockies and Kootenies- the eastern slopes sound very different.

 

[Kano]

I am looking forward to doing some demos -- stopped by one of the shops the other day, to see what THEY would suggest as a next step. Interesting -- sales guy led me right to the Rossi Bandits, and then kind of mentioned that the Nordica Victory and the Elan Mag Spice are nice skis too. Didn't exactly say they're comparable, but I kind of got that impression from him...

(the whole tale is probably it's own thread -- there are questions to go with it!)

Snowny -- I didn't realize there was so much difference between east and west either! I also didn't realize that in so many areas people pretty much rely on that "faux snow" from the machines! And it does sound like improvment does happen with better skis -- I'm looking forward to that too! It sounds like it's not difficult to buy "too much" ski too -- I'd rather outgrow them and have an excuse for another new pair in a few years!

I remember when I got the current skis -- I got that control you mentioned, at the level I was then, and they've been good for me, but I am starting to feel on them like I did on the first skis too much of the time!

I was talking with DH about this the other day, on the way up the mountain. Said to him, I'd like to spend a lot of time demoing skis this year, cuz I think I'm outgrowing my skis. He didn't look at me -- good thing, he was driving, it's a winding road and icy too -- and said oh no WAY you get to have new skis too! (I have new everything else, from the skin out this year, except goggles) And then I explained what I meant -- he wasn't so shook up about the idea when he understood that I meant I think I'm skiing faster and differently than the skis were designed for. Oh, well, that's a GOOD thing, he said!

I did mention that maybe HE would like to try out some different skis too!

Kano

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Hi Kano. Agree with all your points. The reviews are so subjective. Take heart that most of us probably are NOT expert level. Those differences in the snow surfaces - natural versus snowmaking - are big factors in what makes a ski work, both for the skier using it and the conditions in which she's using it. It would be terribly hard for me to recommend a ski for someone like you who skis in mostly "real" ( ) snow. It's why we all hope that anyone in search of a new ride will be able to demo.

It sounds as though you are ready for a major breakthrough: the ski that will grip the steeps and give you the confidence to forge ahead without the fear that you mention (scary slope, etc). A lesson would also be helpful in that regard: it's the art of one turn (looking ahead to the next) at a time, and getting on that slope over and over and over until it's pretty normal stuff and no longer scary.

Don't sell yourself short with regard to what will work. In my opinion, the overwhelming majority of skis are within your capability. Don't go too soft or too short, especially at your level. Whatever you demo or try, be sure to get them up to the highest speed at which you're comfortable, to see how they handle speed. (Run 'em straight on an easy run if possible.) Do short turns, do long turns. Try that black again. When you and the ski are a "match," it's all gonna click and happen. Promise.

 

[Robyn]

Kano, any chance you're talking about McU sports? I can remember getting my first bike there, then my first real running shoes and I'm sure most of my ski gear came from there while racing as well. Except for the things that got left in the training center after the season that I got to inherit since dad was the head coach.

Anyhow, I agree with MSL, she said it perfectly!

 

[ski diva]

I agree with MSL, too! A while ago I posted this about reading gear reviews. Might be worth keeping in mind.

 

[Kano]

Kano, any chance you're talking about McU sports? I can remember getting my first bike there, then my first real running shoes and I'm sure most of my ski gear came from there while racing as well. Except for the things that got left in the training center after the season that I got to inherit since dad was the head coach.

Anyhow, I agree with MSL, she said it perfectly!

Robyn, My current skis and my new boots are from McU -- and I'll spend more time with those guys too. The recent ski-chat I had with a salesman was next door, at Greenwoods. Bikes must be at their other location? I only ever see ski stuff at the bottom of Bogus. I don't know that I needed to know I can shop for bike stuff with them too!

DH and I have been having some ski discussion lately. It goes something like this -- you've got all new everything else, you can't have new skis too! Then, when we talk about that I'm skiing differently than I did when I got those skis, faster, more challenging slopes, etc., then that's a good thing, but then, I should have thought of that when I picked the skis.

Considering me/my skiing then, no, I should not have thought ahead to where I might be in a few years. Robyn -- you'll know what I'm talking about when I say that Showcase was still pretty challenging, and Alpine was next to impossible. I skiied Sunshine, the bottom half, for two years...

Maybe it IS me, but my True Luvs don't seem to let me cope with back-side blues and "blue-blacks" -- they sure were a delight when I was more of a newbie! The challenge I find when reading reviews is that I don't get some of the "technical" terms -- the snap, crackle and pop stuff! I suppose I'll get that if I try some different skis --- maybe I've only used soggy skis? (that damp thing?)

Kano

 

[volklgirl]

The challenge I find when reading reviews is that I don't get some of the "technical" terms -- the snap, crackle and pop stuff! I suppose I'll get that if I try some different skis --- maybe I've only used soggy skis? (that damp thing?)

Kano

You're probably right about only skiing damp skis.

What terms would you like defined?

 

[Kano]

You're probably right about only skiing damp skis.

What terms would you like defined?

What are the skis doing when they're snapping crackling and popping?

Is the damp thing what makes the skis unhappy when the slope gets challenging? They don't seem to be able to hold onto the snow at speed, I think -- kinda "scraping" down the hill as I'm turning, rather than the carved turns I'm trying to make? Linking turns seems to be mighty difficult when the skis don't seem to have a grip, is this the ski or me?

(this probably moves us more into the steeps thread, or even some kind of new "skills" thread)

Kano

 

[volklgirl]

A ski that's "lively" will give you lots of feed back under foot. You'll know exactly what type of surface you're on and what the ski is doing.

A ski with "snap" or "pop" (aka rebound) will want to finish each turn with lots of energy and spring into the next turn.

A ski that's "damp" will be calm and muted under foot. It will smooth out the irregularities in the snow surface and will move into and out of turns without fuss.

Your feeling of skidding, sliding and lack of edge hold sounds like 1) the ski is in desperate need of a tune-up, 2) the ski is way too soft for your current ability level and preferred skiing speed, or 3) the skis is too short for your current ability level and preferred skiing speed, or 4) all of the above.

If you've read my review on the 08 All Mountain skis I demoed, you'll find that I had many of the same problems with them that you're currently having. For the most part they were just too short or too soft for me.

 

[Kano]

A ski that's "lively" will give you lots of feed back under foot. You'll know exactly what type of surface you're on and what the ski is doing.

A ski with "snap" or "pop" (aka rebound) will want to finish each turn with lots of energy and spring into the next turn.

Gotta feel this one of these days!

A ski that's "damp" will be calm and muted under foot. It will smooth out the irregularities in the snow surface and will move into and out of turns without fuss.

Mine will do this, on the right runs, at the right speed!

Your feeling of skidding, sliding and lack of edge hold sounds like 1) the ski is in desperate need of a tune-up, 2) the ski is way too soft for your current ability level and preferred skiing speed, or 3) the skis is too short for your current ability level and preferred skiing speed, or 4) all of the above.

It ain't the tune-up. IMO, that's GOOD NEWS! It's just what I've been trying to tell DH!

If you've read my review on the 08 All Mountain skis I demoed, you'll find that I had many of the same problems with them that you're currently having. For the most part they were just too short or too soft for me.

I have! And I've gotta say THANK YOU! It's an interesting series of reviews!

Kano

 

[Robyn]

Kano, I'm sorry to say that I only vaguely remember the runs at Bogus. I haven't skied there in nearly 20 years! When did I get that old? :ROTF: