Skis for east, midwest and west

[IKam]

Thanks, everyone. I've got quite a list now. I can't wait to try out some skis. Does anyone have experience with the Peak 88 skis?

 

[Soujan]

I think the low-mid 80's is going to be your sweet spot for a ski:

- Salomon Stance 84 would also fit the bill...really versatile ski that you could use on any of the terrain you've mentioned.
- Check out the Volkl Blaze...as others have suggested (either the 86 or the new 82).
- The Rossignol Experience 82 (I'm thinking the Basalt version).
- Black Pearl 82 (which is the women's version of Jilly's previously mentioned Brahma).

Lots of great skis emerging in this category. Happy demoing!

I demoed the Stance 88 last year but they updated the wood core this year that's supposed to make the ski more accessible. I thought the Stance was a very capable ski and a good all-arounder. It did everything I asked it to do and I didn't find it too demanding. However, I just didn't find it exciting and nothing really stood out to me. I think it is a good ski for most people.

 

[marzNC]

Thanks, everyone. I've got quite a list now. I can't wait to try out some skis. Does anyone have experience with the Peak 88 skis?

No experience on any Peak skis. I talked to them somewhere, probably Snowbound Expo 2022 in Boston. Bottom line is that they didn't have any skis short enough to make sense for me as a petite advanced skier. They didn't seem to care. Said something about going for the bigger market first.

I've talked with other indy ski makers before who didn't have skis short enough to make sense for me. So if wasn't that much of a surprise.

 

[IKam]

No experience on any Peak skis. I talked to them somewhere, probably Snowbound Expo 2022 in Boston. Bottom line is that they didn't have any skis short enough to make sense for me as a petite advanced skier. They didn't seem to care. Said something about going for the bigger market first.

I've talked with other indy ski makers before who didn't have skis short enough to make sense for me. So if wasn't that much of a surprise.

How long do you like them? It sounds like the Peak folks are not being very caring or accomodating. Too bad.

 

[marzNC]

How long do you like them? It sounds like the Peak folks are not being very caring or accomodating. Too bad.

Several years ago I was lucky enough to get a tour to see skis being made. From a manufacturing standpoint, an additional length means creating a new "mold" and a section to store the new length. An Indy brand has to pick their market to see if their idea is viable before expanding the line. I've had similar discussions with a few other Indy brands in the last 15 years. Given the number of options for petite skiers these days, it's not really a big deal to me.

As you know from our get together a few months ago, I'm about your size. My skis as an intermediate (between 50 and 55) were mostly mid-150s, mid-70s underfoot. I used them in the southeast and out west. I was skiing 80-90% on groomers out west back then. After knee rehab, I use skis that were shorter, meaning around 148cm, at my home hill the first couple months.

 

[Soujan]

Another great ski is the Armada Reliance. There is the 82Ti and the 88C. I have the 82Ti and it's a lot of fun and makes great crave turns.