Spring Skiing: All Mountain or Fat Skis?

[ski now work later]

I'm heading up to Smuggler's Notch, Vermont for a few days of spring skiing late next week, which will be a new experience for me. I have Volkl Attiva AC3s which are great, though a little stiff for soft snow. They have a lot of glade skiing up there and plenty of snow.

Here's my question: for those of you who have spring skiing experience and experience with fat skis, do you think I would be better off in spring conditions with a more flexible and fatter ski (92 waist vs. 76 waist on the stiffer AC3) or should I stick with my all mountain AC3 ski? Thanks in advance for your expert advice!

 

[Little Lightning]

I've been skiing my Lotta Luv's in the spring conditions here. With the warm days we've been having it's pretty hardpack in the morning and soft in the afternoons. My Fat Luvs handle the crud nicely but are too chattery on the icey stuff we've been having lately.

The Lotta Luv's have been handling the variable conditions very nicely.

Kathi

 

[dloveski]

I don't know about eastern skiing, but I can share my strategy for the western early spring conditions we've been dealing with this year:

If I will be skiing all day, esp. am and late pm, an all mountain shaped ski to handle the variable conditions, cool and warm temps, has worked for me.

If I will ski in the pm/mid-day and it's very hot, then my Pocket Rockets (powder skiis) have been a blast in the mushy soft stuff.

 

[SnowHot]

My favorite skis for spring conditions are the Nordica Nitrous(doesn't get deflected) and the Karma(wide and undaunting)

I'd go with something a bit wider and without too much flex. Its the light weight ski that gets tossed around by the ever-changing spring crud.

 

[Quiver Queen]

Maybe I'm more anal than most, but I'll take both my carvers and my mid-fats, and generally start with the carvers then swap out mid day if it gets too mushy.

 

[volklgirl]

Ditto for me, too!

 

[Squaw]

carvers for the morning firm, fats for the midday soft.

If you have to take one? I'd say the all mountains.

Jen