stiff or soft?

[astrid_hun]

hello everyone,

my question is kinda hypothetical since i cannot afford to buy skis in the near future, but i'm trying to figure out what kind of skis should i look for.
i'm 5'3" and about 100 lbs, so i'm kinda 'light' you could say. i've been skiing for 5 years now (only about 10 days a year) and i'm around level 6.
my question is that should i choose a stiff or a soft ski? is it recommended to a 'light' person like me to have stiff skis? or does my weight matter?
i heard that stiff skis allow you to ski on a higher speed so i would prefer that. what is your opinion?

 

[marge]

I think it's all in how you ski. I tried a "softer" Volkl and a stiffer one and like BOTH of them. The only thing I noticed was that the softer one was less stable at higher speeds. Other than that I loved them both.

 

[volklgirl]

It really depends on your skiing style, intended use, perferred speeds, and the ski itself. At your weight, you may want to stay on the softer end, or choose a shorter length for stiffer skis.

For soft snow use, short turns, and/or lower speeds go softer. For hard snow use, long turns, and/or higher speeds go stiffer.

 

[Nautique Girl]

I prefer a stiffer ski and I have owned soft ones. I'm 5'2", 115. Reason is, I don't like to have my skis chattering under me at speed. I also like the stability of a stiff, heaver ski and can plow through the crud. I feel confident keeping up with the tall guys. It may be more work down a mogul run but those runs are not a big part of my day. Very seldom do I have the opportunity to ski a ton of fresh snow, only a few inches of fresh on packed is the norm and when it gets icy in spots, I need lots of edge and grip. For lots of snow and moguls go for a softer, wider ski. So many of skis out there are designed for all mountain. Demo at least a couple to get an idea of what you feel most comfortable with.