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twin tips for non-tricksters?
- Thread starter snowlady
- Start date
sibhusky
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
My husband, who is kind of a "back seat" driver, likes the PE's but I think it's because they allow him to stay in the back seat. I know that because they are aimed at a younger crowd that they tend to be less expensive than other skis, so I guess if you don't mind the graphics and the rooster tails, they'd be fine for regular skiing.
BackCountryGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I've had a pair of twin tips for the past two seasons -- dynastar troublemakers. I use them in the park and for jumping, but I also really like them for bumps and in the trees. They are lousy at holding any speed on groomers and chatter like nuts. I also use them to teach in because they are lightweight and allow me to ski switch with ease. With the 3-5 year old crowd, that's the only way to do it ("Don't look down at your skis, look right into my eyes and ski to me, honey")
BackCountryGirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Size them up! They do ski shorter than they are. Mine are (I think) about 156 or 158s. I've been happy with them.
Quiver Queen
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Twin tips for non- tricksters? Absolutely!! I've never been into a park, other than to use it as a shortcut, and have two pair of twin tips--Salomon 1080's and Head Sweet Fat Thangs--and love them. They're really fun skis, do bumps great, and I use them on everything but the bullet-proof. I haven't had a chance to try the Heads at speed, but the 1080's handle it well. Of the newer 1080 line, the Thruster is most like my originals.
The shortest they come are 155!
(I'm 110#, 5'4 -- picture a lampost...tall and thin
)My regular ski is 153. So if I size the TM "up", the next step is 165, which seems quite a big jump...
Kiwi Ski Girl
Certified Ski Diva
Twin tips are definitely not just for tricksters. I just demoed some Armada AR6s last weekend (I'm too tall for the ARWs). I found them to be really stable and they cut through the churned up slush like a knife through butter (it's spring skiing here in NZ). Can't wait to try them again next year to see how they go on ice.
Where I like my twin tips are situations like getting into a chute through tight trees where you need to slide backwards and then forwards again to pick your way to a safe entry. It keeps the tips from digging into the soft snow.
A twin tip alone doesn't necessarily make the ski a park ski. Most park skis are designed to be center mounted for easy rotation in the air. But something like a Volkl Gotama, etc. is designed for normal skiing, it just has a twintip.
A twin tip alone doesn't necessarily make the ski a park ski. Most park skis are designed to be center mounted for easy rotation in the air. But something like a Volkl Gotama, etc. is designed for normal skiing, it just has a twintip.
volklgirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
2 years ago I'd have scoffed at the idea.
Now.....ABSOLUTELY!
Just like "groomer" skis, it's important to find the right twin for your average conditions. You'll find that few of them handle well on firm snow, so keep your carver for those crispy days. I'll second the advice to upsize as well. My carvers are 155-168 and my twins are 177 (there's been a couple of times I wished they were even longer). In general, the turn ups take around 10cm off the usuable running surface of the ski, so you'll want to go up at least 1-2 sizes.
Now.....ABSOLUTELY!
Just like "groomer" skis, it's important to find the right twin for your average conditions. You'll find that few of them handle well on firm snow, so keep your carver for those crispy days. I'll second the advice to upsize as well. My carvers are 155-168 and my twins are 177 (there's been a couple of times I wished they were even longer). In general, the turn ups take around 10cm off the usuable running surface of the ski, so you'll want to go up at least 1-2 sizes.
Great example Altagirl. I've read that twin tips may wash out on steeps, however, so they may not be right for all conditions. I did buy a pair of powder twin tips (Solomon Scarlets) to bring to Big Sky in February for powder and park, but I'm not ready to take them to steep areas out there yet (or to ski steep areas without a guide/coach).
Maybe I'm not reading "wash out" the same. For really steep stuff you often want to slide out a turn to scrub speed, it's not like you want the speed you'd generate if you were doing pure carving. Yes, you need to hold an edge, but when I demo skis that's definitely one of the things I look for is that versatility where the ski will carve or smear a turn equally well depending on the input I give it. And I do think a twintip (or at least a small turned up tail, not necessarily a full twintip) can be beneficial for that (as are fat skis in general).
Now that depends on the snow conditions - if you're talking icy steeps where the key would be to hold an edge above all else, that would be different, but the snow conditions I'd be skiing steeps in out West makes me want something that smears a turn easily when I want to. (Think of like you're going down a chute and there's a narrow exit - you want to let the skis drift sideways until you're lined up, then hook them up to hit your exit line.)
I also assumed that the reference (that I read about on realskiers.com) to washing out does refer to using twin tips on icy/hardpack steeps. The way that you describe using twin tips sounds versatile/creative!
liquidfeet
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Just bought used twin tips - Salomon 1080s. No bindings, though. Now I need to find some used (inexpensive) bindings to put on them. What do I need to know about wide skis, twin tips, and their bindings as I shop around in ski swaps, etc? These skis are 80mm underfoot.
Not much. As you go with wider skis, you need to keep an eye on the brakes and make sure the brakes are bent wide enough to accomodate the skis. I THINK that 80mm is still narrow enough for standard brakes these days. And if not, you can bend standard brakes enough to make them work. It's usually when you're in the 95+ underfoot that you really start to need to buy the special wide brakes with your bindings.
There's no relationship between twintips and bindings. Any standard binding will work.
liquidfeet
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
The local shop told me not to put bindings on them with plates; that the bindings needed to place my boot down near the snow ... he gave no explanation. What do you think? How will the skis perform differently with low and high bindings?
Also, I have a pair of skis that I'm done with that have rental bindings which aren't yet too old. I could move those over, if the brakes are wide enough. Any thoughts about using rental bindings? They do place my boot right down on the ski. The guy in the local shop said not to do it. You know guys ... they don't explain things.
I will be paying some shop (not the local one) to do this, so the shop has to go along with the plan. I don't know if they will be willing to bend the brakes to widen them or not, since there's the liability thing.
I have a friend who will give me a good set of bindings, big and heavy, on a plate. Shall I use them?
All this because I want to walk into a shop next time with bindings that CAN be put on, and just have it done zip zip.
What do you think? Use the old rental bindings, or the bindings on a plate? Will a shop bend or not bend the brakes if that is necessary? By my measure, brake-bending will be required for the rental bindings, and I haven't yet seen the free bindings my friend is offering me.
The no plate thing on twintips is just for jibbers. (i.e. if you intend to be doing spinny flippy stuff on your twintips.) I guess they like to be very close to the snow surface, etc. I don't know - it's not my thing, but it's to do with jumping and spinning not regular skiing. I don't mind getting some air, but I'm pretty sure that after my 4 knee surgeries, I have no business attempting 360s and I stay out of the terrain park.
I've also had people say the same thing with powder skis - some people like having no lifter plates - personally, I don't think it matters all that much. A little lifter plate would actually make it easier on a groomer and I personally don't feel a differrence one way or the other in powder. Apparently some people prefer it without. I wouldn't go putting some ginormous racing lifter plates on there, but the tiny ones that come on regular commercial bindings aren't going to be a problem one way or the other.
Anyway, regarding demo bindings - I'd avoid those if you have another option. Demo bindings sacrifice some performance in favor of adjustability (they usually have a little more play), and they weigh a TON. If you can at all avoid it, go with something else. I do have demo bindings on the Atomic SX-9s that I have. They were like that when I bought them and I can't stomach paying for bindings on a set of skis I use maybe 3-4 days a year and only when it's icy.
What model/brand are the bindings your friend is offering? Can they not be removed from the plate? (Sometimes you can) Big and heavy regular bindings might not be any heavier than typical demo bindings (which are generally also higher than normal to allow for the adjustability mechanism, as well as heavier than normal.)
And the lifter plates I'm talking about that I feel are not going to make that much of a difference are going to look something similar to this:
And some of them even come off if you don't want the lift. Depends on the binding.
I can't find a picture of one, but you can get separate plates under the bindings, or have some for racing that are very tall, etc. THAT, I would not want unless you are racing. So obviously not on your twintips.
Generally, I prefer no plates to plates. But I wouldn't go buying a new set of bindings over it if I didn't have to.
And some of them even come off if you don't want the lift. Depends on the binding.
I can't find a picture of one, but you can get separate plates under the bindings, or have some for racing that are very tall, etc. THAT, I would not want unless you are racing. So obviously not on your twintips.
Generally, I prefer no plates to plates. But I wouldn't go buying a new set of bindings over it if I didn't have to.
