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Question: Wobbling carvers

vickiski

Certified Ski Diva
Be gentle - I am new to ski diva.
I am an advanced intermediate, just starting to do a lot more skiing. As I have been travelling the world I have rented skis but am looking to buy. A problem with the last couple of pairs of carving skis I have had is the front of the ski wobbling side to side. I don't feel insecure but I don't like it and think it must indicate a problem. Do you think it is my technique (need weight further forward?) or a ski issue. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.:noidea:
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Be gentle - I am new to ski diva.
I am an advanced intermediate, just starting to do a lot more skiing. As I have been travelling the world I have rented skis but am looking to buy. A problem with the last couple of pairs of carving skis I have had is the front of the ski wobbling side to side. I don't feel insecure but I don't like it and think it must indicate a problem. Do you think it is my technique (need weight further forward?) or a ski issue. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.:noidea:

Is this happening when you're trying to ski in a straight line? Modern shaped skis don't really like to go straight, and can feel unstable and like they refuse to track if you try to force them to go straight. They'll behave much better if you give them even the tiniest hint of a turn, back and forth. (I do let my skis run if I'm just cruising down a cat track, but I think it requires a certain amount of experience and "looseness" to allow the skis to do what they want underneath you without being too distressed by it, and being able to take control when needed.)
 

mountainxtc

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Be gentle - I am new to ski diva.
I am an advanced intermediate, just starting to do a lot more skiing. As I have been travelling the world I have rented skis but am looking to buy. A problem with the last couple of pairs of carving skis I have had is the front of the ski wobbling side to side. I don't feel insecure but I don't like it and think it must indicate a problem. Do you think it is my technique (need weight further forward?) or a ski issue. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.:noidea:

Could be either your technique or an equipment issue or both. Can you tell us your stats (height, weight, where you ski and what type of terrain and conditions), what skis you rented and in what length and under what circumstances you feel the wobble?
 

vickiski

Certified Ski Diva
Height 175cm (5'8ish) and weight 74kg (162ish). I ski in Europe at varied resorts but love the long groomed red runs, some blacks. Don't usually seek out moguls but as my fitness has improved find I can cope with them and recently have enjoyed some challenges on harder runs. I don't ski off piste and am unlikely ever to do so.
In Australia our conditions are pretty bad! Ice, slush, rocks, branches, rain, wind and that's the groomed runs! I can't remember each of the skis I've rented except to say they were about 163cm, and carvers in the upper end of the rental pool.
I don't have the wobble when I am going downhill fast making nice turns. I am going to Thredbo next week and will try to pay attention to when the wobble happens (nb. the wobble is a side-to-side movement of the ski tips). I am hoping to demo a few skis - the K2 superfree has been recommended. Thanks
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
If you can, just for fun, demo the same skis in different lengths. That could the equipment part that mtnxtc is saying. Too long or too short could cause this wobble too. But I think its more likely technique. You've got the keep cravers on edge.
 

lucine

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Could this wobble be chatter? IF so, you may have skis that are too soft or short for you. More info please!
 

SkiBam

Angel Diva
First, make sure you're really centred over your feet – not back at all. And I've found that this "wobbliness" can be eased by edging in a little bit with both skis. You'll still go straight, but it should be less wobbly.
 

vickiski

Certified Ski Diva
Thanks for all the replies. I think recently i have been sitting back a bit and am going to address that, have a lesson and get some feedback and try some demo skis this weekend.
 

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Height 175cm (5'8ish) and weight 74kg (162ish). I ski in Europe at varied resorts but love the long groomed red runs, some blacks. Don't usually seek out moguls but as my fitness has improved find I can cope with them and recently have enjoyed some challenges on harder runs. I don't ski off piste and am unlikely ever to do so.
In Australia our conditions are pretty bad! Ice, slush, rocks, branches, rain, wind and that's the groomed runs! I can't remember each of the skis I've rented except to say they were about 163cm, and carvers in the upper end of the rental pool.
I don't have the wobble when I am going downhill fast making nice turns. I am going to Thredbo next week and will try to pay attention to when the wobble happens (nb. the wobble is a side-to-side movement of the ski tips). I am hoping to demo a few skis - the K2 superfree has been recommended. Thanks

I dunno - I still can't tell what's going on.

Are both ski tips wobbling at the same time, or just one? If only one ski is wobbling, is there any consistency? Always the outside ski? Always your left ski? Could be a weighting issue.

If you're not wobbling when turning, does that mean that you're wobbling when not turning? It could just be that at the speed you're skiing, you need to turn by edging more, due to, as bounceswoosh mentioned, the shape of the ski.

Of course, your tactic of taking a lesson should be more effective than us sitting here behind our computers throwing out every possibility under the sun at you! Have fun!
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
I don't have the wobble when I am going downhill fast making nice turns.

I know it's not a ton of info, but that sentence above makes me suspect that when you're NOT going faster and making turns, you aren't keeping them on edge and that's what causes the wobble.

But that's just a guess based off of a tiny bit of info.
 

mountainxtc

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
OK, I think we've eliminated an equipment issue (skis too soft/stiff or too long/short). Your skis fit your stats, ability and the conditions. You don't say it's worse in one particular condition (i.e. ice that would possible indicate too soft skis) than another and it sounds like you ski varied conditions! Are you making turns when you get the wobble, or going straight?

It sounds to me like a classic case of backseat driving. Weightless tips like to flap in the breeze. When making turns on super shapey carving skis, especially if going faster, the tip is gonna hook up so it makes sense that if you get the wobble when straightlining it might go away once you start making turns. My advice is twofold: firstly, try some all mountain skis. Something a little wider in the waist - maybe 80ish - with a longer turn radius. Second, take a lesson and get some help with your stance.

Quick advice to other thread contributors: putting a ski on edge to stop a wobble is treating a symptom, not a cause. You can cover up the wobble, but whatever's causing it is still there.....
 

Pequenita

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Quick advice to other thread contributors: putting a ski on edge to stop a wobble is treating a symptom, not a cause. You can cover up the wobble, but whatever's causing it is still there.....

Lol....this is why I need more lessons. After all these years, I still have no idea what's really going on!
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
Quick advice to other thread contributors: putting a ski on edge to stop a wobble is treating a symptom, not a cause. You can cover up the wobble, but whatever's causing it is still there.....

Interesting. Now you're making me wonder if I haven't felt that tip wobble in ages because I got in the habit of keeping skis on edge a decade ago, or because my stance is alright, or because the skis I've been on in recent years don't have enough sidecut to wobble anyway.

Though in lessons, the only time I was ever told I was in the backseat was when I tried heel lifts in my boots. Took them out and the next run - problem solved.
 

SkiBam

Angel Diva
Quick advice to other thread contributors: putting a ski on edge to stop a wobble is treating a symptom, not a cause. You can cover up the wobble, but whatever's causing it is still there.....

Yes, that makes sense. Thanks for pointing this out, mountainxtc.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes, thank you. I was parroting back what I've heard from others, but to be honest, I don't seem to have trouble letting my skis go straight ... not sure by exactly what mechanism. Good reminder that I should only parrot back things I've heard that have worked for me and that I understand =P
 

snow addict

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I will agree with mountainxtc, if the stance is right even carvers should be able to go straight and flat. You should try to weight the tips more to stop them wandering. Fatter skis can wander too - aura's are a good example of it when the tips are not weighted enough, but when they are, the skis are smooth as silk.
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
I will agree with mountainxtc, if the stance is right even carvers should be able to go straight and flat. You should try to weight the tips more to stop them wandering. Fatter skis can wander too - aura's are a good example of it when the tips are not weighted enough, but when they are, the skis are smooth as silk.

Thinking about it more - the times when I've experienced wobble are on flats when you tend to be standing up, chatting about where to go next... if you skate, it goes away. But that stance is nothing like a normal "skiing" stance - you're just cruising along on a flat, intending to go in a straight line. Put the ski on edge (by skating or just putting it on edge ever so slightly) and there's no more wobble. I'm sure it would solve it to get into a more aggressive skiing stance and get some weight on the tips, but usually those are spots where you are taking a break. I guess it depends on where you are skiing too. We just have a couple really long traverses that are pretty flat, to get from one side of the mountain to the other, and you're going slow enough that most people sort of fall out of their "skiing" stance and are just... getting from point A to point B in the most relaxed position they can be in to rest - or skating to get there faster. Neither of which I would consider to be normal skiing form, though skating, I tend to weight the tips plenty.
 

pinto

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thinking about it more - the times when I've experienced wobble are on flats when you tend to be standing up, chatting about where to go next... if you skate, it goes away. But that stance is nothing like a normal "skiing" stance - you're just cruising along on a flat, intending to go in a straight line. Put the ski on edge (by skating or just putting it on edge ever so slightly) and there's no more wobble. I'm sure it would solve it to get into a more aggressive skiing stance and get some weight on the tips, but usually those are spots where you are taking a break. I guess it depends on where you are skiing too. We just have a couple really long traverses that are pretty flat, to get from one side of the mountain to the other, and you're going slow enough that most people sort of fall out of their "skiing" stance and are just... getting from point A to point B in the most relaxed position they can be in to rest - or skating to get there faster. Neither of which I would consider to be normal skiing form, though skating, I tend to weight the tips plenty.

I think that is a good description. I rarely go straight and flat unless I'm on a flat, or maybe in a tuck -- I know my skis aren't squirrely in a tuck (scary thought), but they are when I'm toodling along standing up. I never really thought about it before.
 

altagirl

Moderator
Staff member
I think that is a good description. I rarely go straight and flat unless I'm on a flat, or maybe in a tuck -- I know my skis aren't squirrely in a tuck (scary thought), but they are when I'm toodling along standing up. I never really thought about it before.

Exactly - when I'm skating too, I tend to be in a similar position to a tuck (perhaps oddly, my skating form is more like speed skating on ice, since the edging feels similar, than skate skiing on XC skis where you have no edges...) Anyway, yeah, you get plenty of weight on the tips doing either of those things. Just not when you stand up and "do nothing".
 

vickiski

Certified Ski Diva
No more wobbles!

Just wanted to say thanks for all the tips - I think it was a combination of factors. I demo'd the K2 Superfree skis, which I loved so much I didn't bother trying any others (couldn't bare to waste time changing them over). I also had a ski lesson which went really well for me, except when I nearly wet myself watching my husband having to do drills with his uphill arm coming forward and his downhill arm pushing his hip back. My instructor was Italian and said I was 'Elegante' - I don't care if he was just sucking up!
 

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