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Post by superbman on Feb 27, 2015 7:03:28 GMT -7
Yep,
I've been skiing the narrower end of my quiver, even on softer days mostly due to vastly less next day knee pain (I have premature osteoarthritis in one knee from a serious injury suffered in my wayward youth…motorcycle are dangerous….).
Only in pow-eastern glades do I go with the Fatties, and I swap out once I am back on piste. My beloved Shaman, so versatile yet it is also the one that crushes my knees the most (wide and carvy is not a good bio mechanical combination for me…it's brainlessly easy to ski in the tightest trees in soft snow, incredibly confidence inspiring, but anywhere else I just pay the price of pain and cortisone shots…).
So, I am looking to really narrow my overall quiver. I'd love to find something between 78-88mm waist that doubles as an Ideal bump and medium snow tree ski that feels alright on the rest of the hill. I'm demoing the Latigo and the Icey Nomad RKR SKNY this weekend (and a few other next year models from Dynastar and Rossi…big demo day at Berkshire on Sunday. I'll jump on a K2 when they show up at the shop.
I'm thinking of coupling these with a Head Supershape speed (in a shorter 170cm). I've been loving the Occams razor, But I ould step up the level of carving commitment with an even narrower and more powerful ski. And my 'fattest' ski will be under 100mm in the waist…not sure where to go with this…might just take a gamble on the Liberty Sequence or maybe I'll get a turn or two on an Icelantic Gypsy SKNY this weekend (and I already liked the Dynastar Slicer I tried earlier this year).
Anyway, I'm resolved to join the positive trend towards narrower skis…never thought I'd say it. I hate being wrong.
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Post by JimRatliff on Feb 27, 2015 11:01:39 GMT -7
Yep, I've been skiing the narrower end of my quiver, even on softer days mostly due to vastly less next day knee pain (I have premature osteoarthritis in one knee from a serious injury suffered in my wayward youth…motorcycle are dangerous….). ......... I hate being wrong. SuperBMan: You are looking at it incorrectly. You weren't wrong, you were just slow being right.
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Post by meput on Feb 28, 2015 20:49:07 GMT -7
Ski width is not the only factor that leads to knee pain for me. I can ski all day on my Head Rock n Rolls, 95mm underfoot, without knee pain. Last year while visiting Copper, I rented some K-2's (what was I thinking, whole different story how that came to pass) that were 84mm underfoot. I had to get off from them within 2 hrs due to serious knee pain. Ended up on some low level Salomon 70mm rentals that eliminated the knee pain. For me, overall flex stiffness and torsional stiffness come into play, in addition to ski width.
Just returned from a trip to Summit county, skied at Copper and A Basin. Took my RnR's in case of a dump and for skiing back bowl crud (both mountains). I also took my Stockli laser cx's, 68mm underfoot for HSS mogul camp. Skied with the RnR's for 2 days, one at Copper and one at A Basin while skiing with a couple of old buddies. Then skied the cx's for 3 days at A Basin at camp. I found the cx's just as easy to ski in crud and powder as the RnR's. The cx's were easier in the bumps and tighter conditions (bumps in trees). The cx's were more demanding of technique in the fresh snow and crud (2 days at A Basin 5-6 inches fresh in AM). Moral of my story, width is not necessary for moderate conditions on groomers, moderate fresh powder (say under 1 foot, for argument sake), crud and bumps.
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Post by superbman on Mar 2, 2015 6:50:38 GMT -7
Ski width is not the only factor that leads to knee pain for me. I can ski all day on my Head Rock n Rolls, 95mm underfoot, without knee pain. Last year while visiting Copper, I rented some K-2's (what was I thinking, whole different story how that came to pass) that were 84mm underfoot. I had to get off from them within 2 hrs due to serious knee pain. Ended up on some low level Salomon 70mm rentals that eliminated the knee pain. For me, overall flex stiffness and torsional stiffness come into play, in addition to ski width. Just returned from a trip to Summit county, skied at Copper and A Basin. Took my RnR's in case of a dump and for skiing back bowl crud (both mountains). I also took my Stockli laser cx's, 68mm underfoot for HSS mogul camp. Skied with the RnR's for 2 days, one at Copper and one at A Basin while skiing with a couple of old buddies. Then skied the cx's for 3 days at A Basin at camp. I found the cx's just as easy to ski in crud and powder as the RnR's. The cx's were easier in the bumps and tighter conditions (bumps in trees). The cx's were more demanding of technique in the fresh snow and crud (2 days at A Basin 5-6 inches fresh in AM). Moral of my story, width is not necessary for moderate conditions on groomers, moderate fresh powder (say under 1 foot, for argument sake), crud and bumps. Agreed, I skied the Occam's Razors in 4-5 inches of snow all over the hill last week, and enjoyed them. Like I said, deeper snow or thin-base new snow in eastern glades are where I still appreciate float and girth. In wider western trees with a deeper base, I'd be fine on a thinner ski as well. Owned that RnR for a little over a season, liked it in wider slopes with soft snow. OK in bumps, never loved it for tight easter trees. I appreciate skis with a medium flex and a softish tail (or at least a tail shape that feathers, drifts easily). Short sl type carvers are a different story, of course. I skied a few fun skis this weekend, the best being the Icelantic Pioneer in a 182cm. Liked the Nomad RKR SKNY as well. THe Blizzard guys didn't bring the Latigo (bummer), and I skied the DPS Cassiar 95 (fine ski, but too pricey). I've wondered if something like the Stockli Laser AX is what I want…so damn expensive though. oh well.
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Post by danboisvert on Mar 2, 2015 21:22:40 GMT -7
I'm bummed to hear that about your knees, Liam. My knees are pretty oblivious to these things so far, but I'm guessing that's relative youth saving me there. If you don't find anything else that suits your needs for a 78-88mm all mountain ski, you might want to give the new Head Monsters or the outgoing Rev series a try. I'm still using an old Monster 78 to fill that role in my quiver, and I love it for that.
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Post by HeluvaSkier on Mar 3, 2015 15:32:55 GMT -7
At high edge angles on hard or grippy snow, 78mm even irritates my knees... And I imagine I may be among the younger participants here.
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Post by HeluvaSkier on Mar 3, 2015 19:34:35 GMT -7
And for reference that is what I mean by angles. FWIW, that's on a 77mm waist ski.
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Post by superbman on Mar 5, 2015 4:14:41 GMT -7
Are you on the Pulse in that Photo, Greg? I always liked that ski, and we have a few, mounted up with Vist speed lock bindings in the shop we couldn't give away, I've thought about making a deal for one. I always thought the pulse was a very fine bump ski for the round turn set.
Dan, I own and like the HEAD REV 90. But I wonder what, amount even thinner skis might work as a bump, tree ski in non deep snow and not suck on the groomed (or, maybe even excel on the groomed). A Buddy swears by his Dynastar Cham 87, I hate the rainbow clown shoe look, but he skis well on it.
On the other hand, I just spent two days ripping around Killington on my trusty icelantic shamans…snow was quite good, very soft off piste (trees were exceptional, I mean, as good as I have skied at Killington ever), and Moguls were also pretty great all around. Groomers were good, midwinter feeling (except in K-Ton's notorious wind zones. Yeah, the Shaman isn't ideal, but it's still fun on these sorts of groomers, and it's brain-dead easy in New England off piste. Yep, my right knee still barked both nights (including tonight), but I can't disregard the versatile fun factor. I brought my quiver of skis to the Hill and parked were I could literally ski to the car and swap skis, but never wanted, too.
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Post by HeluvaSkier on Mar 5, 2015 7:55:38 GMT -7
Liam, In that photo I'm on the Blossom Wind Shear which is the same mold as the Pulse, with the addition of two layers of metal. It is more like their race skis than an all mountain ski.
Do you have any 180cm Pulses laying around that are in good condition? I'd consider another pair.
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Post by HeluvaSkier on Mar 5, 2015 8:00:32 GMT -7
The two skis are equally capable when it comes to carving though...
This is on the Snoras, which is the same ski as the Pulse:
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