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When are ski’s too long!?

Ibunnell11

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Hello,
New here, I am in quite the pickle here! First a short rundown of on ski history. This year will be my 4th ski season, I am 32 yo, just over 6’1 and weight 208lbs. I am fit and work out a lot. I purchased Nordica Avenger 78’s in 168cm as my first ski. Yes, short! I was really freaked out about sling and figured this size would be best to learn on. I was using boots 2 sizes to big that were hand me downs. After year one I ditched the boots and bought Lange 130Rx. Man, the difference was mind blowing. After a day on The Hill I was keeping up with my friends who had been skiing their whole lives. Year three I started to push the capabilities of my skis. I was hammering turns in total control but would finish runs saying to myself “ I need more ski”. Often I push every bit of speed I can out of my avanegers but it just doesn’t have what I am looking for anymore. Last year I started looking at brahma’s and Kendo’s, but they weren’t in the budget. Yesterday I walk into
My local shop and there are the Kendo’s o have wanted at $369. I picked them up and they were exactly the same
Height as me. I jumped on it....... they are 184cm. I left and when I got home I snapped a pic and sent it to my ski buddies. They all replied and told me I am an idiot...... “ that is too much ski for anyone”, “you are going to kill yourself”. This coming from one of the guys who is 6 inches shorter and ski’s a 180cm. Did I screw up!? Should o return these?? Any advice would help. Let me just say, I know this is a big jump in size. I expect a learning curve and know these will not ride exactly like my avanegers, but that’s what I wanted! Something more than my beginner skis!! Let me know what I should do... thanks!
 

Ibunnell11

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Thanks for the reply. I don’t feel
Like they are too long, but I am seconding guessing myself. Will they handle different, of course! Will they pull me down The Hill, yea! It
Might even take me a weekend or two to be fully confident on them. Long term I feel like this ski gives me what I need to grow.
 

kingslug

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All my skis are 184 or longer. I'm the same size as you. Started skiing 22 years ago at 31. Started with skis 174's and went up to 184 soon enough. Maybe one day when you venture into the trees they might seem long. But I would advise getting pretty good before you do. Mistakes in the trees end badly. Other than that you will get some good speed out of them. As far as ice, you will just have to figure out how to use them on the slippery stuff. its more about balance...and not leaning back..ever. I just shmear across the ice with my 105 x 186 Wagners. Practice..practice..practice.
 

Not Sure

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I’m 5’ 5” and in the 80’s weighed 145lbs and survived K2 712’s that were 195’s. You won’t kill your self, unless you’re buddies know something you’re not telling us about. I ski 170-174 and for me seems to be a good compromise for every condition. Lots of other factors to consider, Rocker, width, flex , depends on what you like to ski . You might get board with certain aspects as you get better and your short skis will be good for trees and moguls so start building a quiver.
 

WWF-VT

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Question: When are skis too long !?

Answer: When you have to ask this question in an online ski forum
 

mister moose

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I'm your size and ski a lot of 175, 179, 180, 181. I don't think anymore is needed for stability at resort speeds. The ski choice matters too.

184 will be a big change from 168.

Ski length is a trade off, not a right/wrong. 184 will be a little more edge control, more stable, will feel tighter in the bumps and have a little more swing weight. With tip and tail rocker, it's not going to ski like a fully cambered 184 anyway. If you like the ski reviews compared to your expectations, I say mount it, ski it. If after 10 days you hate it, sell it. Or, if you sorta like it sometimes, but don't like the compromise other times, keep it and look for a shorter ski on sale that will complement it. Build a quiver.

https://gearinstitute.com/gear-review/volkl-kendo-ski-review-2017/
https://pugski.com/threads/volkl-kendo.3533/
https://pugski.com/threads/2017-volkl-kendo-vs-2017-volkl-rtm-84-uvo.3657/
 

Ibunnell11

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Thanks for everyone who contributed. I sorry to the people I have annoy for bringing up what seems to be an annoying topic. I guess the reason for my post was so see if my buddies fear of 184’s are warranted. I’m not intimidated by them. As far as withheld info I didn’t leave anything out... I like to push myself but don’t have a death wish. Again, thanks everyone. I think I will keep my kendo 184’s!
 

gladerider

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it depends.

it's not that people here are annoyed, they don't know much about you and what you would like to do with them.
i am about an inch shorter but about 35 lbs lighter than you. i ski on 170cm today, but i would like to go shorter. why? because i spend a lot of time in the woods and shorter skis are easier to turn in tight trees. i used to ski on 190cm a couple of decades ago. my college room mate had 208cm. i would borrow those when i needed to go fast. real fast. going from 168 to 184 is a pretty big change. i don't ski the same and i don't need the length anymore, so i am on 170cm.

looks like you are committed to your 184s. just as kingslug said, please don't go into the woods until you have a very good command of your skis.
 

bdfreetuna

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keep the faith
184s are the correct length for your weight and height, which btw is almost identical to mine, and I ski 184s.

If you can ski black diamonds, and you're not racing slalom, you're on the right length.
 

Scruffy

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You have to take into account the ski and it's design and construction before you size the length. I am 6'0 175 lbs, and I have skis as short as 160, and as long as 186 currently, I have skied skis as long as 220 in the past, but that's another story. A modern day slalom ski is designed to be skied short, if you were a slalom racer, you'd be on a 165 cm ski at your height, most likely. A front side carver, is more like a slalom ski than a powder ski and is designed to be skied shorter usually, like a slalom ski, but not as short as a slalom race ski. At your height and weight, for a stiff front side carver, I'd go with 177-180, depending on the ski design.

Your Nordica Avenger 78’s seem to be an All-Mountain All-Rounder Ski good for intermediate skiers, according to what I see, so it would seem, at your height and weight, you've been skiing them too short; probably should have went with the 176's - the longest for that model.

The kendos on the other hand are an advanced ski, and much wider, and stiffer BTW. ( what year are they? They have been changed over the years, so that makes a difference )
Volkl classifies the Kendo as a ski for advanced and expert skiers. They also say that it is designed for “50% groomed, 50% powder.” So, your world is going to be rocked one way or the other.

Either you'll take to them like a duck to water, or they'll be so foreign to you that you'll feel like you can't ski; after all, we only know that you have been skiing for just 4 years, but other than that we don't know much about how advanced you are other than your statement that you can keep up with you seasoned buds. Four years is not very long to develop the skills needed to jump on just any ski and rip. No disrespect intended. My guess is your going to want to take some time to dial them in for you on easy slopes ( green/blues) before you go ripping with your buds. Either way, keep them, they'll be good for you in the long run. If you feel that they are too much for you now, get something more like your Nordica's, but longer and then work into the Kendos. Most of us have more than one ski, so get us to that if you really want to excel in this sport.

Good luck and post back with your experience with them.
 

cdskier

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184s are the correct length for your weight and height, which btw is almost identical to mine, and I ski 184s.

If you can ski black diamonds, and you're not racing slalom, you're on the right length.

I love blanket statements like this!

Each person is unique. The only "correct" answer is that there is no universally correct answer.
 

deadheadskier

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I love blanket statements like this!

Each person is unique. The only "correct" answer is that there is no universally correct answer.
+1

I feel with modern ski designs, things aren't so universal regarding sizing as they once were. It used to be that if you were a certain height and weight, then there would be the "right" size ski for you.

There is far more variation with modern skis regarding how they perform across the size spectrum than in the past. It's much more about how you like to ski than your physical size (within reason) in determining size today than in years past.

I demoed five skis today across three ski models. I skied Head Supershape Rally and Titan both in 170 and 177 length. And I skied a Rossi Hero GS ski in a 171.

The Head's skied completely different with each size. With the Rally I preferred the 177. With the Titan I preferred the 170. With the Heros I would have rathered the ski be in the 180-185 range. It's all about what the ski is designed to do and how you want to leverage that performance.

For the record, I'm 5'8 and about 190#.

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WJenness

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I'm 6'4" 240lbs...

I skied this year's Kendo in a 184 yesterday, and they felt like a good length to me... But I've been skiing 184cm Watea 84s for the past 8 seasons, so YMMV.

I skied this year's Brahma in a 180 yesterday as well, and I loved them. I'm now on the hunt to find a set of them in 187 to demo so I can decide which one I want.

Today I demo'd:
Head Supershape Rally & Titan, both 177 (I liked the Titan better. It was cool to swap back and forth with deadhead and get his opinions on them vs. my own).
Volkl RTM 84 in a 177... I liked the Titan much better in today's conditions (Bretton Woods). Want to try the RTM 86, as it has a beefier (All metal) construction, and at my weight, I can handle that pretty well.
Kastle MX89 in a 180... thoroughly meh. Didn't do anything for me at all.
Nordica Enforcer 100 in a 185... It was nice, but today's hardpack had me wanting something that was more of a carver. FWIW: I skied the Blizzard Bonafide yesterday, and head to head with the Enforcer 100, I'd take the Bonafide every time.
Fischer Pro MTN 86 Ti in a 182... This thing RIPPED. Pretty close to the Head Titan, the Titan liked to be on edge more, which is fun on groomers, but I wouldn't want to play in the trees with it... The Fischer I feel like I could take anywhere.

I think I'm down to the Brahma vs the Fischer Pro MTN 86 Ti... For now. That may all change in a week, we'll see!
 

Pez

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Interesting thread I just got a pair of last year's kendos at 177. Used them for the first time today and not sure how i feel about them. it's a lotta ski.
 

catskills

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If you are riding up the Jackson Hole Tram and its obvious to everyone you got the longest and widest skis on the tram, then everyone knows you are a badass and best skier on the tram. When riding the JH Tram go long and go wide. :roll: BTW everyone will be hanging out waiting to watch you ski. You best to impress them so more and head for the couloir. Later at the Mangy Moose everyone will want to know how the Couloir was. You tell them great once you walked back up to get your badass skis.
 

SIKSKIER

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I'm 6'4" 240lbs...


I skied this year's Brahma in a 180 yesterday as well, and I loved them. I'm now on the hunt to find a set of them in 187 to demo so I can decide which one I want.

!
I am the same size as you.I got 187 Brahmas last year.I pretty much ski fast GS and being on the 187 gives me a lot of confidence at speed as they are pretty stable/stiff for a mid fat ski.They ski very well on hard surfaces which is pretty comman at my home mt Cannon.Not a lot of flex for real soft snow though.FWIW BTW,I really like them.
 

Cornhead

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I am the same size as you.I got 187 Brahmas last year.I pretty much ski fast GS and being on the 187 gives me a lot of confidence at speed as they are pretty stable/stiff for a mid fat ski.They ski very well on hard surfaces which is pretty comman at my home mt Cannon.Not a lot of flex for real soft snow though.FWIW BTW,I really like them.
I picked up a pair of Brahmas last Spring, the older model, no carbon in the tips and tails. I thought I bought them in 187, but when I went to pick them up this year, I found they were 180's. I lamented the fact they weren't 187's, but after a couple days on the 180's, I love them. I've got a pair of fatties for pow days, so the added float of 187's isn't an issue. The 180's are plenty fast and stable, and edged great at a fairly firm Hunter, and Belleayre, on Sunday. Didn't notice any chattering at speed. Loving the choice for an East coast daily driver.



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