Race Ski Sizing and turn Radius Questions

deadheadskier · Feb 25, 2008

I haven't owned a set of race skis since High School, so I haven't a clue about sizing these days. Back then I raced for a couple of years and my slalom boards were 200cm and my GS 207. If I see a good deal, I'd like to pick up a set of hardpack rippers for next year. So, I'll be on the look out for the remainder of the season and into summer.

One ski I'm considering is the Fischer RC4 Worldcup SC. This ski seems to split the difference between a slalom and giant slalom board, which is what I'm after.

At 5'9" and 195lbs, what size might you recommend? They are available in 150, 155, 160, 165 & 170

Also, any other similar versatile race skis you might recommend by other manufacturers?

Since leaving Vermont and not having a flexible enough schedule to head back to Northern VT very much and even more so lacking the flexibility to hit powder days on a whim, I find myself spending a lot of time on hardpack unless I find good bumps. So, looking for a super fast carving machine to add to the quiver.

GrilledSteezeSandwich · Feb 25, 2008

I own a pair of Atomic LT11s from 05-06 in a length of 170 and they have a radius of 17m..which is great for mid radius turns..they make the ski in a 180 as well but I found the 170 to be adaquate. I'm sure you can get a pair of them pretty cheap online.

Oh yeah and I'm 5-11 and 200 pounds..so fairly similar to you..my diet starts tomorrow..lol

deadheadskier · Feb 25, 2008

I just googled Atomic LT11s and the first thing that popped up is a thread in PASR from you steeze

impressive, you're at the top of the google chain

GrilledSteezeSandwich · Feb 25, 2008

deadheadskier said:
I just googled Atomic LT11s and the first thing that popped up is a thread in PASR from you steeze

impressive, you're at the top of the google chain

Well 16,000 posts on PASkiandRide will do that..lol

wa-loaf · Feb 25, 2008

deadheadskier said:
One ski I'm considering is the Fischer RC4 Worldcup SC. This ski seems to split the difference between a slalom and giant slalom board, which is what I'm after.

Isn't the SC is the slalom ski. Did you mean the RC? The RC is the "citizen" GS race ski. Also check out the Progressor.

deadheadskier · Feb 25, 2008

I think the SC, might be the 'citizens' slalom ski. The SL appears to be race stock slalom board. My thought was instead of getting a GS board in a shorter length, getting a Slalom board in somewhat longer lenght, either a 170 or 175.

The Progressor looks promising too, that actually might be the more middle of the road versatile race ski I'm looking for.

Hawkshot99 · Feb 25, 2008

how about a rossi mutix r11. i ski them and love them. they are for the recreational racer that wants a sl/gs ski. it has changeable arms to change it up.

wa-loaf · Feb 25, 2008

Unless you like ripping short radius turns I think a slalom is the wrong way to go. The progressor gets good reviews, although I haven't tried. Something else to look at might be the Cool Heat I tested them out last year and they were bomb proof on hard pack and drove through crud like a tank. They did feel a little heavy, but they have the same plate the race skis have.

deadheadskier · Feb 25, 2008

wa-loaf said:
Unless you like ripping short radius turns I think a slalom is the wrong way to go. The progressor gets good reviews, although I haven't tried. Something else to look at might be the Cool Heat I tested them out last year and they were bomb proof on hard pack and drove through crud like a tank. They did feel a little heavy, but they have the same plate the race skis have.

I think that might be a bit wide underfoot for what I'm looking for. Right now my primary ski is an 07 Rossi B2, which I absolutely love on everything, but hardpack/ice. They are more than quick enough for me to ski bumps and on packed powder I can carve pretty darn well with them.

Hawkshot might have a good call in the mutix. My only concern in a race ski however is that they have a very solid core, preferably wood, so that they don't break down quickly. I'm less concerned with that happening on the B2's due the conditions I am generally looking to ski with them.

B2 will be my all mountain board for the next couple of seasons. They'er great in all but the deepest pow and just about everything else.

It's just the skied off / hard pack riding I'm looking for something to charge with that is capable of both medium radius turns and short radius for steep shots. I'm thinking 14-15m

wa-loaf · Feb 25, 2008

deadheadskier said:
It's just the skied off / hard pack riding I'm looking for something to charge with that is capable of both medium radius turns and short radius for steep shots. I'm thinking 14-15m

Ah OK. I thought you were looking for a long-medium. My bad.

Hawkshot99 · Feb 25, 2008

deadheadskier said:
Hawkshot might have a good call in the mutix. My only concern in a race ski however is that they have a very solid core, preferably wood, so that they don't break down quickly. I'm less concerned with that happening on the B2's due the conditions I am generally looking to ski with them.

Mutix is a foam core ski. On breakdown speed I have no idea how they last. I only have around 20 days on mine as they share skiing duties with other sets of skis. Plus I try not to use them, as the make me ski at ridiculous speeds.

deadheadskier · Feb 25, 2008

Hawkshot99 said:
Mutix is a foam core ski. On breakdown speed I have no idea how they last. I only have around 20 days on mine as they share skiing duties with other sets of skis. Plus I try not to use them, as the make me ski at ridiculous speeds.

what's your opinion on them on boiler plate? cut right in, minimal chatter?

Hawkshot99 · Feb 25, 2008

deadheadskier said:
what's your opinion on them on boiler plate? cut right in, minimal chatter?

On real hard snow, the bite in as hard as anything I have skied. If they don't bite, most likely nothing will. Chatter barely ever exists with them.

The only time they they get pulled out are when I have a race, or real hard days when I don't want a 80's mm ski. Every ski has a point were you feel you are pushing them too hard, I have yet to find it with these, and trust me I have tried. At 250 I can ski them very hard and they are right there asking for more.

deadheadskier · Feb 25, 2008

250 - I'm assuming you are referring to your weight

what size are you on and would you recommend for me at my size 5'9" 195? I would normally lean towards the 175, but perhaps the 165 is the better choice? Definitely interested in demoing a pair.

GrilledSteezeSandwich · Feb 25, 2008

. Plus I try not to use them said:
Haha..that's the way I like to ski..fa fa fa fast..There was a guy earlier this evening at Blue mountain on 210 Super G skis and I skied faster than him but he made alot more turns. My Elan S12s are a good stiff all mountain ski with dimensions 112-67-100 with a 15.9m radius in a 176 length. To me they're a perfect ice coast carver..mine are my second pair of the 2004-05 skis and they're after 100 days on them..They're metal skis..not wood like my Rossi fat skis.

Hawkshot99 · Feb 25, 2008

250 would be my weight..:-o

I ski them in a 175. For me I would have liked them in a 170, but they didn't make it, and 165 was just too short when I skied them. My friend had them in a 165 and I think he is around your weight/height and he loved his in the 165.

On the length I am not the greatest at recommending. Give them a demo try.

wa-loaf · Feb 25, 2008

Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I want wood and titanium in my skis for ripping hard pack.

kbroderick · Feb 25, 2008

I've got a pair of 165cm Fischer slalom skis (true race skis, although I'm not sure if they're WC stock and flex or not), and they'll hold okay for medium-radius turns on hard snow. However, you have to be damn sure to stay centered...if you get forward, they will make a slalom turn, regardless of how fast you are going. They do start to feel a little unstable when reaching moderately-high GS speeds in medium-to-large GS turns. They are excellent for slalom turns.

My non-race-stock Rossi GS boards (174cm, R > 21m, I think...although I'd have to double-check) are a great firm-snow ski but take some more effort to turn (more so than the slalom skis, I feel like I need a stiffer boot to adequately drive them).

If you are interested in a true race ski, I'd suggest keeping an eye on the TGR Gear Swap forum--used race stuff in good shape tends to go pretty cheap over there (the Rossis were $150 with bindings and have more than enough life left for me to use 10-20 days a year for beer league skiing, which is why I bought them; I've seen similar pricing on skis from various makers, and you don't need this year's race skis unless you need to conform to FIS regs).

deadheadskier · Feb 26, 2008

kbroderick said:
If you are interested in a true race ski, I'd suggest keeping an eye on the TGR Gear Swap forum--used race stuff in good shape tends to go pretty cheap over there (the Rossis were $150 with bindings and have more than enough life left for me to use 10-20 days a year for beer league skiing, which is why I bought them; I've seen similar pricing on skis from various makers, and you don't need this year's race skis unless you need to conform to FIS regs).

This probably makes the most financial sense. The reality is, I only ski 20-25 days a year, wish it was more, but that's the way it goes. Out of those days, 5-7 are typically the hard snow days I'd be looking for a race ski. Days where the woods and bumps are shot. As much as its great getting a shiny pair of new skis, its probably not necessary for me to do so for this piece of equipment I desire in my quiver.

skibum9995 · Feb 26, 2008

You can usually get one year old race skis cheap at a ski club swap in the fall.

If you want a race ski to go fast and hold on hardpack I say go for a longer ski. I ski on 181 Nordica Dobermann GSRs <23m radius as my everyday ski and love them. I'm a little guy, 5' 6" 135 lbs, but once I get up to speed they aren't that bad to turn as along as you have the space.

Race Ski Sizing and turn Radius Questions

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