Questions: New ski gear for 13-year-old boy

My soon-to-be-13-year-old needs new skis and he's at the point where we need to be choosier than simply settling for whatever we find at our local swap. But as I look into it I'm finding remarkably little in what I'd call the "older kid but sub-adult" category. He's 5'3" and undoubtedly going to have a growth spurt the next year or two; last year he was on 141s and now an upgrade to ~150 or longer seems in order, but most manufacturers seem to offer only stuff for smaller kids (like up to ~140 length) or full-blown adult skis ($$$$).

Fortunately I've learned Volkl makes a Gotama Jr and I'm pretty sure this will fit the bill. Online I'm finding the 2010 in 158cm for as little as $219 including shipping. (Yes I see the Gotama Jrs available via AZ gear directory at REI for $149 but they only have 128s available.)

Curious 1) if anyone here has any experience with these skis, 2) can suggest alternatives, preferably at an under $250 price point, and 3) what sort of bindings we might consider.

Some more background:

- Overall I'd say my son is a solid intermediate skier and could easily be considered advanced if he'd actually listen to me when I tell him on Every.Single.Run. that he needs to get out of the backseat and center his gravity over the balls of his feet and that he should initiate turns with proper pole plants. (I swear this year I'll pull the trigger and pay for a private lesson so he can hear the right things from someone other than his dad and maybe it'd actually stick then.)

- He's not overly aggressive but also not afraid of a pretty serious challenge, like Cat Bowl > Lower Antelope at MRG or the narrow steep drops into the top of the Ravine at Ragged. He keeps his speed in check when necessary and is reasonably confident in his ability to navigate sketchy conditions. He loves on-map woods like Caveman at Burke and Catacomb Glades at Wildcat. He seeks out little jumps but not huge air at this point.

- He's happy in powder and crud though to date he hasn't had optimal skis for those conditions (way too skinny). On groomed trails he'll often seek out ungroomed edges. He really does aspire to be a park rat though. One running discussion we've been having as I've been reviewing this with him is whether the Goat Jrs would be suitable for the park. I do note that Volkl categorizes them as freestyle twin-tips. My take at this point is they might not be *the* best possible ski if my son would be in the park exclusively, but as I point out to him, when he's skiing with me and his brother he does a good bit of powder, crud and woods; the Goat Jr looks to me like a good balance, with enough ski under foot to handle the deep when we get that. (I told him I'd read something about someone using Goat Jrs to ride switch in powder and that seemed to blow his mind a little.)

- None of us in our family has tried rockered skis yet but I'm fairly convinced this is the wave of the future and no time like the present to start riding it.

- I have 2009 grownup Gotamas myself (regular camber) and love 'em, except for the purely cosmetic problem of topsheet chipping.

- Any differences of note between 2010 and 2011 Gotama Jrs? The latter are widely available for $269, or $70 more than the best price I'm seeing for the 2010s (before shipping). Any progress on the topsheet problem, for example?

- I'd be happy to have my son get two seasons out of these skis though I suppose he might grow out of them after one. Either way, then his younger brother (now 10) could use 'em for a year or two.

- oh yeah, bindings: I really haven't started researching this at all. I have Barons on my own Goats but at this point my son doesn't really have much interest in fighting gravity, so no need for that kind of investment. Appreciate any advice on this. Currently my son's BSL is 265 but we may have to get bigger boots for this season, and if not this year, certainly by next.

Thanks in advance (and I remind myself that at this time last year I was barely more than six weeks away from my first ski trip ...)

I see you already own a pair of goats so you are well aware these are rockered skis (edit: sorry, I see you already stated that). Also, I *think* 2010 is the last year volkl made the Jrs longest ski at 158. I think the 2011 models (to expensive now anyway) longest ski is at 148. Just sayin cause this may add to the 2010 cache.

The only alternative I can personaly suggest are the K2 silencer (159s for my 14 yo). They are stiffer then the goat jrs and the laminate is more bullet proof which should help in the park.

Personally, at $219 I would grab them up. With 80 underfoot and being rockered/twin tips they should be wicked quick in the trees.

Thanks much. Looking at the Silencers now though not quickly having luck finding 159s at a nice price. Probably will pull trigger on the Gotama Jrs tomorrow (Mon) after a call to my local shop to see if they have anything that might work for us.

i got my son some 154 dynastar nothing but troubles twins / look px 12's last year and he's been ripping them all over the mountain and they've held up very well

it doesn't look like theres too many around though as they were replaced by the 6th sense serial line

I spoke with one of the coaches from the freestyle program at Sugarbush to get his thoughts on skis for my son for this season. My son is 12 years old, 5 feet tall, 85 pounds and has skied with one of the most technically advanced ski groups at Sugarbush for the past three seasons. His only thought on the Gotama Jr. was that it is very soft snow biased and much better in powder than on groomers, moguls and the terrain park.

WWF-VT said:

. His only thought on the Gotama Jr. was that it is very soft snow biased and much better in powder than on groomers, moguls and the terrain park.

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Thanks. I've now talked with the proprietor of my local shop and am holding off on the purchase pending further research & discussion. Seems a big issue will be mounting of the binding - on center being preferred for park, back somewhat for freeriding. I realize it's in a ski shop guy's interest to say the only solution is to buy two sets of skis, but the underlying reasoning makes sense - I think I can understand why a center mount is preferable for the park and I definitely get why the same mount could lead to bad habits and/or submarining when freeriding in pow/crud. Anyway, if we end up wanting the Gotama Jr, I'm seeing the 2011 for only $50 more than the best price I've found for 2010s, factoring in shipping.

I THINK we have some scattered stuff in that range that I would be willing to blow out cheap. Hold off till tomorrow and call me at the shop. 530-582-5781

polski said:

Thanks. I've now talked with the proprietor of my local shop and am holding off on the purchase pending further research & discussion. Seems a big issue will be mounting of the binding - on center being preferred for park, back somewhat for freeriding. I realize it's in a ski shop guy's interest to say the only solution is to buy two sets of skis, but the underlying reasoning makes sense - I think I can understand why a center mount is preferable for the park and I definitely get why the same mount could lead to bad habits and/or submarining when freeriding in pow/crud. Anyway, if we end up wanting the Gotama Jr, I'm seeing the 2011 for only $50 more than the best price I've found for 2010s, factoring in shipping.

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If your thinking two pair, then why not used, cheap, center mounts for park fun on ebay and pick up your goat jrs for the other stuff (obviously I'm alpine biased).

By the way, Lottsa information on mounting the rockered goats on the net if you search (but none on the jrs). But all for non-park stuff.

What type of park skiing do you think your son will want to try ? Where ? If kids are doing a lot of rails and boxes they'll beat up their skis and the used, cheap skis might be a good option especially if he is just getting started.

yeah, especially if the Goat Jrs are like their big brothers and have flimsy topsheets (my only complaint about them, and a relatively trivial problem).

though tarponhead, to be clear, I'm NOT (or wasn't, anyway) thinking about two pairs for my kid ...

Honestly I think we're talking pretty low-level park stuff, including at local Ski Bradford with its 242' vert, but probably enough to beat skis up pretty good.

philpug, thanks - I'm swamped with work right now (my appearance here notwithstanding), will try calling tomorrow or later in the week.

Be mindful of a center mount. It'll be fun in the park, but venturing out of the park, possibly not so much.

I have my twin tips mounted a bit forward...but not center. The skis are pretty turny with that set up, but I can sill zip around the entire mountain without an issue.

Glenn said:

Be mindful of a center mount. It'll be fun in the park, but venturing out of the park, possibly not so much.

I have my twin tips mounted a bit forward...but not center. The skis are pretty turny with that set up, but I can sill zip around the entire mountain without an issue.

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To what extent does it diminish the park experience if the bindings are mounted a little back of center? My impression is there's limited ability to compromise because park and pow are so different, but I ask anyway.

I fondled the Gotama Jrs at a local shop yesterday. The sales guy leaned toward the K2 Press for my son's situation or possibly Line Mastermind (both of which are 85 under foot compared to 80 on the Gots) but still I'm having my doubts about trying to get one ski to do it all here. Assessing numerous options. (Philpug, I'll try to give you a call tomorrow.)

I'm not a park rat by any means. I can do wider rails and I'm pretty good at "roll down the windows" air of off larger features.

I wanted twin tips that I could play around on in the park...but also ski the rest of the mountain. If I was spending entire days in the park, I probably would have gone with a center mount. But since I'm doing all mountain as well, I went with a more regular mount. Did the guy at the shop give any insight into how to mount? When I had mine mounted, the guy actually called me and double checked first.

Glenn said:

I'm not a park rat by any means. I can do wider rails and I'm pretty good at "roll down the windows" air of off larger features.

I wanted twin tips that I could play around on in the park...but also ski the rest of the mountain. If I was spending entire days in the park, I probably would have gone with a center mount. But since I'm doing all mountain as well, I went with a more regular mount. Did the guy at the shop give any insight into how to mount? When I had mine mounted, the guy actually called me and double checked first.

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Yeah, he was thinking a little to the rear of center but still more forward than if the park wouldn't be a factor at all.

Sounds about right; that's what the tech told me.

If you're still shopping, I'd highly recommend the guys at evogear. I went through exactly this same shopping experience last year for my son (then 12) and could find nothing in my local shop that would work. I found zero in the size range. It was either gear for little kids or adult stuff at $1000 per pair. And I had one of those experiences where the shop just couldn't seem to be bothered with helping me. To make a long story short, I stumbled on evogear and had a fantastic experience. I'd never purchased skis online before and was hesitant. The customer service was second to none, the advice was top notch and the prices were -- and still are -- downright amazing. They have huge sales, one's going on now. You should definitely check them out.