Elan M555 - Bought at Wawa Ski Swap

[ChileMass]

Well, I'm pretty pumped. I upgraded my skis last weekend at the annual Columbus Day ski swap at Wachusett. Paid $299 for a pair of 2005-6 Elan M555 skis with the Elan Fusion bindings. Very nice all-mountain ski. Dimensions are 108-70-98 - supposed ot be very solid on groomers, ice and steep stuff but also good in powder. Sweet. These babies were still in the plastic.

Now I'm pumped for the season........

 

[roark]

Love my M666's. 'bout time you relegated those Rossi's to rock ski status!

 

[BeanoNYC]

What was the sidecut of your old (Rock now?) skis.

 

[ChileMass]

What was the sidecut of your old (Rock now?) skis.

Don't know - they were actually old shaped Heads that pre-dated having the dimensions (shovel, waist, tail) printed on the ski. So they were old. They deserve to be rock skis.......

 

[ChileMass]

Love my M666's. 'bout time you relegated those Rossi's to rock ski status!

Roark - my understanding is that the M666 has a slightly wider waist than the M555 and is therefore a better off-trail and powder ski. Did you ski on those last winter on the racing team? What do you like about them specifically? Damn - now I can't wait to try these out......

 

[roark]

Roark - my understanding is that the M666 has a slightly wider waist than the M555 and is therefore a better off-trail and powder ski. Did you ski on those last winter on the racing team? What do you like about them specifically? Damn - now I can't wait to try these out......

Remember my big improvement day? 2nd day on the new sticks.

The M666 is 116-76-102, more of an "all mountain mid-fat," but still relatively narrow for that category. I'll be racing on RipSticks this year... found a deal and couldn't resist... :razz:
Haven't had them out in anything more than ~4inches yet. Not a real "powder" ski but capable in all conditions. They might be a bit stiff (as well as narrow) for deeper pow. I expect to use them as my everyday ski this year.

The M666 is relatively heavy and damp, which I like. Awesome for crud busting. Also hold an edge very well on ice. Turn initiation is easy & the sidcut along with the turned up tail make different turn shapes easy. They "come to life" a bit more at speed and I have not yet found their speed limit.

I could have sworn you had Rossi's... oh well.

If the M555 is like it's bigger brother (and I presume it is) I think you'll like 'em. They should rip the groomers, have no trouble blasting through crud, and be less of a bear than your current sticks in pow.

 

[roark]

Here's a review from epicski: http://forums.epicski.com/archive/index.php?t-12238.html

 

[Greg]

What's the length. CM?

 

[SkiDork]

Elan and Fischer - I've always thought of them as pure race ski manus. I guess they make other stuff too...

 

[ChileMass]

What's the length. CM?

Length is 176 cm.


I think I'll like these - I was going for an upgrade without the radical sidecut of the M666 (116 down to 76 - yikes). After talking with the ski shop guy, I decided a less extreme sidecut is probably better for me since I do like to cruise at high speeds and I don't want the ski to grab at 35 mph and throw me on my head. This one seems better for arcing out big GS turns which is my thing.

 

[ChileMass]

Here's a review from epicski: http://forums.epicski.com/archive/index.php?t-12238.html

Cool - these will be just fine for me. My days in the woods are long since over, and I only go in the bumps occasionally. I'll do my own review and get back to you on whether the M555 gives back enough energy when I step on the gas. But overall, it seems like just the ski for me. Nice to see that the ski shop guy I bought these from at Wawa was giving me the straight story.......this review is exactly what this guy told me to expect.

 

[SkiDork]

Cool - these will be just fine for me. My days in the woods are long since over, and I only go in the bumps occasionally. I'll do my own review and get back to you on whether the M555 gives back enough energy when I step on the gas. But overall, it seems like just the ski for me. Nice to see that the ski shop guy I bought these from at Wawa was giving me the straight story.......this review is exactly what this guy told me to expect.

huh? I'm 45 years old and my days in the woods are just starting...

 

[ChileMass]

huh? I'm 45 years old and my days in the woods are just starting...

Have fun - I'm 47 and skiing on rocks and stumps does nothing for me. I'm not against it - if you get off on the challenge of it, that's cool. But - I skied in the woods for years as a kid and wrecked a whole bunch of equipment and never really found it fun or useful except as a way to find somewhere to smoke dope far away from parents and Ski Patrollers.

My thing is SPEED, and you can't go 40 mph in the woods......

 

[DEVO]

did you buy the M555's from Bruce Hardy at the ski swap?

 

[ChileMass]

did you buy the M555's from Bruce Hardy at the ski swap?

I didn't get his name or the ski shop he represented. He was late 30s/early 40s, short black/gray hair, sort of tallish (6 feet), in pretty good shape I guess - he looked like a skier. Nice guy. Again, the story he told me about the M555s was consistent with what I have read in online reviews, so he's an ace as far as I'm concerned......

 

[DEVO]

I didn't get his name or the ski shop he represented. He was late 30s/early 40s, short black/gray hair, sort of tallish (6 feet), in pretty good shape I guess - he looked like a skier. Nice guy. Again, the story he told me about the M555s was consistent with what I have read in online reviews, so he's an ace as far as I'm concerned......

yeah that wasn't Bruce then, he's much older. Thanks, I was just curious 'cause I know he was selling skis there.