Help Me Pick a Ski

[koreshot]

I am pondering buying an 04/05 or 05/06 ski for hard snow skiing. I have 3 pairs of skis above 90mm under foot so I am looking for a skinny hard snow ski.

Me: 210lbs, 6'3". Advanced, can ski just about anything on the east coast in control.

What matters:
1. Ice and hard snow grip
2. Small-ish radius (ie I would rather own a slalom ski than a GS ski)
3. It has to work pretty well in bumps

I think #3 eliminates just about all slalom skis and ultra stiff skis. So, does anyone know of a really grippy slalom radius type of ski that rips in the bumps?

Oh and no foam core skis. Wood, please, they need to last at least 50 days on the hill.

 

[thaller1]

I am pondering buying an 04/05 or 05/06 ski for hard snow skiing. I have 3 pairs of skis above 90mm under foot so I am looking for a skinny hard snow ski.

Me: 210lbs, 6'3". Advanced, can ski just about anything on the east coast in control.

What matters:
1. Ice and hard snow grip
2. Small-ish radius (ie I would rather own a slalom ski than a GS ski)
3. It has to work pretty well in bumps

I think #3 eliminates just about all slalom skis and ultra stiff skis. So, does anyone know of a really grippy slalom radius type of ski that rips in the bumps?

Oh and no foam core skis. Wood, please, they need to last at least 50 days on the hill.

I'm a Fischer fan so my recommendation might be an RX9 or the AMC 76. I have the Big Stix which are 76 under foot and a couple of years old. They are amazing ..I can make quick peppy turns or big wide turns and they are good in the bumps too. I have NEVER (knocking on wood here) slipped on the ice .. and I ski in MAINE most of the year..

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I'm a Fischer fan so my recommendation might be an RX9 or the AMC 76. I have the Big Stix which are 76 under foot and a couple of years old. They are amazing ..I can make quick peppy turns or big wide turns and they are good in the bumps too. I have NEVER (knocking on wood here) slipped on the ice .. and I ski in MAINE most of the year..

I think the Fischer RX8 fits Koreshots #2 and #3 better.
Nordica 14.1 would work well for all 3 and Atomic B5

 

[roark]

I haven't skiied em but some folks are big fans of the Fischer RC SL. I'd try to demo the Nordica ___ (sorry, drawing a blank on the name) , Elan Ripstick, vollkl allstar, Head iRC 1200 (?), maybe the supershape, and a dynastar contact.

 

[koreshot]

Thanks guys. RX8/RX9 and Elan Ripstick are the top of my shopping list at the moment.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Thanks guys. RX8/RX9 and Elan Ripstick are the top of my shopping list at the moment.

Ripstick a great hard snow tool, but it's more of a race ski. If you go Elan you might want to think about the Magafire 12. I took a few runs with the Elan rep at Whiteface in April and he told me they where the best ski he's ever owned. We where going to switch so he could try my Top Fuels and I could try his Magafires, but he didn't have a demo binding on his, so I can't give a first hand account, but based on your list it seems like it might fit better.

RX9 is best suited for high speed GS turns. It skis alot like the Volkl 6 Star IMO.

 

[roark]

i own both the M666 (*extremely* similar to the Magfire 12) and the Ripsticks (which I recently bought, but have demoed). I do plan to use the Ripstick for Nastar, but it's not a true race ski. Turning radius for the Ripstick is ~14m in a 170, ~15 in a 178 so it's fairly "turny", perhaps a bit more than the RX9/9. I think korshot wants something a bit narrower than a magfire to fill this niche in his quiver. I know you've got the 188 stiff bros, what else koreshot?

Lots of reviews of both over at epicski.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Lots of reviews of both over at epicski.

4sure, there is a wealth of knowledge there.

 

[koreshot]

I know you've got the 188 stiff bros, what else koreshot?

I got the 188 Softs actually. I have a pair of Seth Pistols that are just about dead and Made'n AKs are on their way.

my thinking is....

Daily Ski - Fischer RX8 or something similar. Good hard snow grip and good in bumps.
Soft Snow - 188 Soft Bros. Haven't skied them yet but they are supposed to have very good hard snow grip for their size too. I have seen a number of people kill it in the trees and bumps on them so I think as long as there is no ice, these things will do fine.

West Coast:
Daily Ski - 188 Bros
Lots of Snow or Cat Skiing - 189 Made'n AK

 

[roark]

Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Rushski]

Can't go wrong with the RXs. They should fit the bill for your needs.

Fischer has always had good edge hold on ice with most of their skis...

 

[bigbog]

.....

...agreed.....Nordica's 14.1, Fischers(RX[6-8-9], AMCs) <-- keeps on coming up by many.
Being a little wider @72mm, I just got Head's iM72(a little softer in shovel) @nice Web pricing...that I had demoed in Feb.

$.01

turn radii(fwiw):
RX8:... 12m
RX9:....19m
iM72:.. 15.3

 

[NYDrew]

I have always liked slalom skiis for those descriptions. Currently using rossi Z9's which covers those feilds nicely too

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I have always liked slalom skiis for those descriptions. Currently using rossi Z9's which covers those feilds nicely too

Let's discuss the Z9's. I only took 2 runs on them, but I found them to be too damp. Maybe I just needed more time on them. Do you like a very damp ski or am I just way off?

 

[NYDrew]

Waaaaaay off yet right on target. The Z9's are stiff unforgiving monsters....HOWEVER. The VAS system is so good it makes a crud feild feel smoooth like a fresh groomer if you are in their sweet spot. (very foward in your boots, flawless stance).

Without seeing you, I will compliment your skiing, if your calling the Z9's damp, you must be very advanced technically. Try to sit back a little to disengage the VAS and actually feel the ski for what it is.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Waaaaaay off yet right on target.

OK, I said I only had 2 runs on them. You might find this thread interesting: http://forums.epicski.com/showthread.php?t=34947
Most agree with you, one guy sees it my way.

Try to sit back a little to disengage the VAS and actually feel the ski for what it is.

My skis have the Marker XBS system, they do the same thing. If you get a little forward or back of your balance center they compensate.