How Fat is Too Fat?

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Yikes.....this has to be one of the worst ski tech threads ever. Right up there with realskiers/PMTS.

Anyway, my two cents.....

I just did a count, and out of my ~15 ski quiver/collection, 8 pairs are in 85mm to 91mm range:

- 179cm K2 PE w/ z-racing tt (85mm) - bumps, trees, park, all around
- 179cm K2 PE w/ zr18 tt - rock, dirt skis.
- 186cm Head im88 w/ 180 Freeride tt (89mm) - all around Killington/NE ski (all conditions and terrain). Last time I skied them was the benches at stowe, chewed them up a bit, need work.
- 186cm Stockli SS (old grey version) w/ 997 11-17 & driver plates (91mm) - all around Killington ski, hard snow and speed bias.
- 188cm Stockli SS (purple version) w/ 150 pro tt (89mm) - all around Killington ski.
- 192cm Elan 777 w/ S916, lift and Vist plate (~85mm) - ice, death cookie, coral reef weapon of choice.
- 195cm K2 AK Launcher w/ 957 composites (88mm) - bumps and spring skiing.
- 201cm Stockli Asteroid w/ 957 11-17 (91mm) - speed, and keepin' it real.

So, the ~85-90mm width range is a VERY important part of my quiver, and I'll spend about 60-75% of my ski days per year on them. This width range provides me with the best overall mix of stablity, edge grip, quickness, and plowablity. However, there is a very wide range of setups, from light wood/glass skis with turntable bindings weighing less than 15 lb per pair, to a 20+ lb setup with a ti sheeted ski with a vist plate and metal salomons.

OTOH, powder skis should normally be around 110 to 140mm in the waist these days, east or west.....unless you are talking about "narrow" powder skis that are intended to not float much.

Holy crap...note to self..never be a top 30 Ki-Mart skier..

 

[Trekchick]

Highwaystar, can you spell OVERLAP?

 

[Highway Star]

Highwaystar, can you spell OVERLAP?

I may have a small amount of quiver overlap. But I think it's OK to have a bit of overlap in the "all around" spot, and I really do use these skis for different types of skiing.

 

[bigbog]

get the right tires on!

LOL, it is funny, I hate SUV's as vehicles, but I like them as skis. I have an 09 Forester and I cannot wait to go back to a wagon, I miss my 06 Legacy SW.

Phil,
Ya' just have to get some larger, more aggressive tires with some floatation on that Forester.
That thing CAN be modded into a true SUV for dirt(ie fresh air)...

 

[bigbog]

...I don't see any benefit to using Alpinetouring binders on a pair of powder boards unless you plan on touring..

Though..in many cases in NewEngland, outside the resort, often on mediocre mtns(aka huge hills) the steep sections for booting/climbing up...are few, and if one were to attempt to boot up all the way he'd be a tired camper by the time he got to the top, if at all. Take the Meathead Video...Epoch...Greylock was conquered totally by skinning(I Think..y/n?). So they do have their place...True!, a specific use. But invaluable beyond the liftlines.. I hear what you're saying about many pow boards' weight Steeze!...totally agree, but the right skis are out there. However having said this...I do try some bazarre things to use downhill bindings on the descent.

 

[riverc0il]

I don't see any benefit to using Alpinetouring binders on a pair of powder boards unless you plan on touring.

I don't see any benefit of using AT bindings on any pair of boards, powder or not, unless you plan on touring. I mean, GSS is an easy target sometimes, but c'mon man... at least make it interesting.

:lol:

 

[JD]

ahahahahahaha...I don't see any benefit to using Alpinetouring binders on a pair of powder boards unless you plan on touring..mainly because they are way heavier...I've been told that lifters are better suited for carving skis than powder skis..and yes most powder skis have a decent sidecut despite a much larger turn radius so you can still get really low..I have booted out before..if only I was lifted..

Yea but you look so core on the lift line with your Dukes on your Bros.....

 

[Glenn]

Damn this board...damn this thread! I was reading through the buyers guide and realized I might need a pair of 84(ish)mm skis. Seems that these things do pretty darn well in "regular" eastern conditions. Maybe I'll demo a pair this season.

 

[riverc0il]

Damn this board...damn this thread! I was reading through the buyers guide and realized I might need a pair of 84(ish)mm skis. Seems that these things do pretty darn well in "regular" eastern conditions. Maybe I'll demo a pair this season.

Glenn, just think of it this way.... 84ish skis are probably only 1cm or less than what you currently have. Not that much of a difference so you might as well give them a try!

 

[Glenn]

That's a really good point.

I spent part of my lunch looking for AC 50's online. :-D

 

[roark]

heh, not a single ski with a waist in the 80's in my quiver... 66(elan ripstick), 76(elan m666), 79(bd ethic-tele), 94(rossi b4's w FR+), 96 (fischer atua), 139 (bh maven protos). Obviously not up to HS's standards but it works for me. I don't think I paid more than 66% MSRP off for any of them either . Once I decided to build up the quiver I went for more purpose driven skis and shied away from the "all around" types. That said, the m666's have gotten far more use than any other ski for non pow EC conditions.

HS/DS's TGR thread probably offers way better advice than this one... I'm intrigued by R/R skis like the maven (yet to ski the protos but flexing they are a heck of a lot stiffer than production), s7, ON3P billygoat, etc. as well as the icelantic shaman for EC pow sticks. The small ski manufacturers have really pushed the envelope the last few years with funshapes, based on skiing with folks on them I don't think a funshape ski in the 130's is too fat anymore - I can't wait to try it myself!

 

[Highway Star]

I'm intrigued by R/R skis like the maven (yet to ski the protos but flexing they are a heck of a lot stiffer than production)

Should have picked up a pair of those when they were floating around...

 

[wa-loaf]

Damn this board...damn this thread! I was reading through the buyers guide and realized I might need a pair of 84(ish)mm skis. Seems that these things do pretty darn well in "regular" eastern conditions. Maybe I'll demo a pair this season.

Watea 84. My favorite ski I tried last year.

 

[roark]

Should have picked up a pair of those when they were floating around...

last years still available: $325 from bh, been thinking about it myself. Or maybe the new version presale...

 

[RootDKJ]

Damn this board...damn this thread! I was reading through the buyers guide and realized I might need a pair of 84(ish)mm skis. Seems that these things do pretty darn well in "regular" eastern conditions. Maybe I'll demo a pair this season.

Bought the Nordica Hot Rod Jet Fuel end of last season....84 :lol: Loved them the one day I got to ski 'em

 

[Glenn]

I'm gonna demo this year...I want to give something in the 90's a try as well.

 

[Trekchick]

I want to try a rocker this year!

 

[Highway Star]

last years still available: $325 from bh, been thinking about it myself. Or maybe the new version presale...

I'm talking about the stiffer protos. If you want to sell me the proto's so you can pick up a pair of last year's production version, let me know!

 

[Geoff]

Yikes.....this has to be one of the worst ski tech threads ever. Right up there with realskiers/PMTS.

Anyway, my two cents.....

I just did a count, and out of my ~15 ski quiver/collection, 8 pairs are in 85mm to 91mm range:

- 179cm K2 PE w/ z-racing tt (85mm) - bumps, trees, park, all around
- 179cm K2 PE w/ zr18 tt - rock, dirt skis.
- 186cm Head im88 w/ 180 Freeride tt (89mm) - all around Killington/NE ski (all conditions and terrain). Last time I skied them was the benches at stowe, chewed them up a bit, need work.
- 186cm Stockli SS (old grey version) w/ 997 11-17 & driver plates (91mm) - all around Killington ski, hard snow and speed bias.
- 188cm Stockli SS (purple version) w/ 150 pro tt (89mm) - all around Killington ski.
- 192cm Elan 777 w/ S916, lift and Vist plate (~85mm) - ice, death cookie, coral reef weapon of choice.
- 195cm K2 AK Launcher w/ 957 composites (88mm) - bumps and spring skiing.
- 201cm Stockli Asteroid w/ 957 11-17 (91mm) - speed, and keepin' it real.

So, the ~85-90mm width range is a VERY important part of my quiver, and I'll spend about 60-75% of my ski days per year on them. This width range provides me with the best overall mix of stablity, edge grip, quickness, and plowablity. However, there is a very wide range of setups, from light wood/glass skis with turntable bindings weighing less than 15 lb per pair, to a 20+ lb setup with a ti sheeted ski with a vist plate and metal salomons.

OTOH, powder skis should normally be around 110 to 140mm in the waist these days, east or west.....unless you are talking about "narrow" powder skis that are intended to not float much.

Other than some Volkl heli-skiing skis that are completely inappropriate for the east coast and some skinny Atomic rec racing boards I almost never use, my entire quiver is between an 82mm waist and an 86mm waist.

I have a few days every year where I encounter windblown and I'd like to have something wider and rockered in my quiver for inbounds skiing. Living off an unemployment check last year, I couldn't justify it.

I contemplate adding something with AT bindings where I could get back to my condo from Rams Head or Pico; or out to Wheelerville Road without the nasty slog in bondage bindings. I'd like light, wide, rockered, AT, and skins. My boat and condo rehab are higher priority at the moment.

 

[deadheadskier]

I'd be interested in trying rockered skis, but I have a hard time imagining they'd make that much of a difference that I'd ever consider buying them.