People skiing on old straight skis

[Rambo]

I have noticed their are still a number of people skiing on OLD straight skis. Just the fact that the bindings are so very old and "Non-Current" could be a safety issue. A lot of these people ski fairly fast.

Saw a guy with an old pair of Salomon SX70 rear entry racing boots. I can understand people using old boots they like. The ski shop guys tell me that ski boot liners wear out after 70 to 75 days of skiing. I don't buy that. I had a pair of Nordica boots for 18.5 years and about 370 ski days before the outer shell plastic got hard and brittle and cracked apart one day after skiing when taking them off.

 

[2knees]

i have people tell me all the time i need to get rid of my salomon sx91 equipes and K2 Comp slalom skis.

whats the big deal? i like to jersey turn in denim with some old school flair.

 

[millerm277]

As for bindings, I'd say the same thing goes for them as for boots:

If you leave them in your garage or attic and they go through a million cycles of freezing in the winter, and being 90F in the summer, they probably aren't going to last too long. If your idea of "adjusting bindings", is messing with a screwdriver until your foot fits in them, and you think DIN settings are supposed to be up as far as they can go....the bindings probably aren't going to work well or last long.

If you keep your stuff at room temperature, inspect it, and take care of it, it'll last a long time. As for boot liners wearing out...they tend to get "colder" after that period of time, but don't exactly develop holes instantly or whatever.

Personally, I ski on Nordica NR981 boots from 1990 or 1991, they're the best fitting boots I've ever felt, and cost $5 on ebay to get a spare pair for new rubber heels. Still working great.

 

[deadheadskier]

I've bought a lot of equipment in the past 3 years, but had held onto some items for a long time prior to that.

I was skiing my Lange Banshe's from HS from 1994 until 2003. I skied my Marker M1SC bindings from 1994 until 2006.

I hope all of my current gear last 10+ years. I only ski about 20-25 days a year, so I think that's a reasonable expectation. Love my boots, my Pow skis and my bump skis. Only thing I can see swapping out of my quiver are my 'carving' skis as I really don't care for them much. They're Rossi B2s. I bought them in hopes of a 1 ski quiver 3 years ago and while they're capable in all conditions, they do nothing outstandingly well at all. I purchased 'Bump' skis since and east coast powder skis. Both are great for their intended purpose, but kinda blow at carving.

 

[wa-loaf]

Having spent some time at Ski Ward lately, they have a large percentage of folks in 80's and even 70s gear on the slopes.

 

[deadheadskier]

how are the kids enjoying Ward? tis where I learned

 

[dmc]

As for bindings, I'd say the same thing goes for them as for boots.

Ski shops are not allowed to work on old bindings.. I brought my old beartraps in and the refused...

 

[wa-loaf]

how are the kids enjoying Ward? tis where I learned

I think the class size is too big. They spend too much time teaching them to use the handle tow. I've seen hardly any ski instruction in 4 weeks. I think I'm going to go with WA next year. More of a haul, but a better set-up there. Ward really needs a magic carpet.

 

[deadheadskier]

I learned on that very same handle tow. Actually if I recall correctly, the first couple of lessons we didn't even use the tow, just side stepped up the hill a ways. By the end of the 6 lesson program we were brought to the 'summit'. I and my parents very much remember my maiden voyage from the summit. We were all in a row to do big giant S's down the slope in our Pizza wedges. This was the slope next to the T Bar, which I believe has been replaced....lookers left of the handle tow. I made the first two S's and then decided to blow off the class and go straight down. Ended up crashing straight into the barn at the bottom. :lol:

 

[millerm277]

Ski shops are not allowed to work on old bindings.. I brought my old beartraps in and the refused...

I know. I meant if you're working on your own bindings. Hmm...gives me an entertaining idea though. Go buy some vintage skis from the the 50s with the cable bindings and such, and a really horrible neon pair of rear entry boots, and take them in to be "setup".

 

[mister moose]

Only thing I can see swapping out of my quiver are my 'carving' skis as I really don't care for them much. They're Rossi B2s. I bought them in hopes of a 1 ski quiver 3 years ago and while they're capable in all conditions, they do nothing outstandingly well at all. I purchased 'Bump' skis since and east coast powder skis. Both are great for their intended purpose, but kinda blow at carving.

I would never call B2's a carving ski. It has a turning radius of 18m and has no ability to hold on. My carving ski has a turning radius of 12m, is 121-66-102 and will dig trenches in the snow while giving you amusement park level g-forces. It's a lot of fun. Demo something that will really carve, and then lean it over and really ask it to carve.

 

[Glenn]

whats the big deal? i like to jersey turn in denim with some old school flair.

LOL!

I see a few pairs of straights every weekend. I assume (and we know where that gets us!) it's someone who just doesn't ski that often or maybe just got back into it after a few years off. I do, however, do a double take when I see a pair of Rossi 4S's. I picked a pair of those up off the side of the road and plan to mount them on the wall.......

Oh, and this past Saturday I saw some serious old school randomness. Seeing old skis is one thing...but old snow boards....saw a dude carrying an old Burton Air board that kinda looked like this:

 

[KevinF]

The ski shop guys tell me that ski boot liners wear out after 70 to 75 days of skiing. I don't buy that. I had a pair of Nordica boots for 18.5 years and about 370 ski days before the outer shell plastic got hard and brittle and cracked apart one day after skiing when taking them off.

If ski boot liners wore out in 75 days, I know a couple full-time instructors who'd be going through two pairs of boots in a season!

 

[WinnChill]

Yep, I have 20 year old Lange skiis (not the boots) and Tyrolia bindings. I was inquiring about ski tune up several years ago and mentioned Tyrolia...the girl had never heard of them! I always seem to miss the ski swap to upgrade so I just keep skiing the old ones. Plus I don't go as often as I'd like to justify spending big $ for new ones.

 

[TheBEast]

Ski shops are not allowed to work on old bindings.. I brought my old beartraps in and the refused...

Having worked in a shop for 6+ years in high school and college the binding manufacturers put out a list every year of "current" binding models, ones they will cover in case of malfunction, essentially the ones shops are legally allowed to work on. Shops risk lawsuits if they work on a binding that the manufacturer deems is no longer safe to ski. Mind you I think the life-span of a binding is something in the neighborhood of 10 years or so based on this list. It really comes down to a safety issue. Yes, older equipment "may" function properly, but if insurance companies won't cover manufacturers for their older equipment, they're not going to let shops work on it......so as much as it sucks to get new bindings with new skis (had this happen to me a year or so ago) when you have other bindings which "appear" perfectly fine, it's much safer to just get something new. Besides the technology is that much better now as well. You really are putting yourself at greater risk every time you're out on bindings that are 15+ years old in my opinion.

 

[RootDKJ]

I see a lot of people at Blue on their 200cm straight skis. Often when I'm sharing a lift ride with one of them, they will comment "Wow, the tips of your skis are so round"

 

[deadheadskier]

I would never call B2's a carving ski. It has a turning radius of 18m and has no ability to hold on. My carving ski has a turning radius of 12m, is 121-66-102 and will dig trenches in the snow while giving you amusement park level g-forces. It's a lot of fun. Demo something that will really carve, and then lean it over and really ask it to carve.

oh I know, hence the 'quotation' marks. It is the best ski for carving that I own, but you are right; not a carving ski.

I'm not sure you need something with a 12m turn radius for a carving ski though. What I'd like to get for a carving ski is a Fischer Progressor 9+, probably in a 175.

 

[marcski]

It's the skier not the skis.

Boot liners will get worn in..the foam gets thinned out over time which, at least for me, eventually causes pressure points, when I clamp 'em down for something steep or deep. Mine are going on 6-7 years old at this point...over 100 days...still working well....although, I am starting to feel them now, whereas for the first 6-7 years, I buckled them in the morning and then unbuckled them at the end of the day when taking them. No need for me to unbuckle on lifts or even at lunch! I love my Nordica Speedmachines!

 

[faceplant]

Ski shops are not allowed to work on old bindings.. I brought my old beartraps in and the refused...

just dont turn your back on em....
they might nail your ol boards to the lodge wall
they got a nice collection going from what i saw ;-)

 

[billski]

Yep, I have 20 year old Lange skiis (not the boots) and Tyrolia bindings. I was inquiring about ski tune up several years ago and mentioned Tyrolia...the girl had never heard of them! I always seem to miss the ski swap to upgrade so I just keep skiing the old ones. Plus I don't go as often as I'd like to justify spending big $ for new ones.

I have been under-impressed with adult gear at ski swaps. The really interesting gear is gone in the first five minutes, and shops/vendors have taken over the bulk offering stuff that didn't move in their stores. It's a good place to pickup a set of poles though...

Most people I know skiing on old gear have the same modus operandi: stuff is expensive, they don't go enough to justify it, and they're comfortable with what they've got. I know a guy who was a ski instructor in Austria, now lives in the states, gets out about once every two years (life got away from him..) and skis on 25 year old boards.