Quiver

[mondeo]

Well, of course people used to (and can still today if they so choose) really rip powder on skinny skis. Everyone who skied powder did so on skinny skis back in the day and many did really well for themselves. That said, everyone can ski powder easier and make it a lot more fun with fatter skis. Just because you can do something well on dated technology does not mean that you can not do something better on modern equipment.

That was part of the +1 to HPD's statement :wink:

 

[deadheadskier]

While I do agree it's the Wizard not the Wand; what hasn't been mentioned is that some people who do well skiing in say powder conditions on skinny bump skis are able to do so because that's the equipment they're used to. If you take them off that equipment have them skiing on 'fats' and 'mid fats' for a season then have them go back to those skinny skis and see how they do for a day, their performance will be night and day.

I think Glen Plake still skis well on old straight skis because he uses them all the time. If didn't, he would not ski them well. I would venture to say that many of the members here were perhaps better skiers back in the days of skinny skis. I know I was due to the amount of days I was getting out. I was probably at my 'peak' in 1995 ski bumming in Stowe as a 20 year old. I still have some old skinny skis mounted and for laughs I have taken them out in the years since I've gotten away from them. I looked and felt like a total gaper skiing them. I'm sure after a few days I'd get back in the groove with them and ski well, but I'd also be thinking to myself, man I'd really be happier skiing on gear that is better designed for this terrain / these conditions.

There's a reason why manufactures spend millions in R&D, soliciting the help of Pros. There's a reason why there are skis that are 130mm in the waist and others that are 68mm.

No you don't 'have to' K2 Pontoons to slay blower at Snowbird. You can take your old KFC comps out and have fun with it. But, if you're budge allowed for it, why wouldn't you be on the Pontoons?

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

anyone who thinks its only the skier and has nothing to do with the ski is living in a bubble. If equipment didn't make a difference, the Williams sisters would be using the same racket Billy Jean King used, Tiger would be playing with actual woods, Danica Patrick would be racing a model T. And you'd be typing on your telegraph, not your cpu keyboard. Sure, great skiers can ski pretty well on anything...Shane McConkey skied on car bumpers just to prove a point...but he also pushed ski design more than anyone in our time...why, because he knew he skied better on skis that were more suited for the task at hand. Its the wizard AND the wand.

I usually have 2 pair in the box...narrow (82mm or 84mm) and wider...for different conditions and also as backup for an equipment failure...nothing worse than breaking a binding in the am and ending your day.

 

[RENO]

I usually bring 2 pairs of skis to VT my first day of the season.
Then I'll throw them in the closet at the condo and grab one of my snowboards depending on the conditions! :lol:

 

[dmc]

When i travel I bring 2 snowboard...

Big mountain gun and a split...

 

[Trekchick]

I think that a good ski can definitely make skiing easier in certain conditions, specific to the ski design, but I think its a falacy to think that good skills aren't vital.

Bumps are a prime example.
You can put someone like me on a bump ski and I'll do okay in the bumps, in fact the bump ski will make it easier for me(a novice bumper) to ski them, but you can take someone who's a skilled bumper and put them on nearly any ski and they will still ROCK the bumps.

Who was it that said, "Its not that you suck at bumps, its that you suck at skiing and bumps prove it"

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

anyone who thinks its only the skier and has nothing to do with the ski is living in a bubble. If equipment didn't make a difference, the Williams sisters would be using the same racket Billy Jean King used, Tiger would be playing with actual woods, Danica Patrick would be racing a model T. And you'd be typing on your telegraph, not your cpu keyboard. Sure, great skiers can ski pretty well on anything...Shane McConkey skied on car bumpers just to prove a point...but he also pushed ski design more than anyone in our time...why, because he knew he skied better on skis that were more suited for the task at hand. Its the wizard AND the wand.

I usually have 2 pair in the box...narrow (82mm or 84mm) and wider...for different conditions and also as backup for an equipment failure...nothing worse than breaking a binding in the am and ending your day.

Disagree-all the athletes you mention are competing against athletes with comparable equipment. It’s not like the Williams sisters are using state of the art equipment and every other player on the tour is using inferior equipment.

Regardless of the technology of sports equipment dependent on the times in history we are discussing, the better and most dedicated athlete will rise to the top. Better equipment can increase performance, but it’s an across the board improvement that all benefit from.

 

[madskier6]

I usually bring 2 pairs of skis to the mountain & then choose the best tool for the job based on expected conditions for that day. 84 mm Nordica Afterburners or 105 mm Volkl Gotamas. I have changed skis mid-day but not very often. Usually I stay with one pair the whole day. I do like having the flexibility to change, however, and since I've got room in my roof top box, why not bring 2 pairs?

 

[Greg]

"Its not that you suck at bumps, its that you suck at skiing and bumps prove it"

I love this! :lol:

 

[mondeo]

I actually think we're all in agreement that it's both the skis and skier.

Except for maybe GSS.

 

[mondeo]

Who was it that said, "Its not that you suck at bumps, its that you suck at skiing and bumps prove it"

Sounds like something Plake would say. Followed by a cackle.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Disagree-all the athletes you mention are competing against athletes with comparable equipment. It’s not like the Williams sisters are using state of the art equipment and every other player on the tour is using inferior equipment.

you're proving my point for me...how well do you think the Williams sisters would fare if they were using wooden rackets and all of their competitors were using modern technology? How well would Bode or Liggety fare on the world cup if they were racing slalom on a 205 Rossignol 7S? They'd get their asses handed to them. ie, the equipment makes a difference...its raised the bar...yes, when everyone is on the same level of equipment technology THEN it becomes the athlete that makes the difference...but the thread is questioning whether equipment makes that much of a difference...it sure does...otherwise we'd all be skiing on barrel stays.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

you're proving my point for me...how well do you think the Williams sisters would fare if they were using wooden rackets and all of their competitors were using modern technology? How well would Bode or Liggety fare on the world cup if they were racing slalom on a 205 Rossignol 7S? They'd get their asses handed to them. ie, the equipment makes a difference...its raised the bar...yes, when everyone is on the same level of equipment technology THEN it becomes the athlete that makes the difference...but the thread is questioning whether equipment makes that much of a difference...it sure does...otherwise we'd all be skiing on barrel stays.

Sure equipment makes a difference to individual performance, I don’t think I’ve read anything to the contrary on this thread. If Tiger Woods played on the tour 50 years ago he’d be kickin ass the same way he is now only with much inferior equipment then he’s using now. It’s not because of the clubs he uses it’s because of his athletic ability and determination to be the best.

That’s why I say it’s not the ski that makes the skier; it’s the other way around. That’s all I have to say about it, if you need the last word be my guest.

 

[mondeo]

you're proving my point for me...how well do you think the Williams sisters would fare if they were using wooden rackets and all of their competitors were using modern technology? How well would Bode or Liggety fare on the world cup if they were racing slalom on a 205 Rossignol 7S? They'd get their asses handed to them. ie, the equipment makes a difference...its raised the bar...yes, when everyone is on the same level of equipment technology THEN it becomes the athlete that makes the difference...but the thread is questioning whether equipment makes that much of a difference...it sure does...otherwise we'd all be skiing on barrel stays.

However, put a really good skier like 2 knees on pow skis on a pow day, let him dial them in, and my guess he'll ski even better and enjoy it more.

You're agreeing with each other! Enough bickering!

 

[dmc]

Who was it that said, "Its not that you suck at bumps, its that you suck at skiing and bumps prove it"

BAW HAW HAW....... funny..

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

You're agreeing with each other! Enough bickering!

Sorry, didn't mean to bicker. Just having a conversation with Eastcoast whose opinion I respect very much.

 

[bvibert]

Who was it that said, "Its not that you suck at bumps, its that you suck at skiing and bumps prove it"

I love this! :lol:

:lol: Good one! Definitely applies to me.

 

[bvibert]

When I drive my car I usually have one or two other options for skis in the box, but I rarely go back to the car to switch them. A lot of times when I go north I'm riding with someone else, so I'm limited to one pair. Sometimes it turns out to be the wrong pair that I pick, but it's not too big of a deal.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

Sorry, didn't mean to bicker. Just having a conversation with Eastcoast whose opinion I respect very much.

THATS IT...ski off time...you and me, the sand dunes! :razz: :beer:

 

[Beetlenut]

Who was it that said, "Its not that you suck at bumps, its that you suck at skiing and bumps prove it"

You know come to think of it, that was my motivation to learn to ski bumps. If I was having a good day and thought, "hey I'm starting to get the hang of this skiing thing", and then I went into the bumps and confirmed that "No, I suck as bad as I ever did!". Kind of the skiing litmus test!