returning to skis after 20 years boarding, questions

[bdfreetuna]

World Cup racers still don't play with short skis. Just sayin'

I think my skis are probably more like 175 with the tail rise (185cm) so it's not insanely long but they do look longer than most planks.

172/177 is pretty normal but somebody rode the lift up next to me a couple days ago and I almost LOL'd they could not have been over 140cm. I don't think grown men should go under 165cm unless they are renting skis to learn on but hey that's just my opinion, man!

I have 80 underfoot and I would not go narrower but I don't see why 88 or 90 would be a problem on variable east coast conditions. I see people with fatter skis than mine rip it so I guess it can be done.

loafasaur what's this "radius turn" measurement you mention... I mean I can guess what it means but I'm curious what my supposed radius is now

 

[deadheadskier]

World Cup racers still don't play with short skis. Just sayin'

I think my skis are probably more like 175 with the tail rise (185cm) so it's not insanely long but they do look longer than most planks.

172/177 is pretty normal but somebody rode the lift up next to me a couple days ago and I almost LOL'd they could not have been over 140cm. I don't think grown men should go under 165cm unless they are renting skis to learn on but hey that's just my opinion, man!

I have 80 underfoot and I would not go narrower but I don't see why 88 or 90 would be a problem on variable east coast conditions. I see people with fatter skis than mine rip it so I guess it can be done.

loafasaur what's this "radius turn" measurement you mention... I mean I can guess what it means but I'm curious what my supposed radius is now

Judging by your sig, you're riding 2009 Rossi Phantom SC 80. From what I gather, the turn radius on those skis in that length is 17M. That's the turn radius on my Fischer Motive 84s. So, fairly quick turning skis.

For perspective, I believe current "tour" GS race skis are now required to have a turn radius of around 35M. I couldn't imagine even attempting to ski a board with such a long radius, even though I'm sure my old Rossi 4Gs in the early 90s probably had such a radius. I'm sure I'd get around a mountain fine at the end of the day, but I wouldn't dream of owning a ski with that kind of turn radius for my daily driver.

 

[riverc0il]

World Cup racers still don't play with short skis. Just sayin'

Incorrect. For SL they are short and for GS, some are shorter than yours. Depends on the size of the skier. But they also are driving big radius race skiers, not daily resort drivers.

 

[bdfreetuna]

thanks deadhead, yes that is correct..

Well I was watching some of the races from the last couple days the planks looked pretty long to me.. I didnt have a measuring stick though

But yeah I was thinking more Alpine/SuperG/ at least GS. Is it just me or are slalom courses lately having more distance between the gates? Totally off topic.

 

[4aprice]

Incorrect. For SL they are short and for GS, some are shorter than yours. Depends on the size of the skier. But they also are driving big radius race skiers, not daily resort drivers.

They would go shorter in SL if the rules let them. Rule changes are also bringing back the long straight ski in GS. Believe they take place this year at the FIS level and start spilling down to the junior levels next season. Rumor has it the Austrians are behind the rule changes as they got sick of not winning anymore.

Alex

Lake Hopatcong, NJ

 

[goldsbar]

The WC GS skis are getting close to old school turn radius territory. It's nothing to do with efficiency. The FIS is trying to make things harder. The best thing that ever happened to skiing was when the ski companies stopped trying to sell race skis to everyone. FWIW, narrow (low-70s) race "inspired" SL/GS-lite skis can be very fun on hard snow days.

 

[deadheadskier]

Incorrect. For SL they are short and for GS, some are shorter than yours. Depends on the size of the skier. But they also are driving big radius race skiers, not daily resort drivers.

Just read that there is now a minimum length requirement of 195cm on GS boards. Not the 207cm commonly used during the good old days, but still getting up there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/sports/29iht-ski29.html

 

[bdfreetuna]

Reaaaaaly I had no idea there was a minimum. That's crazy. I would assume somebody on a longer ski would win GS anyway so I don't see how these rules make sense at all.

I guess that's why it looked like everyone had long ass skis in the race I was watching!

 

[BenedictGomez]

I don't think grown men should go under 165cm unless they are renting skis to learn on but hey that's just my opinion, man!

My next pair of skis for the quiver will be used Icelantic Nomads at 161cm. I am 5'11", have skied since I was 12 years old, and my current shortest skis are 179cm.

They would go shorter in SL if the rules let them.

Yup, and perhaps dramatically so. That's one alpine discipline where I'm glad they enforce a minimum length.

The best thing that ever happened to skiing was when the ski companies stopped trying to sell race skis to everyone.

Those were the days when you weren't a man unless your skis were 1000 feet long! My first skis were race skis by Dynamic. The VR17 (or were they VR27? cant even remember) model with 1980s-style hot pink + neon green graphics! I last used them as my uber-rock skis and left them in a shed in n.VT back in 2003 when I moved. Those skis were destroyed more than is humanly possible without breaking in half. Oh how I wish I kept them. Some day I'll try to find a pair like them on EBAY for $30 to hang on the wall.

 

[boston_e]

Seth,

I both ski and board as well... lately find that 80% of the time I'm grabbing the skis though.

I also am 6'2", 185 lbs... and I have a pair of 174cm K2 Apache Rictors that I have zero complaints about. Mine are a couple of years old, but on the K2 website it looks like they still have the Rictors with new graphics (not sure if the ski is exactly the same or not). I demoed the 174cm and also the next size up and was totally comfortable on the 174's.

Sounds like you are looking to do pretty much what I do, which is to enjoy the whole mountain. Hit the woods, hopefully hit the powder days, do a few bumps and rip some GS turns when the corduroy is sweet (although admiditely I'm not much of a jumper) ... I feel like these have performed well everywhere I have taken them.

My bindings are whatever came with them... Marker I think. As someone else mentioned make sure you get bindings that have a high enough DIN setting... although any ski shop worth their weight will help you determine that.

Boots... I'd go and try some on. Each boot will fit differently as far as widths etc (I chose Solomons and Langs were too narrow for my foot). Go to a shop where they fit you and take your time trying a number of different ones on.

Good Luck! (And enjoy going both ways!)

 

[deadheadskier]

Those were the days when you weren't a man unless your skis were 1000 feet long! My first skis were race skis by Dynamic. The VR17 (or were they VR27? cant even remember) model with 1980s-style hot pink + neon green graphics! I last used them as my uber-rock skis and left them in a shed in n.VT back in 2003 when I moved. Those skis were destroyed more than is humanly possible without breaking in half. Oh how I wish I kept them. Some day I'll try to find a pair like them on EBAY for $30 to hang on the wall.

I had a couple of pairs of those Dynamics as well. They're in storage right now. Eventually I will be turning them into an Adirondack Chair.

 

[riverc0il]

Just read that there is now a minimum length requirement of 195cm on GS boards. Not the 207cm commonly used during the good old days, but still getting up there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/29/sports/29iht-ski29.html

Jeez, I forgot all about those rule changes. Good grief.

 

[Cheese]

Jeez, I forgot all about those rule changes. Good grief.

I'm not sure the course setters are on board yet. The purpose of longer length and larger radius race skis was to decrease carving, increase skidding and slow the racers down. If the gates are still wide enough to make a high speed carved turn then the whole movement has failed.