New skis - what to get...

bonkey

So as well as doing in my helmet recently, I managed - in a completely seperate incident - to crack the rail on one of my skis, effectively making them a write-off.

Anyway, if nothing else, this gives me a chance to look at whats out there and see what I might get next.

Mostly, I ski on-piste...which is why my last ski's were a set of slalom-carvers (Völkl Racetiger SC 2006).

The one problem I had with them is that on anything less than well-prepared pistes, they were a hell of a lot of work...which meant that it wasn't as much fun as it could have been when there was fresh powder about, or for a day or so afterwards when there was a lot of churned-up crud on the slopes.

So, I'm tending towards getting something more in the line of all-mountain carvers for my next set.

I tried a set of Salomon X-Wing Tornado skis at the weekend, and they were quite a bit of fun once I got used to the longer length. Definitely better on less-than-ideal conditions than the Racetigers were, but losing out a bit (as expected) on fast, well-prepared pistes.

My plan is to see what I can try out in rentals between now and the end of the season, and then look to see what I can find...hopefully I can pick up some decent summer-sale discounts etc.

So...anyone any suggestions as to what is worth trying out?

bonkey

So I'm now almost certain that I'll get a set of Head XRC 1100's.

Was up in Zweisimmen today....they had about half a meter of new snow over the past two days. Rented a pair of these (which were my top runners after reading around a bit) and had great fun with them.

Super ski

tywy

I'm jealous...

robinph

tywy wrote: »

I'm jealous...

Me too.

Overflow

a snowboard

Griff77

Try some Bandit B2's! I love them

Jealous aswell...

Imposter

Sorry to bump an oldish thread but can someone recommend a site that has good reviews of the latest skis? I've obviously googled but am not happy with what I found. I'd be particularly interested in all-mountain skis and race skis (but not the really advanced heavy race skis).

Need to replace my 5 year old skis - would like something with better edges

bonkey

I searched long and hard, and to be honest wasn't too impressed with any of the sites I found either.

I ended up checking the various manufacturer sites, then following the links that any of them gave for awards in reviews that their skis had been given.

Another problem is that many of the reviews I found seem to be American. This isn't bad in and of itself, but from what I know the US pistes are often quite different to the European style...so what they're looking for in a ski isn't always the same. They talk quite a lot about ski's for "east-coast" and "west-coast" skiing, for example.

I'd be interested in links for any good sites myself.

Of what I found - and can still find the link for - the following are probably the best for reviews...

http://www.austria-skitest.com/cms/index.php?lang=en
http://www.skipressworld.com/usa/index.php/menscategories-9.html

Imposter

Thanks! Those sites are ok but still not settled on anything. Will just have to test as many as possible when i'm skiing in 2 weeks.

Will come down to cost a bit so hopefully I find a good end of season sale!
Current options:
Head iXRC 1100
Fischer Progressor 8+
Salomon Crossmax W12
Atomic Race SL

and maybe Fischer Race slaloms - tried them at the weekend and liked them - tried the world cups too but they were way too heavy and too much like hard work

bonkey

Imposter wrote: »

Thanks! Those sites are ok but still not settled on anything. Will just have to test as many as possible when i'm skiing in 2 weeks.

Will come down to cost a bit so hopefully I find a good end of season sale!
Current options:
Head iXRC 1100
Fischer Progressor 8+
Salomon Crossmax W12
Atomic Race SL

and maybe Fischer Race slaloms - tried them at the weekend and liked them - tried the world cups too but they were way too heavy and too much like hard work

Hmmm. If you're looking at the Crossmax and also considering the Heads that I'm hoping to buy (baby bonkey arriving some weeks early meant my season is over, so I'll wait a while longer in case I can get a bigger discount and baby hasn't spent the money on me in teh meantime ) then I'd also recommend you try out the X-Wing Tornado Ti (the 08/09 model). They're hefty to carry, but I found them pretty light and responsive on the snow (perhaps even moreso than the XRCs). They also handled better than I expected when put a bit of pace on (although I'd give the Heads the edge in that regard).

The Head's, for me, were the best compromise in terms of being a fast, responsive almost-slalom-carver that offers a bit more in powder and off-piste. The Tornado's were a bit less slalom-carver and a bit more off-piste....which the Head Xenon 10.0 (not on your list, I know) would also have been, I believe.

I thought long and hard about it, and eventually realised that although I could head much further in the powder / off-piste direction, its not the skiing I'm more likely to do in the coming years. Mrs. bonkey is much more racer-moving-towards-carving, most friends and guests are all predominantly on-piste, and Zweisimmen doesn't get all that much deep powder all that often. And, dammit, I loved my SCs. I'd be kidding myself if I thougt I could move way away from that style of ski for now.

Imposter

Congrats on Bonkey Jnr!

Ok busy at work so did a bit more research. Seems like we are quite similar in what we are looking for.

Found the following sites which are much better than before.
http://www.skitest.net
http://www.snow-expert.de/index.php?cName=ski-c-1 (in german)

As a result I think the Tornado and crossmax are out - they seem more for off-piste.

Choice is now more or less between the 2 below:
Head i.XRC 1100 Set
Fischer RC 4 Race SC Pro Railflex

will depend on testing them and cost - but the prices online at snow-expert don't seem too bad!

Snowie

I tested a set of K2 pontoons they rock.... of piste of course...

Imposter

Imposter wrote: »

Choice is now more or less between the 2 below:
Head i.XRC 1100 Set
Fischer RC 4 Race SC Pro Railflex

will depend on testing them and cost - but the prices online at snow-expert don't seem too bad!

Tested both of these last weekend. Found the Heads a bit too fast for me - they may have been a bit long but they had a habit of getting away from me a bit more than i was comfortable with.

Really like the Fischer skis. Will be getting those. Priced them in Saalbach and was amazed how uninterested the shops were in selling the skis! They were quoting 550 for the Heads which are 350 (about 380 delivered) online and more for the next Fischer model up (world cups not race). I might have got max 10% off them but still a long way from 380ish.

As soon as I mentioned the online price none of them wanted to talk to me anymore. None of the shops had sales and they were all around the same price - price-fixing I think is the technical term.

bonkey

The Heads are a bit quick alright...but I liked that about them They might result in me falling a bit more, but if nothing else, it'll help clean up some of my style.

TBH, I'm back in two minds as to whether I should get them in the off-season. On one hand, I'd like more time to try out other skis. On the other hand, thats going to cost me quite a bit of cash next season, given the daily rental-cost of decent planks here.

Sigh...why can't I just be rich enough to afford as many different sets as I feel like?

Imposter

bonkey wrote: »

TBH, I'm back in two minds as to whether I should get them in the off-season. On one hand, I'd like more time to try out other skis. On the other hand, thats going to cost me quite a bit of cash next season, given the daily rental-cost of decent planks here.

That's going through my head now too - the thoughts of spending 350+ on a new toy and having to wait until december to use them! Still though I think for a saving of 200ish I'll just have to buy them.

Rental surprised me too - 27€ per day!

bonkey

Gah...

Head have released their 2010 lineup....and its completely changed. Same seems true for most of the other players.

So on one hand, I could probably pick something from up last years model cheaply as soon as the shops reopen in the autumn. On the other hand...there's a whole new ton of kit I could look at.

There's only one solution...I need infinite money.

Fattes

Guys,Here is a almost complete list of next years kit, Dont take a cosmetic change to the ski as being a total overhaul allot of companies will change the graphics withouht changing the ski http://global.skipass.com/gearguide/ski/2010/

arcticfox1

Bonkey,

Did you get any further with this? I went through the same process over the last two years and whilst the reviews are generally accurate (I found snowrental.net pretty handy), they don't give the full story. I tried all manner of so-called all-mountain carvers but they don't suit my style - I like lots of edge grip - and I've usually taken them back for race carvers.

The best I've tried were Salamon Equipe SC Race, Head Supershape and the Volkl Racetiger SC - I liked the Volkls so much I took the rentals back to the shop and bought a pair (2008 model, technically no different to the current range - on sale, Intersport Ischgl, Eur399 down from Eur650). My mate tried them too and said they were the best skis he's used.

As you will know yourself, they are brilliant on hard packed / groomed pistes but a handful in the rough and slush and pretty useless off-piste. The point is, though, they suit my style (everyone's is different) and I know that I do 90% of my skiing on-piste - for the other 10%, I'm prepared to hire some fat planks for the day.

bonkey

Nope. I'm waiting for the stores to start getting in skis for the new season.

If any of my local haunts have the XRCs from last year, in the right size, knocked down a bit in price...I'll buy them in a hearbeat. Otherwise, I'll probably just rent again this winter, given that with baby bonkey on the scene, myself and Mrs. bonkey will each do less skiing this winter.

When, when my employer gives me a massive bonus in the new year (a man's gotta dream, right?), I'll buy myself a set of race-carvers and a set of all-mountains.