Bumps and Slide Brook - What skis?

[skigal]

Isn't skiing with your skis close together "old school" unless you're doing competition style bumps? (for the young with happy knees)

[Go Figure]

I would think at 6'+ on 177 and not able to ski bumps, your first move would be lessons. There are enough people in the woods and slide brook that can not turn already. At 6' you should step up and be on at least a 187 unless you just like to poke around in Eden. Just the way it is.

What is the advantage of having a longer ski in the woods as you are advocating? As I said, I'm in buying mode, and want to start trying out skis this weekend.

Big ski minimal sidecut: turns easier without hooking and allows You to jump and or bridge the choppy areas where all the little skis hack it up. Having mastered bumps on 210 slalom and 213 gs skis helps.Unfortunatley too many kids and unskilled 1 and 2 plankers have ruined the true woods skiing that existed before say 2000. Now the woods are full of cut traverses, bailouts and an annoying amount of surveyors tape. Heck the Slide Brook traverse is 4-5 times as wide as originaly cut and any weekend there are "skiers" swarming thru there who can not link turns at all. For the record 5' 7" nothing in quiver [14 pair] under 183.
end blog

[muddy_hollow]

Isn't skiing with your skis close together "old school" unless you're doing competition style bumps? (for the young with happy knees)

Isn't that they way bumps are skied? Tight together, skis downhill, and steering with the tips?

As for knees, mine are out of warranty long ago....

[ahm]

Boots: I switched from Garmont Adrenalines to Black Diamond Factors and like the factor much better. Skis like an alpine boot and tours well. Toured great for a week in Rogers Pass. Toured great last week at Greylock following the Mon storm. My foot likes the overlap style due to a high instep and arch. The boot is quite stiff, I softened it up a bit and get's much stiffer when it is cold. Works great in the bumps

Skis: this season I am on the Volkl Mantra in a 184. I have the same setup for touring with a Fritschi. I love the ski. Works well for all types of skiing, very well. Skis fast and stable, but knifes through junk. Almost any ski skis powder well. For the quiver, I also have a XXX with a hard binding and a set with Fritschis. XXX was a bench mark ski for me. I also have a Stockli Stormrider Schmidt model (first year they made it and I like the ski very much, although it is quite stiff and has an almost dead feeling tip. FInally a set of Made'n AK's for deep and wind pack, but I rarely use them in the east.

All have said demo and that is the ticket. Do it during the week when you can test a bunch of skis over a couple days and you should be good to go.

Boutique skis: always be careful because they are hard to demo. I have a set of Prior Originals and they are way too soft. I have the quad glass build and although stiff by Prior standards just too soft for driving the tips in bumps. Stockli's are pretty "boutiquey" as well and rather stiff. Tough bump ski for most.

[007]

Another ski season is coming near an end and I'm feeling goooood! I always enjoyed skiing when I was younger, but gave it up for a number of years for other priorities. I only came back to it a couple years back and more or less started over. This year was a good personal best for me, even skied the slide brook a couple times and even struck out with a friend to the church once. I really enjoy skiing the trees and bumps, but I'm still working on technique.

One problem I'm having is in the bumps linking turns with my skies tight together. I ski on volkl AC30s 177cm, but I'm wondering if they're a bit long. I'm just over 6 feet. Love these skis, good at high speeds and in powder.

I see others guys my height in the woods with the Dynastar legend XXLs super long and other guys with shorties 165s. It all depends on the skier, but for bumps and woods what do you guys ski?

Are shorter skies better?

Barkbiter always told me, "fatter is better!". Just not certain if he meant skis, girls, harleys, softball bats, sushi rolls, or cuts of beef.....
Seriously, demo, demo, demo. Try the Mantras. Length = turning radius, so your own personal signature "style" of skiing, speed acceptance, stability, and control are going to determine a favorite for you, not necessarily the terrain or conditions. Push your limit (on piste) riding on longer - fatter boards for a day or two and see what happens when you go back to shorter. You might be surprised... Better fitting boots and a lesson or two with a good informative coach always helps too! Good luck!

[Dawn Patrol]

I'd stay away from AT boots unless you're using them with AT equipment for one reason, fit. AT boots are a niche product and therefore have to fit as many people as possible. Sure the Black Diamond Factor has a narrow heel, but the forefoot is giant... If you've never had a pair of boots fitted proper for you, do it, it'll change your skiing.

Skiing with your feet together in the bumps isn't 'old school' it's the right way to do it.

As far as the rest of the 'my skis are so long' d*ck waving going on in this thread, ski size does not indicate skier ability. *Shrug* whatever, you like long skis... Some people don't. Some people realize that sometimes long skis are better, and sometimes short skis are better, sometimes fat skis are better and sometimes not.

[freeheel_skier]

If you aren't sure....demo. Go to local shop and demo. If you buy and it doesn't work out the shop usually can fix it. Thats what makes loyal customers. When in doubt go shorter. That has always worked for me.


As for long skis.....and botique..... and heel is fixed....I like the bro 195 aka superbro(it's my billy baroo).....how's that for Cock-a-doodle-doo waving bra....touring with heel fixed I use the 183 stiffs. Tele Bro 179 is my daily driver.

Boots I like Garmont both ways.

[Go Figure]

I'd stay away from AT boots unless you're using them with AT equipment for one reason, fit. AT boots are a niche product and therefore have to fit as many people as possible. Sure the Black Diamond Factor has a narrow heel, but the forefoot is giant... If you've never had a pair of boots fitted proper for you, do it, it'll change your skiing.

Skiing with your feet together in the bumps isn't 'old school' it's the right way to do it.

As far as the rest of the 'my skis are so long' d*ck waving going on in this thread, ski size does not indicate skier ability. *Shrug* whatever, you like long skis... Some people don't. Some people realize that sometimes long skis are better, and sometimes short skis are better, sometimes fat skis are better and sometimes not.

You do not know what You are talking about, "niche product and therefore have to fit as many people as possible" . Different brands have a better fit for different types of feet, Scarpa = narrow, Garmont= wider. The new boots also have Intuition liners that are heat moldable and fit like a glove. I have custom footbeds and Intuition liners, My boots fit like a squish mitten.
As for the d*ck waving, wave away if You can or stand closer.

[muddy_hollow]

Loads of folks have been talking up the Mantras, even outside of this board.

I've seen Mantras onsale, online for as low as $330, but they're 2007. Most of the ones I see on the mountain are white, which I'm assuming are recent builds of the ski. Except for the graphic, what changes between years?

How would the mantras do in the bumps?

also, anyone using the Marker Dukes with the Mantras?

[ahm]

1. Mantras: Red Mantras were out during 05-06 and are 94 under the foot. The white Mantra, 07 - 08, are 96 under foot. The current black mantra is the 08 - 09 ski and are the same as the 07 - 08 ski dimension wise.
2. AT boots: DP has his ideas and I have my own. I was looking for one boot to both tour and alpine. It makes combination trips, something I do a lot of easier. I bring one pr of boots. That said, my Factors ski just like Alpine boots. They are stiff, responsive and fit as close to a race fit as any boot I have ever had. Boots are all about fit and if your foot fits that brand, than they'll work just fine. The Factor works great for me in the bumps and are not a niche product. They are the right choice (AT boots) for certain types of skiers. I went back and forth a couple times on my Langes and found I liked the Factor just as well if not better.
3. I use the Fritschi as I have used it for years. It is not however an Alpine binding. Can you ski bumps with it, sure. Is that what it is for, no. If skied hard it can be considered a one season binding. I use mine for touring, so they are rarely on for any alpine skiing, unless it is a "Win-dy" day at the bush and then they and the skins are with me. Enjoy finding the skis and set up that you are looking for!!

[Dawn Patrol]

I'd stay away from AT boots unless you're using them with AT equipment for one reason, fit. AT boots are a niche product and therefore have to fit as many people as possible. Sure the Black Diamond Factor has a narrow heel, but the forefoot is giant... If you've never had a pair of boots fitted proper for you, do it, it'll change your skiing.

Skiing with your feet together in the bumps isn't 'old school' it's the right way to do it.

As far as the rest of the 'my skis are so long' d*ck waving going on in this thread, ski size does not indicate skier ability. *Shrug* whatever, you like long skis... Some people don't. Some people realize that sometimes long skis are better, and sometimes short skis are better, sometimes fat skis are better and sometimes not.

You do not know what You are talking about, "niche product and therefore have to fit as many people as possible" . Different brands have a better fit for different types of feet, Scarpa = narrow, Garmont= wider. The new boots also have Intuition liners that are heat moldable and fit like a glove. I have custom footbeds and Intuition liners, My boots fit like a squish mitten.
As for the d*ck waving, wave away if You can or stand closer.

None of the AT boots have a narrow last. If you have a foot that needs what amounts to be a race shell to fit properly, none of the AT boots are going to cut it onpiste... As far as the intuitions go, they can fit as snug as can be, but if the shell isnt there, the fit wont last. There is a reason all good boot fitters do a shell fit...

[Hawk]

Loads of folks have been talking up the Mantras, even outside of this board.

I've seen Mantras onsale, online for as low as $330, but they're 2007. Most of the ones I see on the mountain are white, which I'm assuming are recent builds of the ski. Except for the graphic, what changes between years?

How would the mantras do in the bumps?

also, anyone using the Marker Dukes with the Mantras?

I can't speak about the Mantra's. I will say that if you are learning to ski bumps then you should not go with a fat long ski with little side cut. The people that are saying this are probably expert skiers that can muscle most skis into turning. If you want to learn proper freestyle type bump skiing then you will need a ski with a smaller turning radius which means some side cut. I like my bump skis to be a 17 meter turn radius or less. This will make it much easier. I would also advise you to try the mogul logic clinic. Babic is the master.

And believe it or not I strongly agree with DP that having your feet and knees together is the right way to ski bumps. I see a large amount of skiers with their long straight fat boards crashing down the hill going bump top to bump top. That is how most have to ski the bumps with that particular equipment. In my opinion it lacks style and puts a tremendous amount of stress on your back and knees. Angulation and absorption is the way. Smooth upper body.

Now that's what I'm talking about.

[Dawn Patrol]

ahm, that's great if te factors fit you. They are a burly ski boot and I like the boa idea. I'm just saying the probability that most people will fit it is pretty small. AT boots clearly are aimed at a niche market albeit a rapidly expanding one, but the fact remains, AT boot manufacturers don't have 3 or 4 different shells each for their AT boots, each manufacturer has 1 maybe 2 (shells not models) If they happen to fit, awesome I'm jealous. They also tnd o be less workable when it comes to grinding and expanding.

[skibum1321]

I have the 07/08 Mantras (the white ones) and I love them. They are great in pretty much anything and I have had no problems in the bumps. As for learning to do bumps on them - I don't really know how that would go, but I would assume that you would end up crossing your tips a lot.

[Yard Sale]

Recently, I have been thinking about expanding my quiver by acquiring a set of bump specific skis. I'm not a bump skier by any means, but I manage. My reasons are to improve on bumps and to really maximize fun on the spring corn bumps.

My research has led me to believe that I should be going 5-10 cm shorter than my all montain everyday set.

Commonly referenced bump skis I find online are Dynastar Twister, Head Mojo, K2 Mamba.

Does this make sense? Any advice?

Sinserely,

YS
Alpine Hack