Bumps and Slide Brook - What skis?

[muddy_hollow]

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?

[John Walden]

Team Dynastar is the way to go. You can start with the 8000, go up to the 8800 or Legend Pro series. They are all great in every condition Vt throws at you.

I am 6 ft.tall, ski 176cm. Perfect length for me.

[gone.skiing]

Length gives you high speed stability and float. You trade off maneuverability in tight spots and bumps. With current designs you do not need to go too long. I ski 187 XXL (6'/200) and have not found speed limit on the ski, just the skier.

I prefer XXL to Pro Rider, they are a little softer in the tip, at least the vintage I have and work for me better in the woods.

[Dawn Patrol]

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?

I'd recommend going to a shop and demoing several different sizes to find out what you like. Some people like short skis (easier to turn) some people prefer long skis (more stable), also, the stiffness of a ski plays an important roll. Stiffer skis will be more stable at speed and cut crud, but softer skis will be easier to force, and handle nicer in pow. Either way there is a trade off, you just need to find where the compromise fits your skiing.

Also, I'd venture that weight and strength have more to do with ski size than height.

Personally, I'd say you have a pretty sweet set of skis, probably a little better on hardpack. They have a lot of teeth and are decently stiff, so I would imagine they could be a handful for someone just getting back into it, especially when trying to manhandle them in the bumps or trees.

edit: or you could just buy a whole quiver of skis and not worry about compromising.. Thats what I do!

[HowieT2]

I'm in ski buying mode also. I'm 5'10" 180 and would prefer a shorter ski (I think because I like the trees although I really don't know). Any recommendations besides the Dynatsars? On the bus back from slidebrook I always see people with skis from lesser known companies which intrigue me. Also, is there a good web site where I can compare skis by width/length

[mattlucas]

aren't the AC30s a glorified carving/all mountain board?

I'd compare them to my crappy all season tires: they basically get me from place to place but do nothing well and in difficult situations totally tank.

[Dawn Patrol]

aren't the AC30s a glorified carving/all mountain board?

I'd compare them to my crappy all season tires: they basically get me from place to place but do nothing well and in difficult situations totally tank.

Well... Generally I agree with your all season tire comparison, all mountain skis suck equally in most conditions. But I'd make a few exceptions, the ac30 is a pretty capable ski. Definitely more geared towards carving, but it can cut up crud like no ones business. I tad to stiff for my taste in bumps, and definitely more edge than you need on good days, but they'll hold on new england blue ice like few others (volkl's will that is).

To answer your post, yes, it is better to have pow skis, and bump skis and park skis and carving skis, just like it is better to have winter tires and summer tires. All season tires and all mountain skis are for those who can't/won't have both.

[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.

[mattlucas]

+1

[muddy_hollow]

..... They have a lot of teeth and are decently stiff, so I would imagine they could be a handful for someone just getting back into it, especially when trying to manhandle them in the bumps or trees.

edit: or you could just buy a whole quiver of skis and not worry about compromising.. Thats what I do!

How do you sneak the quiver past the wife?

The AC30s are good all around skis. I've been very happy with them, but it's the manhandling on the bumps that really makes me work. Two other guys in our group have the same ski and they also seem to work harder getting the skis through the bumps. I am chalking most of it up to skill, but I see "less" skis fly through the bumps a bit easier. When I say less I mean less side-cut and seemingly more flexible.

For me it's all in the woods and bumps that I have to work these skies. This last big powder dump we had was excellent. The AC30s are wide on the front and floated well and I felt in control. They're good at high speeds and don't fall off to often after the jumps..... They're also good for chinese downhill.

I think I'll have to demo some others to see what works.


So what about the new Garmount AT boots? Anyone using them on the groomers and bumps? I've been chatting with a friend about them and the less weight option seems interesting. Wonder how well the control would be....

[HowieT2]

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.

[freeheel_skier]

Howie,

go to http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=141499

Click on the link http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=01...%3Agoe34wkkkv8 aka jong search

type in the ski model and you will see tons of info

Most of the people on tgr are friendly and want to help....however, there are a few who are rough around the edges. That said, do a serch first then bumb the found thread. If that doesn't work ask the question. Many of the common tech questions have been asked and answered ad nauseam.

Hope this helps.....

ps read the psa too.....you don't want to get jonged

[HowieT2]

Howie,

go to http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...d.php?t=141499

Click on the link http://www.google.com/coop/cse?cx=01...%3Agoe34wkkkv8 aka jong search

type in the ski model and you will see tons of info

Most of the people on tgr are friendly and want to help....however, there are a few who are rough around the edges. That said, do a serch first then bumb the found thread. If that doesn't work ask the question. Many of the common tech questions have been asked and answered ad nauseam.

Hope this helps.....

ps read the psa too.....you don't want to get jonged

Thanks.

[Hawk]

I have to agree that you need to demo all kinds of skis to understand what works for you. There is no perfect ski for all contitions and everybody has a different style. There are tons of people at SB that swear by Dynastar but I am not one of them. The last Dynastar ski I owed was the Vertical. That ought to date me. I have found that K2 does an excellent job with splitting the difference. My experiences have also led me to park style skis. They usualy are a pretty good compromise of quick turning and durability. I've skied the Public Enemy for several years and they have never let me down. But that's me and you need to find out you.

[ski_it]

So what about the new Garmount AT boots? Anyone using them on the groomers and bumps? I've been chatting with a friend about them and the less weight option seems interesting. Wonder how well the control would be....

I have Garmont Axons, and I don't really use them at all for lift-served skiing. They are very stiff in the spectrum of AT boots, but they just aren't stiff enough for me to use for on-piste skiing, bumps, drops, etc. That probably says as much about my style of skiing as it does the boots, but I like a much stiffer boot when I'm skiing that stuff or hard-charging through the woods in-bounds. I'm in traditional alpine race boots for most of my days skiing at Sugarbush. The Garmonts are an excellent AT boot in my opinion; they provide great performance on the downhill in the soft snow, and they are a really comfortable boot uphill. I just don't think it makes sense to go with AT boots unless you are using them for alpine touring. Less weight is only important when you go uphill.