Chan Allan 0 Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 I`m looking to get some short (fun) skis for my G/F. Just wanted to know approx. what size might be good for her. She is 150cm tall and 40kg heavy. Mainly want something that is easy for her to use and gives her the ability to go down the steeper slopes that she wouldn`t be able to do on a board. Cheers for any help anyone can offer. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted May 24, 2008 Share Posted May 24, 2008 Are you talking about those little mini toy skis? I would never buy them. They might be easier to manipulate for non-skiers but they will not give you more control on steeper slopes, or anywhere. If you're GF is not much of a skier, then I'd suggest a shortish (10-15cm less than height) pair of soft parabolic skis. She's pretty small. Check out the kids section. With a little practice and a few lessons she'll get a lot more out of them. Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted May 26, 2008 Share Posted May 26, 2008 Agreed with Ger, buy her lessons instead of misery sticks Link to post Share on other sites
yamayamayama 2 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Quote: misery sticks but they are called "fun skis" here!! Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 a common misnomer. Or should i say, oxymoron, like "Civil War", "Fresh Frozen", "Jumbo shrimp", "bitter sweet", etc. "Fun Skis", ha! Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Just buy her short skis in the 140 range. She will get better. Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Why bother with new equipment? Why not just get her riding what she has better? Link to post Share on other sites
mrbrisbane 0 Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Well, now that you have heard from ppl who express their bigotry let me share some real life experience with you - Short skis/ snowblades, skiboards are legitimate devices but do have some limitations that you need to be aware of - 1. For shear jump on and go they are great - If you can roller blade you can use them - same techniques etc. 2. On icy or hard packed they are great, big side cut and short length makes them very responsive 3. Moguls are fun - little air bounce or jib turn suit yourself 4. Park play - so good - so easy - just go big enough to get past the mess that snowboarders leave behind. 5. Ski with kids - this is how I got onto them - help your littlies with ease - keep up with their tight radius turns and ski backwards to help them, + easire to skate up hill etc etc. 6 Easy to carry. 7. No garage sale in a crash and burn - like snow boards they are locked on and you can roll out and resume Limitations are - 1. No deep pow fun - hit the deep soft fresh and you will just sink] 2. Slop - same deal but who wants to ski slop any way? 3. Speed and runout - a bit unstable at high ( I mean flat line stuff on 30 degrees) and they always leave you skating the last little bit that skiers can generally get. So there you have it - reccommendations - Salomon snow blades are durable and reliable = pretty well unbreakable Madhouse - faster more responsive - tendancy to snap (behind boot)if land a big air on the scrappy side Line - luvem Dynastar - wider and some use in softer snow but less responsive However mow that Miss 9 yrs is onto her own pair of twin tips, I am back onto my scratches ( Rossi twin tips) Blades are good for groomed, icy or park and make difficult stuff somewhat easier under certain circumstances. Link to post Share on other sites
Kumapix 0 Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I guess we're all bigots now because we advise against fun skis Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 fun skis serve their purpose. at least I heard they do. Wait, somebody tell me what it was again... Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I7ve used them a few times and I like em for just having fun. I don't think I'd like to do them all day, but they are fun for a short time. I only learned to ski the year before last and I found that using blades helped me to start parallel turning in normal skis. Its so easy to turn in blades that that confidence carried over to when I put big skis on. I haven't skied for over a year now so will prob be back to snow ploughing! Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Originally Posted By: Mr Brisbane Well, now that you have heard from ppl who express their bigotry let me share some real life experience with you - Well, I'm glad there's someone on this forum with some real life experience sliding on snow. Er... that's Brisbane, Australia, right? Anyway, like Mr. Brisbane said, you'd better check your speed on those 30 degree slopes. Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Wait a second, I think Thumper's GF wants more control on steeper slopes... Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 I remembered!! Arent they what toddlers learn to ski on?? Link to post Share on other sites
mrbrisbane 0 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Hmmmm - It's an imteresting point that anyone doing anything different outs the - "why don't you get a real ..... car, skis, boat, job, house etc etc " ststed most vocally by those who generally have little experience with anything but what they are familiar with. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 yes, and youre the expert arent you? you know all of us soooooo well...interesting Link to post Share on other sites
gerard 6 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Mr. Brisbane, most of us are pretty friendly. I, for one, was just telling it like it is, I think. As far as short skis go, some ideas don't make much sense for people who are in it for the longer haul and there's a reason why they haven't caught on in places where people are a little more serious about snow. And it's not a matter of conservatism. People on this form try all kinds of new things. Please hang out here for a while and get to know them. You're only on your 17th post. I didn't start to piss people off until a hundred or so. Link to post Share on other sites
Chan Allan 0 Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Thanks for the help guys. The situation is that she snowboarded bout 10 years ago and tried short skis once back then and really liked them. This was way before I met her. She hadn`t been on the slopes for 10 years until we met and she came boarding with me. However she is a bit afraid of getting speed on the steeper slopes on a snowboard and seems to think that short skis might be the best way for her to enjoys the medium/high level runs with me. Thanks for the advice guys. Don`t worry, you`re not all bigots. And thanks for the helpful advice Mr Brisbane. Much appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Id say get her a snowboard or skis (short skis dont count). She will certainly get more for her money with the above two. You can get some great deals with skis/bindings sold as sets for just a few man and will most likely last her quite some time. Snowblades are only good for iceskating Link to post Share on other sites
Stuntcok 0 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Get a snow bike Link to post Share on other sites
wattiewatson 0 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 i did see someone do an amazing trick with them. Not sure of its name but it looked like a front flip with a 540. It was pretty big. The guy looked like a cannonball on them. Just launched off. I still think fun skiis are a waste of time. matt Link to post Share on other sites
Stuntcok 0 Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 Sounds like a misty 540. Anyway, it is impossible to make snowblades look anythhing but awkward in the park. Every year at the whistler freeride camps on the glacier at least one person drags up a pair for a laugh. Everyone has a go on them and the carnage is quite fun. Due to terrible fore and aft control, slow speeds and no pop they are very limiting in what you can do. Without long skis to balance rotations, all the balance during a spin comes from the upper body. As a result, you never see a nice, steezy spin with a solid landing but a lot of flailing and a survival landing. I don't even need to discuss how limiting they are with grabs. Even Chris Turpin, a former pro inline skater and now pro skier couldn't make it look much more than awkward. Fun skis are fun for an afternoon partly for the reason you shouldn't bother with them- they are awkward, limiting and goofy looking. Those things loose their novelty, fast. Link to post Share on other sites
rachael 0 Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 I tried some short skis last season - and could not see where the "fun" was! Perhaps because I was not used to them but I was keen to quickly get back on some longer skis. Link to post Share on other sites
Oyuki kigan 0 Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 um, a misty on a snowbike? That means the dude landed in fakie? I am disbelieving Link to post Share on other sites
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