sand 17 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 I was wondering about getting a pair of freeride skis, I ski on some all mountain skis at the moment but can't decide if I should look at getting some side country skis for next season. Does any one here ski side country skis, and if so how do they perform on hard pack? Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted June 6, 2010 Author Share Posted June 6, 2010 I find my current skis are really really versatile, but definately are more comfortable for me on firmer conditioners than the light stuff, but perhaps this is just my lack of experience and hence technique in the pow. I ski a 168 123/78/106, which is the best ski I've ever skiied on for sure what are other people skiing in powder and how do they find it? Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 Sand, there are sooooo many options. If you are looking at getting a slackcountry ski you are going to want to go around the 100's in waist. 78 just won't cut it out there. I would say the biggest you want to go is around the Armada JJ ski. After that I would recommend checking out the Line prophet 100 or Volkl Mantra if you are not going to be doing too many tricks. Awesome all around pow skis for both of them. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Thank you Mitch for the advice, started looking at some skis around 100 in waist and now have a couple of choices already. Hopefully will make up my mind soon. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 I'd stick with the skis you've got and work on technique in the pow. Especially if you're skiing in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share Posted June 7, 2010 Originally Posted By: MikePow I'd stick with the skis you've got and work on technique in the pow. Especially if you're skiing in Japan. that's what I keep thinking, out of interest how wide are the skis your on, and about how many deep powder days do you get a season? Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Mike is a wise man. Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 And so is Mitch Link to post Share on other sites
mitchpee 10 Posted June 7, 2010 Share Posted June 7, 2010 Definitely working on techniques, but you will notice such a drastic difference with 100mm skis in pow. It's way more fun to float than have to really work to stay above powder. I have ridden a lot of different skis in a lot of varying depths of snow and I can tell you I have noticed so many benefits from going to a wider ski. If you can afford it, go for it. It's like anything why take a horse and buggie when you can take a car? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Originally Posted By: sand Originally Posted By: MikePow I'd stick with the skis you've got and work on technique in the pow. Especially if you're skiing in Japan. that's what I keep thinking, out of interest how wide are the skis your on, and about how many deep powder days do you get a season? First two winters on Hokkaido I skied Salomon Equipe slalom skis in a 170cm (126-66-110). Third season I went up to a mid-fat, Blizzard Cronus Titan in a 173cm (123-88-110). Very good ski. At the end of the season I demoed some Atomic slalom skis, and if I had been on Hokkaido this past winter I would have skied the Atomic Race Ti (126-70-110). The ski that's exciting me for next winter is the Head i Supershape Titan (126-78-114) Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Originally Posted By: MitchPee Definitely working on techniques, but you will notice such a drastic difference with 100mm skis in pow. It's way more fun to float than have to really work to stay above powder. I have ridden a lot of different skis in a lot of varying depths of snow and I can tell you I have noticed so many benefits from going to a wider ski. If you can afford it, go for it. It's like anything why take a horse and buggie when you can take a car? You've got to be in it to win it. And Hokkaido lets you wallow in it Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted June 8, 2010 Author Share Posted June 8, 2010 am looking 3 - 4 weeks in Hokkaido 2011, which is what got me wondering about skis, I do love my current ski, so think I'll stick with it for another year Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Demo, demo, demo -- you may find you're happy with your current, relatively narrow skis, or you may find you love a 100mm+ ski. But you'll never know until you try. Plenty of good places to demo different skis in Niseko. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 Ive got 125-99-114 at 183, and then some rockered 140-112-122 at 186 that just rips up anything. Those are the 2 skis I always use. Id demo some myself first if you havent skied too many fat skis. Try trad vs rocker, too. Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 If you are spending a month in Hokkaido then there is no question that you should get some fat skis. Its not just about going down the hill, if its steep enough any skinny ski will do but when you get to the bottom and it flattens out a little or if you need to traverse across the hill to get to the really good bits fat skis just make it so much easier. Skinny skis just tend to sink and stop leaving you struggling to get your tips back to the surface of the snow so you need to expend all sorts of energy walking a trail to where you need to be. Such a waste of time and energy. Get some fat skis and point them where you need to go and slide there. You will be able to traverse higher and further giving you access to all sorts of snow that snowboarders and skinny ski folks just cant get to. p.s after you have your fat skis and your sliding in the high trail to the goods, put in the odd up the hill kink in your trail to prevent snowboarders following your path and tracking out your fresh patch of snow... Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 Originally Posted By: Captain Stag If you are spending a month in Hokkaido then there is no question that you should get some fat skis. Its not just about going down the hill, if its steep enough any skinny ski will do but when you get to the bottom and it flattens out a little or if you need to traverse across the hill to get to the really good bits fat skis just make it so much easier. Skinny skis just tend to sink and stop leaving you struggling to get your tips back to the surface of the snow so you need to expend all sorts of energy walking a trail to where you need to be. Such a waste of time and energy. Get some fat skis and point them where you need to go and slide there. You will be able to traverse higher and further giving you access to all sorts of snow that snowboarders and skinny ski folks just cant get to. p.s after you have your fat skis and your sliding in the high trail to the goods, put in the odd up the hill kink in your trail to prevent snowboarders following your path and tracking out your fresh patch of snow... That's the beauty of Hokkaido snow, you can sink on thinner waisted skis and fly through it because it's so light Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 A bit like Welsh snow hey, Mike? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 has been known on occasions Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted June 11, 2010 Author Share Posted June 11, 2010 will try and demo some in Niseko if possible. Was still undecided about weither I want to buy some, but then the ward tax bill arrived this afternoon no new skis this year Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 I had designes on new gear this season too... - till the disel engine in my van developed a cracked head and needed $3000 to fix. (also my boss is 3 pays behind in paying us but thats another story..) But thanks to the majic of credit cards I can still go skiing!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted June 11, 2010 Share Posted June 11, 2010 Originally Posted By: sand will try and demo some in Niseko if possible. Was still undecided about weither I want to buy some, but then the ward tax bill arrived this afternoon no new skis this year bummer to hear that...There is a ski store just next to the J-Secca which has a great selection. Id go there first. Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 my new 09/10 174cm Rossignol S6s just arrived in the post. I know I should have demoed them first but when they were a third of the original price, I couldn't say no. Looking forward to getting them out on powder days. Bring on the 10/11 season Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 nice Sand, I saw em on sale for about $350 USD. How much were they? Link to post Share on other sites
Slippery Jim 65 Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Looks like a terrific powder ski. Did you get them in Japan, or from overseas? How much was the shipping? Link to post Share on other sites
sand 17 Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 43,300 yen, including 1,300 for shipping from Hokkaido. when I first saw them the bid was at 30,000 on auction. Bid 43,000 hoping to get them a lot cheaper than the final price of 42,000. Now I just need to buy bindings which won't be cheap, and pray for the powder. Link to post Share on other sites
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