6'3 185, Expert skiier, what size skis to get?

G

GoCougs77

New member
Like the title says I'm 6'3, 185 pounds and considered an expert skiier. I'm looking to buy Armada Al Dente skis for next seasons and I noticed they are going to come in 168, 178, and 188. Would 188 be a good size for me for this type of ski and my level as a skiier?
 
The al dente is soft in the tip thanks to the rocker but its full sidewall so it actually holds an edge really well. I'm 5'10 and 170 so a bit smaller then you but I loved the 188. One of the mostsrae skis I tried last season. It skis almost like a DH ski which are generally pretty soft. You don't want big stuff plank if you are skiing fast. Hit a med size mogal fast on a stiff ski and your flying. But a softer ski will help you absorb it much better. I really like the aldente the 188 felt pretty big to me so you should be fine
 
Don't want a big stiff ski for going fast!? I see you point about the mogul but in general I would just avoid obstacles that f**k you up. If I were as big as the op I would want something much bigger/stiffer so he can make big natural airs look easy.
 
This is completely wrong. DH skis are in now way pretty soft.

When you are going fast you want a lot of edge grip. A stiffer ski reacts to any any bumps it hits quicker by returning to it's original shape. This keeps the edge on the snow. Also at the kinds of speeds you travel in DH the forces involved would just bend a soft ski in half! The tips on are softer than the rest of the ski but DH skis and even GS skis are very stiff skis.

Try going quick on a soft pair of skis, they start to flap around as they hit any sort of bump.

But to OP, 188 is definitely the way to go. Shorter would feel far too short, I have 182 Halos am 6' and could go longer.
 
Eh? This is complete nonsense. Stiffer skis handle speed far better than softer skis. They are less forgiving for sure but that's the trade off.
 
Go flex a fis super g ski and then a DH ski the DH is going to be softer. When you are travelling above 120 kmh any small bump you hit at speed will kick you hard. DH skis generally are pretty straight and softer then other race skis. Obviously they are stiffer then the skis most people here use but they are generally some of the softer race skis. If you try to ride a super stiff ski super fast yes it will rail an edge super hard but the trade off is you will get a super unstable ride in a straight line. This is why you slightly soften the ski. At the speeds DH racers travel they can still edge the ski but the slightly softer flex stops them from flying off tiny bumps. Same with boots DH boots are much softer flex wise then boots worn for salom for example. In tech event it's all about ultimate response, but if you had boots that stiff in speed events it simply would not work. I know it seems backwards it surprised me when I first found out. Even footbeds are made differnt, stiff supportive footbeds which most of us would want are certainly not what most of te top speed skiers want. They actually want a more forgiving softer footbed which allows small changes of weight to be lost in the footbed so they can keep a flat base. All very interesting, maybe not to all you park riders but trust me it is something which can help you guys if you get it set correctly.
 
You're changing the subject a bit here. The difference in different types of race skis isn't really relevant or helpful to a discussion about recreational skis as race skis are generally much stiffer. When discussing a fairly soft recreational ski it just doesn't make sense to use a downhill race ski as an example of a ski that's comparatively soft which makes it easier to go faster because it's not true - race skis are stiffer so they can go faster. Generally speaking better and more aggressive skiers use stiffer boots and stiffer skis because they are more stable at speed. Beginner/intermediate skier on the other hand generally use softer equipment as they're more forgiving. You're not going to find a racer holding an edge on ice at 120kmh on a noodle.

I just find it strange to hear someone argue the complete opposite.
 
It's completely relevant. What I was trying to say is that longitudinal flex is not always representative to how stable a ski can be at speed. The aldente I soft but that does not mean it can't be skied to a very high level an at fast speeds. Infact its softer longitudinal flex helps it be skied fast. That's why I made the comparison to a DH ski as its the same thing.

To many people think exactly what you posted that you need stiffer equipment as you get more advanced. It's simply not true in every situation. Sure for tech stuff it helps but for speed not always. Tht was what I was trying to illustrate. Sorry if that did not come across
 
Not sure what skis you used or whatever but the Al Dente is Ar50 construction (hybrid sidewall/cap) just like every Armada except the El Rey and similar price point cap skis...

As for op the 188 should be fine for you
 
Agree with this, my Fischer Watea 184s were very similar under hand flex to my 181 Liberty Morphics but the difference when on piste was miles apart, the Fischers held an edge on anything bar sheet ice while the Librteys suffered on hard snow. They were both quite damp but the Fischers engaged the edge grip much more effectively and would hold the turn through great speed and edge angles much more like a GS ski would, ive also used Fischer GS skis with a full metal race plate in them and a metal plate under the bindings which are a totally different animal the effort required to flex them along with the angle that made the edges cut in was greater than any normal ski and much harder to achieve, compared to a shop version GS ski like the Salomon 24 hour race I used which are one of the best all round piste skis in my books they took the best bits of the race skis and the best bits of the piste skis and found a happy medium.

The best advice for the OP is to go and demo things as much as possible as everyone works a ski in a different way.
 
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