I'm a super noob and I have some questions

I

Inglorious_Fart

New member
Hello Internet,

I have ski'd a total of 5 time in my entire life and I want to buy some twin tips. I know nothing of ski technology nor how to buy them. I am going to put a description of myself below and how I want to ski and I am hoping you guys can help.

Me:

Height: 6' 1"

Weight: 235lbs

Skiing ability: Like I said I have had little exposure, but I have been inline skating ("aggressive skating") for 20 years. I believe that there is a decent amount of cross over with balance and what not and the times I have ski'd have been pretty successful, I \even did a little rail. I've also been snowboarding for a long time so I feel comfortable on snow.

How I want to ski: I want to spend a good amount of time in the park, maybe even ride some street. However I also need to take obligatory full mountain runs with friends who don't freestyle and I don't want to hate my time doing so.

What I want to know:

What to look for in a ski?

What Size Ski should I be getting?

Any video suggestions to get into freestyle skiing?

Thanks,

Inglorious_Fart
 
at 6'1 and being a beginner skier I suggest a ski with a length of 171-181 and a width underfoot of 85-90.

as for shape/contour; that is all personal preference and relates to what conditions you ski. I ride a ski with traditional camber underfoot and rocker in the tips and tails. cambered skis help hold your edge and make turns while rocker helps in floating your ski above the snow and helping with butters (more flexable).
 
I'll be skiing NH and VT mostly, but there is this little crap hill near my house that has some boxes and rails that I might session after work and stuff. I'm going to look at some Armada AR6's size 170, I was worried these might be a little short for me. Thoughts?
 
id go a lil bigger on the size. when i recommended 171 that was an absolute low. Try 176 or 178 (not sure of ar6 sizing)
 
Set up question for beginner. Alright.

Buying gear. Right, you will want to stick with a normal cambered twin tip with a side cut. What that means is you are looking for a ski that will touch the snow 95% of the snow. (Some skis are rockered as the tip and tail of the ski has a long early rise) You will want to have a twin for the park, the tail of the ski has a prononced rise. Beware of racing skis that have a small rise i n the tail, some idiots will try to sell you one. A sidecut ski means that the ski has a profile. The tip will be around 115mm in width, the underfoot around 90mm and tail of 110mm. This sidecut will help you turn when it is time to ski flat terrain. The other jargon and be explained by a shop employee.

Second, you have no skiing experience. You are really starting from scratch, so do yourself a HUUUUUUGE favor and take a ski lesson. Really, the lesson will shorten the learning curve and put you on path towards development. If you try to learn alone or with a friend, you will get tired and fustrated and quit the first day.

To learn park, you must know the basics. You cant just go into a park and ski 900s, you will get hurt and people will laugh at you. Go slow, have fun and stay on NS
 
please do not ask the internet. especially newschoolers. ive read get a softer ski to help with butters...youre 235.. no offense. and youve been skiing 5 times, i suggest go to a shop, learn about the different types of skis. carving, twins, fat, skinny. figure out what each is for and then decide for yourself what you want to get out of it. dont let someone say this ski is awesome because the brand or how they like it. I ski completely different from you
 
No offense taken, Im an athletic 235. I appreciate the advice though, Im not about to drop $500 on a pair of skis just because the internet said so. I am just looking for practical advice in a sport full of jargon.
 
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For video suggestions, id say skiingaddiction.com (might be skiaddiction.com). Its like 30 bucks but from the youtube previews ive seen, it looks pretty helpful.
 
Def talk to a guy in a shop. They will most likely be able to help you more than anywhere else.

Also, keep in mind some shops are super brand-oriented. Go to several, see if there is any overlap suggestions of the recommendations.
 
Alright OP, there is some decent advice in this thread for you. First and formost, as said before, TAKE A FEW LESSONS! I myself am an instructor, and I can tell you hands down that 2-3 lessons will help your abilities dramatically. Park skiing, like all skiing is all about edge control and body positioning. If you have issues navigating a blue trail, trying to balance on a rail is almost never going to happen for you. A minor edge catch that might not affect an experienced skier could throw you face first into a metal rail and lead to a major injury. You said you are in the MA/NH area, thats where I ski out of, PM me to let me know where you ski and maybe I can give you a mini lesson some day out on the slopes.

As far as twin-tips are concerned, you'll definitely want something with a good amount of camber on it, don't even think about going rocker at all as a beginner on the east coast. There are plenty of good all mountain park skis out there. If you want to get good in a hurry though, other than taking lessons the smartest investment you can make is a season pass to the closest mountain to you. Practice makes perfect.
 
The El Rey's sound like a pretty good ski for you, get them in like around a 178 or however close the get to that, they have a nice amount of camber underfoot, and they're a bit stiffer but once you get more experience you'll be able to pop them and butter them, I ride them and I love them but I'm not the same skier as you so talk to people at a shop and don't let them sell you racing skis
 
I do have to say though, after he gets better, a nice pair of 165 SL skis with a 12m radius is a damn fun groomer ski.
 
Take it easy. Take it in steps. Don't go hucking yourself off 60 footers on the first day. Progression is key to solid skiing and safety.
 
Little update for those who helped. I finding a good used pair of 2011 Salomon Simon Dumont's size 176. Gonna ride em for the first time tomorrow. Thanks again for people's suggestions I probably would have bought a pair of ski's that where too short.
 
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