Please help out a clueless midwestern kid?

ashamedkrew

ashamedkrew

Active member
I've lived all my life in Minnesota, but I'm going to be a freshman at Montana State this fall and thus be skiing most of the time at big sky. At this point I don't have a pair of functioning skis.

So I need to buy some new skis for the purpose of skiing at Big Sky next year, and I hardly know where to start. I want to spend time in the park still and not be flailing around huge pow skis on rails and park jumps, but I really would like to get some good float in deeper stuff and real mountain skiing capability. Any ski recommendations would be so very helpful!

Also, I am confused on what to do for a mount. I know the pains of riding center mounted skis in pow, but I don't enjoy skiing back mounted skis in the park either. I know about the adjustable marker schizos but I've heard mixed reviews and also don't feel quite like dropping 400 on a pair of bindings.

Any suggestions or help would be super useful. Thanks guys!
 
2 cheaper pairs perhaps? living in big sky ur gonna get a shit ton of snow so u might not want a crossover ski? but im still here in michigan so what would i know
 
Gotcha well if your main focus is park and you just want something that you can take into the pow if needed I'd look for a rockered ski with like a 95 waist? I'm no expert this is just the advice I've been given. Kung fujas might work for u?
 
an armada el rey perhaps? this might be a stretch but maybe the halo just because of the elf shoe. but i'm from minnesota too so i'm not an expert. but i think maybe the el rey would be perfect for your situation.
 
kung fujas or line blend if you are on the same ski every day.

but if you get two pairs i would go for armada JJ's and a pair of park skis.
 
For a park ski that can handle powder well, get the on3p jeronimo or the Kung fujas or the line blend. For a pow ski that can handle park, on3p Jeffery, Kung fujas
 
Thanks guys I'll look into those.

Anybody have an opinion on the mounting situation? Where do you mount for ideal park riding and deeper stuff all on the same ski?
 
with my experiences i would recommend the following as a one ski quiver... (in order)

armada arv (one of my favorite skis i have ever ridden on)

k2 kung fujas

line chronic cryptonite

salomon 2012

line blend

4frnt msp

rossi s5 jib

atomic snoop
 
I would really just have 2 pairs of skis. Sorry but 1 ski quivers will never perform at the top of their game anywhere. You can get park sticks for dirt cheap, or just keep using the ones you have. Hunt around for a deal on some pow skis. Youll appreciate it more in the long run. Your not gonna wanna take tram laps on some skinny center mounted park skis. Trust me, ive done it :D
 
I skied Big Sky last season and there is enough snow to warrant a pair of solid pow skis. There is a lot of powder and you'll need a fat ski to keep up. Having a park ski won't even be a huge worry of yours cuz of how fun the non-park terrain is at Big Sky.
 
On account that you are moving to Montana. You will acquire around 6 pairs of skis in the next 4 years. Trust me. This will happen. It isn't in your budget right now, but you will soon discover you can get skis for under $200 if you do it right.
That being said, you want an all mountain/powder ski first. I know you think you want a park ski... but once you experience real snow, you will become massively distracted and live for the powder days/big mountain for the first few months. That being said, may I recommend the Armada TST, a bit better of a carving ski but tons of float. You will still be able to do some stuff on it, but it will kill it on drops and what not which will excite you.
Upon acquiring a lovely all mountain, you will then go into the park world of things. You will want a bit wider of a park ski (just because of location). You will also probably want a bit stiffer ski on account that getting to the parks/different areas of the mountain at Big Sky can require obtaining some speed which things like the Afterbangs dont handle well.
Once you have your big mountain and park skis taken care of, your next investment will be a true powder ski. You will want this for the 10 days of the season that make the ski worth it. I like the benchetler.
In the mean time, you will be acquiring things you never thought about before... like skins and a beacon.
You will get to know the ski community quite well in which you will likely win a pair of not so great dynistar carving skis, acquire a used pair of park skis which you think you will use for urban... but never really get out to do so, and likely one more pair of park skis after you break one of your others. These will be on warranty and you will use your old ones as either part of a chair or a coat rack.
Dont question this, just accept it and go get yourself some fancy big mountain skis.
 
well if you were to get one all around ski and didnt want to bother with center mounted and mounted back get the marker jester or griffon shizo bindings you can bring them forward or back wards from 1 to 3 cm and you dont have to change din or anything
 
lets be real we all know he needs blends. i loved riding them in park never tried em in pow but they are rockered so should be good. i would just go full pow ski for big sky though, bacons would be great if you still plan on riding some park.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top