Seeking Ski Advice

T

terrapin421

Member
I'm sorry that most of you guys that are regulars might get pissed at seeing a n00b post the question 'What ski's should I get?' However, I must ask.

I'm going to be going to school in Boulder, and figure its time to stop renting. I do everything on the mountain. My favorite is powder/cliffs/and steeps. However I love cruising high speed on groomers and in the bumps. Since I am from Chicago everytime I go to a Midwest park I get my ass kicked with the icy snow. However, I would love to get a ski that would ski well in the park too.

I have been looking at the Dynastar Trouble Makers, and some Salomon Pro Model Boots. I was thinking 175 would fit me well (I am 5'10' 145 pounds)... I've done tons of research online, and that seems to be the best fitting ski for me, but if anyone has any suggestions on skis and boots I'd love to hear them.

I'm probably going to go used on the boots, and maybe some used skis just to keep the cost down. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

 
Hey i have heard good things and bad things about the trouble makers, i guess some guys have had problems with the edges and stuff, I would check out the ski reviews under the resources section of this site, theres a lot of them on pretty much every park ski.

I'm getting skis this year too and have decided to go with k2 because their skis are affordable and i've heard a lot of good things about them.

www.star-board.com
 
Yeah I have read almost all the reviews on the skis. It sucks because I can't really demo the skis (no good local shops), and am just trying to read the specs thoroughly and figure out what I want. I just need something that will last me for a few years, and will ski everything.

 
If your looking at getting a new pair of skis but still keeping the price down, look to an older model such as the Candides on ebay or something. You can probably get a new setup for $350 or below with something like that. The troublemakers are all praise from what I've heard. But a lot of these guys in the forum know a lot more about the newer skis than I do.

 
i would go with the 175 troublemakers and as far as the problems with the edges go when i got mine i was told by the guy at my shop that dynastar has a 2 year warranty that covers everything and anything

 
get the Line Pollards. i dont know if thats to big for you (186cm), but they are a little bit fatter (118/86/111) than the TM so you can cruise pow and hit cliffs, but theyre mainly a park ski. if its to big for you i saying the TM is your best bet.

Thats the way I live my life: I grip it and I rip it.
 
I was thinking of 1080's or Public Enemies, since the 80mm waist would provide a bit more float than the 75 on the Trouble Makers. Atomic's skis are supposedly stiff enough that the Stomp will grip pretty good on pack, and if you're in CO, boilerplate will hardly be an issue.

Free your heel:

Free your mind
 
Will the Trouble Makers be a good enough all around ski. I will probably be using them more out of the park then in the park. More cliff and back country jibbing. However, I still want to keep trying to get better in the park with a ski. what do you think?

 
whats your height/weight?

if your big enough, i would say go with the pollards. or some motherships or something

°SamDCaylor°

www.poniverus.com
 
you're pretty light but I'd still go to something a bit fatter than the tm's. they are mainly a park ski. if you are really skiing more out of the park and mostly ungroomed I'd look for something like an 85-90 mm waist, or maybe v pros. I think they are 82 and supposed to be really good all mountain skis.

 
Either a 170 or 180 V-Pro? You seem kinda light, so a smaller ski may be better in a stiff model or a longer one in a soft model.

Hell, buying skis can be a total pain in the arse sometimes.

Free your heel:

Free your mind
 
i live in boulder too, i dont know if it is out of your price range but the christies sports on 30th (i think) has a pair of the v-explosives (the old ones with the wizard topsheet) for $450, i think they are like 175cm. then you could go used on the boots and bindings and that would keep the price down. the explosive would be a good ski for the type of skiing you say you do because they have a fatter waist (i think around 90mm) and they also have the twin tip for the park, you cant go wrong there.

P.S. there are a ton of good demo days in boulder, i just did one through Ski Deals (on arapaho) and im sure if you went in to a shop and asked they would tell you about there other demo days.

originally posted by chris_64_impala : why do u need a fat ski? huh fatty? yeah thats right u like the chocoalte
 
I'm currently stuck in the midwest right now. I will be attending CU next fall (Definatly psyched!!). I've been reading around a bit more... what about the Public Enemy's or Seth Pistols? I think the Seth Pistols might be just too big for me at 179 cm. I think the Public Enemys might be decent.. what do you think?

 
no dude, at 179 they are perfect, i typically ski a 170 and they were awsome when i demoed them, but that is a my opinion, about the PE. they sound like a sweet ski, you can get them for $299 at sportsden.com (good deal if i may say so). also, sweet that you are coming to CU!! i just got accepted for fall of next year too! we'll have to ride, if i meet you or something....

originally posted by chris_64_impala : why do u need a fat ski? huh fatty? yeah thats right u like the chocoalte
 
one more thing, if it helps you out, im going to buy my pair of seth pistols here pretty soon, 179cm, they will be sweet.

originally posted by chris_64_impala : why do u need a fat ski? huh fatty? yeah thats right u like the chocoalte
 
Nice! E-mail me sometime, and we'll get something together:

terrapin421@yahoo.com

I've been lookin at the Seth Pistols too... Do you think they'd be too fat for a n00b park skier? Also how will they hold up in bumps? I really am confused as to what to do, but want to make the best decision I can.

 
i think that you would be fine on the pistols, it takes like 2 runs to get used to a fat ski, after that it is pure fun! as for the bumps, they probably wont be too good because they are so wide. you want somthing that is quick edge to edge for the bumps. it sounds to me like you need something like an all mountain mid fat ski. so i would suggest looking for something with twin tip for the park, and around an 80mm waist wich is smaller than the big fat skis so its better for the moguls, but not too small for the powder. i dont know any skis like that off the top of my head though, i'll look around.

originally posted by chris_64_impala : why do u need a fat ski? huh fatty? yeah thats right u like the chocoalte
 
Also.. if I decide to go for the PE's which I might, just cause they are a little wider... should I go 169 or 179... I hear they measure their skis a bit goofy.

 
it depends, the twin tip is going to cancle out some of the base area that you have on the snow while skiing, but not much. so really it is a personal preferance thing. its sounds to me like you should go 179 though, it may seem long but it really isnt, and that will give you a little more float in the powder because you will have more ski underneath you. and you cant beat the $299 pirce tag on the PE, its a sweet deal! i will deffinatly drop you a line, when are you coming out here, any earlier than next fall?

originally posted by chris_64_impala : why do u need a fat ski? huh fatty? yeah thats right u like the chocoalte
 
I'm trying to find a student at CU that I can visit overnight. I should be comming out sometime in February and maybe in the summer. Not sure yet though.

 
Would 180 Volkl V-Pros Be too big for me (5'10' 145 lbs.). I know they are a stiffer ski. I like these and the PE's the best so far I think.

 
I don't know anything about the stiffness but I think a 180 is a good length for somebody of your size doing the type of skiing you describe. You might prefer a shorter ski though, I don't know. I'm 5'10 and only about 130, I wouldn't ride any ski shorter than 175

 
Alright I have narrowed my choices down to these three:

Volkl V-Pros... I'm nervous that 180 might be too long to be able to learn well in the park. Also is this a really heavy ski? I really want to get better in the park and am not sure if this is the ski to do it on. However as for all mountain capability this appears to be the best. I would have to buy this used...

Dynastar Trouble Makers: Am nervous that it is too soft. Also worried about the float in powder and how well this will hold up to some cliffs. I think this ski is too 'park' oriented for me... am I right or wrong?

k2 Public Enemys: Is it true that their 179cm model is really more along the lines of 183 cm. I can get this ski at a great price. Not sure if its better than the Trouble Maker as an all around ski?

Any comments on my top 3 skis?

 
Hey man if time isn't a priority for you just wait. Wait till it gets to be 80* in Denver in July and August. You'll get your best prices then. Don't look to buy a new pair of skis your going to use 2 times this season and pay an extra $200 for. Also the new models will be on retailers minds and they'll be pushing to get their old stock out the doors. You should find a good pair of twins, more than likely the three your looking at, relatively cheap. If money is more of a priority than when you get them then do this.

Also after the ski season is over, say May and June, twins on ebay are cheap as hell. Look then too.

 
I plan on using them 10-15 times this winter. Also midwest ski area rentals SUCK. The place close to my house scares me that they put people into those skis. The safety factor alone is worth the money.

 
go PEs. my brother loves them and uses them everywhere. especially if you can get a deal. more versitile than the TM, and at 5'10' even at that weight, you probably want to go 179. you can always grow into them. it sucks buying skis then getting too big for them.

by the way, the fujative is new (so no deals) and is very specific. PE is a much more rounded ski

I feel bad for people who don't drink, cause when they wake up in the morning, thats the best the're going to feel all day
 
Yeah I think I am leaning towards the PE's but I am still a little nervous that 179 (I heard they are more like 182-182) will be a little hard for a beginning park skier, and might even be hard to turn because I am so light.... What do you think?

 
Don't get used boots. The most important thing about boots is that they fit well. If you buy a used boot, the liner will be formed to someone elses foot. Making it uncomfortable to you, and that may cause you to take some rests and lose time on the hill. Just get something that's new, and light, i like light things, and inexpensive too.

 
I actually just bought some new Pro Model boots on e-bay for 250 bucks from some store. I'm still debating the size thing. I think 179 is too long and 169 is too short. Leaving the only ski the Dynastar 175. I still don't know what I should get...

 
if u like powder and cliffs get the poclet rockets or the seth pistols

IT'S JUST LIKE A WOOKIE DUDE!!!
 
I cracked a demo pair of 1080's last year hitting some little cornices. I'm nervous about Salomon durability issues. I think the guy at the shop told me they had a foam core or something... all I can say is that is pretty ridiculous that someone as light as me could crack some skis....On the other hand, they were demo skis, and were probably well on their way to going to shit by the time I got them. Ive been looking at the Scratch BC, they look like a good ski for me . What do you think? If I can find a cheap pair I would definatly consider buying them. If not I think I am just gonna go with some 169 PE's.

 
ebay for the scratch BC. there are a couple pairs there. there are tons of pocket rockets and seth pistols there too. check it out

originally posted by chris_64_impala : why do u need a fat ski? huh fatty? yeah thats right u like the chocoalte
 
I recently picked up a pair of Line Dark Sides off of getboards.com

They were having a great sale on them and it is supposed to be a solid all-mountain/park ski, especially for the sort of riding you are talking about. I bought them for exactly the same sort of stuff. I have yet to bust them out yet this year, though, so I can't give you too much of my personal opinion. I've been sticking to my shorter, park-only skis until more terrain is open.

 
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